"You should work on a water-breathing device. Someday you guys should meet." Risa
would like his earnestness.
"What a coincidence." He laughed.
"I've been working on one for a while, it should be done soon." He continued.
"I'd love to meet your sister." Dominic smiled warmly at her, and it looked as if some of his worries had left.
-
While Beatrix was away, the relationship between mermaids and sirens had tensed.
She asked many people why, and while most gave different answers, there was one general consensus: It was because of the mermaid princess, Emea.
After she disappeared the first time, the mermaids had become a little suspicious of the sirens, due to some unsavory rumors. This time, however, the king and queen blatantly blamed the sirens. They attributed Emea's most recent disappearance to an act of malice from the sirens.
Beatrix could tell them Emea had gone off to explore the human world, a fact she had discerned from Austin's appearance, but they wouldn't believe her.
Right now, the best everyone could do was desperately avoid further conflict.
Compared to their rulers, however, the mermaid citizens were being more cautious at the moment; their leaders may be provoking a war, but many of the citizens aren't clouded by emotions and can see the truth: the mermaids would lose.
It was only thanks to Emea's plot armor in the books that the mermaids had won. Without weapons or warriors, the mermaids had no chance against the vicious sirens.
The one thing sirens were good at was fighting; it was why the mermaids had upheld the treaty for so long, despite their hatred of the sirens.
Risa had told her the situation, but Beatrix hadn't paid it any mind. She knew of Emea's whereabouts, and she knew there was little chance Emea would come back on her own. But it didn't matter much to her, she probably wouldn't be here long enough to witness a war.
Risa was still angry at her, she had been furious when Beatrix had returned home, and for good reason.
It was Beatrix's fault. She was the one who misled Risa into thinking her absence would be short, but she certainly wasn't about to tell Risa that she had been purposely kidnapped, and that's why she had been missing so long.
Beatrix felt guilty, she had to admit. Risa was one of the last people she wanted to hurt in this world.
Honestly, she wasn't entirely sure how to navigate their relationship. It was strange to be around someone who reminded her of her family, it was like her dreams came true. But then it was as if her nightmares came true too, and then every time she looked at Risa, she saw her sister's charred, dead face. It was both comforting and terrifying.
And it was strange how often Beatrix found herself treating Risa like her own sister.
It came naturally to her.
"Here's dinner." Risa walked into the house, interrupting Beatrix's thoughts.
She set down a basket of fish she had caught.
Risa could only rely on the neighbors for so long, so eventually she had to learn how to feed herself.
"Thanks." Beatrix said as she began digging in.
Risa looked weak and somewhat malnourished, similar to Beatrix's state. Neither of them had a proper meal in a while, and it was showing.
Beatrix looked away from Risa and focused on her fish. She had told Dominic that sirens are naturally gaunt, in an effort to avoid telling him their true diet. He believed it, but that didn't change how weak she was obviously getting.
And it was only getting worse.
But she wouldn't die.
And neither would Risa, but that didn't change her guilt. It was her responsibility to take care of Risa, but she was failing. Risa didn't seem to resent or blame her, she more so seemed confused.
It was unlike Narcissa to refuse to hunt humans, she wasn't so sentimental. But Beatrix couldn't do it. They would just have to survive until Beatrix finished her task.
"How are our neighbors by the way? I haven't seen them in ages." Beatrix started making idle conversation.
"They're fine. Same as usual." Risa responded shortly.
"I see, that's good."
They descended back into awkward silence.
"Is that really all you can say to me?" Risa broke the silence with a frustrated sigh.
"I know, I'm sorry." Beatrix looked her in the eyes. She had apologized to Risa when she returned, but had since then deflected from the topic. She didn't know what to say.
"Okay, that's great. But where were you?" Risa's voice was a bit louder now.
"I was with my friend, I told you."
"I was expecting you to be gone a couple of days, maybe a week!"
It's not like you asked.
Beatrix shooed the thought away; that wasn't fair.
"Something happened, my trip got delayed. It's not like I wanted to be gone for so long, but I had no choice. I want to be here with you, I do. But life happens." Beatrix averted her gaze; she felt it, she was fumbling this conversation.
"Ugh, fine!" Risa stormed away. Beatrix considered following her, but thought better of it.
She wanted to assure Risa, tell her that she would never leave her side again, but she'd be lying.
The slight swish of a tail distracted her, and all thoughts about Risa left her mind.
She approached the entrance to the home, wary.
She was met by Emea, who was obviously trying to be quiet. The book described her as adventurous and prepared for any situation she met. She was supposed to be capable, but she was also gifted with the typical female lead trait of being prone to trouble.
"What are you doing?" The only interaction she had with Emea had been Beatrix kidnapping her, so they certainly weren't on good terms.
Emea tisked and lunged for Beatrix, deciding to bypass pleasantries.
Beatrix quickly met her with claws outstretched, the only thing on her mind was the acknowledgement of threat. She had to protect herself.
Claws met skin, tearing and slicing. She didn't hurt any vital areas, but she felt blood trickle down her fingers and float into the water, and screams tainted her ears.
Emea backed away, clearly aware she had picked a fight she couldn't win.
But Beatrix had no notion of stopping, she was a flurry of claws and blood.