Untold Tales: Books 1-3

Chapter 3

3

It took me most of the day to find the cave where the sea witch was supposed to live. This was probably not my best idea, but it was the only one I had. Dad hadn't wanted to even tell me where she was, even though he was the one who told me she existed. I didn't understand, but that was a problem for another day. It wasn't like my fate could get any worse now. Lucky for me, he wasn't the only mer who knew where the sea witch lived, and I'd soon found myself in possession of the information I needed. Maybe I should feel guilty about that, but my soul was more important at this time.

The cave looked just like any other. I might even have passed it a time or two while I was out exploring with Shelbie. Yet I'd never realised someone lived there. Just another thing I should feel guilty for.

"Hello?" I called out, only half-convinced I'd get any answer at all.

Nothing.

What a surprise.

Despite the disappointment, I swam inside, Shelbie following just behind. I'd never leave her behind. Especially for something as important as this. She wouldn't let me either. Shelbie was my almost constant companion. She only left me when she had to go up for air.

"Hello?" I called again.

"Has no one ever told you it's rude not to knock?" an older voice replied.

I jumped, not having expected anyone to answer from behind me. I batted my tail, spinning myself in the sea and facing the woman now in front of me. She was beautiful, with icy blue hair and silver tail that glimmered in the light. A far more interesting combination than my own dark hair and green tail.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you, I just came to ask about..."

"Getting your soul back. Yes, I know. That's the only reason anyone comes here anymore. There's not much I can tell you though."

"Not much is better than nothing," I responded. "Please tell me."

She sighed. "Alright then, this way." She swam deeper into the cave, leaving me no choice but to follow.

I should have asked her name. Or made some other attempt to be more personable. Usually, I was good at that kind of thing. It was just the stress of the situation getting to me.

"Why don't you sit down?" She gestured towards a crude driftwood bench that she'd probably carved herself.

Not knowing what else to do, I perched myself on it, letting Shelbie rest on my lap.

"Do you have a name?" she asked, busying herself with something other than looking at me.

"Mari," I whispered, suddenly unsure of myself.

"Demetra," she responded.

"It's lovely to meet you. I've heard a lot about you," I lied.

She laughed. "I doubt that. Other mer only hear about me if they take the loss of their soul badly."

I shuffled uncomfortably.

"How did they get yours?"

"I saved a man," I answered, feeling monumentally stupid. "Why did no one warn me?" I asked.

"It feels like thousands of tiny knives are shredding the inside of our mouths if we try and tell children." She turned to study me, an intrigued look on her face. "You want to get your soul back, don't you?"

"Can I?" I didn't even try to cover up the eagerness in my voice.

"That depends. I've sent many a mer on a quest to get their soul back. None have returned yet. If you're willing to risk your life for your soul, then I can send you to the right place."

"And if I am?"

"What makes you so certain life isn't worth living without one?" she asked.

"I'm sure it is. It's not my life I'm worried about," I admitted.

"Surely you're a bit young to be thinking about death."

"Then let me go because I can save the other souls."

She paused, weighing up whether I was telling the truth. I was. Or at least, I thought I was. If I could save everyone, then I would. "Alright. But it will be dangerous."

"I didn't think it wouldn't be." Nothing about this situation felt right, and I knew that if there was even a chance of making it right and rejoining my soul and body once more, I had to take it.

"You'll need to go to land-"

"How? I don't have legs." I gestured towards my tail needlessly. She knew what I was, she didn't need telling that I couldn't walk on land.

"I have a potion for that. And for your pet too, if she wants to take it."

I stroked Shelbie's head, unsure how to answer that. I didn't want to risk anything happening to her, but I doubted she'd let me travel on land without her. It would certainly be nice to have company while undertaking the most dangerous trip of my life.

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me yet, young Mari. Remember my soul is also in your hands."

"Why haven't you gone after it yourself?" I asked, unable to keep my curiosity at bay.

"Because without it, I saw a few people for who they really were and, to me, that was worth the price I paid."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. People's true natures, both mer and human, are always worth knowing. Just remember that you shouldn't trust anyone's view of you until you've lost all value to them."

A chill swept through me. That wasn't a nice thing to consider at all. No one had treated me too badly yet, but maybe that was because they didn't know about my soulless state. Though it could have more to do with people's regards for Dad rather than anything else. Whatever it was, there was no rush to find out.

"How do I free the souls once I'm there?"

"That is unclear. I'm led to believe they'll be kept in some kind of container. If you break the chains that bind them, you should set them free."

"And it's as simple as that?"

She laughed bitterly. "Simple? Nothing about this is simple. First, you have to find the souls, then you have to work out how to break whatever it is binding them. No one has ever been successful, so we don't even know if that will be enough to recombine your body and soul either."

"Right." I nodded, at a complete loss for anything else to say. Of all the things I imagined could happen on my eighteenth birthday, it was safe to say that this was not one of them.

"Are you sure you want to take this quest on as your own?" she asked.

"I don't believe I have any choice," I responded. "If I don't, I'll be soulless. Maybe this way I can reunite some other people with theirs too." I really hoped I could. I imagined being without a soul wasn't good for anyone.

"Don't trust anyone or anything when you're on land. You'll hear stories about a mermaid who fell in love with a Prince. Don't believe them. No man will be your salvation."

I frowned. I'd heard the story about the Prince before, but I couldn't recall the details. Needless to say, I wasn't very interested in anything a man could provide. I had one goal with going on land, and that was to free our souls. No one was going to distract me from that.

"Thank you for the advice."

"Are you still wanting to do this?" She gave me a disbelieving look, almost like she expected me to change my mind.

"Yes. I need to do this."

"Very well. Swim to the shore and drink this. Give the smaller bottle to your seal if she's willing to take it. The legs will hurt at first, but once you're used to them, they'll be less of an annoyance." She handed me two small vials of swirling blue liquid. "And good luck. You'll need it."