Page 33 of The Merman’s Betrothal (Outcast Hearts #2)

O n approaching Neacel’s cave, Fionn pulled Rory aside for a word of warning.

‘ I am afraid I made some poor comments the last time I was here. It might be better if I greet him first before introducing you. ’

Rory’s smirk told Fionn that he wasn’t totally surprised. ‘ I’m sure I’ll be fine outside for a minute. There aren’t any sharks around here, are there? ’

‘ You will be safe. I shan’t be far away, ’ Fionn promised, internally tugging on the bond.

Then, after a moment’s hesitance, he slipped Rory’s woollen hat out of a pouch from his harness.

‘ I must confess to taking this when you removed it earlier. I know it is a great favour to ask, but may I request this garment as a gift for my friend? ’

Rory shot the hat a perplexed look. ‘ That tatty thing? Sure. If you think he’ll like it. ’

‘ With these, I hope he will. ’ Fionn opened a smaller pouch and tipped out three small pearls. ‘ He likes human things, I think, and also shiny things. So I hope to present a suitable peace offering to make up for my previous behaviour. ’

Rory nodded and gave him a thumbs up. ‘ Good luck, then. ’

Fionn left him by the kelp entrance and called through. ‘ Hello? Are you home, Neacel? ’

‘ Come in, Fionn. ’

Inside, Neacel was floating in the first chamber, tying knots in a new net that was strung between two nails in the cave wall. He didn’t seem particularly aggrieved by Fionn’s entrance.

‘ It’s been a while, ’ Neacel remarked lightly. ‘ How goes your courting on land? ’

‘ I… ’ Fionn stumbled, thrown off by Neacel’s composure. ‘ Are you not still angry with me? ’

Neacel turned away from his net, eyebrows raised. ‘ Still? Of course not. We exchanged some heated words and I for one am sorry for those I said. But such things happen between friends sometimes. You caught me at the wrong moment, that’s all. ’

A flood of relief swept over Fionn. He hadn’t ruined his friendship with Neacel after all.

Neacel’s gaze landed curiously on the hat in Fionn’s palm. Fionn unscrunched it to reveal the pearls nestled in the fabric, allowing them to float upwards.

‘ I brought this for you, ’ he said, holding it out.

‘ Thank you? ’ Neacel took the hat between finger and thumb, apparently unsure what to make of it.

‘ The pearls are very rare. I traded for them in the kitchens. I thought of maybe trying to sew them onto the hat? ’ Fionn said happily, glad of a chance to show Neacel his appreciation.

‘ Why? ’ Neacel caught the drop in Fionn’s expression and hastily pulled his confused frown into something more neutral. ‘ I’m sure it’s very thoughtful of you. I’m just not sure I follow the thought that has gone into it. ’

‘ It’s a human hat. And these are shiny pearls. Like the dress. ’ Fionn recognised his song was turning snappish, driven by his growing frustration. He drew in a breath to calm down and curb his impulsiveness.

Neacel’s response was surprised but cheerful laughter.

‘ Oh! I think I understand. ’ He caught the three pearls before they floated away.

‘ I do not like human clothes just for the sake of them, Fionn. But I think I see why you’ve taken it that way.

Our culture doesn’t exactly allow for the same breadth of expression in our identities. ’

‘ What do you mean? ’

Neacel stuck the hat over his short hair and performed a twirl. ‘ Look at you and every other Minchman out there. Are we not all hardened, kilt-wearing, stoic survivors of the sea? ’

Fionn cocked his head. ‘ You are not. ’

‘ Exactly. I am not. ’ Neacel’s smile wavered. ‘ Truthfully, I am still figuring myself out. And I am, truly, grateful for your gift. But I am even more grateful that you did not blink more than twice upon seeing me in a dress, and that today you are still my friend. ’

‘ I am grateful for your friendship too, Neacel, ’ Fionn sang in a rush. ‘ And your patience with me. I know I have not always deserved it. ’

Neacel beamed at him. ‘ Will you join me for lunch? I am keen to hear how things are going with Rory. ’

‘ Actually. I have a surprise. ’ Fionn more or less bounced through the water to stick his head out of the kelp curtain. He beckoned to Rory, who had been busy watching an octopus climb over the rocky seabed.

‘ Isn’t it amazing how it moves? ’ Rory sang distractedly, even as he followed Fionn inside. ‘ I swear it was trying to communicate. ’

Fionn presented him to Neacel with a dramatic flourish. ‘ Rory, this is my friend Neacel. ’

Neacel dropped his net and gawped.

Rory more or less gawped right back, although he was clearly doing his best not to. He offered a vague ‘ Hi, ’ while his gaze flitted fretfully between Neacel and the cave’s contents: from the glowing light orb to the carved storage alcoves to the diverse array of nets strung over the walls.

