Page 83 of Return of the Nine

Em was confused, “I thought you were one of the Water Folk?”

Weelar sighed, “I am. I have spent my life on star ships, so open water is actually a foreign thing to me.”

Rivvin explained, “Just as most of the city dwellers here would not be able to forage in the woods or sea, not all Water Folk have experience in wild water.”

Em blushed. “I am sorry. I should not have assumed.”

Weelar waved his hand to dismiss her words. “It is fine. It happens a lot.”

“I can swim with you if you like?”

He looked at her in confusion. “How?”

“I brought a dive suit and swim tanks. I can’t breathe water, but I can swim with fair dexterity, and more importantly, I know what the sea creatures around here consider to be normal behaviour.” She smiled in a helpful manner.

Rivvin frowned. “I don’t want you in open water.”

She smiled brightly. “Tough. This is my job, and I will do it. You do yours and keep yourself safe. I will take care of me.”

“That is not going to happen.”

Em crossed her arms and frowned at him. “If you cut my lines, I will free dive.”

Weelar was looking frantically between the two of them. “You two are pairing off?”

Em scowled at him. “Not if Rivvin doesn’t pull his head out of his ass.”

She stalked back to the front of the vessel and looked out over the waves. She leaned her head back, closed her eyes and focussed on finding the current. In the distance, a low lavender gleam began, and as the Nitka got closer to it, it shifted into her gold identifier for a desired object.

Rivvin came up next to her. “I apologise. I am dealing with some changes within me that I am not completely at ease with.”

She turned and went up on her toes, kissing him softly. “I am dealing with this as well. I don’t know what being with you will entail, and it scares the hell out of me.”

He brushed his hand along her cheek. “There will be change, on both our parts. I am afraid that the bulk will fall on you after we formalize our bond.”

“You are that sure of yourself?”

“I am that sure of you. You knew that I was yours the moment that you saw me. Your heartbeat changed and your blood warmed.”

She swallowed nervously. “You can see all that?”

“My people developed as ocean predators. It is what we aredesigned to see.” He pressed a kiss to her cheek.

“We are almost to the current.”

“I will prepare the tags.” He nipped gently at her lower lip before he turned and joined Weelar in the rear of the vessel.

Emharo tugged her duffel open and withdrew her dive suit and gear. She tested her tanks and waited until they were coasting into the dive spot before putting the portable remote on her wrist.

A jump, wiggle and jerk and she had her dive suit on to the waist over her swimsuit.

Weelar saw her, and his eyes widened in shock. “You are wearing that?”

“The suit has insulating properties. I don’t repel water like you do, so I have to wear the suit on dives like this.” She wedged her arms into the sleeves and jerked the suit up into position. With smooth moves, she sealed the suit. “The wet entry is this way. Nitka will remain here, in position, unless I call for her.”

She grabbed her tanks, mask and fins and smiled as she led the way down a ramp that opened at her approach. The Nitka settled in place.

Rivvin had his own bag with him, and Weelar looked like he was about to be sick.

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