Jabir leaned forward, squinting into the water. Another glint. And then… mesmerizing eyes.
Beautiful, luminous, jade-colored eyes… watching him.
His breath caught.
She was there. Just beneath the surface. Half-hidden, half-glowing, like a dream refusing to fade.
He lowered the stone in his hand and hummed—softly—just a few bars from a lullaby he used to sing to the injured animals in the sanctuary. A tune of calm and welcome, wrapped in wonder.
The water rippled.
The girl rose.
Not all the way. Just far enough that her arm emerged from the water, slender and dripping. Her hand opened.
In her palm… were the pebbles he had skipped.
His mouth fell open, a soft laugh escaping before he could stop it. “You found them?” he murmured, his voice thick with disbelief and delight.
She didn’t speak. Just watched him with wide, curious eyes.
Jabir looked around quickly. There—a flat rock near the edge of his boulder. Big enough to sit on. He held up one finger, gesturing for her to wait. He quickly removed his boots and socks before rolling up his pant legs.
His heart pounded as he kept flicking glances to make sure she hadn’t disappeared again. He placed his socks into his boots before he slid onto the smaller rock. This rock was barely above the surface of the water. The girl swam closer, cautious but not afraid.
He swallowed nervously when she was just a few feet away. Her hands were cradled in front of her like she was offering treasure.
“Hey there,” Jabir said gently, his voice soft as the ripples between them. “I’m Jabir.”
He wasn’t sure she understood what he was saying. Wasn’t sure she could speak. He nervously rubbed his hands against his thighs. He felt tongue-tied, unsure what to say or do.
Her upper body surfaced as she floated onto a smooth, moss-covered stone a short distance away. Water cascaded down her shoulders. Her silvery hair clung in long strands, like moonlight spun into silk. She was breathtaking—otherworldly, and he couldn’t believe that she was real.
They stared at each other, caught in that quiet space where nothing needed to be said.
Then she smiled.
Just the smallest tilt of her lips.
She reached forward… and let the pebbles tumble into his palm.
“…Jewel.”
Her voice was barely above a whisper. It reminded him of the soft sound of song caught on the wind.
Jabir blinked, trying to process what she was saying over the thunder of his heartbeat.
Jewel. Her name is Jewel.
He stared at her with wide eyes. “I—I’m Jabir,” he managed, awkward now, flushed and a little dizzy from holding his breath.
He sank down onto the rock, clutching the pebbles. He almost slipped trying to sit and caught himself at the last second, which only made her lips twitch with amusement. He chuckled nervously and cleared his throat. “So, uh… I’m not from around here. What’s it like?”
Jewel tilted her head, her eyes glimmering like polished jade. “You are not afraid of me?” she asked with a hint of wonder in her voice.
Jabir frowned, genuinely confused. “No. Why should I be afraid of you?”
She twisted, her silver hair flowing over her shoulders like liquid moonlight. Without warning, she rose on a wave of water, gliding onto the rock beside him. His breath caught. The tail he expected wasn’t there. She had legs now—long, slender, impossibly graceful legs. Water glistened on her skin like stars caught in dew. His throat went dry. A strange heat crept up his neck.
