Page 113 of Cruel Tides

My thoughts were in a whirl as we merged with the crowd. Wait—was that English I was hearing? I looked around. Up close, the crowd seemed unremarkable. Strangely normal.

“Humans?” I whispered, trying to brush closer to Barren, but his long strides carried him at a speed that was hard to replicate. “All right,” I mumbled, directing the words at his freakishly large back. “Sprinting, it is.”

Laverne shrieked her annoyance as I took off after Barren, but I ignored her, catching up to him as he passed underneath the golden archway.

“What is this place?” I asked as soon as I stepped inside, but my voice was lost in the lively hum of commotion. Around us, the air was vibrant with the sounds of laughter and the clinking of chips.

The soft ripple of overhead light caused me to glance upward where a breathtaking mural covered the dome ceiling—an ethereal underwater world where golden-hued merfolk and majestic sea creatures swam amidst a vibrant coral reef.

It was dizzying. Taking in the colors and the lights was like being underwater, and my legs had almost lost their balance when Barren’s deep voice cut through the chaos. “A casino.”

“A casino?” Now that he wasn’t running away from us, I circled around him, hoping to stop him with a hand to the chest.

He took an immediate step back, but my mind was elsewhere. I hadn’t noticed when we’d walked inside, but behind us, massive tanks filled with water ran from polished floor to ceiling. Within them, merfolk gracefully swam, their colorful tails shimmering under the golden glow of the lights. Elaborate nets made of gilded chains adorned their bodies, flowing in the water as they dove and twisted.

I pointed at the great tanks, large enough for dolphins to swim through, my mouth bone dry, as the merfolk waved and blew kisses to patrons as they passed. “Mer–mer—” I was still stuttering when the others caught up to us.

“Whoa!” Kai gasped, rushing up to put his palms flat on the glass.

“The curse is broken, or is this one of your kingdom’s mirages?” Leander asked as soon as his eyes landed on the tanks.

Barren didn’t bother turning around to gawk at the merfolk. “Part of the show,” he said with a hint of bitterness. “No mirages. They are wearing fake tails and holding their breath.”

“They’re fake?” I said, scrutinizing every detail. They were convincing fakes, if they were. Each tail was intricately frilled, flowing through the water the same way Barren’s did under the waves.

“Before the curse, we pumped salt water into them,” Barren admitted with a shrug. “Not anymore.”

“Your kingdom doesn’t care if humans know the truth about what we are?” I couldn’t believe it—how had news not spread from the island? Was it mermaid glamour willing humans to forget or forcing them to keep their mouths shut? What a sickening thought.

Barren shook his head. “They believe that the money and the alcohol is real, but everything else is all a part of the show.”

My chest loosened a bit. Maybe he was right. Despite the presence of the tanks, the people seemed preoccupied with other things, like the tables draped in plush velvet set up further into the dome.

I was still looking over the crowd when I noticed two men wearing barely more than strips of lace approaching. Their eyes, heavily lined with eyeliner, seemed to scrutinize me up and down before they shared a look.

One man with feathery white hair stepped forward. “You have arrived,” he said, his accent heavy and lilting. “Our queen will be pleased.”

I glanced over at Barren, expecting him to say something, but he stood as stiff as the columns that held up the palace’s entrance.

“Come, come,” the other man said, his arms jangling with oversized jewelry. He gestured to me like he was offering me a dance while his white-haired companion gave Laverne a peculiar look. Perhaps the Indian Ocean didn’t see many sea lions in their casino.

“That’s our cue, I guess,” I said.

Leander was the first to make a move when the man with dancer-like movements blocked him with a bejeweled finger.

“No, no. You misunderstand,” the man said, his finger wagging. “Outsiders are not permitted. We will take one guest to our queen.”

I planted a hand on my hip. “Outsiders? Well, I guess this meeting is over, then, because I’m not going anywhere if all of us aren’t welcome.”

While the man with white hair bunched his eyebrows, the one with the jangly jewelry clapped his hands. “Another misunderstanding,” he trilled, waving a woman over who carried red velvet bags in her arms. “It is with great pleasure that we welcome the esteemed royalty from other kingdoms into our establishment.”

He gestured to Kai, and the woman shuffled over, handing him the first of the bags. “For you, the least of the Pacific’s princes, a token of our gratitude for your visit.” He mocked with every word, his accent making it all the more obvious. With a twirl, he turned to Leander. “And for you, the Atlantic’s crowned deserter, a token.”

The woman attempted to pass the second bag to Leander, but he let it slip right to the floor, his jaw set as a variety of chips and tokens scattered about the gleaming marble at his feet.

The dancer smiled like he hadn’t noticed, spreading his arms with flair. “Our establishment may be humble, but we welcome you with open arms.”

“And what about me?”Laverne demanded, and the way the duo’s eyes flicked over to her confirmed they were both mermen. Her chest heaved with a huff.“Maybe I am royalty as well. You have no proof that I’m not.”

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