The Mermaid's Mirror - L. K. Madigan [78]
"I would like to see the place where your parents met," said Nix. "Will you show me?"
"I don't know how to find it," said Lena, and the wispy doubt blossomed into a vague worry. What if she wanted to go there?
"Can you describe it to me?"
Lena pictured Magic's. "There is a large cove. On the northernmost point, there is a lighthouse." Luckily, mer- folk had a word for lighthouse. Roughly translated, it meant "tower of pulsing light." She closed her eyes to better see the beach in her memory. "On the southern end of the cove, there is a long, jagged jetty. Shipwreck Rocks. The beach between the rocks and the lighthouse is called Magic Crescent Cove. The waves there are sometimes huge ... very dangerous to humans, but they cannot resist trying to conquer them." She opened her eyes.
Nix had a wondering expression on his face. "It was you," he said.
"What was me?"
"I knew I have seen you before. You are the girl who greets us."
Lena looked at him in confusion, then in dawning comprehension. The sea lions! All those times she had waved at seals and sea lions ... some of them hadn't been animals at all. Some of them had been mer-folk, wearing their cloaks. "That was you?"
Nix reached for her hand. "I knew there was a reason."
"A reason for what?" she said faintly.
"For the way I feel about you." Nix pulled her closer.
Lena's gaze moved from his dark, soulful eyes to his beautiful lips. He's going to kiss me, she thought.
But after a long moment, Nix pulled back, straightening her cloak. He seemed worried that he might have caused it to slip.
Lena looked down at the cloak. It might be protecting her ... but it was getting in the way, too.
***
After the day's catch had been deposited in the village kitchen—shark eggs and spiny king crabs—Lena and Nix stacked their collection baskets in what Lena thought of as the "supply closet," which was really just an area used for storing tools.
Then they floated together, not speaking, loath to say goodbye.
"May I be with you later?" asked Nix.
"Yes, please," said Lena, her gaze moving again to his lips. She felt her fingers twitch with the urge to touch those lips. They looked so soft, so full ... Too late, she realized she should have Clouded her thoughts.
Nix took her hand and lifted it to his lips. With his eyes never leaving hers, he slowly kissed each of Lena's fingers. Desire suffused Lena, like sand soaking up water.
Nix released her hand, then backed away, finally departing.
In a lovestruck daze, Lena drifted toward the village circle.
"Cousin!" Lorelei grabbed Lena's arm and pulled her toward a trio of young mermaids. "Is it true?" she asked, her eyes wide. "Are you going to marry Nix?"
"What?!" Lena's own eyes went wide. She looked around at the other mermaids, who were staring with interest at her.
"Everyone speaks of it," said Lorelei. "How Nix, who has never taken a mate, cannot be pried away from your side." Lorelei shook Lena's arm playfully.
"I ... we ... we're not getting married!" said Lena. "I'm only sixteen. People my age don't marry. Not where I come from."
"Sixteen?" asked a mermaid with light brown hair. "You are quite a baby. In that case, it is right that you send him away."
"Send him away?" Lena's bewilderment grew. "I'm not going to send him away. I love—" She hesitated. "Being with him. But we're not, um, mated. We're just getting to know each other. I'm sorry ... I don't remember your name."
"Russ."
"Russ?" repeated Lena.
"Short for Rusalka," said the girl. "This is Wata." She pointed to another mermaid.
"And I'm Halia," piped up a third mermaid. "No doubt Nix is fascinated by your legs!" She giggled, oblivious to the effect her remark had on Lena, who was stung by it.
"Idon't—"
"Well," said Lorelei. "It is a fact that Nix has never shown a fraction of the interest he shows you to any other maid. For a time it was believed he might want to mate with