Cordelia glared at Max, her blood simmering beneath her skin.
“That was amazing!” exclaimed Nerissa as Lana rejoined her friends.
“Thanks.”
Masika and Nerissa were next and Cordelia watched in amazement as Masika made the water rise and Nerissa invited the wave to shore.
“How do they do that?” asked Cordelia. “They haven’t said a word to each other.”
“Telepathy,” replied Lorelei and Genevieve in unison before going on to perform the same impressive trick.
Cordelia looked on as the rest of her classmates created waves with their minds and destroyed them in seconds. Eventually it was her turn. Cordelia glanced up at Morwen as she stepped forward, oblivious that another pair of eyes were watching her that day. A raven named Orlenda perched near by, her beady eyes fixed firmly on Cordelia. A blanket of dark clouds rolled in above her and blocked the sun. A drop of rain fell into Cordelia’s eye, then another. She could hear her classmates whispering. Determined not to make a fool of herself, Cordelia closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, summoning all the energy she could muster, her mind focused on the water. A wall of water, at least one hundred feet high rose above the sea. It had sucked all the water out of the bay like a tsunami. Her classmates gasped but she was oblivious to their reaction. Opening her sapphire eyes, with a steely look, Cordelia commanded the wave to draw near. The water hurtled towards the shore with such fury that Marilla ordered the students to retreat. Rain poured heavily as the students made their way up the slipway, looking over their shoulders at the monstrous wave. The students who were still on the rocks braced themselves, realising that it was too late to run. Then, at the most perilous moment, with one swift movement of Cordelia’s hands, the wave parted in the middle and pounded against the cliff walls, projecting water over Morwen in the process. The shimmering rocks at Ross Bay lay awash with foam as the students climbed into their wagons. Stunned by what had just happened, Cordelia stood motionless, water lapping at her ankles. At the realisation of what she’d done, Cordelia’s pent up energy dispersed, as did the darkest rain clouds. Cordelia expected a jibe to follow but the students stared at her, none of them quite knowing what to say.
“I’m not sure if that was good or not,” piped Max, nervously breaking the silence.
“Did you see Morwen’s face?!” exclaimed Kendria.
“She didn’t look too pleased at being soaked,” said Genna.
“I thought it was brilliant,” declared Lana.
Rafe said nothing, instead watching with intrigue as his new classmate trudged up the slipway.
“That was amazing!” said Nerissa as Cordelia hauled herself into the wagon.
The other girls shuffled over to make room.
“How did you do it?” asked Sequana.
“I don’t know, I just thought about making a wave and that’s what happened. I knew I wasn’t cut out for this.”
“What do you mean?” asked Lana. “That was brilliant.”
“I don’t think Morwen will agree.”
“I’m telling you now,” said Lana, “for your first attempt, that was incredible.”
Morwen and Marilla stood talking in the rain while the students were taken back to the Lighthouse.
“I have my doubts about her,” said Morwen.
“I know it was a little uncontrolled but I thought that was a rather splendid attempt for her first try,” said Marilla.
“Splendid? She nearly killed you all!”
“Never one to exaggerate Morwen. I see a young girl who’s trying to fit in. It’s raw talent, that’s all. She just needs a little guidance.”
“She’ll need more than a little guidance. I don’t know what Triton was thinking bringing her to us. A random girl that he rescued from the seabed. He’s putting us all at terrible risk. It’s not the first time she’s needed rescuing either; a fisherman found her in the sea by the islands when she was born, so Triton tells me. No parents, no paperwork. Heaven knows what we’ve got on our hands, but I intend to find out.”
“It sounds like she needs all the support we can give her.”
“Mark my words, she’s dangerous. I’ve never known a student to possess power like that.”
“You’re just annoyed that she splashed you.”
“Always have to have the last word don’t you Marilla.”
“I just think you’re being a little harsh.”
“There you go again, wanting the last word.”
“The sooner Mazu and Triton return, the better,” muttered Marilla under her breath.
Morwen scoffed at Marilla’s comment and walked off.
Having listened intently to their conversation, Orlenda flew back to Slate Island and reported to Zamira all that she’d seen and heard.
Zamira rose from her stone perch in a rage. “The child lives?!” she screeched. Zamira paced back and forth in a fury before coming to a halt on the cliff edge. “There’s no place for her here. She must die!”
The ravens calmly gathered around, looking in the direction of the lighthouse, softly singing their song of death.
Cordelia didn’t hear a single note, but someone she loved heard everything. It was the ravens’ turn to keep a secret; they were keeping a prisoner against his will.
That evening, the four friends gathered together in the reading chamber which was filled with rare books and antique furniture. Even the walls were adorned with tapestries, woven with intricate pictures of merfolk, waves and daggers and row upon row of bookshelves stood illuminated in the candlelight.
“There’s plenty of books in here to help you out,” said Lana. “I’ve brought these along too, as promised.” She handed Cordelia three books, “Laws of the Seven Seas and the Kingdom of Meren, Powers of the Moon and Mind, and Merfolk and Sirens – A Beginner’s Guide.”
Cordelia looked forlorn.
“What’s wrong?” asked Lana.
“I’m not sure I belong here,” began Cordelia. “If it hadn’t been for the storm and losing Flynn would I ever have known about Meren and the School of the West?”
“Everything happens for a reason,” said Masika. “Even if it doesn’t make sense at
