Everblue

Chapter 20 - Fin

FIN

 

"Before you start today, I need two volunteers," Azor called out over the assembled group of mermen.

I yawned and looked off to the side, bored out of my mind. Whenever Azor called for volunteers, it meant some type of grunt work for an elder mer. He scanned the crowd with a straight face. Usually someone wanting his favor raised their hand, but with his foul mood and crappy assignments, no one did today.

Actually, after all Badger and I discussed, I planned to quit Azor's army. During the last few weeks, I'd technically honed my fin fighting skills like Dad asked me to do and I had no purpose here anymore. Sunlight exploration was more up my alley and could be useful knowledge when we returned to Tahoe. I'd sell Azor on the idea and move onto bigger and better things.

"Thank you, Kieran, for volunteering. That leaves one more. Anyone?"

Come on with it already.

"Fine then," he waved his finger over the group and landed on me, "Finley, I'd like you and Kieran to report to Mrs. Crabtree's house. She has some rocks to move."

"What—?"

Azor shot his beady eyes at me. "Excuse me? Were you saying something, Finley?"

"With all due respect, I'd like to be transferred. Someone else should go in my place."

Badger grunted while smashing his eyelids together.

Azor's dark, lifeless eyes sparked with deviousness. "Transferred? Interesting. Well, since you've proven you're able to fight at least, I agree. You can be in charge of maintenance now and Grommet will partner with Badger in your place," —he signaled to Grommet who watched attentively— "dismissed."

"What?" My jaw dropped as the group scattered, everyone eyeing me with relief and curiosity. With stars in his eyes, Grommet swam up alongside us as Badge gave me a deflated look, shaking his head.

"Badger!" I called out.

He whirled around, disappointment eroding deep grooves into his face. "Son, you've heard the captain. Get to yer new assignment."

"What? This is crazy. He can't force me!"

I knew I sounded like a child, but I couldn't help it. If Dad were here, none of this would have happened. Azor was taking out his frustration on me because my sister refused him. I couldn't be a gofer for the elder mers. Badger needed to stick up for me and make Azor see reason.

Badger narrowed his eyes. "That he can and that he has. So, you better go. We'll talk later."

He patted Grommet on the back and together they swam away to our corner of the practice grounds. Kieran hovered off to the side and watched me like a lit stick of dynamite.

"Come on," I grunted and swam ahead as Kieran followed behind at a distance.

As soon as we were out of Azor's sight, Kieran caught up to me and filled the silence with useless nonsense about his inventions. I didn't pay close attention, still angered at the rotten assignment, confused why I had to listen to Azor in the first place. Why couldn't I just leave? Of course, deserting an assignment probably didn't look good on my record and I did want Tahoe some day.

Once arriving at Mrs. Crabtree's, I changed my mind. No matter where we moved her decorative rocks, she complained. After an entire day of repositioning the stones in her front yard, she ended up liking them best in their original location. I knew there was no way I could handle this until Dad returned. Azor had to see reason.

: : :

I picked up Tatch at the palace without a word and swam ahead. Today, she looked almost normal with only a few streaks of purple in her hair.

"Fin, I've figured it out," she called behind me.

I looked over my shoulder and sighed. Didn't she see I was pissed? Would it be too much for her to be quiet for once? "I don't feel like playing games today."

"Rough day at the office?" Tatch giggled. When I didn't respond, she caught up to me and nudged me in the ribs. "Lighten up, Mr. Prickleback. All I wanted to say was I figured out how to get the mer-matrons off my back."

I lifted my right eyebrow when her silence went on too long. "I'm too hungry and tired to guess."

"You're no fun," she said with an upturned lip. "Fine. It was really so simple. Rumor has it they all want me to promise to their sons, so I announced that I'd finally chosen."

"You've chosen? Who?"

"Dorian." Her face brightened.

Dorian? Sandy's cousin? Stunned, I waited for her to laugh and tell me she was kidding.

"Oh come off it. I'm not really going to go through with it. He's got his sights on a human girl anyway. It's just a way for both of us to get the pressure off, you know?"

The mention of Dorian picking a human girl over a mermaid brought Ashlyn to mind. Though I'd never bring her into this world willingly, there were so many times when I was tempted, like the day we left. But after meeting Lily, I started to feel like I could be happy with a pure-born mermaid.

Tatch thumped her fist into my shoulder. "Didn't you hear me?"

"That's a great idea."

"Geez, take all the fun out of it, why don't you." She gave me a dirty look, then swam up through the porthole into the house.

I clenched my jaw a few times and looked up at the house. Yesterday had been my best day since we'd been trapped in Natatoria and today, my worst. I didn't want Mom to know about my altercation with Azor so I plastered on a fake grin and went inside. Crap day or not, my stomach was about to turn inside out and start digesting itself.