A Very Mer-Merry Holiday by Ginna Moran

Author:Ginna Moran [Moran, Ginna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: mermaids
ISBN: 9781942073895
Publisher: Sunny Palms Press
Published: 2017-12-05T05:00:00+00:00

10

Stuck

“FASTER, CARTER,” I THINK, CLUTCHING onto my mate’s shoulders.

“If someone sees the smoke, there won’t be anything we can do,” he says back, jetting through the water.

I hate to admit that Carter’s right. The smoke will draw attention, and we can’t have a rescue team combing the water for the missing people if we have to take them. Our sparks protect us, but I still can’t be too careful. The merpeople are too excited, too antsy, maybe even a little careless. They definitely enjoy the newfound freedom that came with my leadership.

I flick my hand out, creating a current to clear the ocean life crowding the water before us. It takes just minutes to reach the boat, but Carter stops short. Three pairs of legs tread water a few feet from the sinking vessel, and I let go of Carter.

“Ava, you shouldn’t surface as a mermaid,” Carter says, grabbing my wrist.

“I don’t have a choice. I have to help them.”

I yank from Carter and swim up to reach air. Before I can break through, a series of cramps rush from my back and into my tail, and panic laces around my heart. I did not will myself to transform. I shouldn’t be transforming into a human. Nothing has even set me off.

“Carter,” I think to him, but it’s too late. He can’t hear me.

My lungs burn with every passing second, and one of the humans dips underwater, unable to stay afloat. I realize then that the man doesn’t have a life vest on. Carter grabs my shoulders, shaking me so that I look into his eyes. He waves his hands at my bare legs, gesturing for me to transform back into a mermaid.

Closing my eyes, I try to force the change to take hold, but nothing happens. It’s like the ocean is forcing me to remain human. And I can’t stay under for much longer. I point to the surface and push away from Carter. His eyes widen, and his blurry form bends forward as he clutches his tail. Then he transforms into a human, too.

Something triggered both our changes, and it has nothing to do with a lack of control or our emotions. This is the ocean forcing us to the surface.

I kick my legs, now holding Carter’s hand, and we head to the suddenly dark surface together. Smoke clouds the air, and I cough and spit out water only to gag and choke on the putrid smell. My lungs scream with hard to come by breaths, and it’s nearly impossible to breathe.

With a wave of my hand, I summon a wave and push it toward the burning boat. Sea water cascades over the vessel, extinguishing the flames, and sending the boat to the ocean floor not far below us.

Something pulls on my leg, and I startle, nearly jumping out of my skin. I peer down and expect to see someone from the colonies, but it’s the human man struggling to swim back to the surface.

“Carter, he’s drowning.” My

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