Page 45 of Untraceable
Amori cocked his head. “Do you want him to?”
Heyval sat as the next course was placed in front of her. She started eating her soup while Bailey stared. “You know who he was, King Amori?”
He nodded. “There aren’t many of his kind, and there was only one nearly two decades ago. The octopus manifestation of merfolk isn’t common.”
Bailey bit her lip. “Does he have a lot of kids?”
“None.” Amori checked his phone and flipped it face down on the table.
Mira said, “I would like to know who he is. Just in case I need to know for medical purposes.”
Amori nodded. “I have sent him a message. Let’s see if he is finished dealing with a clam uprising.”
Heyval muttered, “There can be a clam uprising?”
Amori smiled. “It takes a while.”
The conversation changed and began to ebb and flow around neutral topics. Heyval noticed that Bailey and Mira had a close eye on the phone that Amori kept next to him.
When the phone buzzed, Amori excused himself and went to take the call outside.
Bailey leaned forward and hissed, “Is he seriously in touch with Ma-wi-hem?”
Heyval was going to answer, but Rage’s father started laughing. His voice resonated as he asked, “That is what he told you?”
Bailey blushed. “Yes. What does it mean?”
“He who looks. Tourist.”
She snorted. “Yeah, that sounds right. He did a lot of that.”
Mira was appalled, “Mom!”
Heyval smiled. “We all get here the same way, Mira. If you are lucky, it was fun getting started. Based on your mother’s grin, it was.”
“Weird, but a lot of fun. I got the ink out in about three months. My sheets never recovered.”
Bastien caught on first and howled with laughter.
They were all still laughing, and Mira was mortified. One of Alora’s sons touched her cheek, and the effect on Mira was electrifying. She blushed, blinked, and her hands clenched in her lap.
Alora manifested a spray bottle and hosed her son in the face. “Nope. Not until she’s legal.”
He wiped the water off, and the shining mark on his head gleamed for a moment. “You know, Grandpa would be all for it.”
Bastien snorted. “Grandpa is a horny dark elf who still sculpts your grandma naked at every opportunity. His opinion is skewed.”
Alora’s children nodded and shrugged. Her eldest said, “The things you have to get used to when Grandpa decides to demonstrate arts and crafts in grade one.”
Ulric rubbed his neck. “That was a lot of letters to parents.”
Heyval was giggling along with Rage when Amori returned.
Amori looked at her. “He’s on his way.”
Bailey’s smile disappeared. “What?”
Amori turned to her and smiled. “Your lover is coming here to see the fruit of your interaction. If he and you come to an agreement, arrangements will be made.”
