“I think we need to build a fire on higher ground; it’ll be more visible that way,” Liam says.
Gio sucks in a breath and gives me one last squeeze before climbing to his feet. “We’ll do it in the morning. It’s too dangerous to try to climb in the dark. We can’t afford any injuries.” He glances at me, his mind recalling my bruised, swollen ankle, imagining the pain.
The five of us head back towards the shelter and curl up in the life raft. I cuddle up next to Gio, burying my face in his chest, and he doesn’t seem to mind, just lays an arm over me, holding me close. Is it possible that they don’t care that I’m not human? Or are they just too upset about missing the boat to think about me right now? My mind churns with worried thoughts all night, keeping me awake, but I’m in no hurry for the morning. I know the subject of my inhuman nature will rise to the surface again in the light of day.
In the morning, the guys get busy building a small shelter and a campfire at the highest point on the island. Once in a while their thoughts drift to memories of me in the water, but I guess the issue of rescue is more pressing.
I fetch more water from the stream and catch some fish for them, vowing to make myself so valuable to them that they can’t possibly consider leaving me behind if they’re ever rescued. An idea drifts through my mind, and when the guys go back to work after their lunch break I head back to the ocean with Jude’s duffel bag.
I know the guys were on a mission to find a sunken treasure. I’ve seen the images in all of their minds — a large, wooden ship, laying at the bottom of the ocean, filled with gold and jewels. Perhaps they would’ve found it eventually if their own boat hadn’t sunk, but now it’s impossible.
But not for me. I know where the shipwreck is, and if bringing back some of the treasure will make the guys happy, I’ll risk anything to get it for them.
I wish I knew the words to tell them I’ll be back. I don’t want them to worry about me or think that I’ve run off again, but I have no idea how to express that. If I’m ever going to fit in to their world, I have to be able to communicate, so I vow to do everything I can to learn their language.
There’s a shipwreck near the shoal, an off-limits playground that’s tempted merlings for generations. We never told anyone, but Meribel, Kai, and I made a trip there once when we were younger. We were too scared to stay long, though, and we didn’t dare bring anything back or Grandfather would find it and punish us for going beyond our limits.
I’m not sure which way the shoal is from the island, but maybe a dolphin or an orca could help me, if I can find one. I swim out into the deep water, looking for familiar sights or friendly faces and keeping an eye out for any dangers lurking behind the rocks or hiding in the sea grass.
Mermaids don’t have many natural predators, but curious sharks have been known to take a nibble, only to spit us out when they decide we’re not that tasty. Still, merfolk tell their merlings scary stories of sharks devouring our kind to encourage them to stay near the shoal. I can’t help but feel a little nervous out in the open waters all by myself, not a soul in the world knowing my whereabouts.
Finally, I recognize a section of coral where Meribel and I used to play. I swim faster, even though I’m getting tired, following the clumps of coral in the direction of the shipwreck. Suddenly, the sound of merlings playing tickles my ears, their high-pitched squeals bubbling around them, their tails stirring up clouds of sand as they frolic in the reef.
I panic and duck behind a rock, peeking out between the branches of an elk horn coral. The merlings are playing a game of hide-n-seek, and my heart swells into my throat at the memories of my own childhood. Why do we have to grow up? Why can’t we stay merlings forever, playing games with our friends in the coral, never worrying about anything more than the scary creatures fabled to gobble us up if we leave the shoal?
I ache for the end of my youth, the demands of my destiny, the loss of my friends and family. Now, my heart truly has been torn in two, half of it still here in the shoal, forever tied to my home and my kind, the other half now drawn with an ever-strengthening bond to four humans and the world above the sea.
For a moment, I think about returning to the shoal, just to see my grandfather and Meribel again, to hug Muriel and tell her thank you for being a good mother to me when my own rejected me, to apologize to Kai for ruining the future that he had planned. But I know if I go it will bring nothing but heartache because none of them will be satisfied with my answers, and there’s no way I can ever be what they want me to be.
