I guess I should be annoyed by this story, cos its getting in the way of any of my own work – but I'm not, cos I love writing it too much! I love Saphro, they're just sooo cute together (but I say that about every single couple I like, so you can't trust my judgement – I'm a complete romantic)

Okay, quite a few things to say:

In answer to a question: Karadow = loved one/beloved/true love. Kares = girlfriend/lover.

Again, for those who don't know, 'capisce' is an Italian word in relatively common usage, for 'understand'.

All copyright whatever for the song Saph sings goes to Sixpence None The Richer.

Fun fact: Helen Dunmore may have been spelling 'scolhyk' wrong! According to the websites I've looked at, it is spelt 'skolheyk' – she may have been right, since these things are up to debate anyway but I thought it was worth mentioning. However, I am going to continue spelling it her way for the sake of continuity.

Quick question for anyone who feels like answering: What do you think of my version of Scylla? I always thought the pairing of Scylla and Charybdis was a bit too coincidental since she was the child of gods/titans/sea monsters (depending on which version). It also struck me that HD never went into what the current was doing to Saph, so I wanted to explore that – hope it was okay!

PS: 'Ingo lover' you're still my fave person :D

xxx GC


Where am I? Is my first thought upon waking up. The second is: I'm dead, so is this heaven? The third, upon spotting Faro's arm over my waist, is: Yep, definitely heaven, Faro's here. The fourth, rather more panicked is: Shit, Faro's here, that means that thing got him too.

The next thing I notice, is not the scenery, not the presence of anything that I recognise, but a pounding, stupidly cruel pain in my head. I'm not kidding, it is everywhere, from my eyes to the base of my skull. It is at that point I am fairly certain I am not in heaven or nirvana or wherever, because if I were, it wouldn't hurt. So, what is Faro doing in hell? Faro is one of the best people – Mer or otherwise – that I have ever known, he does not belong in hell.

So what the fu—

Saldowr?

Saldowr is casually leant against the entrance of the cave, looking out into the open ocean as if he has not a care in the world – if he were not who he is, I would almost expect him to start whistling tunelessly.

Perhaps Saldowr will know what is going on? Because, if Saldowr is here, then it cannot be hell, or heaven for that matter, which means I am alive, but how? Surely that thing killed me? But, if I am dead, why does everything hurt?

"I assure you, you are most certainly not dead Sapphire. Far from it in fact." Saldowr says, turning to smile calmly at me. "Though you may be a little more worse for wear than when you started this… adventure."

Ohh, I'm in Saldowr's cave! My brain finally recognises the place – but give me a little credit, all I can see of it is the ceiling and the entrance, since I cannot move to examine the place further.

With a whiny little moan, I force my throat to make words "What… happened?"

Saldowr meanders a little closer, so he can hear my tiny voice "I should think you know more than I do of it Sapphire, you're the one this has happened to twice."

"Yes… but what… did this… to me? And why… did it… stop?"

"I have no answer for your first question, but as to your second, I believe Faro was responsible." Saldowr's voice is harsh as he speaks of his scolhyk, but why?

"They called themselves... Scylla." I have to push the words out, and each is a horror to me, having to open locked doors in my memory to a dark time full of terrible fear and pain that made me beg for an end. The next sentence is painful for my sore body, but a blessed change to my mind – no longer having to remember that "Scylla was a... monster in Greek... myths, wasn't she? A monster with... many heads, who... ate sailors."

"I do not know about human legends, but the Mer have told stories about something similar to their children for generations. However, we were never under the delusion that our monster existed, it was what you would call a 'ghost story' which was told to attempt to frighten family and friends." he pauses, putting on what I like to think of as the In-The-Olden-Days face "The story was of a creature who lived in the dark waters in crevasses and holes, as it had no form, only a voice. Having no physical substance, it needed to use other methods to trap its victims and could control the water if it so wished, twisting it into currents, whirlpools and spouts, whatever was necessary to capture its prey. Once the poor Mer was within whatever trap the monster conjured, this... Scylla would drain away the Mer's life, by devouring their memories, their spirit as well as their physical strength."

