Fathom L. Standage (books for 8th graders .TXT) 📖

faked,” he said. “It would not have been solid proof. He must have been hoping to have a real merperson in his possession for this party.”

Natasha gave the invitation an uneasy frown. “A bold move to plan the party before the guest of honor signs the RSVP.”

“But he has a merperson,” I said. “Marinus. Why doesn’t he just use him?”

“Marinus cannot go back to his original form,” said Cordelia. “He has betrayed his people and forfeited his sacrifice. Linnaeus wouldn’t be able to use him.”

I gasped as a realization hit me. “This was why Delfina killed herself!” I exclaimed. “She must have found out what they wanted to do with her!”

As everyone else murmured their shock and sorrow, Cordelia and Seidon emitted an unearthly growl.

“What else is in this file?” Cordelia demanded, pulling it toward her. She rifled through the last few sheaves of paper.

“You’re sure none of this is on a computer?” asked Walter. Calder shook his head.

“I don’t think he even had one in his office.”

“All the same, I’m going to check,” said Uther as he walked out of the kitchen. Cordelia dropped the last paper onto the stack and shook her head.

“Nothing we don’t already know. He took notes on how the vessels work. Information on Delfina. The rest of this is just nonsense for his infernal party plans. He must have had Marinus steal the vessel to learn about our ways, then use it to lure one of us into his hands.”

“Why would Marinus do this?” Seidon asked. “Why would he betray his own people?”

“Because he’s a grasping bottom feeder,” said Cordelia.

Eamon looked at Natasha, who covered her face with one hand.

“It’s not your fault, lass,” said Eamon. “Marinus made his choices.”

“But what if he’s doing this out of some warped kind of…I don’t know, devotion or obsession, or—”

“I wasn’t exaggerating,” Cordelia interrupted. “Marinus has always been a slimy little leech. He hates our government, he hates our queen, and he hates everything our society is built on. Though his behavior disgusts me, it doesn’t surprise me.”

Natasha looked appalled.

“So, Linnaeus wanted a mermaid,” I said, remembering the terrifying moments when Linnaeus glared down at me, thinking he had one. “But when he kidnapped me, all he wanted was the vessel.”

“You don’t know that, Olivia,” said Eamon. “Linnaeus will say and do anything to get what he wants.”

“I guess that’s true,” I said with a shrug.

“How can you be so casual about this?” Calder suddenly exclaimed, startling me and everyone else. “The entire merworld is at stake here and you were just going to hand the vessel over.”

“But I…”

“They were going to kill her, Calder,” said Walter.

“What, like Delfina?”

“Delfina was a soldier,” came the authoritative voice of Captain Cordelia. “Olivia has had none of her training or experience. She didn’t understand what the implications were.”

“Right. If Marinus was such a low-life, what does that make her?” He looked at me.

“Hey, why don’t you back off?” said Sam, but he ignored her.

“Are you working with them?” Calder asked. “Or are you just stupid?”

Wow. I scowled as my eyes filled up. My throat tightened. Calder shook his head, walked past me, and went out the back door.

No. This wasn’t finished. I followed him, my blood blazing as I slammed the door behind me. He turned to look up at me from the second step down.

“What?” he said. For a second, I faltered under the weight of his glower. But among the weight of my hurt feelings, a rage roared in my chest. It struggled, scratched, and pushed until I could barely hold it back.

“I didn’t know,” I said through clenched teeth, “about the vessel.”

“What do you mean, you didn’t know? Are you completely brainless?”

“What’s your freaking problem?” I shouted.

“Nothing,” he muttered, facing the ocean.

“No, you’ve been a complete jerk to me ever since I got here. What did I ever do to you?”

He spun back around and stomped up to me.

“Fine, you want to know my problem? My problem is you. You’ve followed us around this whole time like this is some kind of game. Delfina gave her life to keep the vessel and her people safe and what did you do with it? You handed it over!”

“I told you. I didn’t know about the vessels. How was I supposed to know?”

“Just go back to your ocean where you belong. You’ve done enough.” He moved to go back into the house. I knit my eyebrows in confusion.

“I’m not going anywhere. I may have started this, but I’m not leaving until I fix it!”

I cried. He took a step toward me, eyes blazing, but I folded my arms and stood my ground. “And what do you mean, ‘go back to my ocean’? I’m not a fish.”

“Right, you’re just some useless, daft little mermaid who came here without any thought but to satisfy your selfish curiosity!”

Wait, what? Did I hear him right? I sputtered, trying to wrap my head around what he said. “D-did you just—”

“Yeah. I told you to go. So go.”

“I’m not a mermaid, you moron!”

He opened his mouth but stopped and stared at me as though I had just breathed fire.

“You—but you’re…” he stammered.

“I don’t have gills. I’m not drinking water every five seconds. Seriously, are you blind?”

He sputtered at me, his face full of shock. I stepped closer to him and stabbed my finger at his chest as I continued, not caring what he thought or what he said next. “Don’t you dare call me useless or selfish again, you jerk. I was thrown into this against my will, and the only reason I have stayed to help was because I care about what happens to the merpeople. I’ve done absolutely nothing to betray anyone’s trust and I don’t care if I never earn yours.” I looked down as my courage started to wane. “So get over yourself.”

I wanted to keep yelling, but my mind went blank as I looked into his stunned face. My face hot, my pumping temper draining me of energy to think straight,