[ Lachlan ]

Lachlan launched himself at Viola.

He had no plan, no thoughts and barely any air left in his lungs to sing. What Lachlan did have was a desperation that extended his claws toward the obsidian-tailed mermaid. All he knew was that he could not fail.

The glimmer of magic erupted in front of him so quickly that he could only swim face-first into the summoned shield.

It hurt his pride more than it hurt his body, but the dull pain of the impact brought him back to his senses for just a moment. On the other side of the transparent barrier, Lyre and Harmonia glared at him, but Viola was still chirping with laughter.

The red-haired mermaid lifted a hand to run over the shield between them and finally recovered enough to speak. "You've gotten a lot better at your protective magic, Militum." One of her delicate claws scraped over the magic and grated against Lachlan's ears. Where her nail touched, the barrier cracked, fine tendrils of weakness in the magic spreading as she dragged her claw down.

Lachlan turned to look over his shoulder at Militum. The blond merman had both palms pressed to the floor of the hallway and his head was bowed. It looked like he was begging. Why had Militum stopped him?

The sultry voice drew his attention back to Viola. "If you want my help, little Naiad, then you'll have to be quick about telling me what you want. I'm a busy woman." Her fangs pressed gently into her bottom lip as she smirked. If it hadn't felt so threatening, Lachlan would have thought it was a flirtatious gesture.

"I want a gift worthy of a god." Lachlan felt the adrenaline begin to fade from him, and his fingers trembled. He closed them into fists. "And I want safe passage across Undine waters for myself and Militum."

A snarl from Harmonia reminded Lachlan that the situation was still tense. The loss of her sister might have driven her to anger, but Harmonia was a Siren and so she had to be calmed enough to bargain with. Lachlan made the decision with bitter sadness.

"In exchange, we will offer Harmonia the vitae gem of Queen Melodia." He ignored the sharp gasp from Militum. They both knew that the gem belonged by rights to Bastian.

Viola smiled. "One interesting request and one boring one." She glanced over her shoulder at Harmonia. "For the gift of Melodia's return to us, we shall give the Triton a gift in return. As for safe passage, that is a whole different beast."

Lachlan clenched his fists. "How so?"

"While the Undine rule the waters here in the North, we are not the only occupants of it. Treacherous humans and roving bands of merfolk not allied with a clan are often drifting through the waves. I can grant you a token of passage so that my warriors will not hunt you down, but I cannot make the others bend to my will."

The way she grinned at him, Lachlan had trouble believing her. He imagined anyone would bend to the mermaid's iron will if they were to meet in person. But perhaps her powers truly did not extend beyond that of her clan. A token was more than he could hope for.

"Very well. Safe passage from the Undine for me and all who travel with me."

Viola's grin faded. Obviously she was not pleased by the phrasing he'd so carefully used. Lachlan made a mental note never to get on her bad side if he could help it.

"Very well, little Naiad. One token and one gift." She laid her palm on the shield and Lachlan watched it shatter silently and fade away like specks of sand being carried off into the deeps by a wave that was too large to notice them. "Come."

She drifted past him, toward the entry they had swum through not a half hour ago. How slow time seemed to pass when there was danger. Lachlan turned and followed her, stopping only long enough to help Militum off the floor of the hallway.

Though the path they traveled from the door to the audience chamber had appeared to be a straight line when they were being led, Viola proved that it was only an illusion of craftsmanship. With a clever claw, she opened a passageway that was darker than the main one, and led the way into a small room filled with various kinds of jewels and delicate metalwork.

Viola hummed as she picked up and then discarded a half dozen shiny treasures. Necklaces and crowns and decorative knives floated to the floor, deemed unworthy in her black eyes. Finally, her fingers hovered over a golden ring with a glittering topaz set into it. It seemed to glow with the light of a setting sun, warm and comforting.

She picked it up and turned, offering it on the palm of her hand to Lachlan. "A token of safe passage, Lachlan. All Undine who see this ring upon your hand shall know that you have my permission to swim unfettered through our waters."

He reached out, his fingers touching the metal as she spoke again.

"Be warned, little one, for this ring does not compel my peoples to aid you. Only to ignore you. You have no power in these waters except that which we grant to you."

Lachlan barely resisted the shudder that threatened to run down his spine. Instead, he nodded and scooped the ring up. He placed it over his left pointer finger, where it settled with a hefty weight—one more reminder that he was out of his depth.

"As for the gift..." Viola placed a finger on her chin. "Worthy of a god, you say?"

He waited, sensing that she was only repeating his request and not asking for confirmation. As he watched, she slid her hand up into her fiery hair and slipped out a plain looking hair ornament. It was a smooth black pin, with a single pearl hanging on a chain at the end of it. The pearl was a dim teardrop shape in the half-light of the chamber. Compared to the other jewels that sprinkled her hair, it seemed paltry.

Lachlan held out his hand. Viola placed it carefully in his palm and smiled at him.

"See? You have sense. Your mother raised you well." She laid her hand over her hip, where the glittering black scales met her soft flesh. "This gift will serve your needs. Now, I have done as you bade of me, Jewel. It is time for you to give us our sister."

Lachlan slid the hair pin into his pouch and turned to Militum. The soldier clasped the blue gem in his left hand, but he offered it to Lachlan without a fight. Rather than turn to Harmonia, Lachlan handed the vitae gem to Viola instead, nestling the icy gem in her palm.

"Triton Bastian thanks you for your help, Siren. I will ask him to visit soon to share his appreciation."

"Make sure you come with him."

Lachlan bowed his head and left the chamber, passing by Lyre and Harmonia on his way out. He didn't even spare them a glance as he swam. All that mattered was getting to the augur and finding Bastian.

It wasn't until they were out of Anthemusa that Lachlan heard Militum sob. Lachlan kept his face forward, so that his friend could cry in peace, and tried not to think about the fact that they had left the soldier's heart behind them.

Normally, these chapters are edited by my amazing beta reader Jagermeanshunter before you guys see them. Unfortunately, I am running far behind schedule and I didn't want to make you guys wait any longer for the next installment. If you spot any grammar errors, I apologize and I swear I'll edit later. <3

Thank you, as always, for your support and your patience. I really love you guys and your amazing comments/love.

Update: edited 3/31/2019