No, I’ve made my choice. My home is with the humans now, and I’ll do everything in my power to make a life with them. If they’ll have me.
When the merlings swim off, I dash from my hiding spot and swim towards the shipwreck out past the edges of the reef. There, the water is deep and dark, and the wreck is home to lots of creatures I don’t normally see. As I approach the ship, I make a little noise to alert them to my presence. A few schools of fish dart from the wreckage and swim off in agitation.
Unlike the guys’ boat, this ship is broken and deteriorating. It’s been here for as long as anyone can remember. The wooden hull is dark and covered with algae and other creatures that feast on the rotting wood. My tail is tough, but I have to be careful not to injure my upper body on the rough surfaces.
I swim into one of the openings, frightening a giant, dozing fish and myself, and a nervous giggle bubbles out of me. The ship is large, and I’m not sure where to look for treasure, but I float through the spaces, swishing my tail around on the bottom, stirring up sediment, looking for anything interesting. Everything is covered in muck, but a tiny spark catches my eye, and I swim closer, plucking a small, gold coin from the ground. I feel around with my fingers and find a few more, sticking them in the duffel bag, until I have one for each guy.
In another area, I find several heavy gold bars. I know the guys have fantasized about these things, but I can’t figure out why they’d want them. They seem useless to me. I stick one in my duffel, but it’s so heavy I don’t think I can swim if I try to carry more than one of them.
In another section, I find a strand of pearls, and I can’t resist clasping it around my own neck. I should be wearing a royal Pāua shell necklace by now. Grandfather would’ve placed his own around my neck as a symbol of my new status as queen of the shoal during my wedding ceremony. Then, I would’ve placed another one around Kai’s neck, designating him as king.
Instead, Grandfather still wears his, and it will go to a member of a different family upon his death, ending our family’s reign. The highest ranking mermen will fight to the death for the right to wear the necklace and rule the merfolk.
I force the worry from my mind and concentrate on making my way out of the ship. Hopefully, it will be many cycles before a new king succeeds the throne. I find an exit and glide through, slipping the strap of the duffel across my torso so my hands are free. I swim swiftly back the way I came, and my spirit lifts as I near the shallow water. When did the land start to feel more like home than the sea?
When I poke my head above the water, all four of the guys scramble up from the sand and rush towards me. I swim closer to the shore, and they all wade out.
Avery reaches me first and grabs me by the waist, pressing my body against him. I worry that he’ll find my tail strange and unappealing, but his thoughts don’t linger on the sensation of my scales against his skin. “Coral! Where were you? We were worried about you. We thought you left us again.”
I shake my head emphatically, wishing again that I could speak their language. If I could, I’d assure them that I’m never leaving them and make them promise not to ever leave me. Instead, I lift the duffel, and Avery looks at it curiously.
Jude reaches for the zipper. “What’d you catch this time? I hope it’s crab, or lobster!”
He opens the bag, his eyes widening and his breath catching as he peers inside. “Holy shit, Coral! You found treasure!” He lifts out the gold bar and holds it up for the
others to see, and they mimic his shocked facial expression.
Gio grabs the bar and examines it, and Jude pulls the coins from the duffel and passes them around, as well.
“You found something for you, too, huh Princess?” Avery fingers the strand of pearls around my neck with a soft smile.
“Coral, where did you find these? Are these from a shipwreck?” Gio asks, picturing a sunken boat. The one in his mind doesn’t look exactly the same, but I don’t know how to explain that, so I just nod.
“She must’ve seen us thinking about it. It’s probably been on all of our minds.”
Avery carries me up to the sand and sets me down, taking off his shirt to dry my tail. The guys watch in fascination as my scales disappear.
“I think I could watch that a thousand times and never be less amazed.” Liam shakes his head, smiling.
He’s promised to keep my secret, but he’s desperate to study me and understand the biology of my metamorphosis. Will his curiosity win out over his loyalty if he ever returns home? I have to make sure his bond with me is strong enough to withstand the temptation.
