Page 36 of Goldilocks

Sam’s bewilderment probably came off as fear. “I know,” Sam said. And he truly believed it too.

When Goldilocks stepped forward, this time, Sam walked with him. He heard a footstep from behind. Sam peered over his shoulder. From the shadow of the other docked boat came a man. A man who had a long, thin tail of sage green lashing behind him, soft tufts jutting out at the tapered tip like the fletching of an arrow. A sheathed sword was strapped to his hip, and he moved it aside as he crouched next to Sam’s boat, head cocked to the side as he peered at it. A long plait of brown hair ran down the full length of his back.

“Who is he?” Sam asked.

“Jasper. He guards the villa grounds,” Goldilocks said.

The pier attached directly onto the villa’s porch. Goldilocks led him straight through the open archway into the building. They entered an open room. A large pool of water dominated the middle of the floor, a perfect square that mirrored the room’s shape. The pool was deep; black encompassing it before he could see the bottom.

“It leads to the ocean,” Goldilocks explained. “For convenience. My sister’s mate spent many decades building this nest.”

“Right,” Sam said absently. He was too busy looking around himself, peering at the square skylight cut into the ceiling and left empty, exposing the room to the outdoors. Heavy tapestries adorned the walls. Some depicted the ocean and sea life; most had a mermaid central to them. She had a golden tail, golden hair. “Your sister?” Sam could tell immediately.

“Belle,” Goldilocks confirmed. “Come.”

Sam followed.

There was a statue in the next room: a life-size mermaid carved in pale yellow stone, half submerged in a pool of water. Another arched doorway led them outside once more. A garden brimming with brilliant colours surrounded them. Trees and bushes and flowers crowded the outdoor space. Sam breathed deeply, in aromatic bliss. A stone path weaved its way artfully through the flowers, leading first to another pool, this one round rather than square, and then to a table.

Two people were sitting at the table, and Sam saw that there was cutlery laid out for two more.

Goldilocks tugged him forward, and Sam followed, dazed as the two individuals at the table studied him on his approach. He studied them back.

The woman was beautiful. Inky black hair contrasted with ivory-white skin, and a velvet red dress hugged her figure. Sheer black gloves covered her hands, reaching past her elbows. She could have been twenty or forty, Sam couldn’t tell. The man next to her had grey hair and tanned skin clearly accustomed to sunlight. He offered Sam a smile.

“Red hair?” The woman broke the silence, surprising Sam with English. “It is pretty.”

“Yes,” Goldilocks agreed. He encouraged Sam into the seat opposite the woman and took the chair on Sam’s immediate left.

“Thank you,” Sam replied, speaking on autopilot.

The woman continued her examination, peering closely at Sam’s face. “Green eyes are pretty too,” she said.

“Yes,” Goldilocks agreed again.

Should Sam compliment her back? But she didn’t even really say it as a compliment. More as a flat statement. Sam looked to Goldilocks, hoping for some indication of how he should act.

“My name is Yven,” the man introduced himself. “I am an administrator for the city across the bay.”

“I’m Sam. Nice to meet you.”

Yven’s eye twitched. He mouthed Sam’s words back to himself. “I apologise. I do not know the word ‘samnice’. Roan, could you—”

Goldilocks’s top lip curled up, an animalistic snarl rising from his chest.

Yven ducked his head. “Apologises. Goldilocks. Forgive the mistake.”

Goldilocks’s growl ceased. “‘Sam’ is his name,” he explained after a pause. “‘Nice’ is—” The next word out of Goldilocks’s mouth was unfamiliar, and Sam assumed he was giving the translation.

“I understand. Sam, it is nice to meet you also,” Yven said. He lifted his head. “I am still learning your language, so please forgive any mistakes.”

What mistakes?

“Sam,” the woman repeated. She leaned in to peer at his face again. “I like those little dots on your nose.”

“Yes,” Goldilocks agreed.

What the hell was this? Yven cast a faintly bemused look at the three of them.