Tempest Revealed

When I woke up, it was dark. I was sitting on the ground, my back resting against a wall, and a few things hit me at once. One, that I wasn’t floating despite being underwater. Two, that there was something heavy around my waist and my wrists anchoring me to the wall. Third, I was back in my human form, legs instead of a tail. And finally, that I was crazy sick—head throbbing, stomach churning, body aching in about a million different places.

Wondering if I’d somehow contracted the flu on top of everything else, I swallowed five or six times, tried to get the nausea under control. I’d puked once under water, right after I had become a mermaid, and it had been a terribly unpleasant experience and one I definitely didn’t want to repeat…especially considering I was chained to a wall.

When swallowing back the nausea didn’t work, I tried the old deep breathing trick, but water didn’t work quite the way oxygen did and I ended up choking, which only made my need to hurl a million times worse. Cold, miserable and feeling exceptionally sorry for myself, I rested my head back against the wall and tried not to cry. It wasn’t easy. After all, I had completely screwed up this time around. The only up side was that Sabyn hadn’t killed me yet, but I figured that was because he was waiting for Tiamat, who probably wanted to do the honors herself. And since I was pretty sure I hadn’t developed any new powers—like ripping chains out of walls with my bare hands—I was a sitting duck waiting for her.

After I got over the panic, which I admit took a few minutes, I opened my eyes, tried to figure out where I was. I couldn’t see how knowing was going to matter one way or the other, but knowledge is power, right? And since anything was a step up from being chained in a bikini by a madman, I would take what I could get.

It was still dark, the only light coming from my natural phosphorescence. It was weaker than usual though, probably because I was, so the purple glow it cast didn’t go very far. But it was better than nothing, so I turned my head and strained to see.

I followed my arm where it was stretched out along the wall, found an iron clamp dug into the stones. It was wrapped around my left wrist. I turned my head the other way, saw that my right wrist had been given the same treatment, and that chains extended from both cuffs and wrapped around my waist before they were threaded through a large metal loop embedded into the wall next to my left side. One thing was for sure. I was well and truly bound.

Next I gave myself leave to explore whatever other parts of the room I could see. There didn’t seem to be much, just the rough stone floor beneath my butt and the wall next to me, which had another set of restraints embedded into it, if I was seeing correctly. And they looked ancient, at least as old as the ones holding me down.

Which made me think that I was in Hailana’s dungeon, a small rabbit warren of rooms that had been carved into the ocean floor centuries before I was even born. I’d only been down here once before, when I had been exploring the castle and had taken a wrong turn. I had freaked out when I saw what looked like medieval torture chambers, complete with equipment, and had all but flown to Hailana to demand what went on down there. She’d reassured me, told me that they were just a part of the castle’s history and that no one had been held down here for well over a century.
Trust Sabyn to decide to change all that.

Now that I knew where I was, panic was creeping in, replacing the sickness and the self-pity with an animalistic drive to stay alive. It was taking every ounce of self-control I had not to strain and thrash against the chains. The only thing keeping me from doing so was the knowledge that it wouldn’t work—and that I’d only end up in worse shape than I was already in. Something I couldn’t afford, because Sabyn obviously wasn’t going to get me medical attention. And if I wanted any chance at all to fight him off, I needed to be in good shape.

Slowly, inch by inch, I forced myself to relax the tension that had invaded every part of my body. Then I focused on my crazily beating heart, trying to bring it under control with a series of deep breaths through my gills. I could finally feel myself calming down, feel the adrenaline of the fight or flight syndrome that had hit me the moment I woke up start to slowly drain away. Then I leaned my head back against the wall and tried to think my way out of this hellhole.

I don’t know how long I sat there, running through a variety of scenarios in my head. I came up with a few good ones but they all started at the same point—with my hands being freed. Until that happened, I I might as well just admit that I was screwed. That way, maybe I could get past the horror of being helpless and move on to the next part of the dilemma. Figuring out how I was going to get my wrists unchained.