I look up at him, pouring all my hopes and desires into one smile, and it hits him so hard he gulps, and his eyes pool with water. He smiles back at me and cups my cheek, and I curl into his side.
“Coral, how did you know where this shipwreck was? Have you been there before?” Gio asks, and I nod.
“It must not be too far away if she swam there and back since lunch, plus found the treasure,” Jude says.
“We have no idea how fast she swims, Jude. Swordfish and sailfish can swim 60 miles per hour, or more. I doubt she can go that fast, but we really have no idea.” Liam shrugs, but it’s obvious he’s desperate to know the answer.
“These coins are Spanish. The wreck we were looking for was Norwegian. These didn’t come from that ship. It must be another wreck.” Gio fingers one of the gold coins.
“You think there’s an undiscovered wreck out there?” Jude asks.
“There are probably dozens if not hundreds. The trick is finding them.” Gio glances my way, and the others follow his gaze. No one voices the question, but everyone is wondering if I could lead them to more treasure.
I beam at them, thrilled that I might have given them a reason to keep me.
Jude’s stomach growls, and I hop up, intent on satisfying his needs. “Fish,” I say and point towards the ocean.
“That’d be great, Coral.” Jude grins at me.
I head back to the water with the now-empty duffel bag, wondering if I’ll be able to dive or if my happiness will keep me floating on the surface.
“Wait, Coral.” Liam chases after me. “Can I watch?”
I nod and reach out to take his hand, wading into the surf, and lay on my back in the shallow water. Liam stares as my scales pop out, covering my legs, and my fin blooms out wide. I swim out slowly, and Liam tries to follow, but he can’t keep up with even my slowest strokes. Eventually, I leave him behind and dart out into deeper water.
I manage to catch a few fish, but then a crab scuttles by, and I remember the images that popped into Jude’s head when he saw me come out of the water with the duffel earlier. Merfolk don’t usually bother eating crab. Their meat isn’t worth the trouble, but Jude apparently likes it, so I grab the crab and a few others before heading back to the shore.
Liam is standing in the shallow waves, waiting for me, and I swim up to him and swirl around his legs a couple times, splashing him with my tail just for fun. He grabs me around the waist, and I flip over onto my back so I can see him. He lifts me out of the water, cradling me in his arms, and I wrap an arm around his neck and give him a peck on the cheek.
The guys are relaxing by the fire, so Liam carries me over to them and sets me down. I reach in the bag and carefully extract one of the crabs, trying to avoid a pinch, and hold it out to Jude.
“Crab! My favorite!” When he reaches for it, the crab snaps his claw at him. Jude flinches and pulls back his hand. “Uh, anybody got any ideas for how to eat this thing?” The others laugh at him and shake their heads, reaching for the fish instead.
“Oh hey, I got a crab joke for you guys.” Jude says later, sucking the meat out of a crab leg. The others groan and roll their eyes at him, but he ignores them.
“What game do nerdy crabs like to play?” He glances around the circle, wiggling his eyebrows. “Anybody?” Nobody takes the bait.
He licks his fingers and smacks his hands together, grinning. “Dungeness and Drag Nets!”
The joke garners a few chuckles out of the other guys, but I pout because I don’t understand it.
“Aw, Princess, what’s wrong? You didn’t think my joke was funny?” Jude gives me a little jab in the side with his elbow. I throw up my hands and shrug in frustration.
“Coral, do mermaids have their own language? Do they… talk?” Liam asks, his voice full of curiosity.
I raise an eyebrow and frown at him. What does he think we are, imbeciles? Of course we communicate with each other. We’re not bottom feeders.
Liam lifts the corner of his mouth in a conciliatory smile. “Sorry, I didn’t mean it offensively. I just imagine it would be hard to speak underwater, and you never spoke any words to us other than the ones we taught you. Can you say something in your language?”
I rattle off a few sentences, but I can’t make them sound right out of the water. Liam still listens with rapt attention, repeating the syllables under his breath.
