Treasuring the last mermaid (Now published so sample size only)

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"Good morning, Coral." Byron's voice surrounded me with a warmth that I adored.

"Greetings this day, Byron. Shouldn't you have to attend the aquarium today? I have to go to work too." I said, but I made no move to rush away.

"Today my many aquariums can manage to run themselves. We've got mer things to attend to first." He told me and I wondered what he meant.

"How long can you stay mer?" I asked as I shifted in the hammock to better see him.

With the sun shining down through the kelp, it's flickering rays came into my room with golden glowing beams. I could see Byron lying next to me clearly, and for the first time, I could see his tail.

Emerald green scales shimmered at me. The beauty of his tail left me mesmerised. I'd never seen such a brilliant tail in all of my life. The mark on his forehead shone the same emerald, which enhanced his features.

"You have a green tail." I blurted out, and only then realised that Byron had talked to me while I'd been all dreamy over his tail.

"Coral, did you hear a word I said?" Byron asked with amusement.

"Um, no, not really." I admitted with an embarrassed wince.

"We have a lot to achieve today, so I wanted to explain what I intended to do."

"Go right ahead." I waved him to continue.

"Are you sure you're not at all distracted?" he winked at me, and it was the cutest thing I'd ever seen.

"No, well, perhaps I was a minute or so ago, but right now I'm listening." I made a determined face and he smirked at me.

"I started by answering the question you asked me, I can stay mer for as long as I want. If I wanted, I could stay indefinitely mer or human. I have never suffered ill effects either way." He shrugged.

"That's good." I murmured trying to stay involved and not to stare at his gorgeous tail.

"Then I went on to say that we need to go and see dad."

I absorbed his words and excitement flooded through me, "seeing Lin would be quite a wonder."

"Good, then we should go now." Byron swam out of the hammock, but I wasn't quite ready to leave.

"Before we go, I think we should discuss." I pointed a hand between the two of us.

Byron paused, stared at me and seemed to consider this words carefully, "you've been mer a lot longer than me, surely you know what's happening." He quite deliberately grasped hold of my hand.

"I do know quite clearly what mer bonding is and does. Do you understand the depth of the meaning?" I stared at our joined hands.

"Dad explained mer bonding to me." Byron said with a beaming smile.

"That first day we met... it seems like so long ago now when it's only a few days. When we shook hands you knew exactly what it meant." I stated.

"Yes, and I wasn't sure what to think about you. Actually, we were probably having the same sort of thoughts." His smile turned wry.

"Meaning?"

"You thought I was human and I thought you were human. It made for a lot of interesting musings. Then I saw you at the aquarium and I wasn't sure about anything. Nothing added up. Why would a mer have a human job?

"When you dived off the cliff, I didn't understand your motives and I feared for your survival. The moment you kissed me and tried to convince me that you didn't dive off the cliff was the moment I started hoping."