In the end, I wasn’t the one who did it. Sabyn was. I’d been awake what I thought was a few hours—I couldn’t be sure as there was no clock down here—when he came through the door. The robes were gone and in their place was a pair of electric navy blue board shorts with a matching rash guard. He appeared almost normal, as long as you didn’t look into his eyes. There was only so much a guy could do to hide the psycho, after all.

Hey,Tempest. How you doing? he asked as he swam toward me.

Are you insane? I demanded, straining against the cuffs for the first time in my effort to get to him.

He tilted his head, pretended to think about the question. Actually, I think I’m doing well in the sanity department right now. I beat you, didn’t I?

Because you’re a raging lunatic who sold himself to the sea witch. And for what? Power? You don’t actually think she’s going to be okay with you having any significant amount of power, do you?

Look around, Tempest. In case you haven’t noticed, I already have a significant amount of power. And I can assure you, no one is going to take that from me.

I snorted. You’re a fool.

He was across the room in a flash, his hand at my throat. You’re chained to a wall and insulting the only person who can set you free. And you think I’m foolish?

I didn’t answer, and because I couldn’t stand to look at his smug face for one more second, I turned my head towards the nearby wall. I might not have many choices left, but I still had that.

Until he decided to take that away, too. Look at me, Tempest.

Again I didn’t answer, didn’t turn my head back toward him. It wasn’t like there was so much more he could do to me.

Did you hear me?

I still didn’t respond. His hand tightened on my throat, but I wasn’t afraid. I might be in human form right now, but I wasn’t breathing through my windpipe. He could choke me all he wanted but it wouldn’t cut off my air supply.

Of course, I was forgetting that Sabyn the Insane knew every dirty trick in the book—and a bunch that hadn’t been invented yet. Before I had a clue what he was going to do, his hands slammed into my head, directly behind my ears. And then they started to press against my gills, cutting off my supply of water, and in turn, air. He wasn’t gentle about it either, his fingers gouging into the small slits of my gills until it took all my will not to scream. He got what he wanted, though. In my panic to get away from him, I turned my head back. Our eyes collided.

Thank you, Tempest. Now that wasn’t so hard, was it? He smiled, a deranged twisting of his lips that would have terrified me if I wasn’t already dying. Though I was staring at him, he hadn’t seen fit to lift his fingers from my gills. As my mouth opened and closed, my panic making me revert to human habits, he just watched me. The world started to go gray and I struggled in earnest, my head flopping back and forth as I forgot my resolve not to give him the satisfaction. And still he didn’t let up, still he watched me as his fingers savaged my gills.

I tried to buck him off, to kick him, but the sad fact was, in this situation he did have all the power and I had none. The world grew dimmer, even blacker, and I understood that this was it. I was going to die down here like my mother had and, like her, there was nothing I could do about it.

The last thought I had before I went out was of Mark. I prayed that he wasn’t destined to live my father’s life, looking out to sea and waiting, wondering, if I would ever come back.

* * * * *

When I woke up, I was floating. Sabyn had unchained me but was keeping a close eye on me from his spot across the room. It took a second for me to register that I was still alive. I allowed myself a moment of pure relief before whirling toward Sabyn yet again. I sent out the most powerful blast of electricity I could muster. It should have been enough to knock him on his ass, if not fry him completely, but nothing happened. In fact, he just stood there, smirking at me as I blasted him again and again and again.

It only took a couple times for me to figure out that it wasn’t that Sabyn was repelling the electricity, it was that I wasn’t actually firing any. Just like I wasn’t shooting any energy pulses either. My powers had completely dried up.

Are you done? he asked. Because there are things I’d like to talk about, and frankly, you don’t look like you can do that and listen at the same time.

I sent another blast his way. Then another. And another. Still nothing. What did you do to me?

If you’d calm down a little bit, maybe we could talk about it.

I did scream then, reaching deep inside myself for the reserves of power I rarely had to draw on. I fired absolutely everything I had at him and prayed.

