Mermaids are Menacing (Book 2) Complete

31.) Secret Quest

Cerastes summond Marrow. A small pendent, one of a pair. Marrow was required to keep it around his neck at all times. When Cerastes wanted Marrow to run to him he had only to hold it in his hand. Even while Cerastes was sleeping, Marrow was never far. It was the Marrows job to serve the lord even in the long periods where a sleep could last a single year or many years.

"My lord." Marrow said entering his masters room through the door. He kept his blue eyes low. Cerastes had been sleeping in his den of the wing and was sitting up in bed.

"How long has it been?" He asked Marrow.

"You have been asleep for three month and sixteen days." Marrow answered immediately.

"And theres been no trace of her?" Cerastes asked.

"They assume another clan stole her because they cant find her." Marrow answered.

Cerastes nodded his head but he knew better. She had left of her own. It was a race against time. If other clans new that she was out on her own without the protection of Green Mountain she would be considered free game. But she wasn't on her own, Cerastes gritted his teeth. He needed to move quickly.

"Call for Vihar, dont let anyone know I'm awake." Cerastes said throwing off his blankets.

Marrow nodded his head, his short blond hair bounced a little and then he dissapeared off to do his task.

.....

Vihar scampered in joyfully. Running and flapping on all fours. He was ecstatic to find that his sire had woken much earlier than expected. Cerastes had bathed and dressed in the time it had taken Marrow and Vihar to return to the wing.

"Going to hunt?" Vihar screeched happily.

"Hunt for your Dame." Cerastes answered.

"Yes!" Vihar said joyfully. "I want to see her. Let's go get her."

"No. Only me. Vihar stays in the mountian." Cerastes ordered.

"Me to! I want to go to!" Vihar whined.

"The others cannot know I am awake. If I bring your Dame back, Dante will steal her from us. I must go in secret and hide her in a place no one will look."

Vihar squeezed his fists in anger cutting his palms. He missed his Dame. He wanted to be with his Sire. He could definitely help.

"I have a job for you." Cerastes said picking up his offspring. Two pairs of red eyes held each others gaze. "No one must know I'm here. I cannot use mana or they will know I am awake. While I'm away, I need you to lock the wing with your own mana. Marrow will blockade the servants passages. This will be a small precaution but a big help to me. Can you do this for me?"

Vihars tail swayed at the thought of being able to help.
"I can do it for you!" He agreed.

                                ..........

I lay on the sand. The wet granules clung to the side of my face and body. My chest heaved up and down with exhaustion. We had been at this for days.

"Should we go again." Roka asked with a smile in his voice.

"This depth training is shit." I grumbled.

"Your body has already came leaps from what it had been before." Roka assured.

"You keep saying that, but I still dont have gills." I said with my eyes closed.

"Dont be discouraged." He patted by leg. "Well get there. Your just grouchy because your hungry right? I'll bring you a pick me up and then we can have a more pleasurable excercise."

"Do you think of anything els, now I know your trying to kill me." I said rolling on to my back.

"I'll be back with a bite my Pearl." He said happily. Splashing as he dived down under the water.

With Roka supplying my meals I felt my belly had grown overnight. He brings bigger catches than I could find around the Orc villages and i eat larger quantities more regularly.
My kicking one is much more active these days. Maybe it's because the sun is stronger here or that he is getting all the sea food he wants, but he is active.

By now I'm probably four months. Maybe the baby didn't grow during the month that I was asleep. Depending on my eating habits and temperature, I could have two or three months till it's time for him to be here.

Already I feel terribly behind. All the things I should be preparing are weighing on my mind and what am I doing? Sleeping, diving, eating, and a fish-man usually in that order. I never had to go far for my needs. Everything from food, to water was provided by Roka and he seemed only to happy to take care of it for me. It was uncomfortable in a familiar way. I felt kept again. Changing a mountain prison for a tidal terrarium. 

I know comparing Roka to Cerastes is unfair to him. From what I understand, the culture of Sirenaidea and Dragons are night and day to eachother. The difference between soaring the skies and diving in the deep. Yet, I keep catching little similarities. They both like to provide. Both have tattoos, horns, and sharp teeth.

What a life I'm living. My life in the valley seems like it's getting farther and farther away. It was a dream that no longer feels real. As time passes I'm becoming frustrated because I cant remember some of their faces. The cadence of their voices still ring in my head but was Hawthorns wifes eyes blue or green? I can't remember.

There is so much in this world they didn't get to see. So much I wish they hadn't had to see. In many of my dreams I see them still in the valley. Digging in the fields, cooking, and even collecting dry cow droppings from Hawthorns cows for winter fires. My dreams seem so real, like I'm living their lives through their sight. The breath they carried coming to rest inside of me.