Page 78 of Sea's Secret

“Captain!” Sands called, and I walked away from Peter and some of the crew.

“What is happening?” I asked as I reached Sands, Peter following behind me.

“There seems to be a rather large octopus attached to the ship, Nick. It is slowing us down.”

I walked over to the side of the ship and looked out. The sea was misted, and I could not see far in front of us. I had read about the terrors that kept the Misted Seas safe from humans–the monsters and creatures who only had one purpose: hunt and kill. From what I had learned, they simply waited for prey to pass by. It would be hard to release the suction of the tentacles and to remove it from the ship. Small creatures attached themselves all the time. I moved back, and a large purple appendage reached out, nearly hitting me in the head. Some of the mist parted enough to see that, indeed, it was a gigantic octopus. Its tentacles were very wide, and I was sure it would have no problem wrapping around a human body and pulling it to a watery grave. I moved back away and went around to all sides of the ship. It seemed that it had us entirely in its grasp.

“What are we going to do?” Peter asked, running up to me as I tried to move the wheel and realizing it was stuck. If we did not remove that octopus soon, our ship would crash on the isle that was, according to the maps, just a few hundred feet from us.

Meria, I thought as I looked out into the clouded fog. She was from the sea. Perhaps, she would know what to do.

“Keep the men busy. Do not provoke the creature. Give me some time to think of a plan. Have the men keep quiet, and away from the railing,” I said to Sands and Peter, who had come up beside me. Sands did not look at all fearful–typical for him.

“Will do, but for the record, I do think a hook would be mighty fine if your arm doesn't make it,” Sands started up.

“Really, right now?” I said to Sands as he chuckled, turning to Peter.

“See, it was a good idea,” Peter said, folding his arms.

“There is a giant octopus pulling our ship into the sea! Get to work; we can make jokes later,” I grunted and turned my back to them.

“Yes, captain,” Sands said. I walked quickly to my cabin, grateful that Peter was no longer following me. I entered, closing the door quickly behind me. Meria was laying in my bed, her light blond-pink hair, spilling wildly about my pillow. She looked so peaceful–so beautiful.

“Meria?” I asked delicately. Her eyes fluttered open. I wished that I did not have to wake her.

“Yes?” she asked, opening her eyes fully and focusing on me.

“I need your help. I am so sorry,” I said.

“What is it?” she asked.

“There is a gigantic octopus stuck to the entire bottom and all sides of the ship–”

“So the legends are true; she is real.”

“She?”

“The giant Octopus, we call her Kaia. She protects the isles beyond Marren from humans.”

“Can you–Do you know–Can you speak with her or something?” I asked, feeling foolish as I spoke.

“They don't speak, but I can help.”

“How can you help?”

“I cannot explain it, exactly; however, the crew will discover that I am a mermaid, as I need to go into the water–”

“No–no, there is no way you are getting into the water with that thing.”

“Dominick, I have to.”

“No–there could still be sharks; we can find another way.”

“Sounds as if there is only an octopus. This is why I am here, isn't it? So I can get you safely to the Mirror Sea?” she asked with a smile.

“Meria–”

“If Kaia is here, the sharks are long gone; she could eat them easily,” she said.

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