The Mermaid and the Unicorns

By L.T. Getty

Jealous of her best friend's new found elemental abilities, mermaid Daphne makes a deal with a sea witch to get powers of her own. The witch betrays her and leaves Daphne with human legs, and tells the young mermaid that she must bring her a unicorn's horn if she ever wishes to return to the sea.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Black Unicorn Books
• Release date: Aug 31, 2021
• ISBN: 9781777698034

Book preview

Dedication

This novel is dedicated to my nieces: Scarlet, Breanna, Grace, and Marissa.

One

Dawn’s light struck the white-capped blue-green waves. The morning air had not yet lost its winter crispness along the rocky coast dotted with pine trees. Near a cove that expanded to the vast open sea, a young pod of dolphins leapt high above the churning waters with a pair of young mermaids.

Daphne, at fourteen, raced alongside a dolphin she’d known since she was old enough to surface. Daphne had a long face and her only qualm with her long golden hair was that it would often get in her eyes when she tumbled in the ebb and flow of the cold waves after an especially high jump. Her best friend Oshiera, who had just turned fifteen, boasted a teal and turquoise tail and fins, had a slightly round face and short dark hair. Oshiera grabbed onto a dorsal fin of one of the larger dolphins and rode her over a cresting wave. Daphne flicked her fins, and powered through the water, and shot out higher than her friend, only to have a younger dolphin jump higher still. She raced her dolphin friend when he submerged again, and both dolphin and mermaid leapt above a wave together. Daphne hated to lose to anyone.

We're getting too close to the shallows and shore, Oshiera called when Daphne joined her beneath the surface.

There are no humans nearby, Daphne replied, though she turned her head when one of the youngest of the dolphins broke away from the pod. I'll get Echor. Don't worry so much, Oshiera. We're perfectly safe. She gestured to her stone knife attached to her left arm via a shell clasp adorned with black and silver pearls.

Daphne followed the young dolphin to a stretch of red and orange coral. The shallow floor held a rocky patch of the pale sand, which yielded all sorts of colorful underwater plants. Bright schools of fish darted away from the young dolphin as Echor investigated the polyps. Are you hungry? Daphne asked once she caught up to him.

Echor explored a small rocky cave before he chattered. I saw a fish I'd never seen before. He was orange and white!

You'll see lots as you travel from place to place, Daphne told the small dolphin. Come, your mother won't forgive me if I let you roam from the pod.

Why hurry? Echor asked as he swam, spinning around different plants and sponges that grew along the rocks, before focusing in on a vibrant snail. It was not a very old reef, though it was well inhabited by many vividly-colored, small fish. The young dolphin seemed to take pleasure in disturbing them and watching them scurry into their small hiding crevices and among the anemones. You're so lucky that you get to stay in your town all the time. This part of the sea is so beautiful!

I think it would be neat to see so much of the ocean, Daphne said, thinking of her small town of Thranda. Unlike the dolphins, who often travelled long distances in a single day, most merfolk lived in towns unless they left their communities to hunt or travel to another community. She had known members of his family since she was a little mermaid, and only got to see them a few times a year when they passed through her home to feed in a nearby bay. She heard a series of warnings behind her—the other dolphins had detected something with their echolocation. Unless it was something exceptionally large, they should have been safe within the pod, but Echor was very young. Echor, let's return to your family. The young dolphin had wandered off while Daphne had turned her head, chasing a seal that had left her bob, trying to swim away from Echor.

Echor! Daphne called, swimming after him. She caught up to him, then looked over her shoulder as she heard a familiar sound. An orca! Daphne suppressed a shudder. It was large, but far enough away for her to find a hiding space. Still, killer whales almost always travelled in groups. The killer whale dove when he spotted her. She knew the others would want to help, but they were no match for an orca. He swam quickly towards her and Echor. Daphne knew she would be hard pressed to out-swim the large creature.

Hide! the orca told her.

Daphne then saw the immense shadow and wooden keel of a ship following the orca. The killer whale dove deep, though the water was too clear and shallow to truly hide his massive form. A harpoon followed him, missed, and was quickly pulled back to the surface by a rope. Another harpoon plunged into the water, and then another. The rough waters churned green and grey in the ship's wake, and Echor's warning chatter only told her that there was another human vessel. It came from Daphne's left, and it dragged a net behind it.

