Page 41 of Whispers Beneath the Deep
That seemed to be all the answer he needed, because his fingers slid slowly across my waist, a branding all on its own, and he smiled. “Good.” He bent down so that our faces were but mere centimeters apart. So close, our lips nearly touched. “Because I have no plans of ever giving you up.”
If only he knew. He would have no choice but to give me up, in the end.
Before I could say anything I might soon regret, I turned away from him, palms missing the heat of his touch as soon as I let go. “You don’t even know me…” I swam forward and Kai followed. Our guards fanned out all around us, keeping at bay the crowd that had suddenly formed to watch the both of us. Self conscious, I tried not to fiddle with my body or clothes. What a sight I must be next to the beautiful Prince Kai.
“You couldn’t be more mistaken.” His voice was at my ear, causing my fins to curl. I turned, throwing him a look over my shoulder. He ignored me and came over to my side. “What would you like to do today, Princess? I confess, I’ve not seen much of your city since I arrived.”
Neither had I. I glanced around the park. While children still played with their parents, and schools of fish passed overhead, there was still a crowd forming. This wouldn’t be the most private of dates, but one look at Prince Kai told me that he was used to the attention. I’d just have to push through it myself.
A smile broke out on my face as I caught sight of a street vendor. I gripped the sleeve of his robes and pointed. “Want to try some real food?”
His response was to take my hand. It was so natural a movement, our fingers threading through the empty spaces. I tugged on his hand, heart thumping, as we went up to the vendor.
His stand was a shabby thing, but the food displayed there looked delectable. Crispy snakes and shrimp, with kelp and greens.
I inhaled deeply and smiled. “Can we have two please?”
The mer behind the stand sputtered, eyes widening. “Your Majesties!” He bowed so deeply, his forehead nearly touched the silt. “What an honor!”
My face flushed. This was all so new. Kai didn’t miss a beat. He held up his fingers, the ones that weren’t clasped in my own. “Two please.”
The merman fumbled to skewer the food onto the long bill of a swordfish to form a kabob. Nervously, with shaking fingers, he handed them to us.
“Have you ever tried one of these before?” I asked Kai, turning to him. I was aware that the vendor was taking in the scene with curious, elated eyes. My sole focus was on the Prince of Draconi, and his curious expression as he took the food in.
“I haven’t,” he admitted somberly. He brought the kabob up to his nose and gave one, delicate sniff.
“Consider it your initiation into Thalassar,” I joked, bopping the end of my kabob to his. Then, I took a ferocious bite, savoring the explosion of decadent tastes swirling on my tongue. I barely held back my moan. “This is so good!” It wasn’t princess-like to talk with a full mouth, but the food was just too good.
Kai took a bite, albeit a much smaller one than mine. I watched, waiting for his reaction. His eyes widened. “It is very good.” He took another bite with much more enthusiasm.
“The future queen and king like my food,” the merman breathed with astonishment.
I flipped him a thumbs up but continued digging into my food, Kai doing the same. Though we were being watched, and trailed by guards, this almost felt normal. Like we were just two regular mer having a good time in the light of the waters.
When we finished, we discarded the garbage into a fisherman’s net hanging from a hook on the side of his table.
“That was fantastic,” I complimented the vendor.
He looked like he would burst on the spot. How something so little as a compliment could make the mer look this way. Happiness lit up his every feature.
“You may seek payment with my advisors.” Kai pointed over his shoulder, where I was sure his advisors were watching us with rapt attention and disapproving stares.
Kai tugged on my hand and pulled me away from the stand. We swam, mer following us. It wasn’t proper for us to swim together like this. Without a proper chaperone other than our guards, with our hands close together, and through the streets of Eramaea.
Neither of us seemed to care.
Because as the hours went on, and we continued to swim, try foods, and make idle conversation, it seemed like an empty void between us was filling with something I could not quite describe.
Chapter Twenty-One
Kai
We were sitting on a bench in an Eramaean park, finally able to rest. We had spent what felt like hours traveling from stand to stand trying foods and speaking to mer. On more than one occasion, the poorer mer of Eramaea came up to Princess Odele. The guards had tried stopping them, but she’d intervened, allowing them to come forward. They held her hand, bowed over her and thanked her.
“You’ve given us hope,” they whispered.
“Thank you, for saving the Black Blade.”
