A Thousand Salt Kisses (Book 1 of Salt Kiss series)

><> Chapter Thirty-Nine <><

The next two weeks flew by in a whirlwind of fun and passion. I saw Llyr nearly every day. He would either pick me up at 'sun-high', meaning midday, or 'sun-down'; sun set.

If it were sun-high when we met then we would head out to sea, spending hours cruising over the waves and swimming. Afterwards we would lie in the boat looking up at the sky, talking and laughing until sun-down.

He would drop me home just in time to rush to work. After a summer like mine, life on the seascape was becoming second nature to me. I could chop and change between land and sea completely unphased, compared to when I first arrived here at Starfish and everything would wobble for about half an hour after stepping off a boat.

Today he had collected me in George's blue rowing boat, and we headed out over the bumpy waves. I wore my new purple bikini, but there was a wind today, and I found myself shivering.

I had one of Dad's new SMASH SKANX t-shirts in my bag and I pulled it on over my body.

Llyr squinted at the thick black lettering, and I wasn't entirely sure if he could understand it. I translated the meaning to him.

"Very good," he smiled. 

I gave him a nod and looked out to sea, rubbing my arms.

"I think we will be out of these winds soon," he said, looking over at me with his deep green eyes. He never appeared affected by the temperature, and in fact, I had never seen him wear anything on his top half. "Sorry," he finished.

"It's okay," I said, thinking it was sweet the way he always cared for me "I don't mind so much."

After another half an hour of pushing on through the waves, true to Llyr's word, they appeared to ease a little and I suddenly felt the sun on my face as the wind died down.

"That's better," I said lying backwards and resting my head on the stern. I pulled the t-shirt off again and felt the sun warm my whole body.

Suddenly there was a big splash to my left and something slippery touched my arm. I snapped upright and screamed.

"Oh Crystal, I'm sorry I forgot how jumpy you are."

Nephys was draped over the side of the boat. She pursed her big red lips and leaned over to kiss my cheek.

"Nephys!" I cried. "Sorry, you startled me."

There was splash to my left and I screamed again.

There was the sound of merry laughter.

"Sorry, I couldn't resist it!" came a friendly chuckle.

"Bright!" I shrieked, putting my hands to my heart as I felt it thud in my chest.

"Good day, Miss White," he said, propping himself up with one arm on the boat and shaking my hand with the other.

I shook it back a little wearily. Why did everybody have to surprise me all the time?

"She's very nervous, my Crystal," said Llyr.

"No, I'm not!" I protested. Jeez, just because they're all mystical and magical or whatever... "I'm human," I finished.

"You're pretty scared of storms, even for a human," teased Bright.

"Yes, and you were petrified of that fish," added Nephys.

"Okay, that was not any old fish, that was a shark!" I shrieked with outrage. Who wouldn't be scared of that?

"What shark?" said Llyr sitting up.

"Nothing..." we chimed back. I think we had both forgotten our promise not to mention my near-death experience to Llyr.

I quickly changed the subject. "How are you both?" I asked.

"All the better for seeing you!" trilled Nephys. She was wearing a dark-green band around her head, which looked as though it were fashioned from woven seaweed.

"We keep asking him to see you," she continued, "but he wants you all to himself. He's so greedy," she said splashing water at Llyr.

"How very possessive!" I said crossing my arms and looking at Llyr with mock-disapproval.

"Don't listen to her," he said. "I told her to come before but she forgot and went off to some strange thing."

"Oh yes, yoga," said Nephys.

"Yoga?" I said curiously.

"Yes, my friend Silver started it," Nephys let off one of her melodic giggles. "Silver always watches you people doing it on the beach; she's obsessed..." 

"Wow," I said. "Did you like it?"

"No. I was quite bored. I much prefer dancing," said Nephys. "Bright liked it though."

I giggled and looked to my right at Bright, who scowled at Nephys. It seemed Nephys had let another cat out of the bag.

"I just went to watch the maids," Bright muttered hurriedly to Llyr.

"Llyr, you should actually go. It's all very meditative. You like that stuff," said Nephys.

"Maybe I can be Bright's apprentice," said Llyr, jokingly.

I put a hand on a forlorn Bright's arm. I felt sorry for him, he was already clearly considered the least macho mer. 

"Well, I heard about George and your father," said Nephys, her sapphire-blue eyes opening wide at the very thought. "I scolded him to the heavens. I can't quite imagine what he thought he was doing. He's not a young boy anymore. I was going mad down there sensing something was going on with him. But I have to say, I am quite glad I didn't know what exactly it was."

"I wish I hadn't known," I said, remembering the horror of turning on the news that night.

"Do humans go a bit funny at that age, Crystal?" said Nephys, frowning and looking at me. My heart went out to her, it must be so difficult to mother a child that you could not fully understand.

I smiled. "Sometimes. I think George is fine though."

Nephys smiled gratefully. "Thank you."

"Well, anyway," said Bright. "We're not here to stay this time. We're here to drop something off."

"Drop what off?" I asked, curious.

"Llyr is she going to be able to handle this?" said Nephys, looking at him.

"Oh no, what now?" I said with alarm. Just when everything had calmed down, there was going to be another bombshell.

Llyr looked at me, "She will like it."

"What? What will I like?" I demanded. Do they have to talk about me in the third person? "I am here you know?"

Llyr nodded at Nephys and Bright and they disappeared beneath the surface leaving two little ripples on either side of the boat.

"Llyr?" I said.

"It's fine," he said, kneeling on the floor of the boat and putting his hand in the water. He began to make some clicking noises with his mouth to the water. It was almost like he was trying to summon something.

I sat up tensely. I had no idea what was going to come out of the water but I knew by now that I had better brace myself for the unexpected.

Three sets of bubbles began to appear on the surface. This could only mean one thing: Nephys and Bright were not coming back alone.

Llyr looked at me. "Get ready to meet William." 

I looked at him totally baffled. What on Earth is he going on about? Who's William?

"Lean back a little," warned Llyr.

I sighed with exasperation and shuffled backwards into the boat.

Suddenly a sharp point punctured the surface. It was like a white ridged cone and it kept getting taller and taller.

"What in God's name..?" I shrieked.

There was a loud noise and I closed my eyes. I knew that noise. It was a neighing sound. Like a horse. I slowly opened one eye.

There, swimming in the water next to the boat was a beautiful snow-white horse. Even soaking-wet in the water, the brightness of its coat did not dampen.  

There is something not quite right about this horse though... What is it? I opened my other eye to get a full look at the creature. Oh my...

"It's a Unicorn!" I breathed.

"A Sea-Unicorn," said Llyr proudly, reaching out stroking the wonderful William's nose.