Perry stood frozen to the spot, staring.

Kazimir knelt in front of him, Aeralie in the water before him, his hands pressed to her chest.

He was glowing.

A blazing white light rolled off him, his hair flared around him and Perry could feel the sheer level of power he was pouring into Aeralie.

It would save someone seconds from death.

It would save a hundred people seconds from death.

But Aeralie... Aeralie was...

"Kazimir."

Perry looked up as Icadora appeared, rolling in on the sea, kneeling in front of him.

"Stop. Kazimir, stop. You'll kill yourself using that much power," she said, grabbing his hands.

Kazimir's head snapped up to stare at her, his eyes wide, his skin stained with tears, his teeth clenched against another scream.

"She's not waking up!" he cried, shaking his mother's hands from him, "I can fix her! I just need to use more power! I can fix her!"

"You can save the dying, you can't raise the dead," Icadora said gently and a strangled wail fell from Kazimir.

"She's not!" he cried.

"Kazimir."

"Get away from me!" he snarled, "If you won't help, go away!"

"Kazimir, there is nothing anyone can do," Icadora said.

"Where's her father?" Kazimir snapped instead, "Where is he? He's supposed to be here! Why is he never here to help?!"

"Kazimir, that's not fair," Icadora said, her tone still soft, "Instinct means he has to—"

"He abandoned you!" Kazimir snarled, "He's not here for her! How long do you think we have to wait for him? Damn his instinct! We have to help her! Now!"

His eyes widened and he spun towards Perry, grabbing his trouser leg, making him jump in fright.

"You were supposed to help!" he screamed, "Help her! Now! You have to help her! You're not mortal! You must be able to help her!"

"I... I can't," Perry muttered, his voice and hands shaking, "I can't help... I can't bring back the de—"

"SHE'S NOT!"

Perry flinched backwards.

"Kazimir," Icadora said, her voice firm to make him focus, "Even if she weren't already, she would be soon. Her Heart is—"

"Her Heart," Kazimir cut in, his eyes widening and he looked around before plunging his hand into the shallow water around him. He dragged fragments of her Heart up and held them out to his mother. "We just need to fix this, right?" he said, his eyes wide and imploring.

"You can't fix a shattered Heart," she said gently.

"Then... then Dalton's," Kazimir said, frantic, "he doesn't need his. It's here. It's..."

He was scrambling through the water, trying to locate the Heart that had dropped from the trouser pocket when the trousers had disintegrated.

The sea tossed it back up the beach and into his lap and he snatched it, holding it up.

But Icadora shook her head. "You cannot just exchange the Heart of someone. That belongs to Dalton, Kazimir."

"Then she can have mine!" Kazimir cried, dropping the Heart, "Give her mine! She can have that! She can have my power! I'll be a human!"

"Kazimir!"

Icadora grabbed his wrists and shook him, making him look her in the eye and waited until he was looking – really looking – before she said, "Aeralie is dead. She chose to get in front of that dagger. She did it to protect you and she is dead. It happens. Mermaids die. I know it hurts, I know, but you cannot make deals and exchanges with death."

"What happened?"

Everyone looked up and Icadora spun to look over her shoulder to see her brother behind her.

King Fyrrin stared passed her, looking down at Aeralie, taking in her pale skin, still chest and closed eyes.

His eyes settled on the hole where her Heart should have been.

Icadora moved aside and he moved forwards, kneeling in front of his daughter.

"What happened?" he asked quietly.

"Dago used one last dagger," Icadora said, "He tried to kill Kazimir but Aeralie intercepted it. It struck her in the Heart."

Fyrrin was quiet, just looking down at Aeralie, watching her hair bob and flow in the motions of the sea.

"I see," he said.

"I see?" Kazimir copied, staring at him, "Is that is? I see? She's dying! We have to do something."

Fyrrin didn't answer right away, didn't even look at him until he took a slow breath and raised his head, meeting Kazimir's eyes.

"She's dead," he said simply, "She died protecting you. I hope you're happy. You got her kill—"

Kazimir struck him.

Icadora shrieked as her brother was knocked into her and Perry grabbed Kazimir's arms, wrenching him back before he launched at the king.

"HAPPY!?" he roared, tears streaming from his raging eyes, "She's dead! She died for me! What is there to be happy about?! I would trade places with in her in a heartbeat! What is wrong with you?! You're as mad as Dago!"

He tore one arm free and Dalton was suddenly there, grabbing it, dragging him back, Cole appearing a second later to push him back.

"You're goddamn evil!" Kazimir screamed, thrashing against the others as they held onto him, muscles straining against his strength, "You don't care about anyone! You're just like Dago! Your own daughter is dead and you just want to hurt people!"

"Mermaids die, it happens, especially in war," Fyrrin said.

He didn't looked at Kazimir, didn't even raised his head, his hair falling around his face, hiding it.

"It wasn't her war!" Kazimir cried, "She shouldn't be dead!"

"... No... she shouldn't... but she is."

"Why don't you care?" Kazimir shouted.

"It's the human side of you that openly cares too much," Fyrrin chided, "Do not show your tears in front of others, remember that."

"Gods, stop! Just stop!" Kazimir cried, his body sagging into Cole's as his strength to fight left him. The other two let go of his arms and Cole gently wrapped his arms around him, holding him up.

The king cleared his throat.

"A shame, she was one of our best singers. The sea has taken a great loss today."

