“Firstly, I’m not a Demon, so at least get your facts straight.”
He went on like he hadn’t even heard me speak.
“You cursed the whole ship, that’s why you’re in this mess.”
Kalin looked aghast. “What?” His face went white.
“That’s right. There were skinned rats all over the boat, and then a crew member died mysteriously. It was all her doing. The crew wanted her dead, but Azil kept her alive. Her pussy is dark, you don’t want to go in there.”
My rage was starting to build. Where had they heard those things from. The crew members? Or was Azil and Xagon spreading those rumors around?
My tail swept out from behind me and slid through the cell bars, circling around the waist of the lean guard. I tightened my grip as he screamed. I pulled him forward and started to slam him against the bars repeatedly. He struggled but to no avail, and blood started to pool out of his nose. Kalin cursed. He tried to pull the guard away from the bars, but my tail was really strong. He unsheathed his spear and just as he was about to pierce my tail. I released the guard and brought my tail back inside the cell. The guard dropped to the corridor floor, and I looked at the other guard with satisfaction. I wasn’t going to be able to convince them to let me out, but at least they knew that I wasn’t some weak little girl they could come in and rape.
“You’re going to pay for this,” Kalin hissed to me. I stuck my tongue out at him.
Kalin went to the other guard, put his arm over his shoulder and hoisted him up. He dragged him out of the corridor to find him some help. When they were gone, I proceeded to get dressed, and then sat on the cot wondering if there would be consequences to my actions.
Three hours passed before another guard approached my cell. I was tired and bored, and couldn’t imagine how I was going to survive day in and day out just sitting in a cell. It was barbaric, and I was starting to wish that the Queen would have just had me “destroyed”, as they called it. The guard was holding a plate of rice and beans, and my stomach growled at the sight of it. The guards were all starting to look the same. That one, however, was a tall drink of water. Silver hair that fell almost to his bottom, and ice blue piercing eyes. His teeth were pointed, just like my Sirens, but he was shirtless like Xagon. There were scales on more than half of his body, and they were a mix of purple and blue. He was easy on the eyes, and I would have been content if he was the only one that brought me my meals from then on.
However, I was much more focused on the meal that he had brought me today. I couldn’t believe how hungry I was, and all I wanted to do was eat in peace.
“That wasn’t too smart, what you did to that guard.”
I rolled my eyes. “What do you care?”
“I don’t. I’m just wondering why you are so eager to die right away. Most prisoners at least wait a week before going on the chopping block.”
“Is there something that I can do for you? Can I just eat, or do we have to continue this dialogue?”
He shrugged and slid the food under the bars. I quickly went and picked it up. I shoveled in a mouthful and looked up at him. In between chews, I said, “Are they going to execute me for what I did to that guard?”
He looked at me with interest. “Actually, you got lucky. The Queen thought it was amusing and admonished the guards for being distracted by the ‘all mysterious’ pussy.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “Well, that’s wonderful.”
“You should know that there is an annual celebration coming up. Where the Mer citizens alike all come together.”
By Mer citizens, he meant serpents, Sirens, and Mermaids. I was sure that Xagon and Azil would be there in attendance, partying the night away, all the while I rotted in a cell.
“Oh, is that right? Why would I care about that?”
“Because you will be the entertainment,” he said with a smile. “It’s quite the event, where we are all taken by the power of the moon. It’s pretty intense.”
I blinked. “How exactly would I be the entertainment?”
“Oh, that part is secret. The Queen has all kinds of things planned for you.”
Well, that sounded ominous.
“I never thought of your species as vindictive, but I guess I was wrong.”
He tilted his head toward me. “I don’t think we are, but we don’t trust you.”
“So, just let me go. Azil and Xagon will take me off the island. You don’t have to make me a prisoner.”
He stared at me a moment and nodded. “It’s not my decision to make.”
“Just let me go. I won’t tell anyone. You can just say I used my powers on you.”