The water got darker as we were pulled down deeper. I pumped and flicked my tail furiously. How could Abbi, Aubrey, and Bella be this evil?

My thoughts were interrupted by a growing sound. It came from the direction of the hideout. Jayne pointed to the sound. Gwyn and I looked up at it.

It was the mermaids and mermen from before! However, they were instantly stopped by mermaids and mermen with black tails, black hair, and deep gray eyes. We struggled against the vines, desperately wanting to help out. But they continued to pull us away.

I quickly closed my hand into a fist over the vine. Jayne did the same. Gwyn didn't have her powers yet, so I closed my other hand over hers.

We cleared away the clouds of steam that appeared. The vines were still there! We sighed and watched the vines tug away.

Solid ground made us sigh with relief. The vines released. We heard a loud slam and the click of a lock. "Something's going on," I said.

"Well, we should figure it out!" Gwyn yelled quietly. We swam towards the battle that had just ended. Our side had prevailed. They swiftly swam to us. We swam back.

We reached each other, but an invisible wall divided us. We each pounded on the barrier. Something big and sharp hit my head.

My eyes rolled, my body spun, my tail fell stiff and cold. I plummeted to the ground. My name was screamed by my friends as I faded into unconsciousness.

~~~

"So, Althea. Now that we have the... princess, what should we do with these friends of hers?" a male, gravelly voice cackled.

"Shouldn't we wait? I mean, I know that it is not my time to speak, but-" a calmer, female voice said. However, her voice was quickly interrupted by a hand that clutched her throat. She slumped to the ground. The hand soon came towards me! Closer, closer, closer...

I bolted upright. There was an ache in my head. My blue tail was chained to a wall! I screamed, attracting the attention of a mermaid who sat next to me.

Her tail was silver with a few pink scales. She had dark blue hair with pink and silver streaks. Her eyes were a beautiful blue. Silver flecks floated in them like silver fish in a light blue ocean.

She smiled at me. Although I was confused, I smiled back. A voice echoed through the room that we were in.

"So, Jayne, how is the plan going?" What? What plan? I hoped that I was just imagining things as I continued to listen.

"Great. She believed everything," Jayne, the person that I thought I could trust, replied. Shocked, I struggled against the chains once more. This was not possible.