Kira's Secret by Orysia Dawydiak Page A

feel her heart expanding with excitement.
    They stopped and hovered before they reached palace gates, watching several large male merrows wearing shiny helmets approach them. Steen swam ahead to meet the guards.
    â€œGreetings, merrow folk and palace guards,” Steen said, bowing his head. “We have accompanied a merrowling who is lost and looking for her family. Will you allow her to be presented to the king and queen?”
    One of the merrows gave Kira a hard look. She thought perhaps his helmet was pressing too hard on his brow, all wrinkled from the weight. Perhaps he had a headache. But he did not look the type who might appreciate such thoughts. She wondered if she should be afraid of him. What if the king and queen did not want to see her?
    â€œWe have sent a messenger to the court,” the guard replied curtly.
    While they all remained in position, the merrow guards staring with suspicion at Kira, she noticed that their scales were all silver, not gold and pink like her own. She looked at the other merrows swimming around the gates, some going in with baskets or armloads of clams and seaweed, others coming out. Many of them stared back at her; others ignored her and went about their work. All of them were various tones of silver.
    Kira began to worry that perhaps this was not her clan of merrows. What if the colour of scales indicated family relationships? If they weren’t related, perhaps the king and queen would know where her kin might be. At this point she was weary and hungry, and not keen on swimming much farther. If she had to continue her journey, perhaps they might offer her a place to rest before she carried on.
    A merman swam up to the head guard and whispered in his ear.
    â€œThe merrowling may enter the palace,” the guard announced, and motioned at Kira to come forward.
    Kira swam up to Steen first. She wanted to give him a hug, but that seemed too human and undignified. Instead she touched his pectoral fin lightly. “Thank you, Steen. If there is anything I can ever do for you, please let me know.”
    â€œYou already have, young Kira. May your path be clear, and your heart light, merrowling. Farewell.” With that, Steen and his companions flipped around and swam away. Kira felt the force of their propulsion as they pushed off. They were powerful swimmers, much faster than she was. Suddenly she felt abandoned and vulnerable.
    â€œThis way, my lady,” one of the other guards said to Kira, and he bowed, offering a hand to her. Tentatively Kira took his hand and together they swam past the crystal gates and into the palace. Perhaps this wouldn’t be so bad after all, she thought.

Chapter Thirteen—
Merhaven
    Passing through the palace, Kira was dazzled by the gleaming white crystal ceilings and pillars. Some of the rooms were separated from each other by curtains of sea grass in shades of primrose, pale carnation, and fuchsia pinks. The walls had a golden sheen, and Kira wondered if they were made of real gold. Several merrows bowed as she and her escort passed by them. Some gave her wary looks; others gaped in surprise. They must not have many visitors, she thought, especially with gold and pink scales.
    Finally, they arrived at a set of ornate gold doors that reached to the high ceiling above. Two large, well-muscled mermen pulled the doors open to reveal a huge room with pillars lining each side. Pink and gold tiles in the shape of starfish formed a path to the far end of the room, where she saw the two royal thrones. The merman and mermaid who sat on the thrones wore tall gold crowns studded with flashing gems. Shiny gold capes draped their shoulders and spilled over their laps, nearly hiding their tails. The mermaid queen had the longest, blackest hair Kira had ever seen. The strands reached down to her tail fin and swirled around her like hundreds of uncoiled sea snakes.
    Kira’s escort leaned over and whispered, “Never stare into their eyes.