A Mermaid’s Wish Read online

  She swam low in the open water, keeping to the sand and rocks of the ocean floor. She slalomed left and right around obstacles, keeping her eye out for anything that would pass as a meal or a predator.

  Taem’s head was spinning with the events of the day. She wasn’t going to put herself last anymore. Tomorrow morning, she was slipping in for the first interview of the day. If she could make it through the candidates, she deserved the position. If not, there was no shame in being the assistant to Nordal-jak.

  What are you doing out here?

  The familiar voice was even deeper on the psychic plane. I am out for some exercise, perhaps hunting if the opportunity presents itself, Your Highness.

  Call me Sardu. There is no one out here to hear you say it. His tone was amused, and he swam next to her.

  Sardu then. What brings you out here this evening?

  There is a Terror in the area. I am on patrol as a good citizen.

  The royal family are not technically citizens.

  Be quiet, Taem. His mental tone put her on alert, and he went from horizontal to vertical. She was with him in a moment.

  She felt the sonar ping that he sent out and waited with him. It came back as something large and fast moving.

  Taem moved a few feet from Sardu and waited with her trident at the ready. When the beast charged out of the dimness, it came for her. She was ready.

  With a quick flick of her tail, she moved up and to the side of the attacking beast, just as the jaws snapped shut. She spiked one eye while Sardu matched her on the other side.

  The Terror thrashed and blood filled the water. They struck at the central eye together, blinding the killing machine before it could take either of them with it.

  It continued to fill the water with its motions, so Sardu thrust forward and impaled its tiny brain. He released his trident and grabbed her around the waist, swimming with her to a safe distance from the animal’s death throes.

  She grimaced at the taste of blood in her gills, but she was still in possession of her trident, so she was confident that she could fend off any smaller predators in the area.

  Well, that takes care of that. Sardu was still upright with his arm around her waist.

  She blushed and shifted slightly to remind him of his embrace. He tightened his grip.

  That was unexpected. I hope that this was the one seen in the area. Taem was nervous and babbling.

  I am sure that it was. He swam with her to retrieve his weapon, jerking the trident out with his free arm.

  I think you can let me go now. She bit her lip and put her hand over his on her waist.

  I think you need an escort home. I have never seen a woman handle a weapon like that.

  You have been hanging out with the wrong women. This is what I have been telling Nordal. The project will need survivors to start a colony. The obsession with looks is rotting our society.

  He chuckled in her thoughts. I heartily agree. It is one of the reasons that I want to go and start over.

  His earlier comment sank in. You are going to Hekart?

  Yes, I thought you knew. I am one of the colony administrators.

  I had no idea. Why aren’t you staying here where you can have your pick of the noble women?

  He smiled and pulled her to his side. Because there is no one like you in the court. I have an interest in you, Taem-sah.

  You do?

  Of course. I normally don’t go out with my brother several times in a week.

  Taem thought about it, and Sardu had been visiting steadily for the last three months. The first time he had seen her, he was stunned, and he had returned the next day to take his brother to lunch. It had become a common occurrence, and each time, he verbally jousted with her before Nordal emerged and they went to lunch.

  Before you ask, Nordal knows.

  He knows that you are interested in conversing with me?

  Far more than that, but you never attend any of the functions that your family is invited to. It has been most frustrating for me.

  Social events were the only acceptable way for a male to meet a female, but since her mother had forbidden her to enter society, there was no place for her in those events.

  I am not a member of society.

  He slowed and pulled her until she was facing him, breasts to chest. Why not?

  She debated on how to answer the question. It was deemed unnecessary.

  But you are of a noble family.

  I am. But I have none of the grace and style required by fashion nowadays. I would rather go for long swims and enjoy the quiet. She smiled. It was the truth and didn’t make her mother look too bad.

  I see. Well, my family is holding an event this weekend. Will you be there?

  She winced. I have to help Nordal coordinate the new female candidates for colonists. He will be interviewing, and I have to collate his notes.

  You are joking. I am being cock-blocked by my brother?

  No, by the colony project. It is important for our people. Fish are getting harder to find, and the variety of life is dwindling at every city. We need this.

  He pressed his forehead to hers. I want to dance with you.

  We have already killed a Terror together. What could dancing prove?

  I could feel you against me and introduce you to my parents.

  At the same time?

  He grinned and kissed her.

  It was her first kiss, and she froze.

  He pulled back and frowned. Is something wrong?

  Her mind was rioting, her body was sending her signals she couldn’t figure out and her lips were tingling. I have never…no one has done that before.

  Wait, you have never been kissed before?

  She shook her head. It hasn’t come up.

  He chuckled, and she blushed as she realised her double entendre.

  I didn’t mean that.

  I know. It makes it funnier. Come along, Taem. I will take you home.

  I don’t think that is a good idea. If my mother sees you, I am in for an interrogation the moment I arrive.

  I will escort you to your block, then.

