I thought there would be guards at the border, instead a school of beautiful yellow and black fish blocked the entrance to Kingdom of Water. Ryan swam through them disrupting the perfect, synchronous way they were moving. I looked over his shoulder and found that those fish had already arranged themselves in a school, much like before. I could not help getting amazed at their level of coordination.

I asked Ryan about the lack of guards, to which he said that there were always some sentries around in case any trouble occurred. Indeed, I saw two mermen casually patrolling the water. Two long, sleek twin-swords were strapped to each of their backs. They looked at us- at me, at my appearance, which was so unlike any creature of Odalis, which was so....human. Their hateful gaze burned through the layers of my skin. I averted my gaze and feared that they might obstruct our path or worse, took us to their king- Ryan's own uncle who betrayed his own family to get that crown. But apart from throwing spiteful glares at me, they did not do much.

"For a moment, I thought they were going to capture us," I told Ryan.

"No, unless we break the law or cause any troubles or unless the King himself sends orders for them to capture us, they can't do so. So, don't worry." But we both knew that anything could happen, and maybe for that reason, Ryan swam away from the vicinity of the mermen as fast as possible.

A slight ripple of relief coursed through me and I looked around myself. The water there was a beautiful mix of royal and sea-green blue and it looked so alive- I could make out the different currents flowing through the water, and the small movements of the water molecules made it seem as if the water itself was dancing. The water at the Gulf of Forstide was calm and still, but in Kingdom of Water, it was ever-moving, with varied emotions and feelings and opinions- like it was just as much a person as we were, like it could see everything, hear everything.

A broken shell floated by me, chased by a school of tiny fish. I let out a giggle.

"I assume you find all these very amusing?" Ryan asked. He sounded squeaky, like a cartoon, like he had inhaled helium.

I laughed.

"What?" Ryan asked, laughter in his voice, except Ryan's voice was nearly a squeal. I laughed more.

"You sound--," I said between laughs, "---you sound funny." When Ryan did not say anything, I looked at him. I went into a fit of laughs and giggles as I saw that Ryan's eyes had become beady and round. His eyebrows were weird too- high in the forehead and looking as if they were painted in blue.

"Your eyes----," I started to say but Ryan cut me off.

"You are hallucinating again, Spark," he said.

"What? No--" I blinked. My laughter had ceased. "Hallucinations are supposed to be scary." I blinked again. I was feeling sleepy and everything seemed blurred out to me.

"Not always," That time his voice sounded normal again. I looked at him and found those cornflower blue eyes instead of the beady ones I saw just a couple seconds before . Ryan was right. I was hallucinating. Again.

When will all these come to an end? I wondered. The hallucinations were freaking me out and more importantly, I was not able to rely on what I saw anymore.

"Where are we?" I asked, exasperated.

"At the Starwater Canal," he said. "If I had my powers, I would have been able to surface at Myra's. It would have been so much easier than this," he muttered more to himself than to me. I remained silent, mostly because I had nothing to say. Instead, I took in the change in the scenery around me, and wondered if it would ever cease to surprise me.

The Starwater Canal was bewitching. Bioluminescent lights cast a regal sea-green glow on the canal and on the red algae that ran along the sides of it. I barely suppressed my urge to spread my arms and touch the red, glowing algae. It seemed as if the water was calling me, as if it was telling me to break free from Ryan and go with the water current to whatever mesmerizing, malicious place it wanted to take me to. My feet twitched with the desire to let myself out there.

Ryan might have sensed something as he tightened his grip on me. It was almost painful but at the same time it was a welcoming distraction from the evil calls of the sea.

"Don't be fooled by the beauty of all these. It can be very easy for your kind to be carried away in this world," he warned.

Indeed, it was very easy. But I smiled, "I am not one to be fooled, Ryan."

Ryan smiled back. "I like this thing about you."

***

Myra's house appeared nice and colourful but the bones and slabs of sea-rock from which it was made of made me uncomfortable. The mortifying feeling was slightly subdued by the corals that were used on the house to give it some colour. However, despite the cold exterior, the insides of the house were and welcoming and...cheerful.

"Send for the healer," Ryan said as soon as the door was opened by a pretty mermaid, with red hair and red tail. I assumed that she was Myra.