"That's what happened… to me. She called me… tasty, and was trying to… make me… last?"

Saldowr nods "It seems the stories had truth to them after all, but I wonder, how could such a being go unnoticed for so long? Even one or two Mer gone missing would be noticed."

"She said… she likes… my blood. Maybe only… took those with… mixed blood?"

Saldowr clasps his fingers "Maybe so, but they would still be noticed, for, unlike humans, we Mer do not allow our friends or family to stay missing."

I know as a human I should feel insulted by that, but in truth, I did more than was necessary to find Dad, and he had walked out on us, so I didn't much care how the Mer felt about their own going AWOL. "Not if they knew..." I say before knowing I am going to.

"Knew what?"

"That they had… human blood. The Mer have been… very bura-hara ever since… I became aware of… them." then, knowing what even Saldowr will have to ask, I add "Bura-hara is… blood prejudice."

"Ah, then I would have to agree with you. Before Ervys there were no open fights about such things, but the Mer have always been a little too proud of their purity of blood."

"Saldowr…?"

"Yes, Sapphire?"

"I… I should've died."

Saldowr laughs "Yes, to be quite honest, I am not certain how you survived, I am just glad you did." he has a strange look on his face, one I never thought to see on him or Granny Carne, but have been noting on many people recently – it is an expression of… suspicion maybe? "Though, perhaps I told a lie, I may have an idea as to how after all…"

"What? What saved me?"

"I believe your brother did, completely unknowingly. He both endangered your life and saved it."

"I… don't understand." I wince as I lift my head a little, the world swirls around me as if I'm in a washing machine.

"Earth magic, I believe Scylla was forced away by Earth magic."

"But Con's not here, he's refused to come to Ingo since Elvira went North."

Saldowr looks sad now, his gaze drops from my attempts to sit up, down to the sandy floor, then back to me "I think it is time you knew something Sapphire."

"Knew what?" Perhaps I should be able to figure out what Saldowr has been saying to me, but a blow to the head and the extreme migraine afterwards will do a lot for ruining your logic abilities.

"About the threat your brother poses to Ingo."

"What?!" I squeak "Con and I have saved Ingo a bunch of times."

"Maybe so, but you did such things out of the kindness of your heart. Your brother, if you will remember, was more focussed on keeping you safe, and keeping you legged."

"Really?" I answer doubtfully "I used to think Conor was the one who'd… go swimming off, with Elvira."

Saldowr's smile grows "As did we all, but it seems the tides have turned in that respect." he has that look again, that sort of… knowingness. "But, perhaps that is the very reason we are in this situation."

"Saldowr…" I whine, feeling awful about it, but I have to, I cannot keep up with these puzzles! "Just say it, I have an outrageous headache and I don't understand!"

He sighs, gesturing to Faro, sleeping peacefully behind me "Conor put an Earth magic spell on Faro, some two years ago, to try and force Faro to break friends with you."

"But… Conor wouldn't do that! He was Faro's friend too!"

"You do not believe me when I say your brother was… what is the human phrase, 'blackmailing' Faro?"

"No, I don't!" How dare he say such a thing?! How dare Saldowr suggest such a… a… monstrous act of Conor?

"I can give you proof if that will allay your human requirement for evidence instead of trust."

"Try me." I scowl at him, even though I cannot actually sit up, I feel that when I eventually can, I may slap him for saying something so horrible – especially to my face!

"I will open the memory to you, I trust you remember how to do such a thing?"

"Yes." my teeth are gritted, but I am not so angry at Saldowr now, my anger is at Conor and Faro— How could Con be so cruel to my best friend? And how could Faro keep if from me, for two years?!

