Beneath the Painted Ocean Page 9

  Knoll. In the midst of it all, he had forgotten about him. The man had left Callum alone because he was usually talking with his father. Still, it did make sense that Knoll could be behind it all. He knew about Callum’s little stint back in the day. He knew that Callum cared a lot about the environment and he was working on something. He also had the money to hire these men too. The only thing he couldn’t understand was motive.

  Is it because I said no? That’s not a reason to attack me. Callum thought as he finished up telling the police everything. Maybe I’m jumping to conclusions. I didn’t like the man but that doesn’t mean he’ll hurt me. Does it?

  When everything was wrapped up, the police promised to keep in touch and that they look around the city for these men. Callum could just nod in reply. He barely heard a word that was being said. Part of it was due to exhaustion, but part of him didn’t want to think about it anymore. The bruises were there and that was bad enough. He could still remember the gun pressed against his shoulder blades and being gagged so he couldn’t scream. He hated himself for not being able to fight back. He felt like a weakling. Instead of throwing a punch or kicking back, he gave into them.

  “Don’t stress over it, son.” His father said. “They’ll find the guys who did this. We’ll cancel those cards so no one can use them. If you want, one of us can go with you at all times.”

  That was far more embarrassing. His father had good intentions and normally Callum would have taken the offer. However, that would mean he couldn’t see Kai. He couldn’t do the things that he loved if someone was always following him around. He would have no privacy and that didn’t feel right. “I appreciate it, Dad, but I think I’ll be fine. I just want to go to bed now.”

  “Then go.” His mother said. “You’ve had a long night. Don’t forget to cancel the cards first.”

  “Right. I’ll do that before I go to sleep.”

  Callum was beyond tired and scared but he did exactly as he was told and canceled all his cards. So far, no one had used them. Once he was sure of that, he looked over at where his brothers were sleeping. He didn’t dare wake them up now. They would want to know all the details about his mugging. They would probably try to go after them as well.

  Eco-terrorist. Those words hurt him because there was something behind them. Did they mistake him for someone else? He couldn’t remember what he did recently that could give him that label. There was that incident in the past but he hadn’t done much then either. Even if it was that reason, how would they know about it? Were they even there?

  Something is very wrong. He realized. Someone is after me and I need to figure out why.

  Whatever the reason, he needed to make sure he didn’t get caught by them again.

  Chapter 11

  Kai was able to see Callum again, but he seemed preoccupied with something else today. This time, his friend was underwater and looking at something. It was like he was lost in his own world today. Was it this work thing that he talked about? He was staring intently at the rocks below but he had mentioned something about coral. This wasn’t coral. Curious, Kai inched closer to him and waved.

  Callum did look up and waved back. That was when Kai knew something was wrong. His friend didn’t seem as excited this time. From a distance, he could tell that the sparkle in Callum’s eyes was gone. He seemed so distant even as he approached Kai. While he couldn’t talk underwater, he could still hear Kai and try to communicate. Turning to the side, he showed him something on his face. It was a bruise that was slightly purple. Even though it was hard to see, Kai could tell it was caused by someone hitting him.

  “What happened to you?” He asked, gently trying to touch Callum’s face. Callum almost turned away but didn’t. He had no idea how to explain this with body language alone. At the same time, Kai didn’t want to stop touching his face. It was so warm under his palm. Like his hands and feet, Callum had a very warm face. It was also very soft save for the stubbly bits around his chin area. However, his friend was sad. Someone had hurt him and he was sad.

  “Let’s surface.” He told him, nodding to the top of the water. “Tell me everything.”

  Kai made his way to the top and poked his head out of the water with Callum right behind him. Once he took the mask off and spat the regulator out of his mouth, Kai could see the bruise much more clearly. He almost touched it but Callum turned away.

  “Please don’t. It still hurts,” he admitted. “I was attacked last night.”

  “By who?”

  “I don’t know. I was walking late last night after buying some gifts and these men attacked me. I did exactly as they asked and gave them everything I had. That wasn’t what they wanted though. I still can’t figure anything out.”

  “Then why did you come here after that?” Kai wanted to know. “Aren’t you scared?”

  “I am scared. However, I also know I can’t live in fear. I came into the ocean to see you. I wanted to get away from everything for a while. Everyone else told me no but I had to.” Callum lowered his voice. “I’m sorry I didn’t come see you sooner. I was planning my escape.”