All he did was yawn. Then he walked toward the door, his total disregard for my powers obvious in the way he turned his back on me—something he never would have done before.

Okay. All right. The words came out hoarse and breathless, a testament to just how hard I’d been fighting him. What do you want to talk about?

I knew you’d come around.

I coughed, then felt my gills ooze a little. When I put my hands up to them it was to find out that I was bleeding. Sabyn had really done a number on me.

I’m sorry about that, he said. I guess I was too rough.

I didn’t bother to answer. He’d smothered me into unconsciousness, so yeah, I had a tendency to see that as “too rough.”

What do you want, Sabyn? I’m too tired to play games.

Even after your nap? I’m so sorry to hear that. He gestured to the floor. Why don’t you have a seat, get comfortable? He pulled a picnic basket into the room, set it down next to me. Maybe something to eat will help with your exhaustion.

I stared at the basket in disbelief. I’m not hungry.

He shrugged his shoulders. I guess that depends on how badly you want answers. Besides, who knows when I’ll decide to feed you next.

You are completely revolting.

And you are a total pain in the ass, but here we are anyway. He held out a kelp bar. Try it. It’s pretty good.

I don’t think so.

He shrugged, then took a big bite. Suit yourself.

Sabyn settled with the picnic on the ground, or at least as close to the ground as he could get with the sea water pushing at him. Merpeople, like other half-human sea creatures, have a built in resistance to the ocean’s buoyancy, which allows them to counteract it any time they want. It doesn’t mean they’ll be able to walk on the ocean floor without effort, but it does mean that they won’t float more than an inch or so above it unless they want to. My resistance isn’t as good as a full merperson’s but I can usually stay two or three inches above whatever it is I’m resting on. Unless I’m concentrating. Then I can lay on a bed or walk on the ground like any other merperson.

Are you going to tell me what’s going on here, Sabyn? You can’t actually think you’re going to get away with holding me prisoner.

He laughed. Who’s going to stop me? Kona? From what I hear, he can barely stand to be in the same ocean with you. Besides, he’s got other problems right now.

My blood ran cold. What do you mean?

You screwed things for a lot of people when you took off for home last week. Now Coral Straits is mine, and Kona’s kingdom … well, let’s just say it’s not really his anymore. But don’t feel too bad; his people are probably relieved. He’s been having a rough time over there since you dumped him.

Sabyn’s words hit me hard, made me focus on the guilt that was always just below the surface. I wanted to lash out at him, to tell him off, but I couldn’t. I needed him. Not just for me—I was more than happy to piss him off when I was the only one at risk. But Sabyn had news of Kona, and that I wanted desperately. He might not be my boyfriend anymore, but that didn’t mean I didn’t still care about him. If something else happened to him because he was helping me … I’d never forgive myself. And I would make Sabyn, and Tiamat, pay.

I’d never been particularly bloodthirsty as a human. Even as a mermaid, I would rather flight than fight if I could get away with it. But I’d had about enough of Sabyn and Tiamat and all the other sea monsters they had working with them. If I got out of this damn dungeon alive, I swore I would take them all down, no matter what it took. Their reign of terror had to end.

But I was smart enough to know that there was no way I’d get a chance to escape if I didn’t play nice with Sabyn. Oh, I didn’t necessarily expect him to buy it—he wasn’t a total idiot, after all. But he was vain, really vain, and if I worked it long enough, maybe his guard would slip. If not today, then some time soon.

Hating myself and what I had to do, I settled down next to him and his ridiculous picnic. I even grabbed one of the disgusting kelp bars and took a bite, praying it wasn’t poisoned.

He didn’t say anything while we ate, and neither did I. I was smart enough to know that I had to wait for him to take the lead or I would never get anywhere. But it was so hard, when I was dying to know where Kona was. Not to mention what he had done to my powers. If there was ever a time I needed them, this was it. I couldn’t do anything without them.