Echor, dive! Daphne hoped that the young dolphin had gulped enough air to manage a few minutes more beneath the waves. The net raked the sand and stone. Breaking smaller segments of coral reef, it sent other small fish and sea creatures scuttling in every direction. Daphne was swift enough to out-manoeuvre the nets. The orca tried to back up, to return to deeper waters, but it was being corralled towards land and the nearby cove.

Daphne saw fear in the orca's eyes.

Echor, stay here, she said, patting him on the nose. No matter what happens—stay low, and wait for one of us to come and get you. She hoped it would be herself, shortly.

Daphne was no hunter, but she quickly took out her stone knife. She swam deftly between the nets. Stay calm! she told the killer whale. When he chattered, he sounded very young, and now that she was close, she could see that he was a relatively small orca. She knew that by the time his family came it would be too late, so she stayed in the shadow of the boat and began to cut through the rope. Her knifewasn’t especially sharp against the tough nets, but she worked quickly, careful not to get caught up in the netting herself.

Back up! she told him.

The orca began to listen, but then Daphne smelled blood in the water, and saw a harpoon had struck his right flipper. He panicked, and tried to squirm free. Help me! the orca cried.

Despite the powerful strokes of his tail, the harpoon dragged him towards the surface. Daphne swam around the nets. She touched what held the harpoon, and saw it was thick chain.

Don't leave me! the small whale begged.

Daphne grabbed the harpoon, but they were too near the surface before she got it out. The orca leapt suddenly, with her on top. Men gasped.

Mermaid! one shouted. The boats were not so large, as human vessels went—Daphne clung onto the orca's dorsal fin as they sailed through the air before they crashed beneath the waves, and began to dive.

Which way? he asked, but when Daphne didn't answer instantly, he surfaced with another leap before he dove again. She saw the next harpoon aimed at her.

What happened next happened fast—though for Daphne, time seemed to slow, for the air seemed to vibrate. Daphne heard Oshiera cry, No! Above the water. As if channelling against the natural flow of the wind and current, a huge rogue wave struck the side of the human vessel with such a force it caused the sailors to call out in panic as the vessel was almost knocked on its side.

The orca dove deeper as the sea floor dropped off. Looking back towards the light above, Daphne saw several human figures kicking towards the surface. Whimpering in pain, the orca kept swimming ahead quickly, as if still not convinced of safety. Daphne kept holding onto his fin, even when he slowed down to look back at the ships no longer in pursuit.

Daphne, get away from him! Oshiera shouted.

It's okay, be calm, Daphne said, and patted the orca’s side. She let go of him, and hesitantly swam to look in his face. Dive deep over that way, she pointed. You'll be safe if you stay low for a few minutes. We'll navigate you through the shallows, get you back to your family.

Ow... they...

I know it hurts. They're not headed this way, Daphne said, hesitantly petting his snout, or rostrum. He made no move to bite her. Instead, he whimpered and nuzzled her palm. Where's your family? Daphne asked.

I don't know, the small orca replied. We were swimming... and I saw a shadow... and... the humans, they chased me so far!

I'm sure your family’s not too far. Be still, and we'll find them. Let's wait a moment and watch where the humans go before we do anything else.

They watched the shadows of the human vessels move from their current position. They appeared to be sailing south, towards the open water. Oshiera approached while Daphne scanned the surface, still she kept her distance, hiding behind a large rock, Echor at her side. He's not dangerous, Daphne called over.

I'm not so certain, Oshiera said.

Echor swam over to the orca. I'm Echor.

Arroyo, the killer whale replied. My flipper hurts!

Oshiera looked back at the shadow of the retreating ships. Come on, let's get out of here.

We'll do something about your fin soon, Daphne said. Let's swim away from the whalers, and then you can surface for air.

The dolphin and orca agreed, and soon they heard the chattering of the young dolphins as they made their way out of the reef and away from the shallows. It's okay, he's just a young orca, Oshiera called. He's lost and can’t find his family.

I'm wary of finding them! replied one of the dolphins. Oshiera and Daphne led the orca, Echor followed behind closely, and the young dolphins followed the mermaids.

