Page 11 of Coral Prince Conundrum
I can’t help but feel like I’ve known Daryl my whole life. The way he looks at me makes me suspect he has feelings for me, too. There’s no way he and I are destined for each other, right…?
I shake my head at that absurd thought. Today is not a date. He is simply buying me a salad because I helped him at the zoo. “Well, you did a good job,” I reply.
“I’m no swimmer. I’m certainly not a Coral Kingdom person,” he says in a hushed tone.
I freeze, and Daryl stares at me with concern. It is no use hiding it anymore. “If you tell people, you could be in danger, Daryl,” I say in a quiet voice.
“I would never,” he whispers.
I nod and shove more salad into my mouth. He seems to want to keep my secret, which is commendable. Just because I am attracted to him and we get along does not mean we can be romantically linked. Having a soulmate is the greatest honor for Corali, but he’s a surface-dweller. Our royalty has always been fated to other Corali. Still, no one has to know if we get intimate for a few rounds in bed…
“Can I ask you a question?” he whispers.
“Okay.”
“What’s it like to talk to marine wildlife? I heard rumors that some forest critters can get chatty and annoying.” I grip my fork harder and stare at my bowl. After a moment, Daryl leans in. “I swear on my life, I won’t tell anyone about you,” he whispers.
My brain is telling me not to let him get close, but something deep down lets me feel like I can trust him. In the past twoweeks, Daryl has gotten under my skin and has me breaking all my rules. “It is…wonderful.”
“Really? You understand their words?”
“Not quite. Their words do not always specifically translate, but I get an…intuition of what they want, and what they want me to know. And they revere us.”
“Wow,” he whispers. “All Coralese?”
I snicker. “It’s Corali. And no, only some can communicate with the ocean’s creatures.”
“So, you’re special. Like a real-life superhero.”
I laugh. “I am no hero.” He has no idea of my goal, a mission I am not close to accomplishing.
“And you can breathe underwater?”
I sip my drink and nod. “Most of my people can.”
“That is astounding.” He levels a look of awe at me. Dressed in the outfit known as a blue blazer and black slacks, Daryl appears incredibly attractive. “You are the coolest, most interesting person I’ve ever met.”
Warmth creeps on my cheeks. His voice is filled with such reverence. While the people of my kingdom bow to me, Daryl makes me feel more important. When he talks to me, I feel more alive than ever.
“Well, no one can know that I am here.”
“Because you ran away from your isolationist kingdom?”
I nod. “Um…yes.”
“But why here?”
I play with my now-empty bowl. How much truth can I share with him? “I am looking for ways to protect the ocean. And this city has multiple ports with fish-catching vessels, and they plunder the ocean.”
“I hear you. I can’t stand it either.”
“Yes!” I beam at him, and he grins. “You understand that changes must be made to the fishing industry!”
“I understand it more than you know,” he murmurs around his cup.
He sips water, and I wonder what he means. Still, nothing can change how energized I’m feeling by this conversation. Daryl, the most attractive man I’ve ever met, understands me and wants to keep my secret. Spending time with him feels right in a way I’ve never known.
With lunch over, I insist on walking Daryl down to the parking lot. He has to drive to class, but we’re laughing so much, I don’t want today to end.