Neacel swam closer, apparently spotting Rory’s gills. ‘ Amazing, ’ he murmured. ‘ Your body has changed since meeting Fionn? ’

‘ Yeah. I think it’s been happening for a while .’ Rory tore his eyes away from a bundle of shell-carved cooking tools and fixed on Neacel’s short blue hair. It occurred to Fionn that Neacel’s stature was quite different to all the other Minchmen Rory had seen from afar today.

Neacel held out his hand to shake Rory’s. ‘ My name is Neacel. It’s a pleasure to welcome you into my home. ’

‘ It’s a very nice, uh, cave, ’ Rory replied.

‘ You speak DeepSong very well. ’ Neacel sounded impressed.

Fionn’s pride over Rory inflated further. He was proud of him and proud for him. Rory had come such a long way in such a short time. He was clearly a force to be reckoned with, whatever he might think of himself.

‘ And what of your… personal connection? ’ Neacel asked with a sly lifting of his eyebrows meant only for Fionn.

‘ We’ve made much progress! ’ Fionn gave an enthusiastic nod and wrapped an arm around Rory’s waist. Rory froze at first, much like a stunned seal upon spotting a predator’s shadow.

For an instant he tried to pull away from Fionn, shrinking from the embrace.

Not allowed, was the faint sense of meaning that flowed through the bond.

Fionn caught Rory’s eye, tried to send reassurance back. ‘ Neacel is my friend, ’ he said softly. ‘ He will not judge nor disapprove of our union. ’

Rory’s face coloured red while Neacel leaned forward with excited interest. ‘ Your union? ’

‘ We have come to an understanding of one another’s affections and are committed to finding a path forward together, ’ Fionn replied happily. Rory relaxed, just a smidgeon.

‘ “Committed” is a new word for me, ’ he mumbled under Neacel’s stare. He seemed embarrassed to say so out loud. ‘ But sure. The heart wants what it wants and all that… ’

Neacel broke into the widest smile. ‘ I am so pleased for both of you. ’ His song rang with such deep satisfaction that it prompted even Rory to quirk an inquisitive brow.

Neacel chuckled, a little sheepish. ‘ Can you blame me for living vicariously through your romance? I have hoped most dearly that your story would find a happy ending with someone you love, Fionn. ’

Neacel’s words flooded Fionn’s heart with a new warmth. Someone I love, Fionn thought blissfully, looking at Rory. Someone I choose to love.

He felt Rory nestle closer to his side. An answering warmth trickled through the bond. It took all of Fionn’s self-control to not kiss Rory fervently in front of Neacel right there and then.

Despite his smile, some of the delight drained from Neacel’s face, replaced by a more pensive expression. ‘ Fionn, does he know… everything? Your… situation? ’

‘ The arranged marriage thing? ’ Rory answered bluntly. ‘ Yeah, we covered it. I figured we’d just leave. ’

Just as before, Fionn found his heart torn in half again by this proposal of Rory’s.

On the one hand he was completely swept away by the idea of it, of swimming off into the unknown with Rory and leaving every single one of his troubles behind.

But on the other hand, he couldn’t abandon his people to a fate shrouded in uncertainty.

If he left without providing a conclusion to his betrothal, no one would know why he had disappeared.

And there was no telling how the Redfolk would react to him simply running away like a coward.

‘ It is more complicated than that, ’ Fionn said slowly, putting great thought into each word. ‘ If I were to disappear without explanation, it would cause serious offence to the Redfolk tribe. ’

‘ So what? Fuck ’em. ’ The aggressive nature of Rory’s DeepSong was oddly endearing. His melodies often slipped up, charged with all the passion that he normally kept hidden away.

‘ While I admire your conviction, I’m afraid I cannot match it.

To snub the Redfolk would invite pain and suffering upon my people, ’ Fionn explained.

There was a stutter in the bond, a wavering of apprehension from Rory.

Fionn jumped in quickly to assuage it. ‘ But they cannot argue with a fated soul bond such as ours. We are certain this will nullify my betrothal. ’

‘ We have a plan, ’ Neacel added eagerly. ‘ Part of one, anyway. You must confront the Blue King together and prove your bond. ’

Rory massaged his temples. Fionn sensed the load he was trying to carry—the events of the day must be catching up with him.

Rory had been a member of Fionn’s world for a mere eight hours or so and absorbed everything Fionn had thrown at him like an impressively sturdy sea sponge.

It shouldn’t be surprising that he now showed signs of wobbling.

Fionn’s stomach growled, reminding him they hadn’t eaten a meal, either. For a while he felt he could have survived on Rory’s company alone.

Fionn stroked a hand down Rory’s spine. ‘ All of this can wait. It is more important that you take time to adjust to your surroundings. ’ He turned to Neacel. ‘ May we request food and lodgings for the night? ’