Page 13 of The Kraken's Queen

Fucking mermaids!

Allarick takes the lead, moving us away from his fish friends and the friendly turtle I regret not petting. I have a feeling I’ll get the opportunity again, though.

We walk through the rocky terrain until we reach beautiful white sand. I pause and take it in because I’ve never seen a beach before. Grym Hollow is landlocked. The most we had around town were lakes that were either too dirty to swim in or private property that could only be rented in advance.

My father said he once lived by the ocean when he was a young boy. His family would spend their weekends on the beach, soaking up the sun and riding the waves.The appeal to him went away after his younger sister nearly drowned in rough waters. It scared my father so much that he refused to go back to the ocean. As soon as he was able, he moved away and wound up in Grym Hollow.

Needless to say, he wasn’t keen on visiting an ocean again.

So, all I had were movies, books, and pictures of the ocean. All of them pale in comparison to the real thing. Cool sand slides between my toes through my sandals. I stop walking and kick off my shoes, feeling the full effect of the sand on my feet. The bizarre, childish urge to build sandcastles with a moat washes over me. It feels like a rite of passage for the beach, no matter how old you are.

Allarick notices I’ve stopped and turns to see what I’m doing. Warmth floods my cheeks, and I wait for him to yell at me to hurry up or patronize me for my childish antics. It’s what James would have done. Any enjoyment I had, he found ways to smother until I started believing I was a fool for my thoughts.

“Have you ever seen sand before?” Allarick asks.

Shame colors my cheeks, and I shake my head no. He probably thinks I’m a recluse who never left the house. The sad part is that he would be right. But it wasn’t by choice. James controlled everything, down to when I left the house and when I could even sit outside to feel the sun on my face. I escaped occasionally when he passed out and I needed to get groceries, but that was as much as I did.

“It feels good, doesn’t it? Between your toes and the way you feel like you're sinking into the ground.” Allaricksmiles, kicking up a bit of sand. The wind picks it up, carrying it back to the ocean.

“Good…” I murmur, voice scratchy. It’s no longer painful, but I still sound like the most dehydrated person in the world.

Despite me sounding like sandpaper feels, Allarick smiles. His handsome face lights up, giving him a boyish charm. It would be so easy to give myself over to him…but I’m not ready to open my heart up for more torment. Not now, maybe not ever.

“Here, this way. We are almost there.” Allarick beckons me forward, and I follow him through the sand. It’s not the easiest thing to walk through, but I don’t complain. I’m enjoying being on a beach too much.

Allarick leads me to a secluded part of the beach. Large, mossy brown boulders surround this area. Above us is a cliff overlooking the water. A brave soul would easily jump from the top and into the water, but an accident-prone person like me is content with my feet on the ground.

I nearly run into Allarick’s back, too busy paying attention to the cliff above us that I don’t realize he’s stopped. Tentatively, I peer around him and freeze. My brain is having a hard time registering what I’m seeing. Allarick said he wanted to take me to meet mermaids, but a part of me was still in disbelief. Mermaids are a fantasy tale, nothing more.

Except in Mescos, they are real.

Four heads bob in the water. Allarick steps forward, submerging his feet. “Come,” he speaks like a man used to being obeyed. Whereas a lesser man may soundarrogant, Allarick speaks with the confidence of a man who commands respect. “Thank you for being here.”

The way he speaks to others is not something I’m accustomed to. He balances power with respect. I didn’t know it could work that way.

The four people in the water move forward, bowing when they reach Allarick. “My king,” a black-haired woman says. Her thick hair hangs down her shoulders, flaring out in the water. She wears a jeweled top that covers her breasts and a golden vest over it that almost looks like metal. Where her feet should be, an opal tail swishes back and forth under the clear water.

A real, true mermaid.

I’m a little starstruck.

“Oh my god,” I blurt, momentarily forgetting I sound like a heavy smoker. Four sets of eyes turn to me with varying degrees of confusion on their faces. I don’t have the chance to feel embarrassed because I can’t be held responsible for my words or actions when in the presence of real-life mermaids.

The raven-haired mermaid breaks away from the other three and approaches Allarick. “It’s good to see you again, my king. The waters are quiet without you.”

“You flatter me, Danika.” Allarick chuckles, a deep rumbly sound I feel throughout my body.

Danika smiles, and I find myself not liking that a single bit. It’s irrational and stupid, but I don’t like the way she looks at Allarick with familiarity that only comes with time and friendship.

Another woman with an orange-and-red ombre tail swims up next to Danika. She reaches for the otherwoman’s hand under the water, and Danika smiles at her. There’s so much love in that expression that I almost look away from what seems like a private moment. I feel guilty about my jealous thoughts before. I’ve never been a jealous woman, especially when it comes to men. I don’t know why Allarick brings it out.

“Danika, this is Erin Goodwin,” Allarick introduces me, something akin to pride in his voice. I tell myself I’m just imagining it because I’ve done nothing to warrant it. “And Aerwyna. Both amazing merwomen in their own right.”

Danika doesn’t seem surprised in the slightest I’m here. She extends the same greeting to me as she did to Allarick. “Pleasure to meet you, my queen.”

My queen.

Those words don’t seem real, and they most certainly don’t apply to me. Feeling uncomfortable with the title, I move closer to Allarick, shielding myself from the four sets of eyes studying me. None of them look disgusted by what they see, but I’m also not keen on looking too deeply to figure it out.

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