Dancing On Ice

The Santiago

"Apparently," Dalton said.

Cole just stared at him. "I'm in love with your twin?" he said.

"I don't think that's the important bit right now," Dalton snapped, frowning at him.

"I think it's important," Cole said, "Since when did you have a brother?!"

"You think that's surprising. Did you know I have a mother?"

"Who doesn't?"

"I didn't have one still breathing until Icadora walked in," Dalton said, pointing at Icadora.

Cole and Perry looked around and Perry drew in a gasp so sharp he choked on it.

"Oh god, Icadora? The exiled princess?" he cried through his coughing. "That's your mother?"

"You know her?" Dalton said, stunned.

"I know of her. Of course. Do you?"

"I know a lot more than I did last night. About her and myself."

"Wait, who is she? A princess?" Cole asked.

"She's a mermaid," Perry said as if saying such a thing was the most natural thing in the world, "Icadora, The Fallen Princess. She was exiled though it was never clear why. I didn't realise she was even still alive. My god, Dalton, you're a merman?"

"Apparently only half."

"You didn't know this? How could you not know this?!"

"Something to do with a Heart. The queen has it and—"

"Queen Elaina has your Heart?" Perry cried, horrified.

"So I didn't know. I guess I couldn't transform or—"

"Hold up!" Cole snapped, getting between them, making them look at him as he looked back at them. "First things first. What? Let me see if I have this. You have a twin brother. Your mother is very much alive and an exiled princess... and you're a merman?"

"So it seems," Dalton said.

Cole stared at him for a long, long moment, then looked at Perry. "Did I smoke something I shouldn't have, last night?" he asked, "You shouldn't let me do that; you know I hate all that filth."

"You didn't smoke anything," Perry said, "You just got drunk over Kazimir and went to sleep."

"Am I that hung over? I think my best friend just told me he's a merman."

"You're not hung over or drunk or high or anything else," Perry said, frowning at him, "You're in the presence of one of the most powerful mermaids to ever have existed and her son. Not only them, but you stand before Princess Aeralie, daughter of The King of The Sea – and the reason behind the sinking of hundreds of ships." He looked around. "You should also be in the presence of Dalton's brother, Kazimir, a merman of undermined power and the man you're in love with... and yet he's not here."

He looked at Dalton again.

"What happened?"

"I don't know," Dalton said, "Dago and Icadora were fighting. Kazimir had been knocked out and Aeralie and I were with him but when we turned around, Icadora was on the floor. Then Aeralie fell over. My father spoke about merfolk having powers and that I should have some... and then I collapsed."

"Kazimir."

Everyone looked at Icadora as she looked around the hall.

"Dago swallowed his power," she said, her eyes wide and pained as she looked back at them. "He swapped his power for Aeralie's legs, it was contained within a locket and Dago got hold of it. He swallowed it. He has Kazimir's power and—"