  Thank you. I don’t know how I would deal with that this evening. Today has been a very eventful day.

  He smiled and kept her cuddled against him as he swam back to the city, each of them holding their tridents at the ready.

  They passed through the high nobles’ neighbourhood before they turned to hers. Unfortunately for Taem, a party was letting out, and she was seen by at least five of her mother’s gossip buddies.

  Damn it. This isn’t going to be good. She muttered it to Sardu as they swam past the gaggle.

  The women pointed and whispered to each other while their husbands inclined their heads to the member of the royal family.

  Was that a problem?

  They are going to tell my mother and that is not something that I want.

  Why not, are you ashamed of me? He was blinking at her in surprise.

  Her eyes closed for a moment. No. She is ashamed of me. I have not been what she wanted in a daughter for sixteen years, and she tells me daily.

  That is horrible.

  That is why I have a big day tomorrow. I am putting a petition to the court.

  He was silent for a moment. You would not have to create the petition if you applied for the Hekart colony. You could leave home, and your family could save face.

  I have no idea if I would be accepted, and if I were, that would still leave months with my mother. I think we have reached our tipping point.

  You can house at the colony prep centre. No one will think anything of it. All you need to do is pass the interview. I am fairly sure that you know how to answer the questions.

  Of course I do. I wrote the damned questions.

  How do you know what is needed on a new world?

  They were dangerously close to her home, but it was already a moot point. I imagined the worst case being camping with no supplies all day, every day. That was the point I started
at.

  Sound reasoning, but we have already begun building. The colony is coming along well, but we need women to start the secondary phase. Building our own population.

  Oh. That.

  Yes. That. It is one of the reasons that Nordal’s mind went to the most attractive females, but he seemed to forget that they needed to be more than ornamental. Well, he forgot until he had to deal with all those bubbleheads.

  She snickered until she realised that they were at her home. Do you want to come in and meet my parents? It was a formal question that protocol demanded.

  I would like that. Thank you.

  With that, they sped into the wet entry and launched out of the water. She shifted to human and quickly offered him a deep blue guest wrap for his hips while she took an emerald green wrap that hopefully made her hair redder.

  Her mother stalked in, fury radiating from every inch. Before her mother could go off, Taem introduced her. “Prince Sardu-jak, this is my mother, Lady Timea-sah. Mother, this is Prince Sardu-jak.”

  Timea visibly regrouped. She bowed low, her hair cascading over one shoulder. “Your Highness. You honour our home with your presence.”

  “The honour is mine, Lady Timea-sah.”

  Timea expressed her confusion. “Your Highness, how is it that you know my daughter?”

  “I have had the pleasure of meeting her on several occasions. She is my brother’s personal assistant, and I visit him frequently.” Sardu moved next to Taem.

  Her eyes opened wide as he placed his arm proprietarily around her waist. “Mother, I believe that Father would enjoy meeting Prince Sardu-jak. I will take him to the study.”

  Timea’s eyes widened. “I will take you. My husband had some business matters to attend to. Come this way, Your Highness.”

  Sardu followed her, his arm still firmly around Taem’s waist.

  Timea didn’t knock on the study door; she entered it and rushed to Dimeal’s side, whispering frantically.

  Taem smiled at her father as she entered the room, and she repeated the introductions to her father.

  Dimeal cut to the chase. “How did you happen to run into my daughter this evening, Your Highness?”

  “She was out in the empty spaces, and I was out there as well, stalking the Terror, Lord Dimeal-sah.”

  Her father looked sceptical. “The Terror, huh? Did you find it, Your Highness?”

  “Your daughter and I managed to kill it, Lord Dimeal-sah. She is quite skilled with the trident. I have seen professional guards who would have run for cover at the sight of the beast attacking them, but she skimmed out of the way and stabbed it without hesitation.”

  Timea gasped, “Taem! How could you do something so…violent?”

  Taem looked at her father and grinned. “I have had a stressful day. Nothing helps one unwind like stabbing an animal trying to kill you. It is quite cathartic.”

  Dimeal snorted and smiled. Taem now understood something she hadn’t before. She got her personality from her father. He found the same humour in it that she did.

  Sardu continued to exchange pleasantries with her family, but he did not let go of his grip on her. He kept her at his side with a casual attention and occasional squeeze that told her he was not ignoring her, merely responding to protocol.

  Finally, he made his excuses, and she walked with him to the wet exit. “That was interesting.”

  He chuckled. “It was far less awkward than I anticipated. You and your father have much in common.”

  “I am beginning to realise that. Well, thank you for the interesting evening, Your Highness.”

  He sighed and pulled her to him until she thudded against his chest. “Call me Sardu.”

  He kissed her, and this time, she knew what to expect. She tilted her head slightly, and he stroked his lips across hers for a moment before leaning back with a smile. “How was that?”

  She blushed, her hands were clinging to his biceps and her heartbeat was stuttering in her chest again. “I think I am getting the hang of it.”

  “You need more practice.”

