Stolen Scales

Chapter 46

Alai frowns at Kyma. "Is there a reason I was dragged up here?"

Kyma shakes her head. "Not really, I just didn't think you would be appreciative if I left you down there."

Alai gives her a small smile. "Thanks. I do appreciate it. Are you going to tell them now?"

Fala frowns in confusion. "Tell us what?"

Kyma grins excitedly at sharing the news. "I passed my final lesson!"

Now Nami is frowning in confusion as well. "Kyma, we have no idea what lessons you are talking about."

"My language lessons. I've been taking them for two months."

Fala's expression brightens, she has always loved knowing about languages. "What language was it?"

"English, the signs, and Scottish Gaelic."

Fala's eyes light up even more if that was possible. "Scottish Gaelic? I thought that was a dead language."

Alai shakes her head, scowling. "Oh no, It's not. Well, it might be in the human world, but it's still the primary language of the Aos Sí."

Nami frowns again. "Yeah, we don't know who the Aos Sí are."

Alai gives the two a rundown. "The Aos Sí are faeries, led by two courts. The Seelie and and Unseelie courts. The lesser Aos Sí include us merrows as well as many other creatures like Puca, Nokks, Banshees, Selkies, and more."

"Wow, okay, that was a lot. Kyma, did you just come to tell us you passed or are we going to do something more exciting?" Fala's expression turns mischievous as she finishes speaking.

Kyma laughs. "Something more exciting, of course!"

"Like what?"

Kyma ponders that for a moment. "We could find a pod of dolphins and go racing with them."

Everyone's eyes light up in excitement at that suggestion, causing Kyma to laugh giddily before diving back down beneath the surface, shooting through the kelp grove to reach open water. Once she emerges from the grove, she stops to wait for the others. Lyss emerges first, her face thunderous in anger.

She sighs to Kyma. "You have to stop leaving me behind! I'm your guard."

Kyma winces. "Sorry."

Lyss' shoulders slump with a sigh as a small stream of bubbles exit her mouth. "It's alright, but please try to stop doing that. I really can't guard you if you're always leaving me behind."

"I'll try."

Lyss' expression softens and she turns to look at the grove just as Alai comes barreling through to join them with her eyes filled with mirth. Fala and Nami follow a second later, right on Alai's fins. Kyma laughs to herself and signs to them.

"Were you guys racing each other through the grove?"

Alai grins sheepishly. "Maybe."

"Come on, we need to find a pod!"

Kyma darts off once more, and because she gave Lyss a split second warning, Lyss stays at her side as she swims off through the water. As they start to approach the borders of the kingdom, Alai speeds ahead of Kyma to take the lead of the group. Kyma is momentarily confused by this before she remembers that Alai is a scout, she would go outside the borders often. When they reach the border, they are met with a Borderguard.

"Why are you leaving the kingdom?"

Alai signs back, and because of her angle, it is a little difficult for Kyma to make out the signs. "We're just going outside the borders to find a dolphin pod, have a little fun. We'll be back in a short while."

He nods. "I can let you and the two newcomers out, as long as you try to scout a little bit, but the Princess is another story."

Instead of Alai, Lyss signs to him. "I'm her guard, I'll be going with her. She'll be fine."

He hesitates for a moment before responding. "Very well. Please be careful."

"We will."

He shifts aside with a flick of his tail, giving them the message that he is letting them pass. The group does so, picking up speed once they are several meters past him. They speed through the clear and open waters, occasionally changing their direction in search of a pod.
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Do you think they will find a pod? Will anything else happen while they are out there? What do you think will happen next? Tell me your thoughts!

Happy reading, and I'll see you next chapter!

~Goddess of Fate, signing out.