“Kill it!” someone in the crowd shouted in disgust.
“She’s the spawn of the devil!”
“She is the devil!”
“Oh, you humans. So predictable,” Ursula purred loudly. Her voice resonated across the square in a way it never had in her tenure as a princess. “You know, not everything is about you and your Dry World gods.”
Her tentacles grabbed at the sides of the fountain harder, and looking neither fully octopus nor fully human, she pulled herself over the side, flowing like foul black ichor onto the dais.
Flotsam and Jetsam, bloody but uncowed, grinned to see their mistress in her original form. They immediately put themselves between her and Eric, giving him venomous, threatening glares.
The castle guards and soldiers looked unsure of themselves. They kept their muskets trained on the crowd, which was roiling and growing unpredictable. There, at least, was a threat they understood and could stop…Yet some of them separated from their comrades, turning weapons on—well, it was hard to tell whom. Surely it wasn’t the other soldiers? Or the prince himself?
Ursula cleared her throat. “Tell me, is there a…is there a mermaid in the audience? I have something to say to her. Come forward, darling.”
Ariel looked around nervously. Everyone else looked around as well, confused. For a brief moment there was a space between the bodies and her eyes met those of the apple seller. Argent shook her head: don’t do it.
“Well, no matter, I know you’re shy,” Ursula continued, drawling. “Sometimes it seems like you’re so timid you can’t speak at all. Heh-heh. All that is required from you is to watch. And listen. And do nothing as your entire world is destroyed.”
“Silence, Vanessa!” Eric cried. “It’s over. Give up. I’ll try to keep the guards and the people from killing you.”
“Very generous,” she said, laughing throatily. “Here, let me make myself a little more comfortable, before we get around to all that…”
With a sneer that was pure evil, she ripped off what remained of Vanessa’s jacket. On top of her black camisole she wore a heavy golden chain. And hanging from that chain was…
Triton.
Father!
She began to cry the word aloud, but pushed a fist into her mouth at the last second. The people she was standing next to looked at her in confusion, but it hardly mattered.
The large pendant Ursula wore was a glass ampoule with a bronze and wax top. Inside this floated a sad, disgusting little polyp whose tendrils still resembled the beard and mustache of the ancient sea king.
“Oh, come on.” Ursula swore in disgust, looking out over the crowd. Her hands were on her hips. “I’ve got your father, dear! I know you’re out there somewhere! I know you two were planning something big for me today. Although,” she added, looking at Eric, “I rather expected something more than being pushed into a fountain. Disappointing.”
Ariel took a tentative step forward.
Sebastian pinched her hard, on her shoulder.
“Don’t you dare, young lady,” he hissed. “You’re jumping in too early, like you always did with your solos. For once in your life stop being so impulsive and think!”
Ariel winced from the pain of his words. Was he right? But…that was her father! The whole reason she was there! He was maybe a goby’s leap from her!
“Guards, seize the creature who pretended to be Vanessa,” Eric commanded. “She is a dangerous enemy of the state.”
The captain of the guards and his top men jerked into action, finally with a clear path: their prince had given an order.
Yet still—some of them did not.
“Guards, stand down.” Ursula waved at them, almost lazily. “Or my boys will kill your prince.”
In a wink Flotsam and Jetsam had their daggers pressed against Eric’s neck.
Once again the captain faltered, as did the men closest to him.
“All right, I was hoping to draw out the little mermaid queen, but I guess the show must go on without her,” Ursula said with a sigh. “In case she is here, somewhere, hiding, let me make this very clear to her. And to all of you. My reign as Princess Vanessa of Tirulia is over.”
“No kidding,” Eric growled.
“It’s been fun, and I have so loved ruling you all,” she said, blowing a kiss to the crowd. “I’m going to miss you terribly. Well, probably not. But it was a nice growth experience. Just understand that what is about to happen is all because of ‘la sirenetta.’