Oshiera, what happened back there? Daphne asked as they swam together, side by side.

What do you mean? Oshiera asked as they swam, her eyes towards the surface. They couldn't be certain that there were no other ships in the area. Most of the dolphins kept their distance, never trusting the orca, as the drop off turned to shallow, they watched their friends race ahead and hung back, though still scanning the area for threats.

Back there—you did something, Daphne said to her best friend. How did you make the water hit the human ship?

I don't know what you're talking about, Oshiera replied.

Daphne frowned, but knew it would be easier to talk to Oshiera alone. The dolphins behind them chattered. There were sharks in the area, drawn by the smell of blood, but they quickly backed off when they realized their vast numbers, and who exactly was bleeding. Arroyo was young, but far from tiny. He's going to be nothing but trouble, one of the dolphins complained.

He's keeping the sharks at bay, said another.

He's not hurting anyone, are you? Daphne asked, petting his good flipper to show he was friendly.

I just wanna find my mum, the little orca replied.

Let's take care of his flipper, Oshiera said, diving and collecting broad-leaf seaweed to make a dressing. There's a cove not far from here—he'll need to breathe, so let's head there and surface while I bind it.

Will you be okay? One of the dolphins asked Daphne.

She glanced at the young orca. He seemed more upset than hungry. I think we'll be fine, she said. Several of their older dolphin friends chattered. They didn't trust the killer whale, so they accompanied the pair away from the bulk of the pod. Their pod was feeding in the area for only another day before following after schools of fish. The pale stretch of beach Oshiera led them to wasn't far, though only two of the dolphins ventured into the shallows of the lagoon.

Oshiera gestured, and they surfaced at a rocky cove with overlooking pine trees, and the mermaids looked around cautiously before telling Arroyo it was safe to surface. There was a river running to the sea, though it was much too shallow for the girls to consider exploring, so Daphne kept watch while Oshiera tended to the injured flipper.

Where's your family headed? Daphne asked as Oshiera checked the wound over and binding it.

I don't know. Gramma picked the route, and mum never told me. I think they said they were heading north. I don't even know where we are. I'm hungry.

Echor backed right off.

We'll go find some fish soon.

My favourite is squid! Echor offered.

Me too! Arroyo said. Thank you for helping me. I miss my momma.

Oshiera patted his rostrum. We'll help you find them. Just don't eat anyone we know.

Okay.

Daphne set herself upon a rock in the lagoon, and began to sing to herself a small little song as she kept watch for humans on the open sea. She knew she had a good voice, and sang a melody without words.

You could do something besides sing, Oshiera said.

Actually, I was hoping you were going to start singing, Daphne said with a shoulder stretch.

Oshiera scowled at Daphne, but finished bandaging the flipper. There. It'll probably still hurt, but it won't bleed so much. Maybe someone in town can do better.

Whoa, we need to get him back to his family, Daphne said. Do you really think anyone's gonna let us bring a giant killer whale back to my house?

Actually, I'm the smallest in my family, Arroyo offered.

We don't even know where his family is, Oshiera said.

I don't want to go anywhere near the whalers, Arroyo said.

Daphne heard rustling in the bushes, and pushing herself off the rock she called out, Hide!

Arroyo was the slowest to dive, but Daphne knew few land folk were capable of capturing a whale without the right equipment. The lagoon was big enough that it would take a lot of netting to capture him, and while the waters were relatively shallow, they could all swim off and be back in deep water before the sailors could amass the needed equipment. She could hear the human voices beneath the waves. Both were female, and one was very young.

Don't run off!

I'm over here! the child called. I saw mermaids.

Daphne gestured to the others, and they began to swim out of the lagoon. See that fin? asked the first voice. It's a dolphin of some kind. There's no such thing as mermaids. They're just something sailors make up.

I know what I saw, Espy, the girl said, but Daphne heard no more. They quickly swam away from the cove, and fortunately, no one had a boat to give chase.

They swam back towards where the young dolphins were supposed to meet up with their pod. The adults and their babies greeted the young dolphins. One of the older dolphins swam out to meet the girls, but hesitated once they saw the orca.

I had a hard time believing the rumors, said the old dolphin.

His name's Arroyo, Echor offered.

