Thief of Twilight

Part Three: Chapter 90

"What!" Hyemi's nails dug into her apple. "What did you say?"

I sat on a blanket on the rocky shore picking green grapes from a vine and setting them into a bowl. "I was attacked by someone the other day." I placed the bowl at the edge of the water. "Have you had grapes before?"

"...Human..." Hyemi picked up a grape and sniffed it.

"The grape may be a bit sour. But they're good."

"Why were you attacked? Who was it?"

"Her name was Sagiri. She's dead now though. Oddly enough...she didn't really put up much of a fight..."

Hyemi popped the grape into her mouth. Her eyes lit up as she slowly chewed and swallowed the fruit.

"I thought for sure...he would send someone stronger to try and kill me..."

"Who is trying to kill you?"

"Oh yeah, I haven't told you huh..." I thought for a moment trying to figure out where to begin or if it was even worth me explaining the whole situation. "Well, there's this guy I know named Oliver Baldwin. We used to be friends but...not anymore. And now he wants to kill me."

"But why?" Hyemi asked. "What is making that human want to kill you? It doesn't make any sense."

"Well...before I was in a relationship with Yohan...I was kind of seeing him..." I explained. "He was my employer...and we had this agreement that we would only leave each other in death. He saw me as his property for a long time. Well...he still does to this day. And if I'm being completely honest, I think Yohan hurt his pride when they fought."

"What? Emperor Kang Yohan fought someone?"

"Yeah." I laughed thinking about it. "I don't know the details...but I'd assume that is a contributing factor to Oliver's actions."

"And...the human he sent after you...?"

"I don't exactly know how to explain her abilities. But she was definitely a mage of some sort. She was like a puppeteer."

"That's interesting." Hyemi finished her apple before taking the bowl of grapes into her hand. "But you should still be careful. You are a weak human."

"Ha-ha, I'm not that weak." I laughed.

"...Yes you are." she eyed me suspiciously. "Wait a minute..." she placed the bowl at her side before leaning towards me. "Something seems...different about you..."

"What do you mean?" I stared into her pink spheres.

"You seem...more...aware...awake? No..." she sat back and crossed her arms. "Gl-Glowing? No, humans don't glow...not like deep sea mermaids..."

"Did I look sickly before?"

"When I first met you...I would not say that you looked ill..." she pursed her lips. "But...you were weak. Now...you look better...but I can't explain it..."

That must have been when my core was damaged. She still doesn't know that I'm a moon child.

"But anyway, I'm glad that you are feeling much better. But still, you need to be careful. He could send someone else after you!"

"I know and I'm sure he's already thinking of someone right now."

"Do you want me to help you? The waters of this land have ears you know."

"No, it's alright. I wouldn't want you to get involved. That would only put you in danger."

"What!"

"You are a mermaid. You are going to be in danger if you get involved. I don't want you to get hurt."