Page 9 of Sea and Sky
Barmaids scurried, filling tankards and taking empty plates. The atmosphere was pleasant enough.
Kyler found an empty table against the far wall and settled in. For as many people and conversations going on around him, the noise level was tolerable. He allowed himself to relax, hunger and thirst winning over his fear of the wolves finding him. Plus, he had a perfect view of the door. If they entered, he’d see.
He fiddled with the bootstraps of his remaining boot and kicked it off. Covered feet didn’t allow him to feel the ground, and he hated that. But he also hated stepping on pointy sticks and rocks. Boots kept him from shifting quickly. Unlike dragon shifters, whose clothing and foot coverings would split, tear and fall off when they shifted, merfolk got stuck in a half state if their legs and feet weren’t free, which was painful. Like swords slicing through him, splitting him open until he could finish the shift.
Trousers were also oppressive, especially the tight pale breeches he wore now. He went without when he could, preferring an unfussy chemise with pockets lining the hem for trinkets if he didn’t have his bag with him. The pirates didn’t care what he wore.
Without the constant movement of running through the streets, Kyler realized how tired he was. He folded his arms and used them as a pillow against the table, wishing for cooler air, but the wood was just as warm as everywhere else. He’d fallen asleep—not the wisest decision when there was a pack of wolves after him—when a barmaid shook him awake.
“What it’ll be, darlin’? Can’t ‘ave you wasting a spot if you ain’t buying.” Wisps of her auburn hair escaped the cream-colored kerchief tied around her head. Amber eyes watched him. Her furry brown wolf ears twitched with the sounds behind her.
Kyler didn’t have much coin, so he ordered the cheapest meal. A bit of weak wine and some crusts of bread. He should have packed something from the ship, but he had thought he’d be back by now.
While he waited for the woman to return, the gossip of one dragon pair reached his ears. He picked at the edge of the table while he listened.
“His Majesty finally granted Prince Gavin a Task to become a Grand Mage.”
His companion laughed. “A fool’s Task, just like the prince himself. The phoenix stone. Impossible. He’d need a mer just to retrieve it and ain’t no one’s seen merfolk in over a century, maybe two. Them more secretive than pixies.”
“Maybe they died out.”
“Nah, mer are still out there seducing men like they always have. We just don’t hear about it anymore because the men never come back. Merfolk eat their hearts and use their souls in dark, twisty magic.”
Kyler snorted. Merfolk didn’t eat hearts or do soul magic. At least, not when he lived in the colony. But that was so long ago he hardly remembered anything at all. If anything’s changed, he wouldn’t know. He couldn’t deny the seducing people part. That had always been true. But it was a protective measure. The seducers always lured ships away from the colony.
The pair continued to talk, but Kyler stopped listening when their conversation moved to which barmaid they wanted to bed that afternoon.
His heart pounded. Not only was His Majesty looking for merfolk, the prince needed a mer for his Grand Mage Task. This could be a blessing or a problem. He’d have to assess the situation.
While there were no outward signs Kyler was mer, not like the amber eyes and tufted ears of wolf shifters, or the horns and scales of dragons, or the pointed ears of elves, there were certain attributes he had no control over that could highlight his mer-ness besides the growing scales on his hip. If the person noticing was aware of said attributes, that was.
The most useful to him was how merfolk seduced people in the first place. Kyler emitted anirresistiblescentto his target whenever he was aroused. He’d never learned how to make it stop, but he used it to his advantage when he could.
The most annoying attribute was that his body forcibly shifted if his human form was drowning. He shivered at the thought.
Forced shifting was Captain Vex’s favorite form of punishment. He’d hold Kyler’s head underwater until he shifted. Or worse, when Captain Vex was in a particularly bad mood, he’d strap Kyler to a table and waterboard him. Of course, this was all done privately. The crew didn’t know what Kyler went through in Vex’s quarters and he couldn’t tell them, not if he wanted to keep his voice. And a mer without their voice on the surface? Unimaginable.
The barmaid brought Kyler his order, shaking him from his memories of torture. She was generous with the pile of bread crusts on the plate, and instead of half a glass of wine, she gave him a full one. Kyler couldn’t tell if it was pity on her face, or she was just a kind woman. He watched as she walked away and climbed right into the lap of a dragon shifter, who started nuzzling her neck.
Kyler sipped from his cup. The wine hit his lips, and he took a deeper drink, allowing the sweet flavor to wash over his tongue. His eyes fluttered shut. The barmaid hadn’t watered down the wine.
“Such pretty little sounds you make over wine, boy. How ‘bout you join me in bed?”
Kyler rolled his eyes at the man standing in front of him. The black feathers in his hair announced to the world he was a raven shifter.
“Leave me alone before you get hurt.” Kyler picked up a piece of crust and nibbled.
The raven’s eyes narrowed, and his already ruddy face reddened. His feathers literally ruffled. An angry caw ripped from his throat. “Is that a threat?”
“Does it need to be?” Kyler took another sip of his wine, eyeing the shifter.
The raven’s jaw dropped open. “Are you mouthing off to me?” The shifter lurched and pulled Kyler up by the throat, talons dug into his skin. “I think I need to teach you a lesson.”
Kyler kneed the raven shifter in the groin before slamming an elbow into his diaphragm. The raven fell to the ground, gasping, retching his meal all over the floor. The scent hit Kyler’s nose, causing him to gag.
While Kyler regained his composure, the raven shifter pushed himself up. Two more ravens joined the fray, leering at Kyler.
“I like that the three of you think you can take me.” Kyler sat back in his chair, wiping his mouth. “The lot of you owe me an order of wine.” Kyler frowned at his upturned cup.