Sabyn forced me to sit there, watching him go through a truly disgusting amount of food. I knew it was for effect, that he was showing me he was the one in control. But even understanding his motivation, it was difficult not to grab one of the kelp and veggie sandwiches and cram it down his throat until he choked on the stupid thing. Except he was a merman so he couldn’t actually choke. More’s the pity.

Finally, when I felt like I was going to lose my mind if he made me wait one more second, he pushed his plate away with a huge sigh. Beer? he asked, holding out a brew made of red algae. It was Kona’s favorite brand and my heart thumped a little in my chest when I saw it.

I shook my head. I hated the stuff. Besides, the last thing I needed right now was to cloud my brain with alcohol.

So, Sabyn said after taking a long drink. I have a proposition for you.

Finally. What do you want?

You.

Excuse me? Surely I’d heard wrong. Then again, he looked surprisingly earnest when he leaned forward and reached for my hand. I yanked it away before he could get a good grip on it, then folded my arms over my chest in case he hadn’t gotten the hint. I had to admit I felt like I was in the middle of a particularly weird and horrifying episode of The Twilight Zone. Or maybe X-Files. That show has always freaked me out.

I waited for him to say more, but he didn’t. Nor did he do anything besides stare at me with a wounded expression on his face. Like my not wanting him to touch me had somehow offended him. Which was so ridiculous it made me long for my powers even more. There was nothing I wanted at that moment as much as the ability to blast him into next week.

Finally the whole nervous talker thing got the better of me and I demanded, Sabyn, what the hell are you up to?

I thought that was obvious. I’m taking over your kingdom.

Yeah, I got that. But what are you doing bringing me picnic lunches? We’re pretty much the definition of mortal enemies at this point.

I think that’s a little harsh, don’t you?

You shot me with a dart gun, stripped me of my powers and chained me in a dungeon. And that was just today.

Yes, but that was for your own good.

My own good? I almost choked on my utter incredulity.

In case you didn’t notice, people weren’t exactly overjoyed to see you today. He gestured carelessly to the world outside my dungeon walls.

I didn’t talk to anybody. That’s the whole point. You have my people so terrified of you that they wouldn’t even come greet me.

That wasn’t terror, Tempest. That was disgust. I didn’t seize control of Coral Straits. It was given to me in a gift box, all wrapped up with a shiny bow.

I don’t believe you.

He shrugged. Fine, don’t believe me. That doesn’t mean it isn’t true. Your people sold you out.

I wanted to ignore him, to discount everything he was saying. But he was so calm, so rational, so sure of himself that it was hard to do. Besides, I could still see Bali’s face, could see all those people who saw me come into town today and went out of their way not to talk to me. After seeing Sabyn, I had decided it was fear that motivated them. But what if it was something else? What if they had chosen Sabyn as a leader? They could have been avoiding me because no one wanted to be the one to tell me. Or worse, because they’d known what was waiting for me and they were okay with me being hurt, imprisoned, trapped.

But still. Why would they do that? I demanded. Even as I asked, I was aware of the irony of seeking answers¸ reassurance, from the man who had put me in this situation.

My guess? They don’t like your ties to the human world. Every time things get rough, you run home to your daddy and that human boyfriend of yours. You have to admit, it’s a little pathetic.

I wasn’t about to discuss Mark or my family with Sabyn. They were none of his business and, truthfully, I hated that he knew anything about them at all. I decided to change the subject. So, at risk of sounding like a broken record, what are you doing here? If you have the monarchy of Coral Straits all tied up, what are you doing in this dungeon with me?

He smiled, then, and it was such a cold, slimy thing that I had to force myself not to shudder. The way he was looking at me made me feel like Little Red Riding Hood at the foot of her grandmother’s bed after the big bad wolf had climbed into it—like I was lunch and I just didn’t know it yet.

Funny you should ask, he told me, tipping his beer toward me in a little salute before he drained the bottle and tossed it back into that ridiculous picnic basket. I’m here to ask for your hand in marriage.