The dark waters| ✓

27. DEPTHS OF THY LOVE

What do the mers eat, fishes? Or humans?

I lie on the stone platform, consumed by weird and sometimes morbid thoughts about Marinus and the mers. I have been lying on it since the past half an hour. I can't leave my room, so I decided to seek entertainment in my own thoughts. I look out of the glass wall on my side to see the creatures swimming past me. Apart from some common fishes, every creature is unknown to me, I have never seen them even in any aquarium. I hear footsteps and turn around. Dylan.

"Leah." He says as he reaches the bed in a swift movement. He looks relieved and happy and deep down I feel the same. His eyes look tired and he looks groggy, but they sparkle. I don't know if it's because of the water or something else. His grey hair looks messier than ever, which make him look oddly adorable.

Focus Leah.

"Hi." I say not putting much effort to hide the awkwardness.

"I'm so happy to see you here. When I got to know you were in danger-"

"How did you get to know?" In the midst of all the confusion and shocks, I had completely forgotten about how I had reached here.

"Your bracelet. I couldn't breathe, so we figured they found you and tried to kill you. It took me to you." I see him gulp. " I thought I lost you. It keep as an shock that you could breathe."

"Yeah shocker." I say avoiding his eyes. I have been looking down this whole time. I can't bear to look into his eyes.

"So I'm half mer?" I say trying to fill up the awkward silence.

"Huh? Yeah... yeah you're half mer." Dylan says. I look at him and up close he looks exhausted. He zoned out staring at the corner of the room.

"Do you think I still have my psychic abilities?" I ask still looking at him.

"I guess." He mutters.

" there's only one way to find out." I say taking his hand. Up close I see the goosebumps on his hands that come when hold his hand. He snaps out of his reverie and looks at me. I close my eyes and concentrate on his thoughts.

I sense confusion at first but then an overwhelming sensation of longing and pain. Suddenly the face of Noelani flashes in front of my eyes.I let go of his hand and open my eyes.

I feel a pang of sadness go through me as I look into his eyes. The pain is almost physical, I can feel it in my bones and muscles. His eyes, oh so beautiful. They are a whole different world, a swirl of beautiful colours, but blue green dominating them all.

"Noelani..." I say. "Who is she?" I ask trying to sound controlled and stable.

"She... uh-." the colour of his cheeks fades away as he tries to give me an answer.

"I'm his fiancé Leah." I hear someone say from behind.