Page 67 of Under Gorse and Stone

“You don’t.”

He stares out of the window. His hair is a cinnamon-coloured mess falling to his shoulders, and his sharp face is shadowed. “No.” He turns and smiles at me, and the mystery vanishes, and he becomes Sigurd again—the warm, open man I’m falling for very quickly. I can admit that to myself. It won’t stop me leaving, so I don’t wear out my welcome, but I can admit to myself that I find him fascinating—strange and lovely and very dragony if that’s even a word. He's generous and lusty for life and experiences. Open and funny and very clever. It’s an irresistible combination.

I realise he’s talking and I give my head a shake. “Sorry?”

“You were far away.”

I offer him a crooked smile. “Not so far, really.”

He cocks his head, but I know he won’t pry. “I said that I like humans. There was a time I became jaded after the wars and sequestered myself away, but I like the world too much to be apart from it for long.”

“Yes, I can see that. You’re so full of life and light and warmth that I can’t imagine you dimming that light for long.”

There are a few seconds of silence, and when he speaks, his voice is hoarse. “You honour me,elsklingen, min.”

I smile at him. “So, the Mer hide away?”

He shrugs. “They have their kingdom under the sea. Some of the younger Mer still seek contact with the human world, drawn by your lights.”

“Our streetlights?” I say tentatively.

His lip twitches. “Well, they are very ingenious, but I am referring to the light of a human’s aura.”

“We have those?”

“Yes, you all burn with a fire that is short-lived and all the brighter for that. All magic creatures can see it.”

“Have I got one?”

His smile is crooked, melancholy teasing the edges. “Yours is one of the brightest I have seen.” He seems to shake off the sadness. “So, the young Mer have brief tastes of the human world but not as much as in days of old, and the elders grow more and more distant. And what happens when an object becomes distant and faint?”

“It becomes less important.”

He nods. “And so do humans to the Mer. They are not people with feelings and lives. They are pawns in some cases. In others, they are collateral damage. The Mer had little care for your kind in the past, Cary. In the present, they have even less. And Melusine’s parents are important in the court. They hold the king’s favour. A whisper here, a whisper there, and the sea could be set against Cornwall in anger.”

“Shit, we have to stop that,” I say. He smiles approvingly at me. I hesitate. “Wait, there’s a royal family?”

He winds one of my curls around his finger, seemingly fascinated with the way it springs back. “Always so curious. Never lose that.”

“You can say too nosy. I’ve been called that many times.”

“Is there such a thing?” he says, astonished. “A joy of learning and knowledge is vital in life. I have lost many years to my books and seeking answers.”

“Well, you have many more than I to lose.” His whole face clouds, and I instantly regret my words. “So, what are we going to do if the Mer don’t like us?” I ask quickly.

His eyes brighten. “Ah, but they do not mind a dragon.”

“I bet they like you.” Red tinges his cheekbones, making me smile. I bet everyone he knows likes him, and it’s obvious he knows many people. How could they not like such a vital man?

“We are going to visit their kingdom under the sea.”

“Oh my god,really? How? When? Will we meet the royal family?”

His laughter booms in the café, and a few people look around, smiling at the infectious sound. “I am not sure if you will meet the king. I know nothing of his comings and goings, but I have a friend at court. He will accompany us.”

“All the time?”

“One must have an escort in the kingdom of the Mer. They would deal harshly with little humans, otherwise.”