A Sky Not Found on Any Map

I stayed up past midnight and mother still did not return. Elbrane wondered from room to room, checking the windows, uneasy. He carried a weapon of his own, a light mace, and I could see him curling his fingers like he was grasping fire. We were all uneasy. I carried my mother's old sword at my waist, on a belt like she did.

"Someone is coming," Elbrane said about a half hour past one and I jumped to my feet. Crept to his side. He was watching out of the dining room windows. Everything was dark, all the lights in the house out, and the moonlight cast pale silver across the yard. I could see small shapes gliding across the grass and someone walking in the middle of them. He carried a sword. My mother's sword. I gasped.

"Bailey, run," Elbrane said, "I'll delay them. Do what your mother said."

"And Daniel?"

"I'm supposed to hide," he whispered, "They don't care about me."

"Go."

Elbrane wasn't looking at us. I gasped and bolted for the side door of the house. I could stay hidden until Elbrane distracted them and then get to the pond. From there… I had no idea what my mother meant.

I eased the door shut behind me and stood with my back against the wall, listening. The crash of shattering glass made me jump and I almost screamed. I could see the man yell something and the shadows streaked across the yard. Then the roar of fire and I saw him break into a run and vanish around the back of the house. I took a deep breath. It was so hard to move, I just wanted to stay there and hide. But Elbrane had told me to run, mother had told me to get to the pond, and I couldn't stay there any longer. So I ran.

The woods were no longer familiar or friendly. I stumbled and nearly fell a few times, lost my balance crossing the rock wall and rolled across the leaves. I was crying when I picked myself up. I didn't dare to look back. Besides, up ahead the woods thinned and I could see the moonlight reflecting off the pond. What had my mother said? Throw rocks.

I stopped at the bank and cupped one in my hand. How was this going to help? I hissed and threw it in as hard as I could. Nothing happened.

"This isn't funny!" I sobbed, and stooped and threw another, "I want my mother back! I'm scared!" Threw another. "I-I-I…"

And before I threw the last one someone seized my wrist. I squeaked in terror.

"I'd appreciate if you'd stop throwing rocks into my pond," a voice said. It was smooth and arrogant.

"Your pond?" I whispered.

"My pond. Now you've woken me and thus you are mine, little mortal girl."

The hand wrapped around my shirt collar and threw me up into the air. I shrieked and landed hard on a back, a horse's back, slimy and wet with water, and my wrists were tangled in the slick mane. It reared, whinnied, and dove into the water. I had time to only scream once before I was drug under the water and had to hold my breath. I struggled, fighting with the mane, but my wrists were stuck tight. We traveled down, until all light was lost, and we were far deeper than that little pond could go. My lungs hurt to the point where I knew I couldn't hold my breath any longer. Stale air bubbled forth, I sucked in water, and after a few moments of panic everything faded away.

I woke on something hard and cold. Gingerly, I moved my fingers, and was surprised to find that everything still worked. Carefully, I pushed myself to my hands and knees and opened my eyes.

The floor beneath me was polished marble and carved into many, many steps leading down to a vast hall. I was at the top of the dais and I turned my head to look. Mere feet away was a throne of gleaming mother-of-pearl, intricately carved into the shape of horses capering along the panels. A man reclined in it, a thin coronet on his long silver-blonde hair, and dressed in a robe embroidered with scenes of the ocean and horses playing in the swell. A sword hung on the wall over his head and he wore bands of gold and bronze on his arms and rings on his fingers. I sat back and felt around my neck. There was a thin collar there, attached to a gold chain that led to his throne.

"Where am I?" I asked softly.

"The castle of the sea-lord," he replied in a bored tone, "One of my servants brought you here. It's been a long time since a mortal girl has disturbed one of my subjects."

"There was a man… and a horse."

"One person. Man and horse the same. Do you know of the kelpies, human girl?"

I shook my head and he laughed.

"Than I shall show you. It has been so long since we've had someone new in our land."

He rose from his throne and let the chain fall from his hand. Walked down the steps backwards and spread his arm.

"We're masters of the waterways and gods of the sea," he said grandly. Such a showoff. "Human in form if we choose, or that of a horse. Any who try and ride become stuck fast and are drug into the depths."

The human form melted away, the robe sliding off to pool on the ground. A white horse stood there instead and it walked up to me. It was beautiful, until it grew close, and I could see the red eyes and the slick slime in its tangled mane and fur. I shrank back in terror and it whinnied in amusement, and then galloped back down and he transformed back into human, spinning the cloak back around his shoulders again.

"I am their king and lord," he said, walking back up to the throne, "and you were a gift to me. What is your name?"

