Page 73 of Goldilocks

Laurence’s smile faded. He stood in a shirt and shorts, hair wet and skin covered in droplets of ocean water racing down his limbs in long lines. “I have two mermen with me,” he said, sounding chastised but not repentant.

“What does Connor do with the sails when he gets this far?” Sam asked.

“Ties them.”

“And why does he do that?”

Goldilocks came to the railing, watching them through the gap. A pale face pressed in next to him, watching too. Dew had an amused look to him.

“Because the wind is…” Laurence trailed off.

“Because thewind.”

Laurence’s bottom lip ended up between his teeth, eyes finding his sail in the water. Bee had joined the other mermen to watch the scolding.

“Even so, I had them with me,” Laurence said, denial in his voice.

“You’d have ended up in the water, inthat.” Sam jutted his chin at the towering waves. And as Laurence turned to look, Sam swore the waves got higher. More dangerous. Broke harder and frothed in a violent chaos that nobody with half a brain would want to be stuck neck deep in, mermen to help or not. Sam cut a sideways look at Goldilocks, who raised an innocent eyebrow.

Laurence’s expression changed. When he turned back to Sam, his half smile wobbled. “I’ll admit, that would have been scary.”

Sam believed that the hint of fright in Laurence’s eyes was genuine. “As long as you promise not to wander off alone and get lost, and never try thiseveragain, you can come along,” Sam bargained. It would be far safer if Sam kept an eye on him.

“Deal.”

Sam leaned over the side, and he and Laurence got his surfboard and sail secured on board before they set off again.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Jasper, the long-tailed guard, was waiting on the dock as they entered the cove. His sword was strapped to his hip, with his palm resting on the pommel. Laurence stood facing the settlement across the bay. “Is that a castle up the top?”

“Looks like one.” Sam tossed his ropes onto the dock and, without prompting, Jasper bent to tie them.

As Jasper straightened, the movement must have caught Laurence’s eye because he turned to him. Sam watched Laurence’s eyes widen to saucers. With a nimble jump, he hopped from the boat to the dock. “You have a tail!” he exclaimed. “That is so so so cool! Sam, did you see his tail?” He bent his head, staring hard. Jasper’s tail lashed, and a note of excitement rose in Laurence’s throat. “It moves like a cat’s! Would it be weird if I touched it? Is that normal? That’s probably not normal, right?” He lifted his hand, his fingers motioning as if he’d just run his hand over the tail.

Jasper’s nose scrunched. His tail lashed again, quick as a whip. Out. Then up. Laurence yelped, jumping high in the air as the tail cracked against his thigh.

Sam flinched at the sound, jumping quickly onto the dock. “Hey,” he barked, putting himself in front of Laurence. “What the hell was that?”

The growl in Jasper’s throat died, his eyes flashing to Sam’s face. A symphony ofow ow ow’ssounded from behind him, and he heard Laurence jumping around. Sam winced in sympathy. He knew from the sound of the impact he’d just been hit hard.

Goldilocks, on board changing into clothes, stepped out from the cabin. At the same time, Bee and Dew lifted half out of the water, both snarling at Jasper. Jasper’s gaze jumped from them to Goldilocks, his eyes slowly widening in fear. Goldilocks spoke in a language Sam didn’t understand, and Sam watched as the colour drained from Jasper’s face. His tail abruptly ceased lashing and curled tightly around his own leg.

Jasper bowed his head, and with his tail trembling, he stepped forward. Sam watched him closely, but from the way the mermen were glaring at him, he knew Laurence wasn’t in danger of another strike. Laurence stiffened as the guard stepped up to him. He murmured a few words that Sam didn’t understand, and he very gently leaned in, nuzzling Laurence’s cheek.

Sam frowned when that nuzzle included a lick. He stayed close, ready to intervene, but watched as Laurence rubbed a confused hand over his other cheek, wiping away a few tears. “I wasn’t going to grab your tail,” he said, a tremor in his voice.

Jasper answered in his own language. He glanced down, took both of Laurence’s hands and guided his fingers open. He unfurled his tail and placed it atop Laurence’s palms. That was all it took for all of Laurence’s upset to vanish. Laurence blinked, cast one uncertain look at Jasper’s face, and then let his fingers run over the length of tail delivered into his hands.

“It’s warm,” Laurence said. “And soft.” He ran his hands all the way to the end, where the slim tail ended in feathered tufts.

“Shall I tear it off?” Bee asked. He glared at Jasper still, and Sam saw the tremble in Jasper’s body. He leaned in, nuzzling Laurence’s cheek once more, and a low note of fear hummed from him.

“No!” Laurence sounded horrified. “Why would you do that?”

Bee snorted and dropped into the water. Dew glared at the trembling guard before following after him. The tip of the guard’s tail lashed in Laurence’s loose grip. He spoke against his cheek.

“What is he saying?” Sam asked Goldilocks.