Read The Little Mermaid (Faerie Tale Collection) for Free Online Page B

“Forgive me,” she said between painful whimpers. “I was not thinking properly. Of course I would draw notice to myself.”
    “I would allow you to cry beneath the surface, but I cannot. Soon, your lungs will transform, and you will not be able to remain under there.”
    Finally, they approached the small outcropping, and he sat her down to face him. “There is nothing to forgive. You are doing much better than I did my first time, and even my second.”
    She attempted a chuckle. “Liar.”
    “’Tis true!”
    “I should have listened to you. I should never have done such a stupid thing. Why? Why would I believe anything would be worth this horror?”
    The remorse and concern in his eyes hurt her more than the actual growing of the legs. “My dear, if I would not have told you about this, never mentioned I had the potion, and then you would never have known. It is my fault that you are in such pain right now.”
    She did laugh then. “Great kettlefish! Listen to you. You know I practically begged you for it. You know I would have been—” Pearl winced as a sharp stab pierced her fins. “Would have been devastated, had I never been given this gl—glorious opportunity.”
    “Yes. I know. It is so glorious, is it not?” He held her before she could shove him, and for a moment, her world seemed right again. Just for a moment.
    When he pulled back, he asked, “Better?”
    She lied and nodded. “It is easing up a bit.”
    “There are a few minutes in the middle of it all when your body is growing the muscle mass and veins, and you can actually breathe for a little while. Perhaps you are already there, and your legs are growing nice and quickly.”
    “Perhaps.” If this was the easy part, she was in for so much trouble.
    “Well, if you are able to, would you mind telling me how you came to be in the arms of a male human?”

KEEL WATCHED PEARL’S FACE intently as she darted her eyes away from him and then winced. He could tell she was still in immense pain and was regretting every action she had taken up to this point. It was heartless to interrogate her further at this time.
    Wrapping her up in his arms, he gently pressed her head to his shoulder and rocked her as if she were a wee merinfant who needed cuddle time with her mammay. “Never you mind at the moment. You can tell me all about it later. For now, it is more important that you are safe.”
    Keel twisted a bit to look through an opening in the rock behind them. The human male stirred slightly on the beach. Ugh. Keel should have hit him harder to guarantee he stayed asleep longer. “Pearl,” he whispered into her ear around her muffled whimpers. “That man who found you has awoken. I need you to remain very, very still, and do not make a sound. He will not see us as long as we remain as we are, behind this rock. Can you do that for me?”
    She clutched him tighter and nodded.
    “Good.”
    He attempted to hide his breathing as his heart rate increased. Why in all heaven’s name did the girl swallow that vial now? Could she not have waited until the human was safely away? Why is it that mermaids tend to do such drastic, unthinkable things without realizing the consequences?
    He then watched covertly as the man stumbled to his feet and looked out to the ocean while rubbing his head. Looking up and down the shoreline, he finally shook his head and made his way up to the castle. With any luck, he would believe it was all some sort of hallucination or dream and forget about the beautiful mermaid he had found.
    Keel kissed the top of her bright hair. How scared he had been in those brief moments when he watched the man slowly lure her to him. She was so fascinated and trusting! The foolish merwoman! What else would he want but to capture her as quickly as possible, attempt to dupe her into believing they were friends and he was merely as harmless as she?
    Did she realize how close to the cruel realities of this world she actually came?
    Ugh. Within