Forbidden Wings, A Mermaid's Story

By M. C. Arvanitis

Nadeea, a midget among the other Mermaids, finds life unbearable. She meets two fairies, Cassandra and Alex, and admires their beautiful wings. She wants wings for herself so she can escape from the teasing she receives from the other Mermaids. When Sir Cecil, the Snerg, promises to help her find wings she agrees to go on a long dangerous journey to Wyre, the home of the Damselflies. Sadie Squarette, a magic-making, bug-like poet, is their guide. They cross the Island of Egilssay where she meets Zasta, a Selkie, who becomes her best friend. There is danger in the island however. They must cross the land of the Trows where a mighty battle is going on between the Sea and Hill Trows. Trows not only kill each other, they kill anyone who crosses over their land. Sadie uses her unique magic to save them. Finally they reach the Island of Wyre where Nadeea hopes to get wings. She bravely faces Gwilon, the Goat Witch, and saves the queen of the Damselflies. When she learns that her Mer family has been captured by the dreaded Sea Lions and taken into slavery, she has to make a decision. Will she wait for her wings or leave with the Selkie Army to rescue her family?

• Language: English
• Publisher: M. C. Arvanitis
• Release date: Oct 21, 2012
• ISBN: 9780615600659

M. C. Arvanitis

M. C. Arvanitis resides in Freemont, Nebraska. She has a degree in Early Childhood Education. She taught preschool and early elementary for over thirty years until her retirement two years ago. She now spends her time writing elementary chapter books and Young Adult novels. Her short stories have been published in Skipping Stones Magazine, Totline Teaching Tales (Warren Publishing Co.), and Building Blocks for Bright Beginnings.

Book preview

Forbidden Wings

A Mermaid's Story

M. C. Arvanitis

Published by Agate Beach Press. All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form without permission of

Agate Beach Press, PO Box 864, Newport OR 97365

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2012 M. C. Arvanitis

ISBN 978-0-615-60065-9

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Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

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Forbidden Wings

A Mermaid's Story

M. C. Arvanitis

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Dedication

To my writers' critique group, Sunshine Keck, Mariah Matthews, Patsy Brookshire, and Karleene Morrow and to the many students I taught in The Four To Get Ready Preschool in Nebraska and in other schools in California, Texas, and Oregon.

Thank you to Helen Worthington, my reader.

Cover artwork and illustrations by Mariah Matthews.

Cover design, editing, and formatting by Sunshine Keck, Consultant.

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Table of Contents

Chapter One: Princess Nadeea

Chapter Two: Creatures with Wings

Chapter Three: Nadeea’s World

Chapter Four: The Journey Begins

Chapter Five: Sadie Squarette

Chapter Six: Nadeea Meets The Selkies

Chapter Seven: Sadie Comes to the Rescue

Chapter Eight: A Dazzle of Damselflies

Chapter Nine: Gwilon, the Goat Gwitihn

Chapter Ten: Onward to War

Chapter Eleven: The Oyster Bed Prison

Chapter Twelve: Prison Break

Chapter Thirteen: Zasta’s Wedding

Chapter Fourteen: A Wish Comes True

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Chapter One

Princess Nadeea

Princess Nadeea set the shell of scrambled seaweed on the captain’s table in the sunken ship. She loved to get up before the other Mer children and help Cookie prepare their breakfast. It gave her a chance to quiz the Royal Cook about how things used to be when they lived in the hidden city of Hildaland off the coast of Rousay Island. She also enjoyed being alone with Cookie before the others came in for breakfast. At least with Cookie, the teasing Nadeea received from the other children stopped.

Nadeea had been born different. As a baby she hadn’t grown like the others. Even at sixteen she was shorter than most Mers. No one had dared to tease her about being small when she lived with her parents, Queen Eldora and King Eric, who ruled the Mers of the North Seas. She remembered her palatial home with its massive crystal halls surrounded by parks lined with the kelp forest and gardens of seaweed.

That had changed a year ago when the evil Sea Lion King, Elwood, sent his army to overtake Hildaland. The Sea Lions captured her parents and the other adult Mers and took them to work in the dreaded oyster beds on the bottom of the ocean. The Mer nannies and Cookie escaped with the Mer children and hid in a sunken ship near the shore. Nadeea shook her head to get the memory from her mind. She wanted to remember the good times instead of that horrible day.

Cookie, tell me what it was like when you fixed all those banquets in our palace.

Goodness, child, when your father ruled Hildaland we worked in the grandest kitchen. Your mother had us prepare fantastic feasts for royal visitors. Cookie wiped her fingers on her apron and floated