Page 36 of Magic Potions and the Merman's Lure

My eyes fly over the humans crowding the dock in shock. While I have seen a fair number here over the last several days, I have never seen so many in one place. The combination of sounds, colors, and smells is almost overwhelming as lights whirl dizzyingly and music rises above the chatter of conversation among those milling about. There are so many people and booths that I cannot even see the water.

“Did you happen to give him a specific place to meet you at?” Keri asks, her gaze sliding over the crowd.

I shake my head in frustration, tucking the spare clothes I grabbed from my hotel room more firmly under my arm. I do not know how well they will fit him, but they will at least get him from the docks and back to my room without drawing too much attention. I can worry about getting him properly outfitted later.

“He will still be in the water,” I explain, “but I do not know where. I did not expect... this,” I add lamely, gesturing at the people in front of us.

My mate’s lips quirk in response. “During a festival weekend? I would be shocked if it was anything less. But that does make this a little difficult.” She purses her lips thoughtfully. “And you are certain that he wouldn’t have come out on land. All of this can be pretty tempting for a kid to explore.”

I grimace and sidestep to avoid a large male veering in my direction, a sour smelling can clasped tightly in his hand. I wrinkle my nose as he stumbles pass. This is most annoying. Although most of the local humans have given me a wide berth since the rainstorm, it seems that the festival has drawn people in from outside the area that do not recognize what I am. And they will certainly not recognize the Saluha. The male does not pose the same sort of potential contact danger as a male of my clan, but it can still potentially lead to plenty of trouble.

“If he has the sense not to step out on the docks nude then there should not be any problems,” I reply. “After all, he does not have any clothes.” I squint, trying to catch a glimpse of the water. “If he followed my directions, he will still be out there, waiting in the water.” I rub my chin thoughtfully. “Maybe I should go in and see if I can coax him from wherever he is hiding.”

“Just hold onto that thought.” Keri says and squeezes my hand in reassurance. “If he has any sense of self preservation, there is a chance that he wouldn’t be this close with so many people here. As fascinating as this may all be for him, it could also be terrifying for him to venture out into it by himself.”

That makes sense. My first time venturing out onto land outside of my pod’s territory, I was so nervous that I chose a spot that was empty of human life despite my eagerness to dive in and locate my mate.

“What do you suggest?”

She gives me an encouraging smile. “If you haven’t been all the way through the festival to explore it you may not realize that the festival is just set up on the main part of the dock here. Going further down we will be able to access the water again. He may be there. If he’s not, then that will at least give you an easy place to begin searching from the water.”

I gesture for her to lead the way, preferring to guard my mate from behind with so many people there. Her smile softens and it pleases me that she does not let go of my hand as she draws me down the dock. The same costumed silent storytellers are performing as before and, although I still find them disturbing, I ignore them as we pass. Let them entertain the hordes. The dense population of humans crowding around them to be photographed means that they will be kept far from me. I cannot quite avoid the various food smells from assaulting me, however, with both appealing and unpleasant scents. The latter, I have recently discovered, is mostly due to the method humans have of preparing the gifts from the sea by frying them. I do not understand why they would wish to ruin perfectly good food in such a way. It is deeply unappealing and makes my stomach turn. Especially the sickly-sweet smell of some of it that I suspect are from foods that originate from nowhere even close to the sea.

As Keri predicted, the crowds thin the further we get down the dock until all signs of the festival fall away from us. This part of the dock extends further from land and rocks subtly with the movement of the water leading to other long walkways to which numerous boats are visibly tethered nearby. Long shadows play over the water contrasting against the sunlight sparkling against the waves farther out.

We walk out closer to the edge of the dock and my eyes drop to the water. There should be small fish there. The water around the dock is always active with life unless there is a predator present... like an Aquana. My gaze skims the water, searching for the one silent area... there!

Drawing Keri safely behind me, I crouch down and peer into the water. I make a pulsing sound within my throat that my kind uses for long-range communication within the sea and wait. I know he is there, though his coloring keeps him well camouflaged. The luminous glimmer of yellow from the male’s eyes is the first hint of his presence but then the gloom of the water beneath the dock shifts and I am able to make out his solid figure as he swims up to the surface.

His progress is slow—wary—as he leisurely moves upward. When he finally breaks the surface, it is from a safe distance outside of my range of reach. He watches me, his expression mostly hidden by his dark green hair plastered against his face and streaming water as the rest of the length fans in the water around him. That is smart. Although I will not harm him, that is not something that he knows for any certainty. He is taking precautions. He is making sure I cannot read his expression clearly to predict his movements and calculating that I would have to dive in to get him and even then, it would give him enough time to make a getaway.

I hold the bundle of clothes out. “I have brought you this. It will make it easier to come out on land.”

“Come out... on land,” he whispers. There is a note of awe and uncertainty in his voice that I can understand.

I nod. “It is better if you do. If you are going to remain within my territory it means that I will be responsible for you. I spend much of my time on land.” I cock my head. It occurs to me that being on land all day may not be as attractive to him as it is to me. “You will at least want to spend your resting time on land where you will be safe.”

His gaze drifts uncertainly to Keri behind me. I instinctively freeze in reaction until I feel her hand gives my fingers a hard squeeze. That brings me abruptly back to myself. Right. He is not a threat to my mate. I had told her that myself.

“I am Ro, and this is Keri,” I say and reluctantly draw her to my side.

I am happier with her tucked safely behind me, but this is about gaining the Saluha’s trust and that cannot be done part way. The male’s flick between us and slowly he dips his head in acknowledgement.

“I am Gryn,” he whispers.

My mate crouches down beside me and smiles over at him. “Hi Gryn. I bet you’re hungry. Am I right?”

His head dips again, warily, but then he gives a firmer nod. “I... I am.”

Her smile widens in response, and she straightens. The movement startles him and makes him draw back a little farther, but she pretends not to notice. “Good. I am going to head back down the dock to give you guys some privacy so you can get out. Don’t worry—you can trust Ro. He already brought clothes for you so as soon as you are dressed you can join me, and we will make sure you get fed. Does that sound good?”

Gryn nods again, this time more enthusiastically, as he brushes the wet strands of his hair out of his face and slowly swims closer to the dock. His eyes follow her as she walks away the entire time, admiration stamped clearly on his face. I sigh inwardly, uncertain of how I feel about that, although I am now certain that he will not attempt to lure her away again.

Straightening, I step back, giving him room to pull himself up out of the water. His gaze snaps to me for all but a moment before he is jumping for the edge of the dock and effortlessly pulling himself onto its wooden surface. The rush of magic running over his skin is unmistakable and I retreat a few more steps just because I find it disconcerting to be so close to the magic of another Aquana male. Logically, I know that it is because the lure is so much a part of our base magic, but that does not mean anything to my instincts that urge me to either recoil from it or to attack a rival of potential breeding age.

His newly formed feet thump on the dock as he lands in a crouch and his head lifts to peer up at me as if noticing the tension that has suddenly risen. Although it is not intentional, we both regard each other warily for a long moment before a reluctant smile breaks briefly across his face and he slowly—and quite wobblily—straightens. With a nod of approval, I pass him the clothing and wait patiently as he works out the mechanics of dressing himself. I think Keri intended for me to help him, but I think this is the best method. After all, no one taught me how to dress in the land dweller fashion. It is a good challenge for him to learn from even if I am impatient to rejoin my female. As with my experience, the pants are the biggest struggle, but I am pleased to see that he works out how to put them on fairly quickly.

He is a quick learner. That will serve him well. Perhaps he can even learn to read to help him navigate his future better.

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