Meribella

Meribella woke with a delicious stretch and pressed her nose into the pillow beside her. Raff's scent lingered, putting heated thoughts into her brain as she recalled their hours together. Perhaps it hadn't been wise to spend so little time sleeping with what was to come, but she wouldn't exchange a single moment of last night for physical rest. What had transpired between them had been rejuvenation for the soul.

The sheet fell from her body as she sat up, and she looked down to find faint bruises and scrapes along her skin. She pressed a finger to each one, remembering every touch that put them there. There had been moments where they'd loved one another slowly and thoroughly, leaving no stretch of skin neglected. Other times they'd come together frantically, their grips punishing as they toppled and rolled across the bed. The broken nightstand had been an unfortunate casualty, and she was quite certain her backside was black and blue after the fall to the floor.

"Meribella, are you awake?"

Slipping into a robe, she crossed the room and opened the door to let Thorne in. Addien accompanied the water witch, and she sniffed the air in disapproval.

"You do know if anyone else were to come in here, they would know what you did last night."

Thorne bobbed her head in agreement. "I don't have your nose, and even I can smell the sex in the room."

"So?" Meribella said as she shut the door. "I feel like every selkie room smells like this."

"It's not so much the what as the who that would concern them," Addien explained.

"I didn't agree to be faithful to Caspian so what can they accuse me of? Besides, is any of it going to matter shortly? Did you bring it, Thorne?"

Her friend handed her the diamond nose stud, but Meribella didn't miss the worry in her dark eyes. "Most of these are made with the help of a Circle. I-I don't know how much help I'll be if things go south. My magic is weak right now."

"I'm sure we'll be fine," Meribella said. "My own is still off kilter after the drugs Nerida put in my system, but I'm hoping it doesn't come to a fight. If we can get her to confess, then we can turn people to our side."

"It truly is amazing what you accomplished Thorne. Valencia had to leave the room when we tested it out. Seeing Kai was hard after what she just learned."

"I know it is, but it's the only thing Nerida won't see coming," Meribella replied, putting her hand on Addien's shoulder in comfort.

Then she went to the mirror and located the small scar on her nose where she'd once worn a charm to disguise her identity from Raff. It would have to be repierced, and her eyes watered just thinking about the pain. Mentally counting, she pressed the sharp edge against her skin.

The door flew open and slammed against the wall. Half a dozen large selkie warriors barreled into the room. Thorne and Addien stepped in front of Meribella, but she pushed them aside and walked up to the woman who appeared to be the leader.

"What's the meaning of this?"

The woman offered up an apologetic smile. "Star Blessed, we've been asked to bring you to the beach."

"And that requires six of you?" she demanded, almost missing Addien's gasp.

The selkie limped in front of Meribella. "Marachet, why are they calling her to the beach? The Council only does that during a trial."

Marachet opened her mouth to speak, but another soldier spoke first. "It's not for us to ask the Council questions. She either comes willingly or in chains."

"It's okay, Addien. We can go. Just let me change."

"We must go now."

She tightened the sash of her robe and jutted out her chin. Fine. If they thought it would put her on edge to be without clothes, they would be very disappointed. And possibly in a lot of trouble with one possessive Alpha werewolf when he found out.

They walked out of her cottage and down the trail to the beach. Last night's rain was gone, leaving the sky a perfect azure, but the winter sun provided little warmth despite its mastery over the heavens. Yet, she wouldn't shiver in front of these people. She would show no weakness.

The sound of the crashing surf reached her as they crested a small hill, and a few steps later, the trees thinned to reveal a line of selkies standing on the shore as they had the night she arrived with Caspian so many weeks before. Only this time, the looks on their faces was far from welcoming. Valencia stood off to the side, her white hair stark against the black sands.

"Meribella, you have been brought here today on charges of conspiring against the leader of the Leopard Clan," Nixie, leader of the Ringed Clan shouted as the entourage came to a stop before them.

