Chapter 56 A Talk
984words
I glanced up at him.
"A walk, you say?" Mom inquired, fighting a smile. "Of course, she can go for a walk. Right, love?"
"Sure." I got up to my feet, glancing at the suspicious food brewing on the stove. I couldn't ignore the growling beast growing inside my stomach. "Let me grab a snack if you don't mind."
"I can wait," Kayn said, leaning with a hip against the kitchen counter.
I felt the weight of Kayn's eyes on me as he resumed small talk with Mom while I dug through the cupboards for something to take with me to eat. I ended up with a box of Oreos and a muesli bar. "Okay, I'm ready to go."
Kayn eyed my lunch with a frown before saying goodbye to my mom and filed outside.
It wasn't until we stepped outside that Kayn glanced at me and asked, "So, we're going to play footsie?"
I released a long groan. "Great, so you heard that."
"Also that your mom thinks I'm handsome."
"Get over yourself."
"So you don't agree with her?" he inquired.
My heart did a skip, and I sputtered a, "No."
"You do agree with her?" he paused.
"Yes. I mean…" I scowled. "Ugh. You know what I mean. I meant I disagree with her."
"You know I can feel when you're lying."
"Had it ever occurred to you that there's a possibility your magical senses, or whatever you call it, could be wrong?" I crossed my arms.
"No," he shrugged. "Because it doesn't have to occur to me. It has never been wrong before."
"So, how does this stupid link work?"
"Oh, now you're curious?"
"Kayn," I gritted.
"Let's go somewhere else, and we can talk," he glanced over his shoulder and bit down a smile. "Your Mom is watching us."
Sure enough, I spotted Mom as she fell back from the doorway to hide from us.
"Good idea."
Kayn led me toward the cave Ember had first brought me to—his cave. He settled onto a boulder, stretching his legs out in front of him, and stared at the ground.
"So, what's up?"
"I thought you'd have questions," he glanced up at me. An uneasy feeling settled inside me, and I knew he was nervous about something.
"Kayn, what's wrong?" I frowned.
He released an unsteady breath. "A lot, actually, but let's try to tackle one thing at a time."
"You think someone saw us?"
"Well, I'm certain someone already suspects you know, even before the Kraken attack. Remember Graves?" Kayn asked. "Why do you think he went after you?"
I sat on the floor across Kayn, staring up at him. "I haven't thought about him yet. Since you convinced me I got drugged and that what I saw wasn't real. I've been more focused on processing more recent events."
"We don't attack for the kicks of it, Carly. That's more the fae's thing to do. Unless someone had put him up to it, or, I don't know..."
"So Graves, he's a merman?"
"Yes, but he's from the water folk. Land walkers won't attack a human without getting provoked with good reason."
"Okay?'
"This worries me," he said. "You don't get it, do you? If he's from the water folk and knows something, you think he'd not tell anyone? They would do anything to ruin humans."
"Oh," I breathed. "But he doesn't have proof that I know. I mean, I didn't even know at the time when he attacked me."
"He doesn't know that," Kayn stated. "He could tell them you know, whether you do or not. Who do you think the council is more likely to believe? Him, a water folk, or a human girl and a land walker—and take note, my bloodline doesn't run in my favor, either."
"Then what can we do?" I asked. "You think he'll come back for me?"
"I don't know, Carly," he sighed. "It could be a random attack, but what bothers me is that there've never been attacks before you. None that we know of."
"It's possible he's good at cleaning his tracks?" I suggested. "I mean, there have been talks about people disappearing."
"It doesn't add up to an attack I would link to our kind. We leave traces, even if it's subtle."
"Is there a way I can protect myself from him, in case it wasn't a random attack?"
Kayn swallowed. "Me."
"So, you're my only chance?" I groaned. "That's just great."
"I could have left you for dead long ago."
"Then why didn't you?" I scowled.
"Don't start."
I crossed my arms. "At least then everyone would have been fine and live happily ever after sans Carly."
He released an excessive groan, rubbing his face with his hands. "The point is, we need to keep you and your family safe. We need to divert your mom from the ocean."
"Yeah, I know, but that's easier said than done." I remained still for a moment, then added, "For real, why do you care what happens to us? Wouldn't it be easier for you to let me go my way and die if I have to?"
Not that's what I wanted, but Kayn knew how to drag my nerves.
"You want your parents to die?" He raised his head. "Because this involves them too now. Especially your mom, who can't leave things be."
"Really? Because I have a hunch there is something amiss here," I sat up. "Ember mentioned there's something I should know but wouldn't tell me. And if this concerned my parents, why were you and your grandpa specific when you said that I need to get away from here? Is there something wrong with me?"
I didn't think Kayn could turn any paler. "What exactly did Ember tell you?"
