I didn’t have a good sense of time, but I knew it was early on the third rotation. Mers didn’t really need sleep. It was more of an indulgence than a necessity. And in my rush to get home, I wasn’t taking a lot of breaks. Other than eating, I was just swimming and swimming. And swimming some more.
After a cycle or two, I finally saw the hazy bubble of Aiseiri off in the distance. The magic sun was close to her zenith by the time my kingdom came into view. So it was a little later than I’d thought.
Hello? I reached out with my mind. I’d been trying for a while now, but I guess I’d been out of range. And since meeting the Morcants and discovering they could share their gifts with other mers, we hadn’t really had any time to test range on our telepathy.
Seren? Aibek’s mind slid through mine like a warm hug.
Yes! I’m here. I’m almost to Aiseiri.
Stay back. Go away from here. Do you he—
As if I’d been caught in a net I couldn’t see, I was wrapped up and towed to the side by a huge invisible hand. Help! I fought against the force, but with nothing to grip onto, I was stuck.
Help me!
Nothing. I was once again alone with my thoughts. And for the first time in a long time, it felt cold and scary alone in my head.
Conlan?
Nothing.
Neron?
Nothing.
Nox?
Something shimmered at the edge of my mind before it went blank. It felt like a huge sucking grouper was pulling at my brain. Something was there, but it wasn’t.
And it was terrifying.
A song rose through my throat along with my fear. I had no idea what was going on, but some part of me must have recognized the danger.
With terror seizing my brain and horror squeezing my heart, I opened my mouth and let the song wash away in my wake. The power around me startled and froze. It began cracking like icebergs. Huge chunks fell off until I could finally breathe through the little pockets of freedom.
SEREN! Conlan’s voice shrieked through my mind.
I’M HERE!
We’re coming. Hang on. Whatever you do, don’t sing again, Nox said. His voice was a low rumble of tectonic plates rubbing together.
I bit my lip to keep any song trapped behind my mouth. I wasn’t sure why I listened to the male, but if they knew something I didn’t, I was willing to take their lead.
The towing pressure of being swept along finally faded. I found myself floating over the open maw of the trench. But I wasn’t alone.
The Observers were back. And they had a multitude with them. Too many to count…especially with something ripping through the trench beneath them.
“What the ha—” Something slapped over my mouth.
Without thinking, I thrust my elbows back and felt a grunted breath explode across my hair. So it was a being, not just power.
I started flinging elbows and scratching at unseen hands. When the world around me shimmered into bright light, I squinted, but didn’t let up my attack.
“Easy, Forgotten. We are here to help you,” a female said. She popped into existence right in front of me.
Something about her was familiar, but I couldn’t get the name of her species to appear in my mind. A fish with arms, looking at her both revolted and seduced me.
Her teeth were hard, blunt squares as she smiled. “We have been searching for you. Who knew it would be our destiny to come together at this moment?” She turned so we were both looking out over the trench. “Watch and learn, Forgotten.”
Whoever was holding my arms got me in a tighter grip and forced me to watch what was transpiring. Heavy panting shook through my chest as I continued to fight against my restraints. A song built at the back of my throat, but I swallowed it down. I had to trust that the males knew what was happening and that they would help me.
A dark part of me laughed. You’re all alone, just as you’ve always been. No one will be there to help you. Didn’t you learn your lesson the last time?
I shoved the hated voice away. Long practice made it easier, but I could feel the doubt lurking in the deepest parts of me. Prayers rushed through me. If anyone or anything was out there, I just prayed I wasn’t truly alone as I had been for so many revolutions.
The eyeball beings were doing some kind of weird…thing. It looked ritualistic somehow, but I certainly didn’t understand what was going on.
They all bobbed back and forth in sync, as if they were a giant school of fish moving and darting in unison. One being floated in the middle of the circle of them. Brilliant green, the tentacles on his body danced and gyrated in oddly mesmerizing movements. He swirled and jerked, it was almost beautiful.
Until another Observer rushed forward. Something outstretched in its arm, it glowed with a warm light. I squinted. Each arm had a warm light at the end of it.
As the second being got closer, the first Observer tipped up on its side. A huge opening yawned wide and accepted the arm of the second being.
Bile rushed up the back of my throat as it reminded me of a female accepting a male’s rod into her most inner self. Over and over again, the second being thrust one of its appendages into the first being until whatever had been in the tentacles was gone.
The first Observer jerked and jolted. I couldn’t tell if it was due to pain or pleasure, but finally it ended.
All movement stopped and a heavy silence permeated the water.
“Finally,” the female beside me said. “Prepare the teams.”
The arms around me vanished. I was free once more.
Only to have my wrist locked in the iron manacle of the female’s hand. “You’re not leaving, Forgotten. You will be with me until your final Call.”
Something about what she said itched at my brain. It was right there on edge. Almost as if I could scratch just a little deeper, the answer would pop up and present itself.
The Observers started moving in the opposite direction. The being in the middle of their circle began to grow to obscene widths. Its skin and flesh rippled as its body stretched and writhed.
“What is happening?” I asked.
The female said nothing, but tightened her grip on me until I felt my bones rubbing together. As if she weren’t aware of what she was doing, she began pulling rhythmically on my wrist. Tug, tug, tug.
Another song built at the back of my tongue. One of disgust and horror. She was getting excited watching whatever the Observers were doing. And she was using my arm as part of her pleasure.
“Isn’t it wonderful? So powerful. It will be the biggest one in our army. We will be able to rule all of the worlds, not just the water portals. With this one, we’ll be able to take on dual forms and walk on surfaces.” Her voice was thready and fervent.
“What are they making?”
I winced as the being shrieked as its body expanded again. It was bigger than a blue whale and it was still growing. I felt badly for the original Observer. Growing that big that fast had to be excruciating.
“You’ll see, Forgotten. You’ll see.” The female continued to tug on my arm in a slow pulsing tempo.
What the actual masu was happening? And where were the males?