A Thousand Salt Kisses (Book 1 of Salt Kiss series)

><> Chapter Eighteen <><

Life was getting weirder by the second.

One of them? George the fisherman - or should I just say fishman - was one of the seafolk?

"Well, kind of," George pondered, pulling out a torch lamp.

"No kind-ofs" I pleaded.

We sat drifting in the dark. The lights of Starfish twinkled in the distance to the left, and a strip of orange dots to the right highlighted the mainland. It was like being on a plane looking down at the glowing patches of habitation against the wilderness.

"Well what I mean is that I have Mer in my blood," George continued, turning on the lamp and placing it on the bench so we could now make out all within a metre radius of us. 

"Like, you have a relative?" I quizzed.

George clicked his fingers and pointed at me. "Exactly!" 

"So ... How? Who? Huh?" I spluttered, my mind flooding with questions.

"My mother," said George.

"Your mother was a mermaid?"

"Still is," George said. "She's out there somewhere. Probably at the palace, she likes to sing to everybody in the evenings. She has the most divine voice known to mer. It is so pure, so untarnished, like the jewels that surround her." I had never heard George speak with such a passion. I leaned in, eager for more. "Ah, if I took you back out further you would hear it, even from up here," he said gazing behind me, at the sea we were leaving behind.

"So take me," I said, overwhelmed with intrigue.

George picked up the oars.  "No, not tonight. I need to get back."

I slumped back against the stern. I was being left high and dry, as usual.

I dipped my hand in the inky black waters. I still could not believe people lived underneath here. How did they see anything?

"So, if you're half whatever they are, do you get to swim down there?"

"Sadly not," said George. "I'm just a love child.  I did not inherit many of the advantageous qualities of the pedigree mer. I cannot exist underneath the surface - I cannot even hold my breath for more than twenty seconds. I can't live for hundreds of years either - as you can see."

"Hundreds of years!?" I yelped.

"Yes, they're a bit like those big turtles, you know? The ones that live for nearly a thousand years... It's that kind of life span."

A thought crossed my mind.

"How old is Llyr?" I asked.

"Oh, he must be four-hundred, odd."

I let out a high pitched giggle. Four-hundred? That was ridiculous. I felt a bit weird all of a sudden. I know I wanted an older guy and everything but Llyr was like, nearly ten times older than my dad.

"Yes, he's an antique," said George.

Suddenly there was a splash next to the boat. I gasped and sprang up, but as I did a wet hand grabbed my arm which was still dangling in the waters. I let out a massive scream as I felt a huge rush of adrenaline. It was the sensation of a giant roller coaster taking that massive plunge, and leaving your stomach is in so many knots it hurts.

I saw Llyr's face looking up at me.

I let out a big gasp, which was actually bordering on another scream.

"Sorry," said Llyr, taking my hand in his. I put my other hand to my heart, trying to recover from the shock.

George chuckled. "He must have heard his name."

"Yes, I heard you telling her my age," he said smiling, droplets of water running down his face. He appeared to be more upbeat than earlier, like the Llyr I knew. "I'm only three-hundred and twenty actually, but young in mind, body and soul."

"Yeah, don't rub it in," said George with mock resentment.

"You scared the crap out of me," I said, my heart still pounding in my chest.

"Sorry, I wanted to see you," he said, placing my hand against his wet cheek. 

"Did you stop the boat?" I asked, thinking it had only been a short time since I last saw him.

"It will not be leaving the port," Llyr replied.

My mum will be absolutely screwing.

"Where are you taking Crystal?" Llyr said to George.

"To her home, by the lighthouse," said George, picking up the ores again.

"Okay, I'll see you there," he said to me, letting go of my hand and disappearing again before I could say a word.

I shook my head. "I don't think I will ever get used to that George."

George chuckled heartily as he heaved back the oars. "Well, you might have to, he seems to be rather taken by you."