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The day his brother announced his engagement, Kim went down to the alcove at the base of the cliffs where the palace stood, and sat with his feet in the sea.
Three weeks ago, Kinn’s ship had been lost at sea. Kinn’s reappearance a few days later, his body washed up on this beach, was as miraculous as it was mysterious.
Mysterious to most people, maybe. Not that mysterious to anyone who’d grown up overlooking this secluded bay, who’d spent summer afternoons chasing the distant glittering of iridescent fins in the water, and evenings curled up in a window seat dreaming of joining them. It wasn’t mysterious to someone who’d grown up on cautionary tales of the creatures in the ocean, who would save you or ruin you depending on their whims, as changeable as the tides.
Kim sat quietly, letting the salt water soak into his skin. The gentle lapping of the waves against the soft sand calmed him, and he waited until the rhythm of the sea was thrumming through his veins before opening his mouth and beginning to sing.
The notes rang out over the water, pure and clear, and just a moment later, or maybe two, a head popped up out of the waves, dark hair plastered down against a smooth golden-brown forehead, a sugar-sweet mouth. Vicious teeth and kind eyes.
“How do you know that song?” he asked, pushing wet hair off his face. His hand wasn’t quite right, was slightly too elongated, with fingers too bony and nails too sharp.
“I grew up there,” Kim said, pointing at the palace. “Anyone could learn it, if they paid attention.”
“Most humans don’t.”
“I’m not most humans,” Kim said, bristling. “I’m a prince.”
“So am I, it’s not impressive,” the merman shrugged.
“I know. You’re Chay,” Kim said. “Your brother’s very proud of you.”
Chay frowned, his brow furrowing. “What do you want?”
“Your brother saved my brother’s life. Now he’s going to be married to the king.”
“Did you come here just to tell me? I already knew that.” He slipped lower in water until only his eyes were visible above the waves.
“No.” Kim held as still as he could. Deep breaths, calm demeanor, fingers buried in the sand. “I… I’m grateful. I wanted to ask if you’d like to be my guest.”
“Your guest?” Chay bobbed up enough to avoid a mouthful of water as he spoke.
“To the wedding.”
“Oh.” Chay looked surprised, and then a wide smile bloomed on his face, brighter than the sunshine sparkling on the sea. “Oh, yes, I’d love that!”
Kim couldn’t help the spot of warmth in his chest that sparked to life at Chay’s words. He tamped it down quickly; he was doing this to protect his brother, not to catch feelings. Someone had to learn about the merfolk, if they were going to become family.
“Good. I’ll see you there,” Kim said, and stood up quickly, turning on his heel.
“It’s a date, Prince Kim,” Chay called after him. Kim thought he might cry if he looked back at Chay, as rare as a pearl and twice as beautiful.