Maybe Thalassonians procreated like some fish, by laying eggs and fertilizing externally? But the females had breasts; I’d done some research on my way here, and I knew that for sure. They were less generous than ours, except when they were pregnant or feeding young, but they still had them. That said mammal to me, unless evolution followed a different path onthis planet. And now that I thought about it, the website had mentioned pregnancy, so they definitely didn’t lay eggs.
Did they just…what…rub their parts together? I peered down at Cetius’s midsection again, then looked away before he could catch me staring. Jeez, I couldn’t believe I was even thinking about this.
Cetius slowed, and for a second, I wondered if he had somehow seen into my thoughts. How embarrassing would that be! His kind weren’t telepathic, were they? I’d read somewhere that some aliens communicated that way.
As it turned out, Cetius’s slowing had nothing to do with picking up my inappropriate thoughts about our potential sex life and everything to do with the fact that we were approaching Coral’s Deep.
The underwater city sat like a precious gem in a bed of coal, a glistening monument in the deep, dark depths of the ocean. Unlike the vast emptiness we’d just traversed, it bustled with life, even on the outskirts. And yes, it practically glowed from the minute plant life on every surface.
It wasn’t just the stunning architecture or the natural wonders that caught my eye; I was shocked to see that there was technology everywhere. The plants provided a calming glow, but there were brighter lights as well, signs for stores and advertisements. Not everyone swam around on their own steam, either: some held devices that propelled them along, sort of like scooters, except they didn’t stand on them, they just held on. There were larger vehicles as well that reminded me of Cinderella’s carriage, but without the horses. It made me wonder why Cetius had made the trip to the surface by tail.
The temperature here was warmer, too. Perfect, in fact. Neither hot nor cold. They must have some form of city-wide climate control that operated without needing to slap an unsightly dome around the beautiful city.
It wasn’t some quaint low-tech village at all. It was a bustling, modern underwater metropolis.
I don’t know why I was so surprised. Cetius had shown me his device up on the island. And he’d applied to Starlight for a bride, so of course he had access to technology.
My eyes were wide as saucers, but when I opened my mouth to exclaim, I was rudely reminded that I could no longer speak. Argh! How frustrating.
Cetius resumed pulling me along by the hand. At first, I tried to swim alongside him but soon realized that my silly flutter kicks were absolute jackshit, so I let him do all the work as we entered the city.
The grand boulevards were lined with buildings, their surfaces adorned with what looked like coral decorations. The streets were laid with mother of pearl tiles that glistened and shimmered in the light. Instead of pigeons and rats like in old Earth cities, there were schools of brightly colored fish.
The streets bustled with life. The merfolk were out and about, and at first, I worried they’d gawk at me for having legs, but then I realized that there were many creatures here that weren’t originally from the ocean. Outsiders, like me, with the fine silver or gold filigree of the external lungs covering their chest, throat and lower face.
There were some who reminded me of elves from Earth movies, with pointy ears and delicate features. Others had green skin and tusks like orcs. Crap, was that acentaur? I rubbed my eyes, but the centaur didn’t disappear. As she passed, I realized her top half wasn’t quite human, and her bottom half wasn’tquite horse either. She just resembled a centaur from afar. There were a few humans too. All of them were women, and most of them were completely naked!
When I really looked, most of the merfolk were men.
Cetius hadn’t been kidding when he said there weren’t many females left. I’d thought he’d been exaggerating.
But there were a few. One, absolutely gorgeous, swam effortlessly down the street. She might not have large breasts like Earthly artists’ renditions of mermaids, but what she did have were pert and perfect. She was slim and sleek and moved with grace. As she passed, the males in the area all turned their heads. She didn’t notice us.
Others did, though, and not because of my legs. They’d look at Cetius, then at me, then back at the triton pulling me along, shock registering on their faces. It felt uncomfortable, but I tried my best to ignore it.
Cetius led us through the streets, clearly with a specific destination in mind. He took us into a building and down the hallways, all of which were illuminated by more of those wonderful plants I couldn’t wait to learn about. The ceilings were much higher than I was used to, probably to make room for their long tails as they swam down the corridors. We stopped at a set of ornate, shell-encrusted doors.
We entered a classy waiting room with a counter. Behind the counter was what my brain insisted was an octopus. I schooled my shocked features to avoid offending anyone.
“I need to see the healer.”
“Do you have an appointment?” the octopus droned in a tone that clearly said she already knew the answer.
“No. But I just have a quick question. It will be fast.”
“Sorry, Lago’s schedule is full today. Next time, please be sure to make an appointment through our booking system.”
I looked around, but the waiting room was completely empty. How full could the healer’s schedule be?
Cetius wasn’t going to let it go. “I know today is his day for research. He has no clients. His schedule is not full. Just let me see him.”
“His scheduleisfull,” Octopus lady replied with a mild I’m-being-nice-but-fuck-you voice. Four tentacles rested on her hips, like she was dealing with a child. “With research. Please book an appointment through the system.”
A door next to the counter opened, and a triton poked his upper body out. “It’s okay, Killia. Let him in.”
Killia sighed and gestured ungraciously to the door with a tentacle.
Chapter 4