A Thousand Salt Kisses Later (Book 2 of Salt Kiss series)

Spit It Out

I slumped on the seabed, head in hands.

"I can't be here!" I despaired, "I have to go home."

"There must be a way," said Spirit, who was circling above me.

I looked up at him. "Why did you even bring me out here?" I asked, suddenly.

Spirit didn't answer me. Instead, he quickened his pace, shooting around like a dog chasing its tail.

"Hello?" I called up to him.

He halted before dropping onto the sand next to me, his tail bent beneath him. "I just thought..." he said slowly before trailing off, his tone serious.

I leaned in, hungry for the rest of his sentence.

"I just thought, if he just saw you - just looked at you... he might..." Spirit trailed off.

"He might what?" I demanded. God, how I wish he would just spit it out, but now he's frowning and looking into the distance. Great.

I sighed and followed his line of vision.

Something was making its way towards us across the sands. I jumped.

How I prayed it wasn't another Croctopus, but whatever it was, it hurtled towards us with lightning speed. I looked back at Spirit, alarmed.

He looked on calmly.

"It's Nephys," he said, swimming up into a standing position. "Finally."

As Nephys neared, I saw she was riding on top of a horse, and as she grew even closer, I realized, that the horse was actually William the sea-unicorn.

"Ooo-eee!" she called over his tall white ridged horn. As she approached, she slowed into a canter and I could see that she sat sideways atop William, her white tail blending in with his snow colored coat to the point of camouflage.

I realized too that she was dressed to the nines; a white netted veil pulled down over her face, and her upper body plastered in light green rhinestones. As usual, she was a vision.

She slid off the unicorn and glided towards us.

"Sorry I'm late, I thought I'd better get ready before I left," she trilled. "It's nearly sun-down, you know?" she said to Spirit pointedly.

"What's happening at sun-down?" I asked.

But Nephys now appeared distracted by my tail, "Crystal have you not been up yet?"

I looked down too and was also sidetracked by my worrying situation.

"She won't turn," said Spirit, crossing his arms over his chest.

"What?" cried Nephys.

"She won't turn," he repeated tensely, a vein now bulging in his temple.

"Well, is she still too weak perhaps?" she asked, with alarm.

"I feel fine now Nephys, honestly," I said quietly. It was true; I was pretty sure I had made a full recovery from the adaptation sickness. Physically, I felt as right as rain.

"Well, then why won't she shift?" said Nephys worriedly to Spirit.

I sighed loudly. Not only was it incredibly annoying that they were talking about me in the third person, but I was also starting to feel concerned that she too, appeared very anxious about my mer-status. It was like they were scared of somebody finding out I was here.

Nephys sat beside me on the sand and put her arms around me. "Sorry Crystal," she said, sensing my exasperation. "You must be so confused."

I looked up at her and smiled. "Very," I said, "I like your veil, though." I could see now that it fastened to her head with an adorable band of green flowers.

"Oh, my friend made it out of a fishing net," she said, lifting it up and kissing me on the cheek. "We have to get the Shaman to see her," she said, turning her attention back to Spirit.

"Well, he's in the kingdom," replied Spirit, "he's going to the-"

"Uh-huh," cut in Nephys.

I frowned. I imagined the shaman was probably going to the ceremony, whatever that was.

"Well, we can bring him here in the morning," said Spirit.

"What?" I cried. They're going to leave me here? "No!" I shouted.

Nephys was looking at Spirit worriedly. "We can't Spirit; this poor darling can't spend another night in that cave, especially alone."

"So we're going to take her to the kingdom?" spat Spirit. "Today?!"

"Okay," I said, rising upwards into a standing position "I've had enough of all this. What is going on?"

Nephys rose up and took my hands in hers. "Crystal, there is something you need to know, but I would really like to tell you when we are in a better situation, where we can talk properly. Right now, Spirt and I need to get back to the kingdom. We will take you with us, but you will need to stay in my chambers, where we will take you on arrival."

I shook my head in disbelief and stared into the distance, tears brimming in my eyes. I couldn't believe this was happening.

"Please don't be upset, I'm trying to do the right thing for you," said Nephys. She looked at my devastated face and sighed. "Please, darling, don't break my heart."

I looked at her open, genuine face and I just knew that whatever she was doing, it was the best course of action, even if I couldn't understand why.

"Okay," I agreed decisively, but there was another pressing problem. "My parents, they are going to be worried about me."

"Don't worry," said Nephys, "I will get George to contact them, tell them you've gone away with your friends, some place you can't be reached by... telephone."

I couldn't help but smile as she said the word 'telephone' so proudly. She was definitely the most knowledgeable mer on land-life, and this was no doubt because her son was George and half human.

"Thank you," I said.

Nephys began to fiddle with her lovely veil, and I realized she was untying the stalks of the flowers which attached it to her locks. She placed it over my head and began to weave the stalks of the flowers into my own hair. "You will need to wear this Crystal."

I rolled my eyes as she pulled it over my face. "Whatever," I said wearily.

She looked me up and down. My polka dot shirt still wafted around my body, only now it was tied in a knot just below my chest. She shook her head. "No, darling, you are going to stand out like a clownfish in that."

"Well, I haven't got anything else to wear," I said, holding out my hands and gesticulating to the bare seabed around us.

"We will have to find you something on our way," said Nephys, mounting William, who had been waiting loyally by her side. "Crystal, sit behind me and hold onto my waist."

I obediently swam up to the spot behind her, fanning my arms downwards until I felt myself connect with the unicorn's back. I hugged her tiny waist as we watched Spirit take hold of William's tail. And then, with a pat on his back, we were off cantering towards The Jeweled Kingdom.