Meribella scanned the crowd for Raff and Lincoln, but they were nowhere to be seen. Dorea was absent as well. For the first time since she was led from the cottage, a tendril of worry weaved through her breast. If they had hurt her family, they would witness first hand the might of her power. She would find a way to bring it forward.

"What evidence do you have of that?" she asked, striving for nonchalant as she combed through the people on the beach again.

"My son has revealed the truth of what happened the night of the Fertility Ritual." Nerida stepped forward, her hand gripping Caspian's arm and dragging him along. He looked at Meribella with pleading in his eyes. Only she didn't know if he was asking for forgiveness or compliance. "Tell them the truth son."

"Caspian, how could you?" Addien cried. She sagged against Thorne who was shooting promises of pain at the blonde selkie.

"I'm sorry," he said, stepping away from his mother. "But this is the only way I could think to get the Council together. To tell them the truth. Meribella is indeed plotting against my mother."

Meribella's heart contracted, stealing her breath. How had she been so foolish to trust him. He'd seemed so earnest the night before. She could feel his need for redemption, see it burning in his face.

"And so am I," he continued causing an uproar. Nerida's face darkened. "My mother has been feeding you lies for centuries. The cause of infertility is not because of the loss of the Star Blessed but because of an agreement she made with the Fae Queen. She lured Meribella here to force her into a union that would put the powers of the Star Blessed in her control."

"Lies," Nerida screamed as the crowd roared. "What purpose would I have to hurt my own people. Meribella is more human than selkie. We can't trust her."

"If we cannot trust her, then we cannot trust our own gods," Valencia said. "For she is the one chosen by them to carry the Blessing. Do you defy your gods?"

"Gods?" Nerida sneered. "They abandoned us long ago."

"See, she speaks blasphemy."

The people grew more agitated. Some chanted for Nerida's demise while others looked indecisive. Meribella could feel their emotions swirling in the air, making her dizzy, and then first blood was drawn. A man from the elephant clan howled and lunged at Nerida with a knife only to be struck in the back by a spear.

Marachet turned on the guard who'd thrown it. "Polk, you will stand down!"

Polk, a Ringed Clan member from the looks of him, didn't reply. He whipped out a blade and thrust it into Marachet's chest. "I do not take my orders from the Harpys."

"Meribella, we have to get out of here before it descends into chaos. Raff is waiting with near the boats. They want you on it until this over," Thorne said, grabbing her as she reached for Marachet. It was too late. Death veiled the selkie's eyes.

"Like hell," she hissed. "Why did no one tell me the plan changed?"

"Not so fun to be kept in the dark is it Princess?" Lincoln's cocky voice sounded from behind Polk. The selkie was preparing to strike at Thorne, but Raff's Beta relieved him of his vocal cords with a single swipe of his partially shifted hands.

All around them selkies battled one another, the lines clearly drawn. Meribella knew there was discontent among the people- especially after hearing Addien's story- but after seeing how little it took to spur people into action once they knew removing Nerida from the equation would return their fertility, she understood how volatile the situation really was.

A man charged at her, and she dodged his spear, twisting out of the way with ease before launching herself on his back. A single twist snapped his neck, and he struck the ground with a thud.

"Babe," Thorne hissed, pointing at the gape in Meribella's robe. Lincoln wolf whistled, earning a punch to his shoulder.

"I'm not leaving until we get Caspian out of that," Addien said as Lincoln tried to pull them to the trees.

The selkie woman pointed at the broiling mass where it was growing hard to tell where one person ended and the other began. The fight had spread to the water, and she could see red spreading across the blue and staining the foam as seals tore into one another.

Meribella agreed with her, but a yip at her heels drew her attention to the ground. Aurora stood at her side, staring up at her with unnaturally blue eyes. Once again, Meribella was struck with the notion that there was something different about the wolf pup. She seemed to encourage Meribella to fight.

"Addien is right."

"How'd she get loose? Fuck," Lincoln muttered as the girls bent down to pick up discarded weapons. "Raff is going to kill me if a single hair on your head is harmed. Shit, he might kill me just for failing to keep you out of the fight."

"Guess we better win, then. Come on. Let's end this."