Khrystal grasped Calistya’s hand and pulled her out of reach of the merman’s outstretched, webbed fingers, pulling her friend safely away from the water. Their land-legs faltered on the slick cavern walls, each faltering step upward a false hope, as the safer path twisted cruelly back toward the water below. They jumped in, attempting to make for the opposite shoreline. Stunned slow by the icy water, the merman had little trouble catching up with them and wrapping them up in his strong arms.

They thrashed against his grip, but their movements faltered. Fear coursed through them, yet a strange calm overcame their limbs—like a wave they couldn’t resist. The urge to fight melted away, leaving only the tremor of shared confusion that asked, wordlessly: What will this being do to us?

As it turned out, not much. He brought them back to the house-on-the-shelf, pushed open the door, and showed them in. Inside, the house exuded a cozy warmth, the walls shimmering faintly with bioluminescent algae. A merboy appeared briefly, his curious eyes taking them in before he darted away, leaving ripples in the water that seemed to spin for an eternity in his wake.

The merman didn’t speak, but he didn’t forbid them from speaking either, so they whispered to each other about what was going on. Just as they’d decided to try speaking with the imposing creature, another swam in. A mermaid this time, statuesque and graceful, and just about the most breathtaking creature either girl had ever seen.

The silence was so disconcerting, finally Khrystal worked up the nerve to say, “Hello. I’m Khrystal. Mrs.?”

Getting no response, Khrystal looked to the male and repeated herself.

The pair stared back, implacable. Then they looked at each other, and suddenly the mermaids voice filled their minds, a harmony that transcended words, weaving images and emotions into a perfect understanding.

You’ve come such a long way, my little ones. Are you alright?

An approximation of the meaning the mermaid conveyed, but there was so much more to it. Warm and loving, concerned, and welcoming.

The girls didn’t know what to say. They looked at each other, then back at the grown merfolk, real merfolk. Not like the ones in the city, which called themselves such, but in reality were merely humans, descended from the cities of man before the great plunge. Technologically enhanced, not true denizens of the sea.

Not like these gorgeous beings before them. There was nothing human about these merfolk. They were natural. Perfect. Not a blemish or a mark, chiseled and shaped like porcelain museum pieces.

As the girls, and they really were girls—no point in calling each other technos any longer—stared at each other, Khrystals eyes began to flutter. Calistya realized that she was having trouble seeing straight, and she wondered if her eyes were of the same quality. But the room was spinning far too much to be concerned with the condition of her eyes, and—”

With a whoosh, they were in motion. Caught in the powerful grasp of the merman, he sped them for the surface at an incredible clip. When they reached the undersea cove, he quickly placed them on the beach and removed their breathing gear. In the excitement of their incredible discoveries, they’d completely neglected the fact that they—unlike these magical creatures—could not breathe underwater for an extended amount of time. They’d forgotten to charge up their breathing gear, which had been on the go ever since they left The Shallows. They should’ve thought to fill up when they were in the cove, but in all the excitement…

I’ll watch over you girls, came a voice inside their heads. They looked at each other, then over to the merman who rose proudly out of the water. He looked as if he could breathe air if he was of a mind to, but it seemed more likely he was simply holding his breath for an extended period.

I am Sammel. My wife Sara and I will take care of you, until you are ready to return to the realm of the legged ones.

His words formed perfectly, but the girls were still confused and not quite sure of themselves. Calistya wanted to say thank you, but she didn’t quite know if she should voice it, or if—”

You’re welcome, child. But you don’t belong here. We must return you to your people soon. They’re certain to be looking for you.

With one more thought that was emotion more than words, a comforting, have no fear emotion that conveyed ‘I’ll be right back’, along with a dozen lesser sentiments, the merman made a high-pitched, real sound of preparation, then jumped clean out of the water and into a dive. If the feelings he’d conveyed were correct, he’d gone back to his home for supplies. The girls collapsed onto the sand, exhausted.

The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

* * *

The merfolk let the girls sleep in open air, and when they awoke their breathing gear lay beside them, fully charged. They couldn’t recall if they’d done it themselves during the night, or if the merman had done it for them. All they knew was they were feeling much, much better, and were ready to do some exploring.

They hadn’t been told not to, so they girls dove down to have another look at the icy cold shelf where their new merfolk friends lived. They made it to the door without trouble, and then, taking a moment to warm up, they knocked.

