Chapter 13

Helena POV

I have spent the last few weeks here, starting to think of Triton as my friend. Tonight, he proved he was not. He was just trying to get close to me because of what a witch told him. How could he possibly believe we were meant to be together? We both are from different worlds. Our background was unique in their own way, but that didn’t stop me from becoming his friend and him becoming mine. I guess mermen aren't really different from human boys. For example, I always liked Pete. He was the captain of the football team, and he was also an arrogant asshole. And then there was Triton. He was a prince... Second in command to rule Meritopia, burden and his duties resting so much on his shoulders, but why do I compare these two young men, because they are both sweet at the end of the day, speaking of which I haven't notice until now how Pete never reach out when I went missing. Even though I was currently missing again. I rolled my eyes, if only I could remember what happened that night, or where I was and with whom, then I could put the puzzle pieces together, but who knows what will resurface in time, as for I am stuck here.

Yeah, stuck here, why was I here? All I ever do is walk around like I own the place, but what purpose do I serve? I have begged Triton over and over to call a meeting with the council, I cannot stay here, I need to get back home, my father needs, I know he does, but he keeps shrugging me off, telling me they are busy, but now I can't help but think he deliberately didn’t want me talking to them again because he wanted me to stay here until he found out if I was his mate, yeah, well that's my conclusion of things, it all makes sense now though. Leaning against the walls, I stood between two torches, staring at a certain door. I have been delaying this for weeks. I didn't want to deal with it, but I guess I have to in my mother's chambers. And even though I feel disappointed by Tritons actions, I felt the courage to face my fears. I had to accept whatever lies beyond those doors, cherish them... Forever, because whatever I find will be one of the many memories I have of her.

Ambling towards the door, I held on to the doorknob, all that that I feeling a while ago was gone as if I left it by the wall, should I go in? Because I don’t what I am going to find in there. And I know you may, 'it's just a room, go on in' No, it's not just any room, it belongs to my mother, the mermaid with fins, and a tail, I knew the human her. So, you see, this is hard for me. I just know that the moment I go into that room, something in there is going to make me sad. I took a deep breath.

"Lady Helena," I heard a familiar voice behind me,

"Hi... Hello, umm, this is my..."

"I know," she mumbled, it was the council member, Sarah, a high council member, and also my mother's closet friend they say,

"Umm, hi... Umm, how are you doing, Elder Sarah?" I looked away, trying not to stare at her unhuman features. They were odd-looking, and I couldn't help myself from stealing glances at her. Did my mother also look resemble a creature when she sat in the seat, or did she keep her normal characteristics?

Saying nothing, she swiped her hand across her face, transforming into a young woman with brunette hair, and blue eyes, her long lashes touching her eyebrow each time she blinked,

"Is that better?" She asked,

Shit, she knew I was staring, what do I say?

What do I say?

"I— I—"

"Don't feel bad about it. It's a disguise. This is how we really look, but becoming an elder comes with a heavy price, one your mother chose, and now I know why she did what she did."

What did she mean, what did my mother—

"Walk with me, Helena," she added, "Prince Triton has been telling me how much you want to spend to the elders, I am sure you are already aware that I am a high council member so, anything you have to say, you can say it to me," she strolled off,

Yes, I want to know why am I here, and when I could go home to see my father. But I want to know more about what my mother did and why.

"Tell me about my mother... What did she do," I sauntered behind her

"Oh yes," she continued, "An elder's beauty can be deadly... Doesn't matter the gender, turns our enemies into stone, but— over time we began to evolve, hurting our own so God of the sea, Poseidon, cursed us with the beastly features you know see us has, promising that as long as we master control, our rights to shift in and out of our true forms will be given to us," she hoisted her hand watching it changed from beautiful skin, with healthy nails, to a flipper with rough grey scales,

"Okay," I pushed my eyes brows together, "I still don’t have understood where my mother stands in all this,"

"I am getting there." She spoke,

"Your mother never mastered it, how I know this, we are friends for a long time, and I know she didn't learn to control it,"

"What— I think I am confused, didn’t you say only if an elder masters her power she will be able to shift?"

"Yes,"

"So how did my mother—"

"Exactly,"

"I think," she added, "Your mother fell in love with your father and since she couldn't control the shift, she got impatient and sign a deal with the water spirits,"

"I sorry— but you are not making any sense,"

"I think your mother sold her soul to Poseidon, making her his, so even after death, she can't move on like the rest of us when we die. If— she was killed, she will become a servant of the sea, roaming the waters for eternity until her dues are paid in full,"

"So, you think my mother is dead?"

"Don't you? " she came to a stop transforming back into her previous form,

We were now standing at my mom's room door again, I don’t know how, because we never turn back or took a turn off, we just walked,

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked her, I didn’t answer anything she said, and it's not like I can ask Triton, we aren't friends at the moment,

"Whatever you find in that room, is for you and you only, no one was able to go inside because she cast a spell over it... But you are your mother's daughter, the chamber will welcome you,"

"What if I find clues, that someone may have hurt her, what must I do?"

"You will find something; I am not sure what... But you will. Carry it with you, find the mirror of validity and it should reveal what you need to know,"

"Carry it? As in out in the ocean?"

"Yes."

I hate the water, but each time I say it, or think it, I felt like I was disrespecting these people and culture, turning to face the door, I looked down at the knob, was I ready?

"Oh, and one more thing—" I veered around but she was gone,

Great, I didn’t even ask her, what I really wanted to ask, when can I go home?

Taking a deep breath, I twist the doorknob, closely the door behind me,

It was nice and simple... Definitely my mother's room for sure, I chuckled lightly. It still smells like her, and Elder Sarah said no one could have entered but me, and even though that's badass and all mom, what was your secret, what were you trying to hide? Her bed was neatly spread, I frown a bit when I realize she hasn't laid on it for three years. Taking a small cushion in my grip I sniffed it, Yes, definitely my mother's... I knew her shampoo anywhere, even at the bottom of the ocean. I could feel it now, those bottled-up emotions, I could feel them rushing through my veins, but something caught my eye in the corner of the room. It was a picture frame, simple to the one in the board room, the glass was removed, and the corner was a crease, but there was something under it, like another picture. Risking it, I began to tear the first picture off, revealing a picture of me and her underneath, it was an exact match like the one in my pendant,

"Pour me," I read aloud finding a tiny bottle in the middle of the frame,

Okay, I thought, pour you but pour you where—

My eyes shifted to the middle of the room, uprooting from the ground was a sink, it looked like a goblet. Rushing over to it, I looked in it, it had clear fluid, I was sure if it was water, but it was something alright. Opening the cork, I held the bottle over it, a small drop of whatever is in the bottle caused the liquid in the large cup to ripple, the mirror did so as well,

"Hello Helena," my eyes shot up from the cup and towards the mirror, it was my mom, she— left a message for me,

"If you are watching this, it means..." She smiled, I loved when she smiled, it literally would brighten a room,

"You know what I am... what you are. But it also means, I am not there to celebrate with you, and I might be in trouble. I want to know this, I love you, and I love your father so much and I— I want to take care of him for me. Helena, there is another reason I am leaving this, I have to warn you about the Queen, be careful of her, and her allies, she will do whatever it is to reign. Humans and Merpeople are more alike than you think, we all feel desirous... My daughter, take my place on the high seat, make me proud, but please whatever you do, don’t come looking for me,"

The video ended after that, and I couldn't control the tears streaming down my face. Oh, Mother, you should stay missing because now I have every reason to stay, and I will come to find you.