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Macey nodded and waved at the blue men. One of them - a large guy with a massive sapphire mane - stepped forward and imitated her gesture.
“What do you want?” she shouted, hoping they could hear her through the mist. It had become a little less foggy now, and she was able to make out more and more detail of their strange surroundings. They seemed to be standing on a frozen loch, or river, or... some frozen body of water. A thin layer of frost covered the ice, forming strange patterns that looked like they weren’t just random.
We need help.
“Join the club,” Flint sighed.
“Maybe they can help us get waffles if we help them in return?” Jared asked hopefully and Macey had to hide a grin. This maybe wasn’t the best time for Jared’s sense of humour.
“How can we help?” she shouted, having taken on the role of negotiator. She was used to it; letting her help in resolving arguments had been one of her father’s strategies. People were more likely to give an innocent looking girl what she wanted than a king.
The Storms are in uproar. They told us to find the Seven Wardens. We asked the Staran to take us to them. Now we’re here. But there are only four of you.
Macey grimaced. Yes, they were working on that. Not that she fully believed in the whole Warden thingy. It was a little too far-fetched, even for a kelpie.
“How can the Wardens help you?” she asked.
The blue men’s leader did something like a shrug, but it didn’t quite work. It was clear they weren’t used to being out of the water.
The Storms will know. You need to come with us.
“Sorry, we’re kind of busy right now!” Flint shouted before she could reply. “I don’t trust them,” he whispered. “It’s all too much of a coincidence that they found us here. We need to get to Malan, he will have some answers. I hope.”
“What if he doesn’t?” Macey asked.
“Then we can visit the na fir ghorma?” He smiled sheepishly, seeing the flaw in his argument. They had no idea how to get to the blue men, nor where exactly they lived. The Minch was a large area.
“We will come with you!” Macey called to the groan of the guys.
“Who put you in charge?” Jared complained. “I wanted waffles.”
“Are there any other princesses amongst us? No? See, I’m the only one. I outrank you.”
“I’m not a kelpie,” he began to argue, but she cut him off by walking towards the blue men.
“Do you promise us safe passage?” she asked, feeling very important. This was like something that happened in books.
Of course. You will each have to hold hands with us. The Staran won’t let you enter our kingdom otherwise.
“Oh, you’ve got a monarchy as well?” She was beginning to see similarities between the two kelpie kinds.
Yes. I am Muahwa, the Crown Prince. Take my hand.
She looked at his outstretched, webbed, slightly slimy hand. By the waves, she hadn’t expected to touch a merman when she woke up this morning. Although he might eat her if he knew she was calling him that. What else were those giant mouths for if not to eat people? They seemed to talk with their minds only; none of them had uttered a single word since they’d appeared.
Nodding at her companions to do the same, she put her hand in his, surprised at the warmth of his skin. They each chose a blue man to touch... okay, that sounded strange. Creepy.
Ready?
Before she could nod, they were pulled into the nothingness of the Staran once more.
The nothingness happened again. Though at least this time she was ready for it. Almost. The painful tug in her stomach didn’t happen this time either, which confirmed that they’d been pulled out of the Staran early last time. Or at least, it did in Macey’s mind; Cam and Flint may end up feeling different.
She looked around, surprised to find herself standing inside what appeared to be half a bubble surrounded by water. She shuddered. It felt unnatural, she shouldn’t be in human form while surrounded by water. How was she supposed to breathe? Or swim?
Okay, she knew how she’d swim, she was just as capable of swimming in human form as she was when a full kelpie, but that wasn’t the point.
“I don’t like this,” Flint murmured from behind her, and she could sense his uneasiness. She let go of the hand of the blue prince and turned to meet his worried eyes. His fire seemed dimmer than before and she wondered why. Until she began cursing herself, that was. How hadn’t she realised that being underwater, even if it was in a bubble of air, would be uncomfortable for someone whose whole body was filled with fire?
