The Little Mermaid (Faerie Tale Collection) by Jenni James Read Free Book Online Page B

churned at the thought. “I could not possibly eat a thing at the moment.”
    Keel’s deep chuckle caused her heart to hammer a bit more than normal. It was so different to hear him speak above the water like this. It would take some getting used to.
    “You may not be hungry now, but I promise you, my dearest, you will be quite famished on the morrow.”
    “Does it have something to do with the transformation?” she asked him.
    “Yes. Your insides are still too new to comprehend the use or need of sustenance. Your body is experiencing a bit of shock from the pain. But by morning, after you have sufficiently rested, it is all you will think about.”
    He was simply too good to her, thinking of each one of her needs before she knew what she would want next. How was such a male to be in existence? He would clearly make the perfect husband for some lucky mermaid one day. Her grin grew as she brought her exhausted legs forward, rustling the dress a bit, and snuggled in tighter as she turned a fraction on her side.
    Sleep sounded so very wonderful, and Keel made the most perfect pillow she had ever known. Closing her eyes, she allowed the soft, rustling breeze to remind her she had finally made it. They were human. A surge of glee swept through her, and then she calmed back down.
    He whispered quietly above her. “Sleep, my beautiful one. Tomorrow, we shall awaken early to procure better sleeping arrangements. As of now, I fear to walk to any hotel with your legs being so very tender. So we will sleep this soreness off and face the challenges in the morning with much better ease.”
    “Thank you,” she murmured into his chest.
    “You are most welcome.”
    She yawned. “You know I could not do this without you. You are simply wonderful.”
    “I would have never allowed you to do this alone. Think nothing of it.”
    “But I cannot.” Pearl yawned again, her speech slurring a bit as the fatigue began to tug upon her. “I will never forget all you have done for me. Never.”
    She barely heard his reply, “Hush,” before all went dark.

    IT ONLY FELT LIKE a few minutes since she had fallen asleep, but it must have been hours because the next thing Pearl remembered was waking to a hand shaking her quite forcefully and the loud prattle of someone very displeased they were there.

THE BRIGHT LIGHT OF the sun blinded Pearl briefly as Keel sat up, shifting them both to a sitting position, and then protectively placed his arm around her. She was so disoriented. Everything looked completely different during the day. Brighter, so much lighter in color. She could make out flashes of peaches, creams, pinks, and whites everywhere.
    What time was it? How long had they been asleep?
    The noises of several humans seemed to burst into her awareness all at once. Chattering, clicking voices could be heard all about them.
    She brushed the sleep from her eyes and looked around. The great hulk of a man gesturing for them to leave and pointing up at a building behind them seemed very agitated. He must have been the one to wake them up.
    “Keel, let us go.” She took his hand and stood up, and then felt the world around her feet shift and wobble.
    Instantly, Keel’s arms wrapped around her waist, and he allowed the dizziness to subside a bit. “You are not used to this yet. We need a few more minutes.”
    The man began to shout.
    “We do not have a few more minutes. We must go now,” Pearl said.
    Instead of listening to her, Keel attempted to communicate with the man, but he only became angrier.
    Landfolk really had no idea what they were saying. She looked around and noticed that they had drawn a small crowd of onlookers. None of them seemed very pleased. Were humans actually this cruel toward those they did not know?
    The man clasped Keel’s shoulder and pushed him a few feet away, causing Pearl to stagger. In the short second of losing Keel’s support, she attempted to catch her balance, but was unable. She fell to the ground,