"Bailey. My – my mother said I would be safe…"

"You are safe here! But I don't like the name Bailey. La'tim. That's a better name."

"That's not my name!" I shrieked, standing. "It's Bailey Shannondale. Bailey! And my mother is gone and the shadows… and Elbrane might be dead…"

I started sobbing and embarrassed, turned my back and huddled down, trying to stop my tears with my sleeve. After a moment the kelpie was before me, wiping my tears away with the hem of his robe. His boisterous manner was gone and he looked worried.

"Did you say Shannondale?" he whispered, "As in, the daughter of Julie Shannondale?"

"That's my mom. She went after the shadows and something bad happened…"

I sniffed and the kelpie said something under his breath in that other language. He stood and clapped his hands, calling something to the empty hall.

"I've been treating you all wrong," he said, reaching down to touch the collar at my neck. It fell away and rang as it hit the marble floor. "You aren't some mortal girl to be stolen away. My humblest apologies."

Out of a side door I hadn't seen previously a man appeared. I watched him approach. He looked human, for all respects, but I really wasn't sure of anything anymore.

"This here is an honored guest," the kelpie told him, "Fix her a room and find her some appropriate garb. Care to her every need. Oh, and have my herald attend me directly."

"Of course, master." And he bowed. I stared at him intently. Strong, deeply tanned with a brown ponytail and stubble. Scarred on his arms. And he wore a tri-cornered hat, a long jacket, and fancy boots. He gestured and I stood and followed him.

"You look to be new," he said as we walked down the corridors. Everything was marble and mother-of-pearl. It was like walking through a giant oyster shell turned into a palace. "From the current age."

"Ye-es? Where are you from? You look like a pirate."

He stopped and turned, drawing himself up proudly.

"I am a privateer, missy." Then he deflated a bit. "Not that it matters here. Got washed overboard and drowned but for one of them dragging me here."

"Wasn't that a long time ago? Pirates and such?"

"We live longer here. Well, if the master wishes it. Come along, master wants you to have a room."

I was given a very ornate room, like I was a princess or something, with a huge canopy bed and a fireplace and a bath the size of my bedroom back home. Everything was gilded and carved and beautiful. I was scared to touch anything lest I break it. The privateer also brought me some clothing, saying that my human clothes wouldn't be liked here, not unless I was a servant, which I obviously wasn't going to be. Then he left to do whatever else the kelpie lord had told him to. I stared at what he had left me in fear. It was a dress. A dress with lots of layers, ruffles, embroidery, and far too much lacing. I had no idea how to put it on.

So I just lay down on the bed and had myself a good cry. I know that I was being a baby but I sure felt better after it was all said and done and I'd washed my face off in the sink. I wasn't even surprised by the running water. I didn't imagine that this place had modern plumbing but it was a magical palace under the ocean or somewhere else entirely so nothing would really surprise me anymore. After a while there was a knock at my door and someone entered before I even told them to.

It was a lady, dressed in a white gown with layers and ruffles and embroidery. She was beautiful, tall with that pale-silver hair that I was beginning to think all kelpies had.

"Oh," she said, "You're not dressed properly yet. Our king wants you to come to the feast tonight."

"I don't know how," I said softly.

"Then I'll help you." She shut the door behind her. "Go take those human clothes off while I unlace this."

It took far too long to get it on. The kelpie said it didn't help that I kept squirming, but I said she was lacing it up too tight. She said that was the point. But when it was all said and done I stood before the mirror while she did my hair and thought that I looked like a princess. I was almost too scared to move. The dress was pale blue with intricate designs of seals playing in the water sewn into the bottom. Layers of cloth cascaded from the waist down the back, splitting on the sides and sweeping back up to the front. The sleeves hung off my shoulders and trailed down all the way to my elbows before flaring out long enough to touch the floor. I had no idea how anyone could move in such a thing.

"There," the kelpie finally said, "Now come with me."

The feast hall was huge. The ceiling spanned and curve inwards, supported by massive marble columns. Lights hung everywhere, reflecting off the mother-of-pearl inlay and creating rainbow patterns on the floor. Two great tables were laid out and kelpies sat everywhere along then. The lady kelpie led me to the table at the head of them all, where the king sat, and I was seated at the end of this. He was surrounded by other important looking people and they all glanced at me curiously. Several of them wore what looked like animal skins tied around their shoulders or waists. Their features were rounder than the kelpie's and their hair gold instead of silver. I was the only human in sight and felt very alone and very out of place.

When everyone was seated the king stood. The hall fell silent and everyone turned to listen.

"I have received word from our kin on the land," he said, "The threat of the shadows has indeed returned – Tarkamin has indeed broken free of his prison and is again waging war upon our kind!"

That was the first time I had heard the mage's name. I shivered and a murmur ran through the hall.

