Infatuation of a Merman

Chapter 9-Familiar Scenes

Julian paled.

I might've been seeing things, but it seemed as if his skin had turned a few tones lighter as he stared above my head. His lips were absentmindedly parted while he thought of notions I had no clue about.

I glanced behind me, hoping to discover the reason why Julian was frozen. I saw Kiraize, but he wasn't doing anything worth noting. He didn't even look as scary or animalistic as some beastmen did. In fact, excluding the random patches of scales on Kiraize's legs, he looked just like a human.

And I knew that Julian didn't know about Kiraize's true race. Mermaids had tails and stayed in the water. I just didn't know why Kiraize was an exception to this rule or how he had donned a human looking form.

Kiraize seemed about as clueless as I was. He looked at him, but unlike me he glared straight back at Julian as if he were silently demanding 'just who do you think you're staring at, puny human?'

When I returned my attention back to Julian, he had cleaned his expression back to a gentle smile. But his skin still remained somewhat pale; solidifying the truth that something had shook him.

Julian waltzed forward, his movements impeccably smooth and elegant.

His gaze flickered to Kiraize before settling on me. "How have you been doing, Nyx?"

That one sentence nearly changed my mind. The temptation to indulge in my worries with Julian reared its unwanted presence. It would be so easy to tell him about everything. The stress and fears of having a carnivore sink its claws into my flesh would disappear with the stale wind.

But this was one stalemate that I wasn't going to break, even if Julian didn't know that he was the other player.

"I've been doing well," I lied.

Julian nodded his head. "I was told that you went to another city. Did you have a good time?"

I nodded, playing along with the situation.

I had no memory of such an event occurring, so I could only attribute this lie to Mother trying to cover up for my disappearance. I didn't know whether to feel glad that she believed in my return, or sad that she spread false rumors about my circumstances. I was sure that she had her reasons though.

"Is that where you got your new servant?" Julian looked pointedly at Kiraize.

I rubbed my arm, not exactly sure of how to answer that. If I said no, then Julian would just get more curious. But if I said yes, then Kiraize might lob my head off for being objectified. Then I realized that the truth would suffice for this question and had the urge to laugh at my own cautiousness.

"Gabriella brought him," I said.

Julian seemed to contemplate his next words before he spoke. "Although you say she despises you, your sister can't hate you that much to gift you an exotic servant from overseas."

I stopped rubbing my arm. A silent shock ran through my body as I realized just how close to the truth Julian had been. Although Kiraize wasn't shipped in like overseas slaves were, the reality of his origins was pretty close.

"What makes you think that Kiraize is from overseas?" I said.

"It smelled like salt when I entered the room." Julian's eyes widened as he adorned a mildly shocked expression. "So he isn't from overseas?"

I wasn't sure how to answer his question, so I shifted the responsibility onto someone else. "Gabriella didn't tell me."

Julian's lips quirked up to form a satisfied smile. "Well, if not then at least my gift won't seem as inferior. Now if you'll just excuse me for a moment to retrieve the present, I'll be right back."