I am abruptly swamped by the power of Saldowr's mind. I cannot feel any of his thoughts, and I know that if I did I would not understand them. Yet, one tiny moment of his flooded memory rushes out like a wave to meet with me. When it hits it is like a tsunami of power, but somehow absorbs me instead of drowning me.

I am inside one of Faro's memories… It should be a beautiful experience to witness life through the eyes of someone you adore, but I am quickly dissuaded of my illusion, something is very, very wrong.

Conor's arms were folded, and he looked as serious as I'd ever seen him, with rage carefully hidden in his brown eyes. "I just wanted you to know something. If my sister were not here I would have hit you by now, but since she is, I'll have to do something else to dissuade you from ever touching her again."

What? It seems Faro was as shocked by this as I am.

"How dare you touch her? She's fourteen, a child! And here you are already trying to follow in your aunt's... example and lure my sister to become Mer!"

"But—"

"No! I'm not finished, you are. If you ever touch my sister again, you'll regret it, because I'll know. While you were in a trance staring at her, I made it so I'll feel it if you make contact with any part of her, ever, for any reason."

I did not know Conor's abilities here in Ingo, so had to believe him when he said it was possible. Of course, I know that Conor has Earth magic, but how could he use it in Ingo? Surely they must cancel each other out, or something? "But I'd never hurt h—"

"I don't care! You're going to end up making her turn Mer and leave her family. And I'm not going to let you." he smiled bitterly. I already want to yell at Conor, tell him that it would take a lot more than Faro touching me to make me Mer – I hope.

"Even if I did, and I don't," Though I'd certainly thought about it while watching her swim so slowly beside me on occasion "How would you stop me?" I was genuinely curious then. So am I, Faro, so am I.

"I'll reveal Ingo if you do." he stated simply, with no particular intonation, but it sent a shiver all the way to the tip of my tensed tail. Oh Conor…How could you do such a thing? How could you ruin so many lives? How could you destroy something so precious, so beautiful, so fragile?

"You wouldn't." I countered, hoping severely that it was true.

"If you have Ingo take my sister, then you make Ingo my enemy, and you've already seen what I can do if I must."

This was not the Conor I had once known, this Conor seemed to take pride in the decimation of Ervys being his doing, instead of the horror that he had felt before. I had heard that killing changes people, but had never really believed Conor capable of this... malicious tone. Yet, I am thoroughly and miserably able to believe it, for I can see what the problem is here, even with all the pain running through my body, I can see what Faro could not.

What could I do? I couldn't say anything in rebuke, out of plain fear of what he'd do. But how could I live without touching Sapphire? What if she needed me to? What if she were in danger? Oh Faro… That's so sweet of you, but it would have been better to tell me. I could've resolved all this.

I had to tell her. But I couldn't. How could I tell her that Conor had done such a thing? She would begin to fear her brother. I could never fear Conor, I can dislike him, I can love him to bits, and I can yell and scream at him, but I have never been scared of my big brother. What's more, how could I tell her how I felt about her... No. I mustn't tell her a thing, and I must somehow live the rest of my life without her – for if I was near her, I would want to touch her, hold her hand, her wrist, touch that soft flesh, the fine bones of her face. Oh Faro… Why didn't you tell me?

No. I could not bear to think of what I was to lose.

"So, Faro, what's it to be? My sister? Or Ingo?"

I couldn't breathe, my chest was being crushed like when we were all in the Deep together. How could I betray Sapphire like this? How could I do such a betrayal to myself? "Ingo..." I mumbled miserably.

Conor smiled "Good, good fish-boy." I actually have to stifle a mental laugh at that, it has never even occurred to me to call any of the Mer a fish-person/wife/whatever.

And I could not lash out at him for saying that. For fear that he would destroy my world by opening it to the Air and wrath of humans. I should never have trusted a human with the wonder of Ingo! Oh please Faro, don't think like that, he doesn't mean any of it, this is for Elvira, not you or Ingo…

Oh Sapphire, what have I done... Wow, he thinks about me an awful lot…

"So, just to make sure you've got it into that bubblebrained head of yours before my sister comes back. You are never going to touch her again, for any reason whatsoever, or I will know, and I will get a bunch of scientists to pull apart the weak link in the Mer chain. Capisce?"

