Our Fated Tail

Anilena

I woke up to an empty bed. Eren was nowhere to be seen and Georgia still had my son and Cobius was with her most likely. I smiled at the thought of wild and flirtatious Cobius being tied down to gentle and caring Georgia. Everything about the pair screamed different. Looking down, I jolted in shock. My once white tail was now a pale lilac color. Parts of it were dotted with violet and grey. It was one of the most elegant things I’d ever seen. I got up and immediately grabbed for one of the sea-grass blankets we kept around and wrapped it around my tail. It stopped just at the bottom of my tail where it was still relatively white. Then I set off for the throne room.

Eren was on his father’s side, just like he was when I’d first came here. He was watching as a mer was explaining something about his request to expand his lobster farm. The guards that had let me slip through the door were about to announce my presence but I silenced them with a glare. I leaned against the wall to watch him discuss what he thought would be best with Arkeanus, smiling to myself. The guards looked at the blanket around my tail and frowned at it like I was crazy for covering it. When the man’s audience with the king was over, he turned to make a swift exit, grazing my shoulders as I swam forward.

“King Arkeanus. Prince Seren,” I said softly, bowing at the waist to greet the two men in front of me. Eren gave me a frown and shook his head. Ignoring him, I turned to his father. “I’m sorry to disturb you, Your Majesty, but I have a pressing matter to discuss with the both of you.”

“Very well,” Arkeanus said calmly. His eyes latched onto the blanket. “Why are you wearing a blanket, Anilena?”

“My tail…”

Eren sat forward, his tail flicking anxiously. “What about your tail?” I frown at him disapprovingly as he scanned over my body looking for injuries. “Are you okay? Did you get hurt?”

I scowled at him. “I appreciate your concern, Prince,” I said firmly. “But I didn’t hurt myself. This is something a bit more...problematic than an injury.” They both looked at me like I was speaking another language. So I unwrapped the sea grass and let it fall to the sand. I watched as they both started freaking out. Eren practically tackled me to check it out while Arkeanus started shouting, telling someone to get the healers and then to leave us alone. After swearing to keep this quiet, lest they lose a tongue, everyone left. “You two,” I scolded. “I’m fine. I just want to know what is going on with me.”

“Anilena! This isn’t a light matter!” Eren spat. “This hasn’t happened to anyone before!”

Vene starting stirring inside, infuriated by Eren. For some reason, my hair is white, eyes glowing green, and now my tail is acting like a mood ring. Just as I thought this, we all watched as it went from its weird pattern to a shimmering red. The hair I saw floating around my face turned to an ashen blonde. I screamed as my skin bled into a dark olive complexion.

“Eren! What’s happening to me?”

He shook his head panicking. “I don’t know!”

I grabbed his chin as glared at him darkly. “You better figure it out. Fast.”

I almost laughed at his terrified expression had it not been my own fear of the situation. Arkeanus came in with the woman, the palace doctor who’d wanted to kill me after being in a coma for a week, and brought her in front of me. I glared at her, remembering how cold she’d sounded when she suggested “putting me to rest.” With a sneer, I pulled my fist back and let it go, slamming it into her nose. It gave a satisfying crunch and she wailed like an infant. The king looked at me in shock while his son grinned and kissed me. The woman’s blue tail kicked up sand as she rolled around holding her broken nose.

“Told you she’d break your nose, you wretched eel.” I looked at Eren in shock at his language. He even had the decency to look ashamed of his words. “Sorry. I was just upset. Forgive me, Algenae.” He looked at me. “How’s your hand?”

“It’s perfect. Why is that sea witch here?”

“How ironic,” Algenae spat. “Coming from the witch herself. I’m the palace healer. I was called here by His Majesty. You better learn your place, sea louse.”

Vene had finally had enough, for she pushed her way forward and I was all heat and tentacles. “Watch yourself, Algenae. I have no problem eradicating you from this world.” She reached out a tentacle, wrapping it around the woman’s throat and bringing her to her face. We both found satisfaction in the way blood was oozing out of her nose and bleeding into the water. Slowly, Vene wrapped a hand around Algenae’s throat and I could hear the hiss of pain as the hand started to heat up.

‘That’s enough Venenifer,’ I said slightly panicking. ‘Seriously, let her go now.’

‘Not yet,’ she hissed ‘She’ll learn her place.’

I freaked out when I smelled burning flesh and looked at Eren. Arkeanus was holding him back but I only had so much control over Vene before she fried the palace healer. When I sent him a hopeless look, Arkeanus let him go. There was a hand wrapped around my wrist immediately and Eren grit his teeth when Vene heated her entire arm. “Let her go!”

“You are not strong enough to detain me, Prince.”

“She’s learned her lesson, Venenifer! Let her go before you kill her!”

‘Anilena, do you want me to let this eel of a Mer go so she can continue to trash you and your family?’

