Chapter 19

Helena POV

Swimming fast as I could, I could feel Triton behind me, it's a weird feeling I couldn't explain, it's like our hearts were beating as one, and I could hear him in my head telling me to stop and think about what I was going to do, but I didn't want to, his mother had mine killed and until I have hers in hand, I won't be satisfied. Seeing my mother was great, it's like a gap in my had been filled, closure about what happened those many years ago, and I know who is responsible and I am going to make them pay. I remember other things too, like that day, I woke on the beach and I saw a woman following me as I walked home, it was Nakida, she was following me, and I can bet the queen had her did it, she dragged me to Meritopia too, it was her. Merging out of the water, I landed my feet, everyone was gathered around the moon pool, the council, guards, maids, other mermaids, Nakida, and then Queen,

"Where is he... Where is my son you bloody half breed! You should have never come here; I should have killed you when I had the chance! Or let the sirens have like how I did to your mother!" She screeched, earning low whispers from the crowds, even Nakida, and the council was shocked, but Sarah wasn't,

"I have accepted the councils' offer, I will take my mother's place as a high council, and I will make a lot of adjustments from now on,"

"You pesky little—"

I folded my fist, shifting my gaze to the queen, she had her hand's clasp around her throat. My mother gave me a breakthrough about my powers, and I finally know what to do. Water, I can manipulate it however I like, but it can any type of fluids, water, oil, beverages... Blood, and right now the blood that flows through her veins is being sucked dry,

"Helena," I heard Triton's voice, "It's not worth it, kill her now, and you be imprisoned, she will win,"

"You think I care about any of that? I must avenge her for my mother's death,"

"And I am so sorry, I am and— you're just making this easy for her, death a quick escape, give the everlasting pain she deserves," he begged me to spare the queen, but I wasn't going to listen,

"He is right," I heard my mother's voice behind me, even the panicking crowd stared in awe,

"Mom—"

"I am not here, aphotic projecting,"

"You could do that... All along?"

"It's not as simple as you think Helena, I will be punished for exposing myself to you and Triton, sadly after today you won't see me again, but— honey you are no murderer, let her go..."

Slowly I released my fold fist, the Queen fell to the ground and no one rushed to her side, not even Nakida.

"Queen Marina betrayed me." My mother spoke, "I was murdered because she thought... Sacrificing me meant peace, and she wanted something else, but the sirens still hunt our kind, don’t they?"

"They do elder Selene," someone shouted from the crowd,

"Because it was all a lie, they tricked her into believing that when they want to weaken our defense systems... And that's why my daughter... She must have her moon baptism tonight,"

Moon baptism? What the hell is that?

"And triton... With your mother's treason, you will be king soon, take care of my daughter,"

"I will high council Selene,"

"Good," her gaze shifted to me, staring down at my hand, on her ring,

"Your father knows about our kind, he just needs to remember, I obliviated him so he wouldn't member," staring down at the grass, a vine grew from the soil, and I watched as it blooms in the blink of an eye, producing fruit it the end.

"Take it," she added. “Make sure she takes a bite. He will remember everything, and it will let him breathe underwater."

"Mom," I began to cry, "please don’t leave,"

"I am sorry my dearest daughter, but I have to, being a servant to the sea comes with a cost and I have paid in full,"

"I love you Mom," I whimpered, soft sobs escaped my lips,

"I love you too," she smiled, "And Sarah..." She looked over my shoulders, at her friend,

"It was good to see you,"

"Vice Versa Selene,"

"Goodbye, everyone... Goodbye Helena,"

And she disappeared into thin air.

