A World No One Knows (bxb) [editing and rewriting]

Chapter 15

I watch the poor plant wither before my saddened eyes as I carry the tray of food down the hallway. The once vibrant palace is now dead. The plants are dying, and the animals are leaving. It's only been a week, but it feels like forever, and I don't know how long the kingdom can take this.

"I have lunch for Zale," I tell the guards at the throne room doors.

One of the guards glares at me for not using the proper title for Zale, but he opens the doors anyway. Last time he stopped me for that, Zale was furious.

I swim through the doors and scowl at the mers chained to the ground before the throne. They aren't part of the Resistance. It's like he's punishing all of Meridian for what we did.

After the battle, Zale took over the kingdom. He put most of the Resistance in the cells below the palace or in the kitchens working. Only a few of us have seen the daylight this past week, and only I have been to the upper floors of the palace to give Zale his meals.

"What took you so long? Get over here now."

I swim over to Zale, and he takes the food from the tray. He takes a bite before spitting it out and throwing it at me. I duck, and the food flies over my head, but I can't dodge the gush of water that throws me backward.

"Tell the cooks that they better make food that's edible. This is disgusting. Bring me back something I can eat!"

I grit my teeth and nod, hurrying out of there as fast as I can, but not before I hear the mers laughing at me. The anger courses through my veins as I swim down the hallway, but then the world around me goes silent, and my body goes numb. I hold myself together while I make sure no one is looking before I fall against the wall. I hold my head and pant, dizzy, tired, and cold. I look at the bracelet on my wrist and think back to what happened after the battle.

After Zale's little speech, the red mers rounded everyone up and took them to the cells below the palace, but Zale came over to me. I was on the ground still, not moving from the pain.

"Did you really think that I didn't have a way to bring you down? A backup plan in case my son failed? After I sent my son to bring you here, he gave you something, didn't he? What was it? Oh, yeah. A bracelet that helped you control your out-of-control powers. Didn't you think it was odd that he would have that with him? The exact thing that would help you. Now that bracelet traps your powers inside of you. You will never use them again. You are trapped. Enjoy being my slave for the rest of your miserable life."

The next couple days were a blur of pain. The energy in my veins eventually sizzled out, but then I was left empty and cold. A big piece of me was gone, and I couldn't get it back. Zander and I tried everything we could to get the bracelet off of me, but nothing we did worked. My guess is that only Zale knows how to remove it, and I know he never will.

Once my uneasiness has passed, I make my way back down to the kitchens. I keep my head down, but I notice each and every red mer that guards the prisoners. I see Zander working and go over to help him. I can feel him looking at me.

"Another one?" he whispers.

I glance at the guards, but I don't answer.

"You took too long to get back." He sighs. "Blaise--"

"I'm fine."

"No, you're not. They've been getting worse. You've been getting worse. How much sleep did you get last night?"

"Enough."

"You haven't stopped shivering. You look pale and tired. Blaise, I'm worried."

"You shouldn't be," I say and then look over at the guards. I see some of the mers around us giving us looks to be quiet, but I only lower my voice. "Your kingdom, Zander, is under attack. You should be thinking of ways to get Zale off of the throne and your parents back on it. Any word from Lir?"