  She smiled shyly, “I probably do. Now, grab your trident and get out of here. I have a job in the morning, and somehow, I have to work in an interview for myself in your brother’s schedule.”

  He grinned, removed his wrap—showing her that she was not the only one affected by the kiss—grabbed his trident and he dropped into the water, his tail forming as he fell.

  Taem was smiling, and she pressed her hands to her cheeks as she headed up to her room. Her room was one of the few with a dry entrance. She climbed her ladder and opened the first hatch before sealing it behind her. She didn’t want to flood the house…again.

  With the primary hatch open, she looked up at the stars. She had had her first kiss, he had promised there would be more and there was the thought that forever could possibly happen for her.

  She reached to the base of her skull and tugged on the charm nested there. Should she break it and reclaim her beauty? Or should she remain plain and boring to see whether or not Sardu could learn to love a woman like her.

  This was quite a decision. She looked up at the sky and saw a star falling. Taem closed her eyes and wished for guidance. She heard three words in her head. The whole truth.

  Taem bit her lip. The whole truth involved Josnal and his predatory presence. Even going to the gene witch wasn’t a bad thing when compared with her brother-in-law.

  She stared up at the sky and felt the wind on her skin. This was her personal perversion, and she loved it. When the chill in her skin told her she had been out for an hour, she retreated to her bedroom, locks in place.

  Five hours of sleep was all she could manage to work in, but she got up the next morning with a smile on her lips, and she took extra care with her hair, brushing it until it gleamed.

  Breakfast was normally a solitary activity, but her mother met her outside the kitchen and drew her into the dining room where her father was also waiting.

  “All right. Yell at me, but do it while I eat. I have to get to work.” Taem loaded a plate and sat at the table, eating neatly but swiftly.

  “How long have you known a member of the royal family?” Timea asked baldly.

  “Three years. My boss is Sardu’s brother.”

  Dimeal cocked his head. “How long have you known Prince Sardu?”

  “Three months. He came in to speak to his brother about the colony project the last time he returned from Hekart, and he comes by several times per week to take his brother for lunch.” She resumed eating and waited.

  “How long have you been seeing him socially?” Timea narrowed her eyes.

  “Last night. It didn’t get social until after the Terror was dead.” She sipped at her tea and continued her meal. Her father was watching her eat with some sort of dawning recognition.

  “Damn it, Dimeal, she eats like you do. Tell her to slow down, so I can learn what I need to know.”

  Taem finished her meal and looked at her mother. “Every social invitation you have received in the last three years that has elevated your standing has been at Prince Nordal’s request. Every invitation in the last three months to events where the royal family was present has been to get me to socialize with Sardu. No, I am not sleeping with him; yes, I like him.” She turned to her father. “May I be excused? I have to get to work.”

  “You are dismissed, Taem. Enjoy your day.”

  Taem stood, bowed and left the room before her mother could absorb the information she had spewed.

  She hung her wrap on her hook and dove into the water, heading for work. She flicked her tail and put on the speed when she saw the colour of the chronometer stones. She was never late, and today was not going to be the exception.

  Taem shot out of the water and grabbed her wrap the moment she skidded to a halt. She was still dripping, so she slipped and slid down the hall, crashing behind her desk and landing in her chair.

  Dr. Nordal-jak came in, and he smiled at her. “Good morning, Taem
-sah. Congratulations on your kill.”

  She blinked. “It wasn’t my kill. It was Prince Sardu-jak that made the death stroke.”

  “That isn’t his story. He is depicting you as a warrior queen of old. The family is all very impressed with you.”

  She blushed, and her voice squeaked, “Family?”

  “Oh yes. He has declared his intention to court you, and my family will be coming by for unexpected visits on a daily basis.” He grinned. “Just thought you should know.”

  She blushed but carried on with her plan. “When can you take your first interview today?”

  There was a twinkle in his eye. “Why?”

  “I would like to move up my interview.”

  “I was hoping you would say that. Come on in.”

  He gestured for her to precede him, and she entered his office, taking the seat across the desk from his.

  She sat in her work wrap and waited for him to get settled. He didn’t keep her waiting long.

  “So, why do you want to join the colony?” His words were the ones she had written for him.

  She took a deep breath. “The chance of a new start. It is a new world with new people. It is a start on equal footing.”

  He went off the script. “You are of a noble house. Will that affect your life when you are away from the social whirl?”

  “I do not whirl, and I rarely prance. While society is very important in a new endeavour, holding onto one’s previous social standing on a new world would create a frustrating environment for all.”

  “How will you deal with the hierarchy on Hekart?”

  “As best as I can. Until I am in a situation, I cannot judge how I would handle it. I believe I would attempt to deal with all in a fair and direct manner.”

  He twisted his lips. “That does not answer my question.”

  “Fine, I would attempt to learn all the rules and use points of law to push my ideas through the bureaucracy. A new charter would require study, but I have been known to absorb rules and regulations that few are aware of.”