I gritted my teeth at that, nodded but said nothing, it would just be baiting the shark, so to speak.

I am back in Saldowr's cave, blinking at the bizarre feeling of escaping his and Faro's minds. Yet, my first thought is one of gladness at the confirmation of my theory. Faro had been going out of his way to not touch me, and it also explained his aversion to doing anything interesting – he couldn't protect me if anything went wrong.

"So, you see Sapphire, something must be done about Conor." Saldowr murmurs sadly.

"Don't do that face!"

"What face?" Saldowr raises an eyebrow, seemingly genuinely confused.

"The, it's-a-damn-shame-but-we've-gotta-put-him-down face, Conor is my brother, not a dog! What is it with Mer and forgetting that we're all living beings and should care about one another?!"

"Mer do care about one another."

"Yeah, but do you care about anything else?!" I sit up, such is the strength of my fury "You're always accusing humans of being selfish and ruining the planet, but have you ever noticed how guilty most of us feel about it? Have you ever taken the time to realise how hard we're all trying to save the planet? How we're using light bulbs so dim that we can't actually see, but at least they're eco-friendly? How we're recycling every item we possibly can, and having to spend hours learning what things go where? How we're spending so much of our well-earned money, not on our families or having fun, but on charities and awareness and generally saving lives of animals, people and the whole fucking world?!"

Saldowr does not even bat an eyelash at my outburst "Good, you have recovered. Now you can go home and make amends with Conor, and persuade him against this… madness."

"There you go again…" I mutter, seeing as shouting didn't work.

"There goes what again?"

"You're forgetting to care about other people."

"How can you accuse me of that when I am trying to ensure the lives of each and every one of the Mer?"

"And forgetting Faro! Faro who has not woken up throughout this whole conversation even when I'm yelling my lungs off!"

"Ah, so that is what you meant."

I shake my head, exasperated "How can you be so… cold? So detached? Faro is your holyer and scolhyk, like your own son, and you don't seem to mind that he's completely comatose." I close my eyes for a moment, trying to breathe through the agony in my head, when I look up, my eyes feel like fire, twin infernos of rage "What's wrong with Faro?"

Saldowr shrugs – wow, never thought I'd see that – "A collection of things, the major factors being the idiocy of youth, coupled with an inability to withstand the consequences of his own foolish decisions."

"You're not helping…!" I groan, putting my face in my hands as a spectacularly strong throb of pain sets up its home at the back of my head. "Say it simply, stop equivocating!" my voice is probably muffled by my palms, but he seems to hear me "I can't figure out what the hell your riddles mean while my head hurts this much."

I peek at him through my fingers to see a smirk and laugh lines around his eyes "Well, if you want a clear cut list: First, are his injuries from escaping Leel Nell, unlike you he remain conscious regardless of the heavy brusing, but was in a lot more pain than he let Mellina or young Mordowrgi be aware of. Second, the blast of Earth magic seemed to stun him when it travelled through him and into you. Third and lastly, worry and guilt and despair do create a toxic mix inside any lovesick teenager, so he may be sleeping off a lot of fear amongst more physical ailments."

I rub my temples, trying to ease the throbbing even a little. "Will he be," I pause as it's getting hard to find words again "all right?"

"I suppose it depends on whether or not he learns his lesson, but you really need to be going Sapphire, Conor must be… appeased, before it is too late."

Much as it pains me to admit it – in both the literal and metaphorical meaning – I do not want to leave, and for another reason far bigger than not wanting to leave Faro alone when he didn't leave me. I do not trust myself to be able to get home at the moment, before collapsing or something equally as dangerous. "No, I'm not going anywhere." I inform Saldowr.

"You are in a fit state to make the journey."