Echor! Another voice called.

Coming, mum!

I miss my momma, Arroyo said with a slight whine in his tone.

You wouldn't by chance happen to know if a group of orcas passed through here? Oshiera asked the oldest of the dolphins who had come to inspect the young killer whale.

Several of the dolphins swam around to inspect Arroyo. He rolled, and several of the young dolphins began a playful dance around him. He was massive compared to even the biggest dolphin, and did his best to join in, however clumsily.

Can't say that we try to follow killer whales, said another of the dolphins. He swam toward Arroyo. What's your mother's name?

Sedna, said Arroyo. We were swimming and playing when I saw something shiny—it was a neat rock, only not a rock at all. It looked like a man only it was riding something. My sister called it a stat-you; she told me humans carved them out of rocks. I don't believe her. She says it was on a ship that sunk, but I didn't see a ship. The next thing I knew, I was being chased by whalers—they caught me in a net and took me away. My momma charged the ship, but there was so many! I broke free and swam and swam; I thought I lost them but then I saw the mermaids. They helped me.

Several of the dolphins looked to one another. We'll take Arroyo to find his family, said one of the older dolphins. It's time we were moving on.

So soon? Oshiera asked.

Daphne stroked Arroyo's nose. Go with them. You said your family was north of here, they're traveling in that direction. We'll keep an eye out for your family. If we see them, we'll tell them you're traveling with these bottle-nosed dolphins and heading north. You won't be alone.

What's your name?

Oh, Daphne said with a giggle. I'm Daphne—and this is Oshiera. She pet his nose. It was nice to meet you, Arroyo.

Maybe we'll see one another again, the orca said. The girls waved off the dolphins and Arroyo, who seemed to be content playing with the younger dolphins as they swam away.

Think they'll find his family? Oshiera asked.

I hope so, Daphne said. The ocean is a big place. Hopefully they're not far or the dolphins can smell them. His family might think he's lost, and change directions to avoid the whalers. He's better off with them than us, I guess. Come on—we should go home before anyone starts to think we got eaten.

Mermaids do not pass time like you or I. It's true that they surface and can breathe air; most tended to spend most of their time beneath the waves, quite unlike the dolphins who required air. Oshiera and Daphne's people did not pass time with the dawn of days, but rather with the phases of the moon's cycles the push and pull of the daily tides.

The sea was a big place for young mermaids who were not allowed to swim too far from home. Much of the ocean bustled with life, but in some places there were extreme drop offs and there were many dangers for even the mightiest of merfolk. They knew better than to stay away from their home too long, for fear that something unfortunate would befall them. The girls began the swim towards their home town of Thranda, which was a reasonable size, as the towns of merfolk went. Thranda lay beyond a rocky set of underwater cliffs and an inactive volcano where fields of kelp and seaweed were cultivated. The teens passed schools of fish and even saw a pod of belugas. When they stopped to chat, the girls learned that the belugas had seen no sign of Arroyo's family. They thanked them for their time before they continued to swim towards home.

Aren't you going to talk to me about what happened back there? Daphne asked.

I don't think your mother would like to know you almost got skewered, Oshiera replied.

They were aiming at the whale, Daphne said.

I don't think she wants to know that you swam right up to something that would normally contemplate eating you, either.

Daphne knew Oshiera would talk eventually. She couldn't get the old stories out of her head. Oshiera might be an elemental, and able to control water with her voice. Daphne believed that her own voice was the most beautiful in all the ocean. It was better than Oshiera's, at any rate. It wouldn't make sense for Oshiera to have power and for Daphne not to.

But Oshiera's voice made Daphne feel funny. When the large rocks parted and revealed their town, where children played and decent merfolk went about their business, Daphne shied away from the underwater dwellings made of mostly rock and coral. Where are we going? Oshiera asked.

Let's go to the school. See if you can do it again.

I don't want to, Daphne.

If you can, you might as well learn how it works so you can control it. If you can't—well, no harm trying. The academy is meant for the sound to travel—plus we'll be with teachers who might be able to answer our questions.

They needn't practice there, but Daphne liked the large amphitheatre made of old shells. There were even a few caves that revealed wind chambers for merfolk to practice their singing above the waters. The school itself was off limits, but the grounds