“I hear traces of Greek and Latin in there, and something else that sounds familiar, maybe Sumerian?” He smiles, his eyes twinkling. “Fascinating.”
He thinks of a few things and asks me what I call them, and I answer as best as I can then try to repeat the English word for it. Every once in a while he catches himself thinking of something from the human world, and I grin and shake my head at him. In between, I point to things around the island, and he teaches me the words. It’s too much for him or me to remember it all, but Liam seems to love teaching me, and it takes his mind off the impossibility of what I am.
“I wish you could tell me more about what your world is like.” Liam sighs and stretches out on the sand, trying to imagine life underwater. He pictures merfolk swimming around and catching fish all day, and he’s not that far off. Life is simple down there, a lot simpler than their world, if their memories of it are any indication. But I still long to see it for myself.
Liam rolls over onto his side and props his head up with his hand to look at me. “Why are you here, Coral? Why don’t you go back to your kind?”
My heart stutters, and I suck in a breath and stare at him with wild eyes. His own eyes widen in response, and he puts a hand over his mouth then reaches out to lay the other hand on mine.
“No, Coral! I didn’t mean it like that. I don’t want you to leave. I’m just trying to understand. Did you run away?” The others perk up at this question.
I nod slowly, tears pooling in the corner of my eyes.
Liam wrinkles his brow and sits up, curious. “Why?” I drop my head and let out a shaky breath. That would be too hard to explain even if I knew the words.
He quirks a sad smile. “Sorry, I know you can’t really answer that. Were you being hurt?”
I shake my head emphatically.
Liam frowns. “Were you scared of something or someone?”
I contemplate his question for a moment then give my head a small nod. I wasn’t scared in the way he’s thinking, but it’s a good enough explanation.
“Are you going to go back?” he whispers, and suddenly all eyes are on me.
I shake my head slowly, hoping they understand that I want to stay with them.
The guys exchange meaningful glances, and I know they’re contemplating what that means for them.
“Coral, do you want to stay with us?” Avery finally asks what they’re all wondering, and I nod my head.
“Do you want to go with us if we leave this island?” Liam paints a clear pict
ure in his head.
“Yes,” I say loudly, making sure they know I mean it.
Chapter 16
“We should take turns manning the fire on top of the hill at night,” Gio says as the sun starts setting. “Maybe two up there at a time, taking shifts. I’ll go first; who wants to go with me?”
The others glance at each other, and I jump up and grab Gio’s arm. “Me,” I say, eager to help.
Gio looks down at me and raises an eyebrow. “You want to go up the hill and keep watch with me tonight?”
“Yes.” I say firmly, and he smirks.
“You’re not afraid of falling?”
I shake my head and wrap my arm around his. I trust him to keep me safe. He stares at me for a moment, his eyes softening.
“No fair! Why do you get Coral all to yourself?” Jude pouts.
Liam frowns at us. “Are you sure that’s a good idea, Gio? You might get… distracted… up there alone with her.”
“I’m sure we can stay focused.” Gio scowls at him then turns back to me. “You’ll have to help me keep the fire going and watch for lights out on the water. Can you handle that?”
I nod again, and Gio smiles. “Okay, why not? Coral and I are going up the hill. We’ll whistle as loud as we can if we see anything, and you all do the same.”
The others mumble their agreement and watch us closely as we head off into the trees.
“So, why’d you want to take watch with me tonight, Coral? Did you want some time alone with me?” He chuckles, teasing, but I stare up at him and slowly grin, and his eyes go wide. I mainly just wanted to be helpful, but spending time alone with one of the guys does sound nice. As much as I enjoy being with the whole group, the few private moments I’ve had with each of them have been special.
He carries a torch in one hand and a container of water in the other. I offer to take one of them, but he waves my hand away. Gio’s body is steady and firm against mine, making it easier to climb, so I keep my hold on him as we trek up the hill to the small shelter they built.
The Mermaid's Escape_A Reverse Harem Romance Page 13