Veering around, I bumped into Triton chest, who took me in his opened arm as I cried hard,

"That's right," the queen spoke, "Can't go crying to your mother so you cry to my son,"

"Silence!" High council Sarah wailed, "Those are not your crimes... You were trying to get Nakida and Triton together because you knew you could manipulate her. Marina's motives are truly gruesome... She planned this for years with the help of dark magic and that something else high council spoke about was the blood of a siren baby, because she wanted to wait until you and her accomplice seeded an heir, that way she could soul swap with the young mermaid, steal her body, poison you, and become queen again, raising the child in her own ways, because to her, you are too much like your father... I hereby—"

"Let me," the prince spoke, "Let me banish her,"

"Triton, are you sure? I mean, she is still your mother, but she killed mine... I can't show her any mercy,"

Looking across at them I don’t think Nakida knew the second part of Marina's plan,

"I know." He ambled out of my embrace, and up to Marina and Nakida who was on their knees "I hereby sentence you to five thousand nights in the pits of despair, and if you complete your sentence, you will be cast out of Meritopia, oblivious about who you are, and which pod you're from. Take them away,"

He marched back over to me,

"Why did you take so long?" He pressed his forehead against mine as I whispered against his lips,

"Well... I had to make a stop," he taunted,

"What kind of stop—"

My eyes wandered over to the moon pool, a few guards were helping their injured colleagues out of it,

"Triton?"

"Yeah... They were persisted about arresting me, so... I kicked their asses," he chuckled,

"Sorry to disturb you love birds, " High council walked to us, "But it's time, Helena."

"Can't Triton come?"

"I am afraid not, my dear,"

Giving Triton one last kiss on his lips, I held his hand, staring at him into the eyes, I don’t know what it meant by a moon baptism, but I know I will become a council, and that means looking hideous, and learning how to switch back from my true beauty and being a creature,

"Triton—"

"I don’t care how you look," he spoke, he must have read my mind,

"Meet me here, by the moon pool... At midnight,"

"I will," I kissed him again, walking away with Elder Sarah,

"High council Sarah..." I broke the silence as we walked, "Does it hurt? The baptism?

"It's doesn't... I promise." She pushed open a door,

Inside was a large room, as large as a football stadium if not bigger, the council members were already there waiting for me in white, silk robes. Holding up an extra pair, I looked over to Sarah who was already in hers, so I guess that one must be mine. Slipping it over my hand, tying a secured knot at the front.

"Sisters..." Sarah spoke, "Today we got closure on many things, and today we closed our ongoing investigation into the Marina case. But today— right now, we are about to receive lady Helena as one of us, but first, she must walk the path..." They all stepped aside, revealing a large pool behind them, containing milky water, there were steps on my side and steps on the other,

"Walk my child... Walk."

Following the instructions, I marched down the steps slowly, retreating my toes when they touched the water, it was cold, but I continued to walk anyway. Glancing up where a ceiling should be, was a hole, the stars shun bright and the moon... The moon was fixed in the middle of it all. And this took me back to the night of the party when Pete shoved me into the first moon pool when I couldn't swim, now I am fearless of the water, embracing it. Arriving at the end of the pool, I noticed something, the wet hair that rests on my shoulders was changing color, from dark brown to bright blue, it's like it transforming in my mermaid form but I still had legs. Climbing up the steps, the room went dark for a second, but the lights come immediately and brighter than before, we all were now in the boardroom, the council members were all seated in their chairs, I haven't changed, I was still me... With blue hair, "Helena... I know what you're thinking, why don’t you look like the rest of us? You came to Meritopia as a half-blood, bond to the high seat, of course, I knew you wouldn't be cursed like the rest of us, you would still keep your beauty because you have your father's blood, pumping through your veins, that's the first to ever happen to our kind, you are Meritopia's evolution, and to complete this process, you must teleport, to that chair, where you will sit whenever we call you, dedicated to your duties if making Meritopia safe," Sarah spoke, "Think about it, send your mind to the chair and your body will follow,"

Closing my eyes, I thought about wanting to sit in the chair, but it was not happening,

"Something is work high council, Sarah, the baptism didn't—"

"She will do it... She has to," I heard her mumbled,

Looking over my shoulders, I turned around, staring at my mother's painting in the room, remembering her face, hearing her last words. Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath, not thinking about the chair, but thinking about my mother and how I want to honor her. Feeling my back against thick leather, I opened my eyes, and I was seated in the chair my mother once sat on, I did it.

"It's an honor to have you by our side, High council, Helena."