Choices Affect Everyone COMPLETE

Chapter 13

That night Caleb is again unable to go to Percy.

"You again," Percy says when Caroline sits on a rock that is poking out of the water. "I thought your brother-"

"He is busy again. As a personal guard to the prince, he tends to be busy."

Percy gives a huff and rests his arms on the rock. "So, how's Muriel?"

"Doing well. She probably still wants to go home but is adapting to human life. She loves books and dancing."

Percy frowns slightly. "She's never been into either."

"I think there's something about the leg movement, and our books are likely different than yours." Caroline sets down her candle on a rock and pulls a book out of her bag.

Percy pushes himself up to look at it. "No, our books are not like that."

"She is particularly fond of this one," she says, pulling out a book of pictures with different places.

The rock is large enough, so Percy wiggles onto it to see over her shoulder. "Those are beautiful."

Caroline nods and smiles. "She's eating and drinking and listening well. She is acting more and more like herself, I mean, I think. She's continuing to try and let go of her crush of the prince. I know it's not easy, but she's starting with trying to be herself."

Percy nods. He reaches to turn a page but stops, remembering his hand is wet. "Turn the page."

Caroline laughs. "I was actually hoping you could help teach me how to teach her. I can't ask her, 'how do you spell this in your mermaid language'?"

Percy shrugs. "Point made. But everything else is well with Muriel?"

She nods. "Her feet are sore from dancing, but that isn't going to stop her. She is probably going to meet the king and queen tomorrow. They are kind, and the prince will stand up for her if anything were to come up."

Percy nods. He lets out a long breath.

"Oh yeah... the twins were seen in the castle. Caleb was quick to shoo them out."

Percy facepalms. "Minerva is likely up to no good. If this keeps up, I'm going to have a long word with her."

"No you aren't!" Caroline snaps. "You could get yourself killed. Do that, and I'll tell Muriel."

"Okay, okay, I won't. Yeesh. Calm down," Percy mumbles.

"Why do you need daily updates? Much doesn't happen from a day to day basis."

"Just in case," he says. "I won't risk her."

"You are in love with her."

He shakes his head. "As I've told you, she's like my little sister. Ever since the queen..." He lets out a long breath. "She handed me, Muriel, I could never look at her as anything other than a sister. I was five, and it was like she was entrusting me with Muriel, with her baby daughter, the person who she just sacrificed her life for." He looks away.

Caroline looks at him before rubbing his hair.

He flinches before looking at her, hand on his head. "What?"

"I don't know how to comfort a merman. Especially as Caleb would not be happy to see me hugging you."

He chuckles before clearing his throat. "Yeah. I'm okay. It just makes me nervous having her out of my sight for this long."

"This is the fourth night she's been here for."

Percy gives a nod. "Yeah, this long. She left overnight, and it was already near suppertime, and that was too long."