CORELIA POV.
The school hallway was filled with so much noise – laughter, lockers slamming, students rushing footsteps echoing against polished floors.
Right now, none of that mattered to us.
"We should have sensed something by now". Mishell said quietly, her voice steady but edged with frustration. "Araxie is not the type to stay hidden for too long, what's her aim?".
"I can't figure it out too". I replied. "She is clever".
We walked side by side down the hall, our pace slow but deliberate. Our eyes scanning every corner as if someone might suddenly reveal claws beneath their skin.
Days have passed since we arrived at the school, yet there was nothing. No trace of her presence, no disturbance in the air, no shift in currents.
Nothing..
It was so weird.
"The pool". Mishell murmured. "We felt something there".
I nodded faintly, the memories still replayed in my head every seconds, the images I saw were so vivid and clear, someone was definitely watching us. But after that day, nothing else came in... That's where the confusion begans.
"Could we be wrong about this place?". I asked quietly. "Perhaps the school was never her destination".
"Or she knew we were here and left". Mishell eyes narrowed slightly.
That thought sat heavily between us, silence followed. As we walked through the halls, people noticed us more than usual. Whispers followed.
Both the guys and ladies stared openly, some even bump into things because they were distracted by our beauty.
Mishell became irritated.
"This is really uncomfortable".
"Same here, I wish there's a way we can mask our real faces so we won't draw any attention". I said, still walking.
But then Mishell paused, a small frown settled on her face as if something clicked inside of her.
"What did you just say?". She asked facing me directly like she was trying to solve a puzzle.
I stared at her a bit confused but slowly repeated what I said. " I said I wish there's a way we can mask our real faces so we won't draw any attention".
Immediately she smiled widely, like someone finally gave her what she wanted.
"That's it Corelia". She screamed.
"That's what?". I asked still confused.
"Mask". She responded, staring at me like I should have the answers by now. Well I was getting nowhere rather it made me more confused.
"What are you saying?".
She titled her head slightly and frowned a little. "Girl you are smarter than this, has the human world messed with your warrior insight?". She asked laughing slightly.
"Are you going to tell me what you have just figured out or laugh at my knowledge?". I asked, folding my arms slightly offended.
Mishell can be annoying sometimes, no... I meant most times.
"You are forgetting something Corelia". She said calmy. "Every mermaid's scales are not just part of her body, they are part of her essence".
I watched her carefully, sensing the direction her thought were taking me.
"They hold fragments of our power," she said, her voice steady, almost thoughtful. "Our identity… our existence, the sea recognizes us through them. It always has."
The weight of her words settled in slowly and I understood what she was trying to say.
"If Araxie truly wanted to stay hidden, there is only one way she can weaken the sea ability to find her". Mishell said nodding her head for me to continue..
"She removed her scales". I said slowly, cutting in on her words and she nodded in agreement.
The thought alone carried pained, every mermaid knew what that meant.
Scales were not ornaments. They were not easily shed like skin or forgotten like clothing, they were deeply bound to who they were — each one infused with life, memory, and power. Removing them was not simply uncomfortable.
It was agony. A deliberate tearing away of one's connection to the sea.
"How desperate must she have been to want to go through that pain?". I asked, completely affected by the thought.
"I don't know but it's one of the very few ways to hide from the sea… even if it's only for a while," Mishell finished quietly. "Without scales, sensing a mermaid becomes nearly impossible."
I felt a chill run through me despite the warmth of the room. Araxie had always been ruthless. But this…This meant she was desperate or determined enough to endure unimaginable pain just to remain unseen.
"Thats why we couldn't find her the other day, she found us at the pool.. You transformed, she could sense your presence". I added.
Mishell nodded. "Finally your warrior sense is awaken". She said teasily.
Every of her words made perfect sense, we have been searching for the wrong thing all this while.
"Now that we know this, we have a lead, we use the same method". Mishell said.
I glanced at her shocked and worried. "What do you mean? I am not taking off my scales".
"Jezz calm down, I meant if her scales are hidden within this school building.. It would be in a place with strong energy or emotions, strong enough to drown magical signatures".
"Yeah you are right, wait!..." I said, bringing out a map from my left pocket." I think this might help".
Mishell gave me a questioning look.
"Where did you get this?".
"It was folded among the syllabus you gave me the other day". I answered.
"I knew my instincts were never wrong when it told me to get that". She said praising herself.
"So I figured it's the school's map, we can use this to mark our search". I opened it and stared at the map. "Places with strong energy". I whispered.
"The music room". Mishell responded without looking at the map at first.
"Good, that's one".