  “Escape? Was your family not letting you leave?”

  “They are very concerned about me. Truth be told, I don’t blame them. Those men are still out there and I won’t feel better until they are caught.” He looked over at the rocks behind them. Unlike previous times, he didn’t take a boat out. He had come to his favorite spot and slipped into the water when no one was looking. Now his legs were aching. “I need to sit down but I have no idea if I can climb onto those rocks. I’m afraid I’ll slip.”

  “Allow me to help you.” Kai suggested. Before Callum could ask him how, he felt the merman’s arms around him and he lifted him onto the rock. “There you go! Are you fine?”

  “I...uh...I didn’t know you were strong.” Callum blinked, looking at the rock under him. Somehow, he had ended up on it. “Are all merfolk strong?”

  “I’m actually quite weak compared to some. You’re just very light.”

  “Even with diving equipment on, you think I’m light?” Callum couldn’t believe what he heard. “I’m not light at all. I’m an average size for a guy my age.”

  “I wish you would stop calling yourself that,” Kai frowned. “You said you look average. Now you’re saying you’re an average size. I can tell you that both of those things are lies. I honestly thought you were a merman at first when I saw you.”

  “No way!” Callum laughed when he heard that.

  “It’s true. It wasn’t until I saw your legs that I realized you were human,” Kai said. “I bet you wish you had the ability to breathe and speak underwater without the use of human tools.”

  “I have entertained the thought. Everyone thought I was a fish in a past life.” Callum reached up to his face and rubbed the bruise. The salt water surprisingly didn’t do anything to it. It wasn’t until he pressed down on it again that he felt the pain. “I really wish I could understand why these people went after me. I wasn’t doing anything wrong.”

  “I refuse to believe you can do anything wrong. Do you want me to look?”

  “No, they were on land. You wouldn’t be able to find them.” Callum looked up. “I should go now. My family will be worried about me.”

  “Will you come back here later?”

  “I will try. It will be hard but I will try to get back here tomorrow. I should mention that we are leaving then. I have to go back home and go back to my job. So, I may not be around as much. I will still be in the ocean for work but not close enough.”

  “If you can’t, then I’ll come to see you.”

  “How? You can’t walk.”

  “I can swim from one ocean to another. Even if you’re on the other side, I will be there,” Kai promised. “That is nothing you should worry about.”

  “I…I guess so. I have to think about some things. I promise I’ll be back to say goodbye tomorrow.”

  Kai kept thinking about Callum and how hard it was to keep talking. Ye
s, he could follow Callum everywhere, but they could only see each other in the ocean. Out of it, it was difficult to spend time together. There were only two ways they could be together. He either had to become human or Callum had to become a merman.

  He told Romina about it and she shook her head. As a spell caster, she knew how badly things could end if a spell wasn’t performed properly. Out of all of them, turning a human into a merman was a difficult spell. Very few had actually done it. “Do not force a human to become a merman against his will. He will be very angry because you would be taking him away from his home.”

  “I would never force him into anything. Still, you have a point. He would be torn from his family if I were to do that. Maybe I should become a human.”

  “You make it sound easy. That is a spell that is irreversible. Not to mention, you have family and friends down here. You can’t throw your life away. You would be giving everything away just for a human you barely know.”

  “I do know him!” Kai insisted.

  “A few days of talking to him doesn’t mean you know him. He probably doesn’t think of you in the same way you think of him.”

  “I know they take time but I know how he feels. I can see it in his face. He wants to be with me too. He just isn’t able to say it,” Kai sighed. “Oh, if only there was a way for us to be together. I don’t want to take him from his family and I don’t know if I can leave mine either. What do I do?”

  “You need to figure out how you both feel for each other. You don’t want to give up your entire life for a human that doesn’t care for you.”

  His sister had a point, but Kai didn’t want to wait too long. He wanted to be out there with Callum even if it was only for a day. If someone could give him legs to run on, it would be enough. They could do so much more on the land. He could go everywhere that Callum went. He could run on the shore with him, feel the water from the ocean pool around his feet, and kick those legs high in the air. He would be able to wiggle his toes and feel the sand between them. Oh, it was a dream that he was desperate to come true.

