Page 87 of Mermaid on Heels

“Hey, everyone is scared of something,” Liriya defended, bringing her hands to her eyes and rubbing the sleepiness away. “What areyouscared of?”

“The most?” He smirked down at her. Some of his dark locks touched his forehead the way Liriya loved it, and the urge to touch them burned. But she didn’t.

She hummed, staring into his eyes, entranced.

“Losing you.”

Liriya pulled herself out of the trance and refocused on his face. All the playfulness had vanished; he looked serious and a frown tugged the corner of his lips downward. Liriya’s heart clenched suddenly. What made him say that?

As if reading her mind, Luke heaved a sigh and spoke, “I had a dream just before I woke up. It was bad—like,reallybad. It was something like your half-sister, Faelina, coming and taking you away from me. Her appearance was more like how you have described before, pale-blonde hair and sapphire eyes. I tried to reach you, but I couldn’t… It was terrifying. I woke up all sweating and thought it was real. I only accepted the relief when I came in here and found you safe.”

“Oh, Luke…” Liriya placed her palm against his cheek and he leaned into her touch, closing his eyes briefly and then opening them again. “I am sure it is just a dream, you will not lose me.” She suddenly felt so sure of it when she said those words. She smiled and continued, “Yes, you would not lose me. As for Faelina, she has no clue where my sisters and I are. We are safe from her reach and she could never find us, especially here on land; this is the last place she would expect us.”

“It felt so real.”

“I know. Sometimes dreams feel that way, but that does not mean they would happen in real life.”

Luke opened his mouth and closed it, as if he wanted to say something but decided against it. He then forced a smile, one that Liriya immediately realized wasn’t real; she knew all his smiles now. This one was merely for display and didn’t touch his eyes.

She refrained from pointing it out, deciding to give him time to let her words sink in; he was upset from the dream and he needed time. She had too. Nightmares were a usual thing for her after their escape from Faelina. Every night, she would see Faelina finding them and killing her sisters in front of her eyes before killing her as well. The fear had been real, that Faelina would find them, but it had been merely the scare of the nightmare. It had taken time for her to overcome her constant fear and worry.

Now, four months had passed and they were still safe.

“I’m afraid we can’t watch the sunrise today.” For someone who was dropping rather disappointing news to her, Luke had a glint in his eyes. His lips twitched up and he made her sit upwards. “But, I have something else for you.”

“Oh, and what might that be?” Liriya tossed her blanket aside and swung her legs to the side of the bed.

“Do you hear something?”

“Other than your voice? Nothing.”

Luke chuckled. “Well then, close your eyes and focus, little mermaid. Listen to the pattering on the outside.”

Liriya threw him a confused look, but did it anyway. The pattering reached her ears immediately and her eyes fluttered open to meet his eager ones. “What is that?” she asked and peaked towards the nearest window. The curtain was drawn aside and the window glass looked as though it was designed with tiny droplets of water. “What is happening, Luke?”

“The sky is leaking water.”

“Skyleakswater?” Liriya exclaimed in astonishment, her eyes wide as they snapped back to him from the window. “Is that normal?”

Luke looked like he was hardly holding himself from doubling over. “Yes, it is normal, and we call itrain. I just wanted to give you a clarified idea of what it is like, andthatphrase seemed to make a little sense.” He straightened and extended his hand to her, a laugh in his eyes. “Come on, why don’t I show you?”

Liriya placed her hand on his and let him drag her out of the bed. She slipped into her slippers before letting him lead her to her balcony. He opened the door and the gentle pattering grew louder into a clatter, and a gust of cool wind hit Liriya as though it had been waiting at her door, waiting to be let in.

Then she saw it, water falling from the heavens like tiny droplets, one after another, so many of them, unstoppably. Andthiswasnormal?She couldn’t believe it.

“Please tell me this is the last thing I have yet to know about the land,” Liriya murmured in disbelief and awe, staring at the rain and the dark clouds gathered in the heavens.

“Sadly no, sweetheart. But I’m more than happy to be the one to show you the mysteries you have yet to discover,” Luke murmured from behind as she took a step forward, reaching her free hand that wasn’t joined with his to the rain.

However, upon hearing the new endearment from him, she paused and turned to look at him.

Sweetheart.

Luke stared back intensely, but with a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. Liriya looked away, unable to hold his gaze, and held out her hand to the rain. Her smile widened when the water droplets hit her palm and it felt a little ticklish. Luke came up beside her and did the same.

“I feel like I am repeating myself, but this is amazing.” Then, Liriya remembered her sisters. She gasped and turned to Luke. “My sisters! They cannot miss this, come on!” Not waiting for his response, she pulled him from the balcony and out of her room, going straight into Ella and Sessa’s shared room.

Liriya’s excited morning call startled them awake. She immediately dragged them out of their bed and to their balcony, showing them the rain.