A Thousand Salt Kisses Later (Book 2 of Salt Kiss series)

An Honour

When we did circle the table we passed an empty seat, where a merman on the adjacent rock grinned and reached out, shaking Spirit's hand. I watched as Spirit stopped, and began to exchange some words, resting his palm on the vacant black, bubbly rock-chair. My heart sank a little but I pushed on coolly.

After a few strokes I stole a glance behind. Spirit had moved on from his friend and I paused subtly letting him catch me up. Good good, I thought as we continued together.

I saw we were nearing two empty rock-seats and I slowed. They just so happened to be stationed very close one another.

He slowed too and I looked at him. "You want to sit here?" I asked a little cautiously, bracing myself for one of his crushing responses.

"Certainly," he replied, in a not too hot, not too cold fashion.

I blinked, relieved. "Okay... cool," I said, sitting down slowly on the rock and lowering my tail down in front of me, just as though I were at a human table.

He sat down too, in the same position as me, placing an elbow on the table so that he leaned slightly in my direction. I felt that buzz again, and I smiled, looking down at my hands which were folded in my lap.

Tairise swam above us all in the middle of the table, and as I looked up at him, I realised that he really was the most gigantic mer. His tail was the size of a small whale's.

"Loved ones, my daughter has returned to Evergreen. We are here to celebrate her return and to welcome the brave Crystal White who has travelled alongside her to be with us."

The mers broke into applause, and I felt a wave of embarrassment. I hated this level of attention; it really did make me cringe.

I looked to my side. Spirit was watching me frowning.

"T'is an honor," he said. "Try and look happy."

He's right, I realised, forcing myself to smile and look around shyly. Oh, I just hope that is the last thing he says about me.

"Let us pray," said Tairise.

I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Give thou thine heart to the wild magic," Tairise began, placing his hands together, and closing his eyes.

"To the Lord and Lady of nature,

Semblance of evil allow not near me,

Thou ancient harmonies stay with thee,

Understand them and be with the power of the elements,

Be true to the Lords of the forests,

and the Ladies of the stars and sea,

and be they with you through the evergreen ocean paths."

I bowed my head, as I listened humbly. It was a beautiful ode to nature. It made me think briefly of my Dad and how passionately he had always fought to protect the environment. No wonder Tairise welcomed me, as my dad's daughter.

Mermen appeared with trays of the sushi-reminiscent food and capsules of alcohol and I accepted gratefully. I was utterly famished.

"This is delicious," I said happily to Spirit, as I tucked in.

I saw he was too devouring the food and I remembered how he had carried me across miles of ocean that day. He must be starving, even if he was a super strong mer. I took a sneaky peek at his lovely huge, muscular arms. They really are soo hot.

As I feasted, I marvelled at my current situation. I mean, I could not actually believe I was down here in an underwater palace... dining with mermaids.

"You know, when I saw Ri out at sea the other night watching me, I never thought I'd end up down here a week later as a mermaid, eating sushi with you and Nephys," I said, sighing. I don't know why I thought of that night, in particular. I guess it had been the first time I had had some kind of contact with the mers since returning to Starfish.

"Ri?" said Spirit, raising his eyebrows. "And sushi?"

I giggled. "It's Japanese food," I explained, "And yeah, I saw a mer out at sea watching me. I think it was Ri, checking up on me."

"You were with a tall woman with brown hair," said Spirit.

"Yes!" I cried. "How did you know?"

"It was me," he replied, picking up some more food and putting it into his mouth.

"What?" I shrieked. "It was you?"

"Mmm," he said as he chewed.

"Why?" I asked.

He stopped eating and looked at me. "I wanted to see if he would still love you before I brought you to him," he replied.

"What?" I cried. What a cheek!

He laughed. "I had not seen you in many seasons; it is possible you had changed, somewhat."

"Changed?" I squeaked.

"Yes, changed. You humans change don't you? Get older, fatter..." he said, somewhat frustrated.

I shrieked in outrage, and he laughed. Stupid man, does my personality not matter?

"Well, even your spirit can alter," he reasoned, as though he were reading my mind. "It can be crushed, destroyed, captured by another. I just had to check you were still... you."

I looked at him. "And?" I asked.

He looked down at me, "Well, I came for you, didn't I?"

I smiled. "So you don't think I've changed?"

"Well," he began, "you have... grown up a little," he replied. I could see his eyes flicker around my chest.

I put another Camul in my mouth.

"You were still really beautiful," he said.

All, I can say, is that I was glad I hadn't yet swallowed the capsule, otherwise, I probably would have choked. There it was; his first compliment.