Sisters of String and Glass, Part 106

Chapter Twenty-Three – continued

As Abigail pressed her hands to the glass, Camille rushed over, practically tripping over a stray dress that hadn’t been collected. 

“What is it?” she asked in a whisper.

Abigail was still beside her, her mouth parted in a silent gasp as they watched a wave descend over the castle and city.

“The mermaid princess,” Abigail whispered, fear heavy in her voice.

“Merike?” Camille asked, baffled. “What does she have to do with anything?”

“Didn’t Father tell you?”

“Father hasn’t told me anything,” Camille scoffed. “You know what he’s like.”

“The mermaid princess is a sea witch,” Abigail said in a whisper almost so soft she barely heard it. “Kyanan told me. She’s intent on taking over the land.”

“A sea witch? Are you sure?”

“As sure as the courtiers who were in the room with both royal families,” Abigail answered, but Camille barely heard her as the sound of the crashing wave nearly drowned out all other noise.

As it was, they hadn’t even heard the door banging open, hadn’t realized anyone had joined them, until both women found themselves on the floor, Abigail on top of Camille with Adrian lying spread out and prone above her.

There was the sound of cracking glass before it rained over them and water rushed in. Camille clenched her jaw and Abigail screamed at the sudden cold; she wasn’t wearing a winter cloak as Camille still was, and her gown was soaked through.

“Come on!” Adrian yelled, scrambling to his feet and grabbing Abigail by the arm. “Hurry!”

Camille scrambled after Adrian and Abigail, her feet sloshing in the winter waters, her toes slowly freezing. Once they had fled Abigail’s rooms, Adrian slammed the shut behind, though it didn’t stop the water rushing into the hallway, where it was soaked into the thankfully thick carpets.

The hallways weren’t just flooded with water, but people as well. Courtiers were running and screaming, lifting skirts above the water swirling around their ankles. But Adrian expertly dodged them. Camille had no idea where he was headed, but Abigail wasn’t protesting, so she trusted her sister and the man dragging her behind him.

They headed far from the windows and the panic of the nobles. The higher up and more towards the center they went, the fewer people and the less water. Camille’s skirts and her cloak were soggy as they dragged behind her, and she was glad Adrian had ceased his headlong run towards the center of the castle, slowing to a purposeful march as the carpets squelched beneath his boots. No one else seemed to have as much sense.

Adrian didn’t stop and Abigail didn’t say anything, as they headed down a dim hallway almost devoid of doors. At the end, before windows opened up to offer a view of the throne room, Adrian stopped and hammered on the door.

A moment later, it was pulled open and Kyanan peered out.

“The sea witch,” was all Adrian said.

Kyanan drew in a deep breath and stepped from the room, slamming the door behind her. She barely glanced at them as she swept past, saying, “I’ll take care of it.”

And that’s it for this year! Thank you to everyone who has read all or part of this story. I hope to have the next chapter when I return from my 2 week blogging break in January. Happy holidays!

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