Something Fishy About Love (Monstrana Paranormal Romance 3)

“Should’ve brought some crab cakes,” said a feminine voice next to her. “I have the feeling things are going to get good.”

She glanced to her right to see a creature no longer than her forearm. It had the body shape of a human, but also a translucent quality that ebbed and flowed with the water around it. Large blue eyes looked at her from a round, childish face. Flowing amber locks of hair fell all the way to its ankles.

“I wish you would take these meetings more seriously, Cascade,” Eina told her with a serious frown. “They could mean the world to the future of the mermaid species.”

“As opposed to luring sailors to their doom?” Cascade said with an innocent blink of her eyes. She fanned out her delicate little arms. “I suppose you’re ready to leave that history behind?”

Eina swatted at the water sprite, but she darted out of reach. “You know those are rumors fabricated by male humans. The same humankind that painted us as naked, helpless creatures with nothing but coconut shells to cover our intimate bits.”

She looked down at the light blue blouse that covered her torso. Her blood still boiled when she thought about the objectification of her mermaid sisters at the hands of men. As if being part fish wasn’t hard enough. They had to go and paint a picture of lusty half-women who fell in love with any sailor they met. As if that could really happen.

It would take a strong knock on the head for Eina to fall for anyone, and even then, she was sure she’d come to her senses eventually. The political life was what awaited her. No useless distractions. Just service to better the future for her kind. That was the calling she had in mind.

“Are we ready, sister Loriella?” one of the mermaids in front asked with a slight wave of her hand. “Tell us the world is ready to accept Aestus’ plea for official recognition.”

Loriella rubbed a hand over her temple and sighed wearily. “Unfortunately, the thrones of Monstrana have not been eager to grant our request for an audience. I’m afraid they do not take our request for sovereignty seriously.”

An uproar went through the almost three hundred mermaids present. They shouted and raised their fists, frustration bubbling out of their mouths. Murmurs of war drifted through the water like blood from a shark attack. Eina listened to it all while adrenaline pulsed in her veins. As the youngest of the mermaids, she’d been waiting for something like this. A moment to prove herself among her sisters.

“Sisters, sisters please!” Loriella held up her hand and silence fell once again upon the gallery. “There shall be no talk of violence, yet. We have many a recourse to explore before we swim down that route.”

“What if they don’t listen?”

“What if we storm their castle?”

“How will we make them see?”

“We need leverage,” Loriella replied, swimming from one side of the cavern to the other. “Something that will force them to recognize us.”

As the rest of Eina’s sisters continued to debate, she chewed on the inside of her cheek. The wheels in her head quickly turned. Thoughts and suggestions bubbled within her chest, but her lips remained glued shut. Cascade watched her for several minutes before bursting into giggles.

“You remind me of a blow fish,” she said with another giggle. “Keep those

ideas locked in your head for another second, and you’re going to puff right up. Not a good look for you, I should add.”

Eina rolled her eyes at her friend. “No one wants to hear what I think.”

“Is that so?” Cascade turned a circle in the water and peered at her from upside down. “How do you know?”

She bit her bottom lip and considered Cascade’s words. This really was her chance to shine. She had to speak up, or she’d never take her place among her sisters.

“Excuse me?”

There was too much arguing over the idea of sending another message to the throne to allow her small voice to be heard. She cleared her throat and tried again.

“What about the wedding? Has anyone considered the wedding?”

This time, two dozen pairs of eyes turned her way, making her want to shrink into the basin floor. Loriella kicked her powerful fin and peered into the crowd. “What wedding?”

Eina’s cheeks colored and she willed herself to breathe. It took Cascade prodding her in the ribs for her to straighten herself out and speak again.

“The royal wedding between the werewolf princess and her betrothed. It’s this evening. Every supernatural delegation will be there. Maybe, our leverage will make itself clear.”

Eina had been observing the wedding preparations from the shoreline. Ships full of exotic passengers from every continent and supernatural line had lately begun arriving, despite the approaching storm season. She’d itched for a closer look, but couldn’t take the chance. If her sisters knew she was mingling with the Monstranians, her loyalty could be taken into question.

Loriella swam her way with two strokes of her tail and pierced her with a stare, years of wisdom reflecting in the pools of her brown irises. A flutter of laughter followed in her wake as several of the mermaids pressed their slender fingers to their mouths.

“A wedding?” The ancient mermaid twisted her mouth in thought.