What the Tide Brings

Chapter 28 - Kaelin - Discovered

Liam had tried to convince Kaelin that this wasn't her fault. He said this was all happening because of Arlen and his father and their evil plot for domination. Kaelin knew he was right. At least about that. It was her fault that she spilled everything to Calder. She thought she could trust him. She should have known better. He was too much like their father.

The only person, other than Liam, whom she thought she could trust was her sister. She needed to find Amaya before Calder went and told Arlen about the Thrall. She didn't know what Arlen might do if he thought his plans were in jeopardy.

So, the next morning, before the sun had even begun to peek over the horizon, Kaelin got up and dressed, in some of the casual things Cynthia purchased for her—a powder blue shift dress with ruffled sleeves, paired with the pink flip flops that she had come to love. She planned to ask around town about Amaya and the mermen. They were a hard bunch to miss, especially the gigantic warriors accompanying Arlen. Someone must have seen them.

Kaelin went to the fish market first, giving a subtle fleeting mental picture to each person she talked to, so they knew the right people. She had been at it for nearly twenty minutes, with no luck whatsoever, when someone tapped her on the shoulder. She spun to see Gretchen, surprised by the girl's smile. Part of her braids were pulled back from her beautiful face, while the rest hung around her shoulders. And even more surprised by what she said next: "I heard you were asking about some people."

"I am." Kaelin barely managed to stammer the words through her shock. She thought Gretchen disliked her. Why would she want to help? Whatever the reason, Kaelin didn't want to look a gifted horse in the mouth, or something to that effect, she thought.

Gretchen nodded. "I might've seen them."

"Where?" Kaelin gripped Gretchen's arms a bit too forcefully. She instantly let go and apologized. "It is terribly important that I find them."

"Are they the ones that left you here?" Gretchen asked. "'Cause they sound like sucky friends if they are."

"It is... complicated." Kaelin said. "Please, can you just tell me where they are?"

"I really only saw two people, but they were totally acting all weird, like y—" Gretchen paused and pressed her lips together. "Anyways, they could be who you're looking for."

"If you saw them, an image say, could you identify them?"

"Yeah, sure. You got pics?"

Kaelin's lips twitched, her brows knitted, slightly upturned. She didn't know how to answer that, because, of course, she had no pictures. So, she ignored the question, altogether.

Instead, desperate and running out of time, Kaelin did something that Liam had advised against. She tapped her middle finger against Gretchen's forehead, sending the mental image of the mermen, her brother, and her sister, in human form.

Gretchen stumbled back a step. Her eyes became huge as she examined Kaelin, her dark eyes moving up and down. "What the hell was that?"

"It is complicated." Kaelin repeated, not sure how to explain without telling her everything.

Gretchen reached up to touch the spot on her forehead where Kaelin had. "That wasn't my memory, was it?"

"Mm," Kaelin slowly moved her head from side to side, holding her bottom lip between her teeth. "No. It was not."

Gretchen grabbed Kaelin's hand and pulled her down the path, to the door of the brick building on one side of the long alleyway. It led into a stark hallway, with harsh fluorescent lighting. Gretchen continued through another door, into a bathroom, all white tile and gray walls. It smelled heavily of bleach, masking an undertone of urine. Sometimes, it wasn't good having a heightened sense of smell.