Chapter 47 Merman
762words
There was a rustle of movement behind me. "Saving your life."
"Naked?" My cheeks bloomed in heat, invasive to my cold skin.
I was soaking wet from head to toe, seawater dripping onto the mossy stone floor beneath me.
"Well, you'd rather I go search for a pair of shorts and leave you here to drown on lungfuls of water?" he sounded offended. "You were already half dead. I didn't exactly have time in my favor."
"What do you—" I spun around, realizing my mistake, and turned away again. "Could you, I don't know, cover yourself, or something?"
He snorted. "You've never seen a naked guy before?"
I chose not to respond to that. "What—how am I alive? I'm pretty certain I was dying a few minutes ago."
I felt fine right now, besides wet, cold, and flushing cheeks.
I took in my surroundings. "Where are we?"
We were inside what could be a small cave, the walls damp, covered in moss and coral. A small fish was lying close to my feet, flopping around in need of air. Kayn seemed to have noticed it at the same time as I did and hurried toward it.
I flinched, twisting away as he reached to pick it up. "Come here, buddy."
"What are you doing?" I asked, feeling a cool breeze on my back as he passed me.
"Why don't you see for yourself?"
I snorted. "No."
I didn't need to look at him to know he had rolled his eyes.
There was a popping sound, and Kayn said, "He's perfectly fine now. Let's hope that beastie doesn't get to him."
"What are you talking—" I peered over where Kayn was standing and gasped. "Holy shit."
"Funny how you noticed me not wearing anything, but you didn't see that first."
"Oh, get over yourself." It was a half-hearted retort because I was too busy gaping at the cave opening.
Kayn chuckled, sinking behind a large rock that covered most of him.
"How is this even possible?" I breathed, stepping closer toward the mouth of the cave.
My hand lifted, touching the invisible barrier between the cave and sea. It went straight through it, into the dark seawater.
I gasped, pulling back my arm.
It was like staring through a window beneath the sea. I could see shapes of fish darting past, but what bothered me the most was the form of a shark lingering around in front of where we were.
"Magic," Kayn sounded proud. "I did that."
I peered at him, grateful he was making an effort to cover himself.
"How?" I struggled to form words.
"Perks of being half fish," he shrugged. "We can draw energy from the water and perform magic."
I blinked, trying to process his words. It was when it dawned on me what had happened inside the water when the Kraken had pulled me under.
Kayn—he had a fin on him earlier, when I thought I was dead.
"Mermaid," I whispered, the word surreal to my ears.
"Actually, merman," he corrected. "But yes, that's what I am."
I took in a long breath, staring at the scene before me. "This is...so much to take in."
"I can imagine that," Kayn said. "But I did warn you, and you didn't listen. You do realize you almost died tonight?"
"I'm more surprised I'm still alive—" I gasped. "Oh my word, Kayn, my mom. The crew, the boat…"
"They're fine, Carly," he spoke calmly. "The Kraken got you, remember? My grandpa went out to coax them back to land, you know, in case sir Kraken returns for another round. He's pissed after what I did to him."
"We need to get back. She must be sick with worry." I gave the barrier a once over. "Uh, how do we get back?"
"The same way we got in," Kayn grinned. "But you don't need to worry about your mom. The old man is taking care of her and the crew. She's cool and calm as a sea cucumber."
"I'm her daughter, I know for a fact she's anything but calm."
"Remember when I mentioned magic?" he pointed out. "Well, my grandpa's specialty is calming people."
"Now that is something I have to see to believe. If anything, he has the opposite effect." I snorted, not able to believe the conversation we were having. This was one heck of a night. "I can't...this is insane."
"Take your time."