‘Let her go, now,’ I demanded. She still was reluctant to listen to me, but dropped the woman to the floor. When she was out of her grasp, Arkeanus was next to her, his tail folded so he was leaning over her. The hand print on her neck was a brilliant red and various shades of brown- not exactly black- where her skin had been burned. I shuddered as I finally reigned Vene back. My tail was white again and my skin back to a soft sun kissed tan. White hair flooded around me, framing my face. ‘You need to learn how to control yourself, Vene. You’re going to get us killed.’

‘I will not! These people are insects and you are a giant.’

‘You. Will. Not. Do. This. Again. Do you understand?’ She was fuming and deliberately ignoring me. Ugh! This woman was going to drive me to my own death. ‘I have a family and soon a kingdom to run. I am happy and should you ruin this in anyway, I will find a way to get rid of you.’ She was stirring with agitation. ‘You don’t own me. This is my body, not yours. You will not overtake me.’

She was silent so I took it as understanding. My body suddenly decided it was tired and I slumped against Eren, who was still holding my arm tightly. He wrapped me in his arms and went to sit me at the spot next to his throne, like when I’d been his student. Not that he ever taught me anything. Arkeanus had guards come to detain Algenae, as she had started to become violent in her threats to rip me to shreds. I watched ashamed of my actions, though they were not mine in a sense, as they carried the injured woman away. Nothing could erase what had just happened from my mind. I was frightened at how easily Venenifer could take over. Looking at the king and my love, I knew I couldn’t let that ever happen. I would do anything in my power to protect my family here.

“Take me to our room, Eren. I need to rest,” I whined.

He kissed me before pulling my hair over a shoulder and burying his face in my neck. “We need to make sure you’re fine. Then you can sleep forever.”

“You are so-”

The doors to the throne room burst open and several guards rushed in. I choked on bile rising in my throat as I stared at the mutilated body of a young girl. Her hair was gone and so were her hands. She was bound in a fisherman’s net with her tail shredded to long strips. Her eyes and lips were sewn shut with a silver thread. Her tail was blue with green specks. Eren sucked in a breath behind me. Getting up, I felt the dread settle in the back of my throat.

“Get out of my way,” I yelled. “No. No no no!” Georgia’s body was laying in front of me. This isn’t real. Not her, anyone but her. I shoved everyone away and fell to the ground by her ignoring the painful way my tail twisted. I held her head in my lap and sobbed. Sewn to her chest was a familiar coral rattle that made my heart stop. Georgia was watching Aiden with Corbius. Getting up, I wrapped my hands around the nearest guards throat and squeezed. “Where did you find this body?”

“I-in the g-garden.”

I let them go and shot out of the room. I shoved people out of my way as I swam as fast as possible to her room she was sharing with Cobius. I shot into the room, the doors banging against the walls. That’s when I saw him. His tail dripping with slime, arms with eel skin, and his mouth slightly agape with two fangs jutting out. Kasey’s hands were covered in blood and Aiden was squirming in his arms. When he saw me, he grinned. Wicked sharp teeth pointed with red and black gunk all over them. Blood.

“How pleasant!” he cheered. “Your son looks like his mother. So adorable, Anilena. Good job, babe.”

My body shook and I had to fight to keep Vene back. “Kasey, give me back my son.” He ran a finger down Aiden’s little cheek, leaving a smear of red. “Please, I’m begging you to let him go. If you want me, I’m right here. Let him-”

“Anilena!”

I turned and saw Eren in the doorway, glaring at Kasey. His body was shaking as he started towards him. I saw the gleam in Kasey’s eyes and immediately shoved Eren back to whisper in his ear. “Stop it, Eren. He’ll kill Aiden if you go for him. Let me do this. I know him. Just trust me. I’m doing this to protect you both.” I let him go and turned to Kasey. He was looking at me, confusion in his eyes. “Let me have Aiden and I will cooperate with you. My son has nothing to do with this. Let alone my fiance. Give him to me Kasey.”

“You swear you’ll come with me? No funny business?”

I shivered as his tail flicked, sending slime to the floor. I saw red rivulets running down his hands. “Where is Cobius?”

My body went cold at his wicked grin. “What do you think we’ll have for dinner, my sweet?” He tossed Aiden through the water, making me cry out and snatch the crying child before he was hurt. “Your boy is back. Let’s go.”

“Anilena, don’t go. We have Aiden, let the guards take care of him.”

I gave Eren his son and kissed Aiden’s head. If I could, I would ship them both away where they could never be hurt by the monster in the room. But I had to keep my word because Kasey always had a backup plan if I broke my agreement. “I have to go. You need to let me leave. I love you, Seren Dalinan. Don’t you ever forget that.”

He held Aiden close and looked at me like I was insane. “Why are you talking like you’re never coming back?”

I grabbed his face and slammed my mouth against his. “Because I don’t know if I will. Take care of these people and make sure our son knows his mother loved him.” Aiden started to scream so I picked him up from Eren’s limp arms and held him against my chest. There was a grunt from behind me so I kissed my son goodbye and gave him to his father. “I love you.”