Page 36 of Sea's Secret

“Well, I am sure he is. You have never met a human before,” he said, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Yes, but he–he has black veins in his hands and over his body, like some poison is flowing inside of him.”

Finn shrugged, “So heal him.”

“Should I really reveal that about me so soon?”

“Ah, you are right. You should feel the situation out, first. Trust your melody a bit more, though. Ancients know, you need practice with that. But from what I hear, you finally listened to your heart. I’m proud of you, Meria. The whole kingdom is talking about you defying your father and refusing Edmar and being banished.”

“It was awful.”

“It was good.”

“Was it? ‘Cause now I’m here with these!” I said, poking my legs.

“You’ll be okay. What's the human like?”

“He—” I was not about to tell Finn I thought he was handsome. No. “He is not as friendly as you are,” I said with a frown.

“What are you wearing?”

“He gave it to me. He wouldn't look at me unless I wore it,” I said, lifting up the black fabric from off my shoulder. It was very soft.

“Humans do cover up their skin all the time; I have seen it on the ships.”

We were silent for a few moments. The waves crashing against my legs were a comfort to me. I wondered why I was not changing back into a mermaid. Perhaps, I had to be submerged completely.

I missed my family, mostly my nieces and nephews.

“How are my sisters and my nieces and nephews?”

“They are okay; no one was hurt in the storm.”

“That’s good,” I said with a nod.

I was not allowed back home, and I couldn't stay on that island. I needed to find my mother and ask for her help to do–what? Force my father to see that we needed to rise out of the waters? Was that what we needed to do? Would he ever listen? At the very least, I wanted to meet her.

“Everything will be okay, Meria.”

“How can you say that, Finn, when everything is a disaster?”

“Easy, I like to be positive,” he said, splashing me. “Come in the water. I am sure your tail will come back once you fully submerge."

“I cannot just leave the human here. He is looking for a cave to shelter us. He is trying to take care of us. He thinks I have been stuck on this island for a while from another shipwreck. He is kind, but a little odd. He seems to really like water that is not from the sea,” I said with a shudder.

“It’s probably just because he is a human; they have different ways, different tastes than us. Become his friend; then he will take you to Walden.”

Finn was very set on that human taking me to Walden.

You should travel with him, my melody sang.

“I am not good at making friends.”

“I am your friend,” Finn said with a puffed out chest and a frown.

“You are, and yet you have to like me because you are my cousin.”

“Technically, I do not have to like you at all. I do not like Coral,” he said with a smirk.

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