"As before, we will hold to the alliance with our land kin and help them fight this threat."

"A champion!" someone from the hall cried, "Do we have a champion?"

The cry was echoed. The king just smiled. The nearest kelpie leaned to me and whispered in my ear, "That was just a setup. Playing to the court. Get ready, he's going to introduce you. And no, you won't be expected to say anything. Just look heroic."

The king raised his hand and silence once again fell over the crowd.

"We do indeed have a champion. The daughter of the lady Julie had been sent to us in our time of crises, bearing the Sword of Solus!"

He turned and held out his hand. I stood and walked over, putting my hand in his. He walked me down from the table to stand before the entirety of the hall and the cheer that arose was deafening. It was like a wave of sound and my heart started beating like a trapped rabbit. This went on for some time until the king raised his hand and continued talking. Said something about mustering for war, how we would prevail, and I'm afraid I lost the rest of it. I was desperate to sit down and vanish by that point. Finally we returned to the high table and dinner was served – all by human servants I noticed.

"And just think," the noble who had spoken to me earlier said, "You'll have to do that again! Your mother was leading the army the last time we fought Tarkamin. She was seventeen at the time."

"I'm not my mother," I said dully.

"You are her, in a sense. Her blood is your blood and that means you have the stuff of a hero in you."

And he turned away. I picked at my food. It was all oysters and shrimp and other such things and I had no stomach for eating. Finally the meal was finished and I started looking around for the lady who had led me here, or the privateer that had shown me to my room. Anyone who could get me away from here. I found the latter.

"You sure you don't want to stay?" he said, a bit startled when I came running up to him, "They have dancing after the tables are cleared away."

"I can't dance," I said, "And I'm scared and everyone is staring at me."

"Oh, well, you do look tired. I'll escort you to your room then."

I was quiet while we walked back. At the door I stopped the privateer before he could leave.

"All the servants here are humans, aren't they? Do the kelpies kidnap people just for that?"

"I suppose so. I was saved from drowning, myself. We stay here for a hundred years, then can leave if we want. They give us lots of gold and pearls and such and we can live very well for the rest of our natural mortal lives. I chose to stay."

"That seems mean."

He shrugged. "S'how it is. Sleep well, m'lady."

I blinked. They were starting to call me m'lady. Elbrane had always called my mother that. I shut the door and walked to the mirror. Drew myself up and tried to imagine myself wearing armor and at the head of an army. Maybe I'd be riding a unicorn with a dragon as my champion. Maybe.

I was woken the next morning and served breakfast in bed. I was given new clothing, this time more practical stuff. A tunic, a belt for my sword, which was returned to me, leggings and soft boots. I met the king out on a balcony. We were indeed under the ocean. There seemed to be a barrier at the very edge of the balcony and I supposed that was what held the water back. Fish swam around the palace and I could see the sun dancing on the ocean ceiling so far, far above.

But on what world was this? Mine, or theirs?

"The selkies will escort you to the world above," the king said, "One has graciously allowed you to use his skin. Please understand that this is a great honor as without their skin a selkie is powerless and cannot return to their seal form."

I took the skin gingerly. It felt oily. Three of the golden-haired people I had seen earlier stepped forwards.

"Just put it around your shoulders," one said, "and as soon as you enter the water you'll turn into a seal."

He walked over the balcony and dove off and into the water beyond, the skin wrapping around him and seconds later he was a small pale tan seal. The other two followed. I walked forwards, draping the skin around my shoulders and stepped up to the railing. Closed my eyes and hopped off.

The skin wrapped round me like a cocoon and I tried hard not to struggle. Then I felt the water enclosing me and I opened my eyes. I could see…! And feel…! And move…!

Laughing in a seal's chatter, I spun through the water like a top that had just been released and the other three selkies swam alongside me. Then they curved upwards and I swam after them, spinning and wild with delight. Everything was a game. Just swim, dance in the waves, play in the surf. Feel the water on your skin. Nothing matters, life is a game.

But all too soon we reached the shore and the selkies beached themselves, transforming into humans as they did so and standing with their skins around their shoulders. I followed, reluctant, and rose as a human on the beach. I took the skin and handed it back to one of them.

"Thank you," I said softly. He bowed.

"A pleasure, m'lady Bailey. The home of our kin is just up that path. Follow it until you reach the forest. Someone will greet you there."

I watched as they dove back into the water. Part of me wanted to go with them, to dance in the water and forget about everything. But I shook myself. Something had happened to my mother. I had to find her, rescue her, and save Elbrane if he hadn't been killed by the shadows. Daniel was probably worried about me. So I turned and with the sword heavy at my waist, started walking up the path that led to the forest.