His hands moved so his arms hugged her waist and they tightened around her. He said nothing, and she didn’t know what he could possibly be thinking. Part of her wished she never had told him—she really didn’t want him thinking poorly of humans—and part of her wished she had told him sooner so he could haveknownwhy she didn’t want Mr. Wilson to see him.
After a long time, he said, “Are you sure? Are you sure they might not just leave us alone?”
“That’s the one thing I’m sure they would never do.”
And he held her tighter.
CHAPTER 51
Kallias was very quiet when they got back to the cave. There was a cool breeze coming off the water, and already wet, she wasn’t sure she would be able to make it the whole night.
But she wasn’t ready to leave him either, not when he looked like this. Maybe she really shouldn’t have told him. Maybe he was rethinking the two ofthem,morose as his face looked. That wasn’t so outrageous, she supposed, if before he had never realized he coulddiebecause of being near her. She’d probably reevaluate too.
That was her fair, logical side’s opinion. Her heart was furious if the thought had even crossed his mind.
But when he said nothing, she lay beside him and nuzzled herself against him. His arm seemed to loop around her unconsciously; his other lingered near his head, twirling a strand of his hair.
“What are you thinking?” she asked after a minute.
His arm tightened a bit around her, and he turned on his side to her. “I was just thinking about what you said. I’d be quite helpless out of the ocean, wouldn’t I? I’d have no way to get back.”
“No,” she agreed softly.
“And it’s not just about me either. If someone were to see me and know we are real, they might start looking for other mermaids too.”
“They probably would,” she agreed. The curiosity of man was as much a curse as it was a blessing.
“I saved you without thinking and I was trying to save those men. I wouldn’t have thought anyone would hurt someone who helped them.”
The truth was that sometimes even that wouldn’t matter. “People can be incredibly…selfish,” she said. “They can pretend not to see the suffering of others.”
He frowned. “Now I don’t know what I would do if I saw someone drowning, and I feel bad for even thinking that.”
“There’s nothing bad about thinking it,” she said. “It’s better to be honest with yourself if that’s what you’re feeling than pretend you’re not because of shame. And there’s nothing wrong with not risking your life for another.”
“You would,” he said.
“But it’s different.”
“Is it?”
“Yeah, I’m risking my life, not a lifetime of torture or slavery.” She wasn’t sure he knew those words and she was glad for it.
“I think I would still rescue them,” he said after a moment.
“Youwhat?” She couldn’t help but gasp, and she felt her heart drop. How ironic that she almost wished her beau wasn’t as kind as he was.
“They might not tell anyone, or they might be unconscious like you were. Or I could probably swim away before they realize.”
“And if they’re fully awake and you have to swim them some distance?”
“They’re not really drowning then?” he said weakly.
“The boat’s sunk and they will if you don’t. What then?”
“Then I’d save them of course.”
She stopped herself from saying, ‘I hate you.” She didn’t of course; it was the words she hated, and she knew saying such words herself was pointlessly hurtful—a scar that never needed to be formed.