"But I'm not ever going to be in a state that leaves Faro behind! Especially not when he's been watching over me for so long!" Again, pure irritation puts a little energy into my shouts. "I am staying right here until Faro's better!" I inform him, folding my arms huffily.

Saldowr frowns "With every moment you remain, you put thousands more lives in danger."

I refuse to acknowledge his words, I've always had a stubborn streak "I'm not leaving."

He finally seems to accept the fact "As you wish Sapphire, but on your own head be it. You take the burden…" I do not hear the rest, as I skilfully tune him out to send my mind into Faro's, hunting for any sign of whatever makes him, well, him.

Faro…? Faaaarro…?

Shh little sister, sleepy times now… Is the hazy, almost-drunk sounding answer.

Faro!

No, I'm sleeping, go away. There is the mental equivalent of Conor's shooing motion when I try to wake him up in the morning. Quickly followed by the telepathic version of rolling over and away.

I laugh as I open my eyes to break contact with Faro's dream-voice. What is he dreaming about? I wonder as I do little stretches to try and encourage my body that it is allowed to move without shrieking obscenities at my pain receptors.

Waking up is… to put it lightly, very nice. The first thing I see is Sapphire's large brown eyes, which are as shiny as the stars at night, a healthy glistening intelligence to them – a bit like a dolphin in that respect. She is sitting cross-legged on my left, her 'jeans' pressing smoothly against my side and she looks a thousand times better – not quite back to normal, but at least she's not blue.

She is casually and shamelessly stroking my hair back from my face, trailing her soft fingers across my cheeks, my jaw and my ear. I cannot stop watching the elegance of her movements, the fluidity of her joints – which I thankfully can no longer see every bone of. I also cannot stop listening to her, she is singing, and I am forced to wonder how it was the Mer who inspired the legends of sirens when her voice is so much more enchanting.

Her next song starts with 'la la la' style hums, but fast changes to lyrics.

"A-ahh a-ahh

Out of the bearded barley,

Nightly, beside the green, green grass,

Swing, swing,

Swing the spinning step,

You'll wear those shoes and I will wear that dress.

O-ohh

A-ahh a-ahh

Beneath the milky twilight,

Lead me out on the moonlit floor,

Lift your open hand,

Strike up the band, and make the fireflies dance,

Silver moon sparkling.

So a-ahh a-ahh…

A-ahh a-ahh

Down by the broken tree house,

Swing me, upon its hanging tire,

Bring, bring,

Bring your flowered hat,

We'll take the trail marked on your father's map,

O-ohh

A-ahh a-ahh

Beneath the milky twilight,

Lead me, out on the moonlit floor,

Lift your open hand,

Strike up the band, and make the fireflies dance,

Silver moon sparkling.

So a-ahh a-ahh…"

Back to the 'la la la' humming.

"A-ahh a-ahh

Beneath the milky twilight,

Lead me out on the moonlit floor,

Lift your open hand,

Strike up the band, and make the fireflies dance,

Silver moon sparkling…

So a-ahh a-ahh… So a-ahh a-ahh… So a-ahh a-ahh… So a-ahh a-ahh…"

"Sapphire…?" I ask slowly, not wanting to break whatever lovely trance-state we're both in.

"Yeah?"

"What were you singing?"

"Maybe I'll tell you someday…" she replies, smiling like a sunbeam "When you can speak full Sapphire." she giggles at that, more and more enthusiastically "See? See what I did there, like when you wouldn't tell me stuff until I could speak full-Mer?"

"Sapphire, are you all right?" Cos you're giggling way too much, it's kind of disturbing. I add silently, keeping it to myself.

Her expression sobers and her laughter abruptly stops "No, my head hurts, and I don't want to leave you."

"What do you mean?" I say, just as the answer floods my mind with anxiety. "Where are you going? You can't leave, you're hurt."

She grimaces for a split-second, covering it with a fake smile almost as soon as it appeared. "I'll be fine."

