Page 11 of Mermaid on Heels
Sessa pulled away from the hug immediately, eyes brimming with excitement. “What is it?”
“Why not settle down and have breakfast first, hmm? I will explain in between.” Liriya gestured into their cave, and Sessa dived in first. Ella threw her a curious look before following Sessa. They placed their shells on the silvery sand and Liriya divided the food.
“So…?” Ella drew out, popping a prawn into her mouth.
“I met a human.”
“A—what?” Ella and Sessa paused chewing and exclaimed at the top of their lungs, their faces going paler.
“Well, not reallymet. I saw him here under the sea. He was a human—and guess what I discovered? Humans can breathe underwater. Likewise, Merfolk can breatheoutof the water. I followed him to the surface and—”
“Youwhat?” her sisters exclaimed louder this time, their voices resonating through the cave. Sessa’s hands shot up to hold her head in horror.
“Calm down, girls.” Liriya chuckled. She should have anticipated thatthiswould be their reaction. Why, hers would have been the same if she were in either of their places.
“Ofcoursenot!” Ella retorted in disbelief. “What in the sea were you thinking, Liriya? It could have been an evil pirate—”
“He was not a pirate, Ella.”
“Or someone under Faelina’s spell—a spy!”
“Of course, not—”
“How can you know?” Sessa asked in a whisper, hardly breathing out of shock.
“I listened to him and his brother’s—”
“There weretwoof them?”
“—conversation and learned that he is a prince.” Liriya finished her words, unbothered by Ella’s interruption.
Ella’s franticness subsided like calm in the storm and she whispered, “A prince?”
Sessa looked as though she sat dead, gaping at Liriya.
Liriya nodded, relieved that they were calmed. “A soon-to-be king.”
“You heard that, too?” Ella inquired, her tone indicating her sudden eagerness.
Liriya sighed. “Yes.”
“And you aresurehe was not a pirate?” Sessa found her small voice again, with a slight quiver. “What if he was trying to trick you by saying he was not a pirate?Sharks and dolphins!Could this have anything to do with the ship I saw?”
“What, no silly!” Liriya laughed at her assumption. “He did not see me and certainly did not know a mermaid was listening to him and his brother. He does not think there are Merfolk in this sea at all.”
“How do you know that?” Ella inquired, looking almost breathless.
Liriya picked at an oyster shell. “If you promise not to interrupt in between, perhaps I can tell you everything from the beginning.”
They inhaled deeply and nodded in agreement.
“So, I was on my way back…” Liriya began, and told them everything she had seen, heard, and felt.
“So, you are saying, humans can breathe underwater?” Sessa found her voice first, completely breathless from her sister’s story. “And we Merfolk can breatheoutof the water? But what about the stories Mama used to tell us?”
“I think that is what they just are, are they not, Liriya?” Ella asked, looking wide-eyed at Liriya as realization dawned on her. “Just stories.”
“Apparently andfortunately, yes.” Liriya smiled. She couldn’t wait to disclose the best part to them. When she opened her mouth, Ella cut in.