Adelaide turned to see Pheron stepping out of the waves, his black scales vanishing as he planted pale feet onto the sand. Ro turned as well, his smile fading as he squared off with Pheron.
"I've been looking forward to this," Pheron said with a dip of his head. "Ro, it's been too long."
"Some would argue not long enough," Ro shot back.
Pheron let out a soft chuckle. "I suppose not. We didn't leave on the best terms." His gaze flickered to Adelaide. "You've left your guard dog behind? Finally sick of his human stench?"
"He didn't want to come," Adelaide said, the words a shot of pain through her heart.
"Of course not. He doesn't want to face me." Pheron shook his head. "After all I did for him, he repays me by betraying me."
"Betraying you?" Adelaide narrowed her gaze. "How did he betray you?"
"I asked him to keep you safe. It was his only responsibility. But look at you."
The muscle in Adelaide's jaw twitched. People needed to stop referencing her looks as an argument in their favor. "What about me?"
"Your skin. Your beautiful, porcelain skin. See how he's mangled it?" Pheron closed in, taking her arm in his hands as though it were a delicate flower. "He let it be darkened by the sun. I told him to keep you pure."
Adelaide jerked her arm back. "I barely spent any time in the sun," she snapped. "Besides, I had sixteen years with Mer before Seymour. You honestly expect me to believe my skin was as translucent as yours before?" She gestured to Ro. "I'm half freshwater, half saltwater. I should look like something in between."
Pheron's gaze slid to Ro even as he faced Adelaide. "You've told her where she came from?"
"I was surprised she didn't know," Ro said. "How would you feel to discover your fiancé after six years and realize she has no idea what you are, let alone who she is."
"She was never yours," Pheron hissed, turning to block Adelaide from Ro. "She's only ever been mine."
With a gagging sound, Adelaide moved away from both of them. "You're both fools if you think I'm marrying either one of you." She pointed from Ro to Pheron. "I brought him here so you could talk, so the UnKept could go back to the ocean and the humans could be free. So start making peace."
Tilting his head to one side, Pheron blinked up at her, his icy blue eyes sending a chill down her spine. "Peace? Oh, my sweet Adelaide."
"Adelaide." Ro's words were tinged with fear. "Adelaide, untie me. Right now."
"You said you wanted to talk," Adelaide said to Pheron. "You said you could—"
"It's funny, how words work." Pheron walked toward Ro, not taking his eyes off of the other Mer. "You can use them for anything—to hurt, to heal...to lie."
Ro backed into the water, and it surged forward, knocking Pheron down. "Stay away from me." He turned to Adelaide. "You need to untie me. Right now."
"Ah, ah, ah." Pheron pushed to his feet, raising his hands and jerking them inward. Ocean gushed forth, bringing Ro with it. He cried out, and Pheron grabbed him by the throat, the water holding him aloft, binding his arms. Sharp claws grew from Pheron's nails, biting into Ro's neck.
"Wait! Stop!" Adelaide tried to push between them, heart hammering. "You have to stop. We can have peace. Please!"
"Oh, sweet girl," Pheron said, using his free hand to caress her face. She jerked away. "There will never be peace for us."
With a swift slash, Pheron slit Ro's throat with his claws.
Adelaide screamed as Ro's bound hands flew to his neck, eyes wide as blood spilled through his fingers. Pheron let go of the water, and Ro's body dropped into the sand. He gurgled, spluttered, and his eyes found Adelaide's.
"No!" Adelaide scrambled to his side. "What have you done?"
"I've disposed of the next ruler of the UnKept." Pheron bore over them, his smile twisted. "I will strike them all down, and each will die."
"I'm sorry," Adelaide whispered, holding Ro's head in her lap. "I'm so sorry. This is all my fault."
His lifeless eyes and gaping mouth were frozen in horror, and Adelaide shook as tears streamed forth.
"Pathetic," Pheron said, bending down and gripping her by the elbow. He forced her to her feet. "It's time you learned your place, girl."
Adelaide struggled against him, pushing away, but his grip was too strong. She turned her head, staring out at the ocean, willing it to come and save her. Stretching out her free hand, she let out a whimper, trying to bring it forth.
Pheron chuckled, low and dark. "Little Adelaide. You never did have a command of the water. Didn't he tell you? Nobody wanted you to learn. They didn't want you to have that kind of power until we were sure you were on our side."
Adelaide let out a cry of pain as Pheron tightened his grip, his nails cutting into her arm.
"You have a choice, now. Join me. Take your place with our people. I will teach you all you could possibly desire—give you the ocean."
"And if I don't?"
Pheron brought his free hand up, brushing his claws against her shoulder. "If you don't," he said and dug his claws deep into her upper arm. Adelaide shrieked in pain as Pheron sliced into her. "You'll die just like Ro."
Pulling his claws free, he gave Adelaide a moment to absorb her pain, tears pouring down her cheeks now. She thought of Seymour and his warning.
Wrong again, Adelaide.
"What happens if I say yes? What will happen to the other Mer and to the humans?"
"What do they matter? The humans have destroyed their land with wars—they started our war in their mess. They all deserve to die."
"And how exactly will you kill them?"
A mad delight flashed over Pheron's features. "I'm going to flood the earth."
"You couldn't possibly—there's too much land. You couldn't—"
"You'd be surprised what humans have done to ensure their own extinction. Their bombs, their nuclear atrocities. They sank them into the ocean during their last war. Those freshwater fools wanted to purge the ocean of them. They didn't have the vision I have."
"You'll use their bombs to flood the earth?"
"Just as they sank their land before, it will sink again." Pheron sighed in content. "The world will be just for us, then. Peace at last. You can help me, Adelaide. You can help me make things right. I've spent years preparing, and I'm finally ready. That's why I came back for you. The choice is now," Pheron said, still holding her tight. "What will it be?"
Closing her eyes, Adelaide concentrated on Seymour—on everything he'd taught her. A dream she often had flashed through her memories. She sat with Seymour on the beach, the water ebbing and flowing as he held her in his arms, kissing her neck, whispering in her ear. She could never even dream of having that life as long as Pheron had control.
She turned her face to look him square in the eyes and bared her teeth. "I choose death."
He pulled her closer, until his face was only an inch from hers. "Then you will die just like your mother before you." His eyes sparkled in delight. "I gave her the same choice. I told her we could be together, but she chose him. Her death was painful—yours will be even worse."
Anger surged in Adelaide's chest, her only thoughts on hurting Pheorn, making him pay for what he'd done. Pheron's eyes widened, and a rush of water hit them both, knocking them onto the beach and breaking Pheron's hold on her. Adelaide scooted away from him, forcing the water to suck him back into the ocean. It did as she'd hoped.
Not waiting to see if she could do it again, Adelaide sprinted up the beach, climbing the sand dune. She didn't look back, forcing her feet forward even as her lungs burned. Her arm bled freely, making her dizzy, but she couldn't stop.
The world tilted, and she stumbled, her whole body aching. Sobs broke anew as she thought of Ro, his body on the beach.
I have to get back to Seymour. Just go. Keep going. Adelaide urged herself forward, not stopping until she reached the shack.
(word count 1427)