Ryan swam upwards, still holding me, to a large bone and coral platform that jutted out from one of the stone walls. Wide, large pillars stood around the hall providing support to the platforms. From over my shoulder, I saw Myra still standing near the doorway with confusion written on her face which was soon replaced with something else- maybe it was happiness on seeing her friend after so long, maybe it was concern for him or maybe it was hatred for me. She stood there for a while and then went outside.

Ryan lowered me onto a bean-couch like thing after we had entered into one of the rooms on the platform. The couch was comfortable and soft though it felt a little rough on touching.

"The healer should be here soon," Ryan sat beside me.

"I do not want to think about my wound now," I said without looking at him. I wanted to savour the moment- there was almost no pain on my arm, except a very feeble throbbing; and there were no hallucinations. So, I looked around the room- at the soft moss covering the floor and at the sea grass that were sewn together to make curtains.

"So-" he said in a soft, playful tone, "-what do you want to think about?"

I reclined on the couch, ignoring both his tone and words, and then stared at the ceiling. Truth was I did not want to think about anything. I thought too much, sometimes overthinking things, and I decided that for once, it would be nice to not think for a while, though I did not say that to Ryan. Instead, I said, "Something positive. Something cheerful, nice and not depressing."

Ryan shifted towards me and said, "Want to talk to me?"

"No, you are very depressing." I mocked some seriousness to my voice.

"Oh?" Ryan arched one eyebrow. An evil smile formed on his lips and I noticed a glint in his eyes. "Are you challenging me, Spark?" Ryan asked in his deep, smooth voice.

I finally faced Ryan. "What if I say yes?"

"I'll show you how fun I am to be with." He brushed the back of his fingers against the corner of my mouth and stood up.

I saw Ryan walk towards a wardrobe with confident strides. "I said I want something nice. Fun is not what I want," I called back. Ryan stopped in his tracks and slowly turned back. Surprise and amusement were written on his face mixed with something else which I could not make out.

Ryan looked alluring and handsome as he walked towards where I lay on the couch. I had almost forgotten how beautiful he was but looking at him at that moment- I could not take my eyes off from him. I remembered the ball where I had met him, but now I was meeting the real him for the first time- him without his glamour. Ryan's face looked sharper and more refined, his ears and fingers became like the fae folk too- pointy and slender and elongated.

He came near me and tucked my hair behind my ear. His breath was hot on my ear and his voice was like a caress when he said, "I'll give you something nice then."

"No-I-What are you saying?" I felt embarrassed and I was short of words.

Ryan chuckled. "Relax, Spark. Let me bring you a blanket." He went to the wardrobe, and I saw him take out what looked more like a thin piece of cloth. This is maybe what the mers use as a blanket, I thought.

I was adjusting the blanket, most probably sewn from kelp and seaweed, when Myra entered the room along with the healer. The healer's shock on seeing me- a human, in Odalis, was visible on her face, but she did not say anything. She looked at Ryan and at Myra and then sat beside me, on the couch.

"I have never seen such wound on anyone...," the healer said as she examined me. "...nor I have heard or read about this kind of wound." Her voice was low and bare of emotions.

"But you will still be able to heal her, right?" Myra asked, to my surprise.

The healer nodded her head and took out a small apothecary jar along with a strip of worn-out cloth from her satchel. I had read in the book about Odalis, that in Kingdom of Water, the fae used magic to keep the liquids separate from the ocean water. I couldn't believe it until the healer poured some amount of liquid on the cloth and held it infront of my nose.

"She should feel better after the effect of this sedative wears out," she said to Ryan and Myra. "I'll bring the herbs but make sure she rests as much as possible."

"Your help is very much appreciated," Ryan said. The healer slightly tilted her head at him and then the three of them went out of the room. Alone in the room, I waited for the effects of sedative to kick in.

________________

I hope you liked Chapter 20 of 'A World of Treason and Tides'. Do vote and comment if you did like it.😊

So... *rubs hand* I laugh every time I read the hallucination thing. I mean, Ryan with squeaky voice-- I can't help myself😂. Then, I remember how fatal the hallucinations can be and feel bad for Venus.🤦‍♀️😿

Anyway, This is the last chapter I am publishing in February. See you all in March.