Chapter 109 One step at a Time
1042words
"I hope you're right," I breathed, my eyes narrowing on the water crashing against the rocks in front of us.
"What is it that you're really scared of, Carly?" he paused, watching me with a frown creasing his forehead.
"Honestly?" I sighed. "I'm not sure how I feel turning into a...mermaid. It's all so...I don't know."
"Foreign?" he supplied. "Different? Not what you're used to?"
"That," I admitted. "Scary. I can't really explain it to you. I think it's also a confirmation that my parents had been lying to me my whole life."
Kayn remained still for a stretch of a minute, as we both stared down at the water, then, "You've been wondering who your real parents are and where you really come from, haven't you?"
"It may have crossed my mind a few times since finding out." Truth be told, it was all I thought about if I didn't keep myself busy.
"We can find out if you want?"
I peered at him, forcing a smile. "How about we just do this first and then figure that out when we get there?"
"Sure." His voice was light, but the serious expression didn't slip from his face. "So, you do not want to go into the water with clothes on. I think we've already covered the subject of how painful it is if you get clothes fused to your skin."
I eyed him. "I figured that much."
"Okay?" He gave me a quizzical look and I clucked my tongue.
"Turn around, you idiot," I snorted a laugh. "No free pass here."
"Damn, so much for hoping," he teased, but turned his back to me. "You want me to get in first and wait for you?"
"So that you can peek through the water?" I snipped. "Forget it, buddy."
His only response was a long sigh, but I didn't have to see his face to know he was smiling.
Slowly, I made work of shedding my clothes, starting with my shoes and socks, and took off my shirt and bra last.
I crossed my arms to my chest, my eyes not moving from Kayn. "I swear if you peek..."
"I'll be a good boy, I promise."
"Like you even know the meaning of."
"There's a lot you need to learn about me," he quipped. "Hey, have you never gotten naked in front of a guy?"
My cheeks blossomed with heat and I huffed. "Does it matter?"
"Sure," he replied. "If you're a mermaid, you're going to get naked. A lot. You better start getting used to it."
I scowled at the back of my head, sticking in a toe into the icy water, and hissed.
He half-turned, only for me to half-shout at him, "Don't look!"
"Are you okay?" Genuine concern marred his tone.
"Yes," I snapped. The water is cold. Like ice—oh, crap!"
"What?" I caught a glimpse of his back tensing before I fell flat on my butt into the water and a giant, pearl-colored tail sprouted from the water.
I screeched in panic, trying to pull away from it, only to realize a moment later as the tail moved with me, that it was mine.
I had a freaking tail.
"Carly, if you don't answer me I swear I don't care what you do, I will turn—"
"I have a tail," I squeaked and he turned, his eyes stretching wide when they found my tail.
"Holy shit," he breathed, his eyes trailing up from my fin to my torso and to my chest.
I lifted my arms to cover up, hissing at him under my breath, only to discover I had the same, pearly scales covering my boobs.
"Oh."
"You look..." he fell silent, gaping at me. It was quite amusing to see him like that. Who would have known? There were actually things that could knock him speechless. He, the king of retorts and wisecracks, was left without words.
"You okay?" I asked. "You look like you've gone into shock."
"Carly..." he breathed.
"Oh, come on. I know this looks, well, kinda cool," I admitted. "But I'm pretty confident it's not that shocking."
He sat down on the rocks, completely dumbfounded.
"Kayn?" My brow quirked. "Are you all right over there?"
"It's just..." His mouth opened and closed. He repeated the motion a few times before he managed, "Carly, we have a big, big problem."
"Huh?" I peered down at myself and wiggled my tail. It felt much lighter than it looked, and the scales were remarkably soft to touch. "What's the problem? Hey, I kind of like the color. Never been a fan of white. Well, it's more of a pearly color, but I actually like it."
Kayn just stared at me.
"Are you going to keep staring or tell me what the problem is?"
"Carly," he breathed. "You're royalty."
I snorted a laugh. "Laying it a bit thick, aren't you?"
"No, you don't understand."
"Okay, Kayn," I rolled my eyes. "Enough with the dramatics. Come, let's go swim."
"Carly, it isn't a good idea if anyone in the water notices you out in the open."
I frowned. "What do you mean? The AOUB can't find us under there."
"That's not what I'm worried about."
"Then what?" I huffed. "Seriously, Kayn. What's up?"
"Carly," he swallowed. "You're born from royalty."
"Come again?"
"Only royal merfolk bear the pearly scales," he explained. "Only those born in direct line of the throne have scales in that color."
I blinked at him. "This isn't funny."
"I wasn't trying to be funny."
I blanched. "Okay, but how is this a bad thing?"
He got up and grabbed the towel lying on the rock. "I'll explain it once we get you away from the water. I don't know where your mom found you, but if they find her, she's in a lot of trouble."
"How much?" I watched him draw closer.
"They will kill her on sight."
