In a Brave New World (Brave New World Book 5)

Chapter 18

Sue

"Val, where is the f-ing fish?" Aly said loudly while picking her son up from the grassy ground.

She was already in her human form and even had a silvery dress on, while Boromir was still unable to choose between his water and land form. He was adorable, naked half a second and lagoon-blue-tailed the other half.

"The baby's crying his lungs out!" Aly growled at the serene surface of the lake.

"He is?" Deidre asked through an amused smile. "I was wondering why he was gaping like a fish and turning as red as a lobster."

Aly's gaze turned Deidre's way and her eyes flashed wolf.

Thankfully, Deidre got the hint and made no more fun of Boromir's silent crying on land. We were lucky Valamir was too busy fetching some food for his son, otherwise he would have splashed water at Deidre for the inappropriate joke, soaking the rest of us as well in the process. I wasn't fond of flying home wet again, as little clothing as I had on me.

"He wants to swim and fish already," Aly murmured, perhaps more to herself then to anyone in particular, sadness detectable in her voice. She lifted the baby over her head before bringing him down, then up again in an attempt to entertain him. Her plan was clearly working, because Boromir finally chose to stick to human legs. "He is growing so fast..."

"Tell me about it," Jasmine rubbed her belly with both hands, now that the cards were ready for the game. "This one is kicking as if it's due tomorrow, and not in two months, while my daughter will be climbing trees in two months."

Finally managing to sit beside Jasmine without anyone barreling into me or landing on top of me, I gave my friend a side hug.

"Actually, just so you know," Deidre supplied helpfully, "in two months Edy should be jumping between trees already."

Jasmine stiffened in my embrace. "O-kay..."

I decided to keep my mouth shut, despite knowing exactly how she felt. Vivi, too, was growing too fast. She would be flying on her first birthday, for crying out loud! Still, my worries and Jasmine's were nothing compared to Aly's, so we shouldn't be complaining.

My no-longer-human friend had had two miscarriages before successfully bringing Boromir into this brave new world we now lived in. And, according to merman physiology as described to her by Valamir, in one year their son would be almost fully grown and in need of a new watery home. Now that was fast growth.

The fact that Boromir had been conceived and even born healthy was a miracle in itself. A blessing from the Gods, to use gargoyle terminology. We could only hope that Aly would be blessed with another child once Boromir moved out, so to speak.

As Valamir's upper body broke the water surface, Boromir's lagoon-blue eyes immediately locked onto the tiny fish his father was holding in his mouth. The baby's legs turned into a fishtail right away.

How did that happen without water being involved? I could explain it only with evolution plus a little push from the magic of Aly's moon curse. Science and science fiction at their best – my university lecturers would have a kitten at the very idea.

"Hell yes!" Aly exclaimed, much to Deidre's amusement, and went into the water to place Boromir in his father's waiting arms. "He is so hungry, Val, do something!"

I stifled a chuckle. Aly was always so worried about not doing the right thing for the baby, but she was definitely the best mom out of the four of us here. She was as protective as a lioness, as caring as a puffin, and as loving as a gargoyle. And whatever she didn't know about motherhood due to her motherless childhood, Valamir would teach her. That guy was father of the year, by my criteria.