Page 59 of Entangled

Eighteen

“Merrow? Merrow, honey, it’s me. Sebastian.”

Merrow slowly opened her eyes to discover herself in a bed in the castle with Sebastian standing over her, holding her hands.

“Where am I?”

“You are in Evandorm Castle,” he told her in a soft voice. “How do you feel?”

“I’m fine. Why am I in bed?” She sat up, holding her hand to her stomach. “Oh, now I remember. I am sorry for throwing up on the floor.”

“No one minds.”

“Speak for yourself, you big oaf. Unless you’re the one cleaning up the mess, then you’d mind.” Elric crawled atop the bed, sitting there staring at her.

“Is something wrong, Elric?” she asked, knowing the little man had something to say.

“You’re pregnant, that’s what’s wrong,” spat Elric, making Sebastian cringe. He had wanted to be the one to tell her.

“I am?” Her worried eyes traveled over to Sebastian. “Oh. That’s not good, is it?”

“We’re not exactly sure,” Sebastian answered. “No one here really knows a lot about…about your kind. However, Elric thinks it is unwise to get married now.”

“Why?” Her gaze flew over to the elf.

“That’s not what I said.” Elric crossed his arms over his chest and raised his chin in the air. “I said, you should have gotten married first. Now she’ll be a human trying to birth a sea creature.”

“Nymph. Say nymph, not creature,” Sebastian told the elf under his breath.

“Oh. That is not good.” Merrow felt excited at being pregnant but was worried since what the elf said was true. “It could be dangerous, I suppose. If it is a girl.”

“What do you mean?” asked Sebastian.

“All girls born to sea nymphs are nymphs,” Merrow explained. “But if I have a boy, it could be human since you are human, Sebastian.”

“But…if you have a nymph and you are human, how will we raise her?”

“That might be tricky,” she said in deep thought. “I don’t really know how that would work.”

“We need to find someone to ask. Someone who knows all about birthing sea nymphs,” suggested Sebastian.

“I know the perfect person to ask. My mother! After all, she birthed fifty-one children.”

“And your brother was a nymph too,” he pointed out.

“Yes. But my parents were both nymphs. I am sure that is why.”

“How can we contact her?” Sebastian let go of her hands and stood up straight.

“The only way to do that would be to go into the sea and call her with my mind.” Merrow started to get out of bed, but laid back down when the pain in her belly cramped up once more.

“You’re not going anywhere,” Sebastian told her, heading for the door. “You stay here. I will do it for you.”

“Don’t be silly. You can’t do that!” Elric was at it again. He didn’t seem to be a very positive or supportive man at all.

“I’ve spoken to Merrow in my mind before. I can do it. Just give me a chance.” Sebastian left the room before anyone could stop him.

It wasn’t long before Sebastian had boarded The Spectrum with the Blackseed brothers as well as with the ornery little elf. They took the ship far out on the Masked Sea, trying to remember the exact area where the portal had opened before. It would be their best bet to contact Merrow’s family on the other side, the closer they could get to the portal.