The merboy answered. He looked slightly shocked at their appearance, but swam aside and allowed them through. Inside the house looked much the same as it had the day before. There was no sign of the adults. The merboy looked as though he wanted to say something, but he made no sound. Then he stared at them, concentrating, and they got the distinct impression that they should enter the living quarters and be comfortable.

Calistya thanked him—the audible comment seemed to catch him by surprise—and they trio made their way further into the cozy abode. There seemed to be a food preparation area off to one side, and there was a tunnel that seemed to extend up into another level. But the boy had invited them specifically into the living area, so that was where they came to rest.

The boy showed them around the room, teaching them about various objects by rote. There was a resting place carved into one wall, with soft corals that felt like sponges under hand and flipper. It was a very comfortable space, and there were two available so the girls could try it at the same time.

Then there were some clever little hand and flipper warmers, easy enough to get a handle on once they were shown. They used them, then put them back in their place inside the wall. From the looks of it, that section of the house was slightly warmer than the rest. Perhaps attached to the volcanic vents that existed all around them? Calistya made a mental note to ask her oceanography teacher if there was any evidence of such volcanic activity anywhere near their city. Clearly there was, unless this was an entirely new source of energy they’d never been taught about. But volcanic activity seemed the most logical.

By the time the adults came back, the girls had had enough of exploring, and were growing slightly tired of their confinement. It occurred to them, based on the dimensions of this place, that the family rarely spent time at home. It seemed as though this was merely a stopover sort of place, for eating and resting, and then heading back out to sea. And from the powerful physique of these beings, they must have spent a good deal of their time on the move.

Not that they didn’t look quite comfortable at rest. In fact, the couple bore a striking image as they floated there in front of the girls, and not for the first time Calistya found herself quite drawn to that compelling merman who’d rescued her from drowning just one day ago.

We must speak with you about our son, said Sara.

He hasn’t returned in several tides, and we fear for his safety, added Sammel.

It had gotten to the point where they could define which of the two were ‘speaking’ based on the emotional resonance of their thought patterns. One ‘sounded’ distinctly female, the other definitively not. It wasn’t a sound, though, not high or low pitch or anything like that, but rather a quality of thought, impossible to describe, but compellingly clear to experience.

“How can we help?” Khrystal’s voice broke the stillness, startling the merboy. His wide eyes darted toward Sara, seeking reassurance, before flicking back to Khrystal with a mixture of hesitation and hope.

My son, go to your chamber for now, thought Sara. Wait there for us to return.

The merboy hesitated, his gaze locking on the silver necklace Calistya wore. He recognized it immediately. Kyle had noticed that very same trinket when he’d first become fascinated with this girl, staring at it with a strange intensity Kip hadn’t understood at the time. His brother often shared memories that didn’t make sense, though, so he’d thought nothing of it.

But maybe it wasn’t the girl that had captivated Kyle, the boy thought now. Maybe it’s that shiny pretty on her gill-space. He squinted as he observed her neck, and the glint of metal on it, and realized with a start that there were no gills on that space. So odd, these creatures.

But they mattered to his brother, or their shiny possessions did, at least. And if such things mattered to Kyle, maybe they could mean something to him too. Maybe they held the secret to why his brother had changed so much, or why he’d vanished for tides on end.

Go to your chamber, Kyp, Sara’s thought repeated, firmer this time. And wait there.

Kip started, the compulsion broken. He turned and swam off, with one last backwards glance at the glint of silver on that gill-less being his brother so adored.

Calistya caught his stare and smiled, eliciting a shy reaction as he swam away faster. Kyp. What a cute name, for such an adorable little boy. Merboy, she corrected, still finding it hard to believe.

Some of your kind seek to harm us, Sara’s thought-voice sounded once her child had removed himself, all-business now. Cool and unyielding. “They long for something they do not understand. We fear they may use our child as a pawn in their schemes.”

We must be ready, Sammet added, his resolve resonating throughout the chamber as if it had been audibly delivered, rather than silently conveyed.

The adults, distraught in the realization that their older son was in peril, failed to realize that Kyp remained within thought-shot. His eyes widened as he took in the details about his brother, and the danger he may be in.

With a shiver, he began swimming in circles, uncertainty rising into a child-like panic. Then, he made a decision, and began swimming away from where his parents, too preoccupied to pick up on his distress, were still in communication with the strange guests. He knew where they'd come from. Knew that his brother was interested in that place, as well. Realized his brother might not know what was in store. He had to do something.