I nod, pushing myself into a sit so I can speak to her face "Yes, you will, but you're not fine yet. I don't want you to go till you're better."

She watches me sadly, through her eyelashes "I know, I don't want to go anywhere until my head stops… hurting." well, it's clear that's not as strong as the word she wanted to use.

"Sapphire, would it help if you were not talking? Or would speaking with your mind be worse?"

"I don't know…" she breaks off grasping her head and panting heavily "Fuuuuccccck…" she moans.

It hurts to see her in pain, just as much as if the pain were my own. Leaning towards her – and gasping myself at the agony of my injured waist – I reach around to put a hand on the back of her head. "Sapphire." I whisper, hoping keeping my voice low will prevent the ache from worsening – for both of us. "Elvira once taught me how to block pain, I might not be very good, but I'm going to try, okay?"

She nods jerkily, and I can see tears streaming away from her tight-shut eyes.

I don't know what Faro is doing, but oh God it feels good. It's not the same as when Elvira healed me, cos I know the injury/wound/whatever is still there, and still just as bad. Yet, what Faro is doing has a similar numbing effect, and it is lovely. Oh yes, I can still feel the pain, it just seems more… distant, like I can block it out, ignore it.

"Sapphire," Faro murmurs, taking his hand from my hair.

I open my eyes to look at him, breathing far more easily and evenly now "Thank you." I whisper, feeling that if I speak too loud, whatever Faro has done will undo itself "Oh Faro thank you, so, so much." Tears continue to fall down my face and eventually merge with the water around us.

"You're welcome," his smile is small, sad "I'm so sorry I let this happen Sapphire…"

"I know Faro. It's why I have to leave, to fix things with Conor." I bite my lip, then add, raising my eyes to his startlingly green ones, like sunshine through leaves "Faro… Why didn't you just, well, tell me?"

I had forgotten blocking pain in others means taking some into yourself. I take a moment to commend Sapphire's bravery considering I want to cry at even the small portion of the headache I now have.

"Faro… Why didn't you just, well, tell me?" she asks, those big brown eyes seeming to grow larger with every moment I look at them, as if they will suck me into her brilliance. For a while I consider what that would be like, to be a part of her. I imagine it as warm and bright and musical inside her soul, a place full of softness and kindness and love.

Realising that I should answer the question, I give the simple reply "I didn't want to upset you."

She blinks, astonished "Why would it upset me?"

"Because he's your brother?"

She continues that adorable blinking thing, the skin of her cheeks shading redder than it should be "No! That's… that's not what I was talking about." I decide I like her embarrassed face, it humbles her radiant appearance into something you do not feel you would spoil by being near it.

"Then what?" I ask. What could she have possibly been referring to if not Conor?

She takes a deep breath then lets the words out in a rush that is almost too fast to understand "Whydidn't youtellme youhavefeelings forme?!" then adds, a little more clearly "That's why Conor did the thing, isn't it? To try and keep you away from me?"

How does she know that? Ignoring my bemusement as to the source of her information, I hesitate before replying "Your brother was only trying to protect you from me."

Sapphy's frowns, narrowing those bright eyes "I don't need protecting." she pokes at my chest with a finger "Especially not from you." she gestures to our bracelets "I know you'd never let me come to… harm." she winces slightly before finishing "Without a good reason."

I just watch her, her sublimely sculpted face, the smooth angles and curves of her body, fitting together flawlessly. How could I ever have risked the life of something so perfect, so beautiful inside and out? I hide the thought.

"But stop avoiding the question!" she suddenly exclaims, putting her face right up close to mine, so our foreheads are touching "Why didn't you ever tell me you like me?!"

I pull away from her, bowing my head, finding an abrupt and all-consuming interest in my hands "You don't feel that way about me," I point out, "And I didn't want to risk losing your friendship." Yeah, a snide little voice mocks, you only risked losing her life.