We both stood in the middle of the hall, staring at the map and finally were able to come up with four other locations in the same building.
The Music Room
The School's Fountain– the underground water pipes.
The Theatre Stage.
The Science lab (Chemicals).
The Old Trophy Room.
"Great, five ways to get busy". Mishell added.
I laughed. " Come on atleast we have a lead now, but why did you suggest the trophy room?".
"Metals holds strong energy, especially when touched repeated by human ambitions and pride".
I nodded slowly, this was actually my first time hearing this.
"Wow staying within the palace walls has thought you alot, no wonder you were given title "Best warrior" Milady". I said praising her.
"Oh plssss...stop I hate it when you do that". She said, walking away.
I felt a sign of relief and smiled, bringing Mishell along was a good idea. She was more knowledgable in areas I wasn't, and skilled. Figuring out all this was easy because she was here, and trust me she would never take credits for it.
" Where are you going?". I asked.
"To our first lead". She responded from afar.
Yeah right, the music comes first...
I hope we get something there..
I thought as I ran after her.
We arrived at the Music class, it was filled with students and the energy in there was draining, It wasn't just the noise—though there were plenty of that. It was the electrifying tension that clung to the air, denying room of any ease.
This search won't be easy at all. With this amount of people here, we definitely won't be coming here once.
"Hey Mishell...Corelia ". We heard a familair voice call out our name and when we turned, it was Lydia.
" Come sit here".
She was sitting at the front row, there were two more extra seat beside her. Without wasting time we rushed there and sat.
"You finally decided on which class to take, that's great". She said smiling at us.
I totally forgot she once asked me about an extra activities.
"What is she talking about?". Mishell whispered.
"We were suppose to pick one of this classes as an extra curricular activity". I answered. " I thought it was pointless.
"Well Araxie already picked out five for us, what a coincidence". Mishell responded smiling so fake one could easily detect.
The room was large enough to hold a small orchestra, and for a moment, I imagined the kind of harmony that could exist here if everything aligned.
"A perfect spot to hid a scale". I said.
"I don't think it will be here, this spot is too obvious". Mishell responded.
I shrugged and turned to face her. "Then why drag me in here? To feel it out?"
"It's not a bad thing to check it out first, to be certain, sometimes the easiest might be the hardest". She answered.
Lydia was visibly restless beside us. "Music class is actually my favorite, beautiful things happen here."
Beautiful things? What a joke.
I thought to myself.
The door opened widely, sillence followed as a girl walked in. Tall, striking, unapologetically confident. She wore a short red flared dress that swayed with each step, black boots clicking against the floor. Two girls followed her closely, mirroring her every move like they were paid to do so. There was no doubt who led.
"Who's that?" I asked quietly facing Lydia.
Lydia rolled her eyes dramatically. "That's Chloe."
Mishell glanced over. "She looks… loud."
"She definitely is," Lydia said. "Well she was given best lead vocal and also the Cheer leader."
"A cheer… what?" Mishell muttered.
"Cheer leader... For the basketball team," Lydia clarified. "I try as much as possible to avoid her, we were friends before but things didn't go well… piece of advice don't cross path with her she hates new faces."
Before Lydia could say more, Chloe stopped directly in front of us, eying us like we irritated her.
"You're in my seat."
Lydia slowly stood up "Chloe no seat here is tagged here as yours, by the way there are alot more back there".
"I wasn't talking to you Lydia, I was talking to them". She said facing us directly.
Mishell understood the assigment, we both acted lile we couldn't hear a thing and just stared back at them.
"Hellloooo" Chloe said clicking her fingers to get our attention. "Are you deaf?.
Mishell leaned back. "We heard you perfectly fine not just interested".
"You are blocking the view". I said calmly.
Lydia stared at us, there was a small smile on her face like she was impressed.
Chole responded with an unfriendly smile. "New faces, they always tend to be stubborn, anyway I would go easy on you, I own this front seat. Losers seats in the back."
Kaylie, one of Chloe's mindless minions added. "The front seat is reserved for Queens."
I laughed unamusingly. "I didn't realize we crossed into another kingdom."
Gasps rippled across the room.
Mishell crossed her arms. "Move It, I can't see anything pass your faces."
Stella, another one of Chloe's shadows stepped forward. "You really don't know who you're dealing with, do you?"
"Oh I'm scared" I replied.
Lydia sat down slowly, staring at the drama she felt there was no point in defending us cause we seemed to be handling everything well ourselves. The burning stare Chloe gave us attracted the whole crowd, every attention was on us like trouble was about to unfold and honestly Mishell and I looked like we were ready to steam off.