FAIRYTALES FOR A HUMAN (Lesbian)

Part 33 MERMAID

No doubt, it didn't hurt the beast. The broomstick shattered as if Juni, with all her dryadic strength, smashed it against the concrete wall.

I feel Marina's fingers grab my hand. To be honest, I really want her protection like she did on the crescent of water when she saved me from the mage. Back then I didn't understand how lucky I was to find someone like her. Juni was partly right: we have known each other only for a few days, but Marina was ready to risk her life for a worthless undead mermaid like I. Unfortunately, I just took her unselfish help for a childishly reckless act... It's impossible, I know, completely impossible, but how I long to hide behind her fragile back in search of protection!

It turns its baby head towards Juni. Its mouth spreads like a black shapeless blot over its plump pretty face. The dryad squeaks like a mouse and clutches at her throat. Neither Alex nor I move in terror.

Fate may be playing a cruel joke with us: we could have been killed a hundred times by the dryads' arrows in the Hidden Sanctuary, but of all the possible options from all the creatures both living and magically created that inhabit this world, we met a Child of the Earth Goddess on our way...

By the light vibrations in the air, I feel that the portal begins to fade losing its energy. It has become useless.

Like the robots from humans' movies, I slowly turn my head towards Alex: he is drawing a five-pointed rune in the air with his trembling fingers. Looks like a fire rune, but even I understand that it will not save us. No matter how desperate he appeals to his witches' devil – it's all useless. Probably, I might turn to Marina, quickly grab her in my arms and try to escape. I can feel the water behind the young pines. Most likely it's a small forest stream which, by some miracle, hasn't iced over yet.

What will happen when I reach the stream? It completely slipped my mind that Marina would not last long under the cold water without air. What if the beast is waiting for us at the bank? How could I look her in the eye when she finds out that all those we left behind died? I know that she is not like me: she will not forgive me for not helping the dryad and the witcher!

In real time only a few seconds passed; while in my head it seemed like many hours of hurricane thoughts flashed by.

"We must save Juni," I order myself, clenching my fists feeling the claws that elongated by the tight clot of my aura. "Forgive me, Marina," I say with tears in my voice. This time the tears seem real, and the pain from the upcoming battle is clearer and more natural. Real pain of a living being. I can feel Alex's hot aura "crunching" on my back: he is scared, he is furious, and he will definitely back me up...

Concentrating on my own aura, I don't immediately notice her weightless steps. A thin like a laced gossamer in a light breeze, her aura is enveloping me. One more step and she stands in front of me, shivering and wiping her palms on her trousers.

"Let her go!" she screams at the "child". "Stop that!"

I take a nervous breath waiting the beast to react. The rune burns Alex's fingers, and he swears roughly, without taking his eyes off the human.

The beast turns his head in surprise, and his creepy, ink-like mouth takes on human features again.

Juni, who has been agonising on the cold soil all this time, lets out a nervous whistle. Her body relaxes, stopping its convulsing. She is alive: I can hear her even breathing; the increased heart rate is slowly returning to normal.

The beast pouts its Cupid's bow lips, and starts happily smiling at Marina, "You are back Mother!" the creature exclaims joyfully. "I felt that You were somewhere near, but I couldn't immediately recognize You!" It's looking at Marina with its expressive Caribbean blue eyes. "We all missed You!"