"Did you… did you just… did you seriously just say…?" she bursts into bubbling laughter, rocking backwards into the free water in the centre of Saldowr's cave with the enthusiasm of her giggles. "Faro!" she cries happily, pushing her crimson tresses from her face "For someone who reads my mind almost daily, and claims to be able to see all my secrets— How did you miss the biggest one?!"

Oh no, she's going to say that she has a whole legion of lovers already, or that she fancies girls, or that she has always had a 'crush' on Morlader – or something equally anguishing.

"Faro, Faro, Faro." she grins "Stop looking so scared, I'll show you what I meant." she swims back to me in about three strokes, floating just above my head so I have to look up at her.

I open my memories to him, every moment I can remember when he has been present, every thought of him when he wasn't, every glance I tried to hide, every fantasy. I let him see how I see him, hear how I think of him, feel what I feel for him. All my random, jumbled thoughts which I've tried to hide over the years, I set them free. All the longing and desire and friendship, and growing love which made even our firework friendship seem petty.

"Faro?" I say softly, opening my eyes to see we are trapped in a cocoon of our entwined hair "I forgive you, you were trying to make me happy, and you didn't really want me to be hurt, I know you wanted a reason to break Conor's spell-thing, but really you should've just told me – but now I'm glad you didn't cos if you had, none of this would have happened. Thanks for trying to keep me safe for so long, and for eventually giving in, cos it was real fun before hitting my head and nearly being eaten by a monster…" I halt my words "Um, I'm babbling, sorry, feel free to shut me up."

Faro grins "Why? I like listening to you babble."

I stare at him "Um, why?"

"Cos I like listening to you in general? And you sometimes say very interesting things without realising it."

"Faro…?" I bite my lip, afraid to ask.

You don't ever have to be afraid to ask me anything Sapphire. Is his incredibly heart-warming reply.

Um, will you, um…

Yes? He prompts gently.

I let out my breath, realising I have been holding it. "Will you go out with me?"

"Go where?" he blinks at me, confused.

"Nowhere right now, I need to go home and get Conor to see sense about the exposing-Ingo thing. But… after that, I really wouldn't mind going on a date with you."

I turn away before he has a chance to answer, kicking off the rock wall and swimming to the entrance with all the speed I can muster. I pass Saldowr and nod at him as he sweeps past me to speak to Faro. As I swim towards the boundaries of the Grove, I feel very ill, and not just because distance from Faro is lessening his pain-blocking.

Oh God, I forgot about the sharks…Why do I always forget about the sharks when I'm about to leave? Stop it, I tell myself, they are only patrols, they are not going to hurt you. Still, I think, it is funny that I cannot shake my fear of sharks. I fought the Kraken and wasn't all that frightened, but put me in front of a Great White and I nearly wet myself.

Stay calm. Cool, calm and collected means they won't even care you're here, they'll just look at you, recognise you, then go on swimming. Stop shaking!

I take a deep breath as I come up to them, I still my body, clenched fists the only outward sign of my inner trembles. "Let me pass, I am a friend of the Tide Knot and its Guardian." I command them, feeling that fire in my stomach that makes me want to be sick, but gives me courage also.

Those beady eyes pass over me, hanging on my left wrist for a little longer than the rest— Why did they care about my bracelet?

Pass, Kowethes Moryow.

Crap, not again. Why does everything have to call me that? Even the sand would be saying it next!

Shush, I tell myself, go home before you black out.

"Saldowr, what just happened?" I ask, hunching over my bruised belly as I push off from the rock-shelf.

"From what little I heard, I believe you now have what humans call a 'girlfriend'."

Why does that put such pride in me? More even than when he named me his scolhyk? Why does Sapphire's attention make me want to squirm with joy, while Saldowr's simply warrants a nod of respect?

Saldowr regards me levelly "You once took such pride as my holyer, but I can forgive you for the change. It is more than clear that you love her, but the question remains, what are you both to do about it?

Heavily fortifying my mind, I think: Way to spoil the moment.