Kazimir couldn't summon the energy to say anything. He slumped against Cole, mouth pressed against his shoulder, eyes empty as he gazed dully down at Aeralie.

"Can't you exchange us?" he muttered.

"What?" Fyrrin said, his tone sharper than he'd meant, still not looking at him.

"Can't you just let me take her place... give her my Heart... are we really so limited in this world?"

"We are but mortal," Fyrrin muttered, "We do not bring back the dead."

Kazimir let out a breath.

He gently tapped Cole's back and Cole carefully released him.

Kazimir moved passed and dropped to his knees beside Aeralie.

Fyrrin's head turned away quickly but not before Kazimir noticed the light that caught across the streaks that trailed down his face.

He looked at his uncle for a time until Fyrrin turned his back on them.

"Time ever rolls along," Fyrrin said, "I must return my attention to the last of the sea's condition then return home and inform my family of our loss then the kingdom. This will shake the hierarchy of those who appease the sea. Kazimir, you shall have to find a new partner."

"I'm not doing it anymore," Kazimir muttered.

Everyone but Fyrrin looked at him.

"I thought it wasn't something that could be negotiated," Perry muttered.

"I had one partner. Appeasing the sea is what got us into this problem in the first place. I'm not doing it anymore. I'm done."

Everyone quickly looked at Fyrrin.

The king didn't turn around and they waited for him to remind Kazimir that he had no power to simply decide such things.

"I'll discuss it with the sea," Fyrrin finally said and everyone looked at him in shock.

Kazimir nodded slightly, absently reaching out and pulling a stray lock of hair away from Aeralie's face.

"The Lay Luna Wave is almost upon us. It is time to depart."

"What about Aeralie?" Icadora said.

"Leave her here. She is for the sea to take now. All do what you need to do to say your goodbyes then go."

The king was still for a moment, then reached up and quickly brushed his hand across his face before turning to look at them.

"Humans must be in the safety of that castle. The rest should return to the waves."

He looked at Icadora.

"I shall see you and Kazimir when you return home."

Icadora looked at him, then raised an eyebrow. "Home?" she copied, a flash of anger appearing and vanishing across her face. "After all this time and it's just... home..."

"We'll discuss it later," Fyrrin said then looked at Kazimir who didn't bother looking up. "She'll be gone in less than fifteen minutes. Say your goodbyes properly."

"What about you?" Kazimir said. "You haven't even touched her. Why won't you say goodbye?"

A tension rippled through the king and he turned away. "What is there is just a body. When the sea takes her back, I shall have my chance to properly say goodbye. You will not get another chance however, be done with it."

And with that, he took to the waves and was gone.

Icadora watched him go then looked back at Kazimir.

"Kaz...darling," she said gently, reaching for him and he pulled back.

"Say goodbye and take to the waves," he muttered, "I'll return in my own time."

Icadora's brow creased in pain for her son's pain but she pulled her had away. Her gaze moved up to Dalton, who watched her cautiously.

"We have much to talk about," she said, "But I shall return later. I think you and I need to sit down for a long chat."

"That's one way to put it," Dalton muttered then nodded.

Icadora reached down and took Aeralie's limp hand, squeezing gently, her eyes closed for a time, before she let her go, turned and sank back into the sea, vanishing, leaving the young men behind.

For a long time, they were all silent, watching the sea as it started to change, pulling back, shifting, readying for the mighty wave.

None spoke; none even looked at Kazimir or the body in front of him until they saw the tell-tale grey wall on the horizon.

"Kazimir," Cole said gently, resting a hand on his shoulder. "Won't you come up to the palace with us?"

"No thank you," Kazimir muttered, "I'll stay with Aeralie. I wish to talk to the sea."

"Will you be alright?" Dalton asked.

"I shall be fine. That wave is no danger to me."

The others looked towards the wave, watching it grow taller and taller, ever advancing.

"If you are quite sure?" Dalton said.

"Quite sure. You may go."

"Kazimir," Perry started.

"You may all go," Kazimir cut in.

The others grimaced, then Cole gestured towards the stairs. They would have to leave if they were to make it back before the wave hit; they were in their final seconds.

With backwards glances and a few hesitant steps, the trio turned and ran for the stairs, leaving Kazimir behind.

When they were long gone and the wave was almost upon him, Kazimir carefully gathered Aeralie into his arms, hugging her tightly and looked up at the towering wall that rose above him, bearing down like a monster.

"Please," he whispered, his voice lost in the roar of the wave, his grip tightening. "Please... I beg you. Don't take her away. I'll do anything for you... anything... just don't take her away."

The sea gave him no reply, just rose higher and higher and closer and closer.

Tears started to run down Kazimir's face as he stared up at it.

"Please," he sobbed, "Please. Don't do this. She's your most talented songstress. There will never be another like her. Please. Please."

The wave hit its peak.

And began to fall.

"Please!" Kazimir cried, ducking his head, cradling Aeralie against him, arms locked around her like steel, curling over her to protect her as tears stole his breath and the wave came crashing down around him, striking him, drowning him, covering Aeralie.

And at the touch, in an instant, her body shattered into sea foam and was whipped away. His arms were empty and Aeralie was gone. 

~~~~

Next Up: Tomorrow

Art By: Pinterest Image

What? This chapter didn't get to me. What are you talking about? I didn't feel a gaping sense of emptiness and loss when Icadora squeezed her hand and let go. Naaaaaah, s'all good

And you can't be surprised by this ending - I warned you about it in the title