  A thought came to mind at that moment. Romina was a strong spell caster but she was no sea witch. Only someone with great powers could give him the ability to walk and live like a human. She also had the ability to turn humans into merfolk if needed though that was much harder. He couldn’t tell Callum about this. He wanted to surprise him.

  It was a difficult decision but he needed to make a short visit. He had to go see Eirene the Sea Witch. He knew where her home was, but had never gone into it before. He knew what she looked like and that she was very powerful. She claimed to have the ability to do anything a merman or mermaid wanted. It included turning them into humans. However, no one trusted her. Her claims didn’t have much proof to back them up. Still, Kai didn’t feel like he had much of a choice. He had to see what she could do.

  Eirene’s lair was not far from where his home was but it was a dark area. No human would be able to venture this deep because they wouldn’t be able to take the pressure. Callum had told him that he could only go so far. If he tried to go further, his ears and head would start aching. Humans weren’t designed to go too deep in the ocean.

  “I’ll find a way though,” Callum promised. “I don’t know when or how but I’ll find a way to see everything the ocean has to offer.”

  Kai was scared as he made his way closer and closer to Eirene’s home. Would she even be there? He was now at the entrance and he peeked in. “Hello? Is anyone here?”

  After a second, someone spoke. “Enter.”

  He did as asked and looked around the dark room. There wasn’t much besides seaweed in the area. “I, um...I came to see Eirene the Sea Witch. I need help with something.”

  “I don’t help for free.” The voice went on. “I need more details than that.”

  “Yes, of course,” Kai nodded. “You see, I have met someone and he is very interesting. He’s slowly becoming a good friend. Very few people know about him and I would like to get to know him more.”

  “That’s not the real issue, is it?” Eirene asked. “What is wrong with this merman?”

  “That’s just it. He’s no merman,” Kai managed to get out. “He calls himself a...marine biologist? Apparently, he does something called work for the ocean.”

  “Ah! Say no more, I know exactly what you mean. He’s right. Marine biologists are humans who do study our oceans. I’m amazed you were able to get the attention of a human though. How did he react when he saw you?”

  “I think he was stunned but he has gotten used to me. I didn’t know how to approach him at first. I’ve held a human in my arms before but this is the first human I’ve spoken to. I was able to look in his face and stare into his eyes. He’s very curious about us but he promises never to harm the ocean. I believe him.”

  “Of course. You are deeply in love so you believe everything he says!”

  “Not true! I have no reason to doubt him!” Kai insisted. “So far, he’s done nothing wrong! I just...I wish there were ways that we could spend more time together. He belongs on the land and I belong in the sea.”

  “That is the tragedy...but it doesn’t have to be one.”

  “Meaning what?”

  “It means that you don’t have to live like a human and merman forever. That’s the reason you came, isn’t it? You want to be with your human. Not just any human, a marine biologist! He would understand your world a lot better than you think! It’s almost a perfect match.”

  “Yes, it is. I just wish that either I could be human or he can become a merman. The land and the sea separate us as it is.” He thought out loud. “It would make life easier for both of us.”

  “Well then, you have come to the right place. Come closer, my child. I want to see you in the light.”

  Kai almost asked her what she meant by light as it was completely dark inside. Nonetheless, he made his way in and that was when he finally saw her. Eirene didn’t look anything like a sea witch on first glance. Her hair was long and the same color as moonlight. Her eyes were of deep green and the matched the color of her tail. She looked so innocent and young that he almost didn’t believe this was her. Still, he didn’t want to keep staring.

  “Now please tell me more about your human,” Eirene requested. “It will help me come up with a perfect spell.”

  “Um, well, he is a marine biologist. He came here with his family because they have a home. He said that he was studying coral in the ocean. He was a little sad though; he lost a sister and he was hurt by another human last night. I want to cheer him up and I don’t know how. If I was human, maybe I could do something.”

  “Hmm, that is interesting. It sounds like your human has gone through so much. Those are the hardest humans to get across. Has he mentioned being in love before?”

  “No. I don’t think he’s been in love in the past. He seems like he’s been alone for a long time. He claims that he is more focused on work than other humans.”

  “So, he is one of those humans,” Eirene realized. “I see. This is going to be more difficult than I thought. If he’s never been in love, it’ll be hard for you to be together.”

  “But I want that! Surely, you must have a spell for this!”

  “I do, but it will take time. I will need your help with it.” Eirene began, beckoning him to come closer. “I cannot turn him into a merman. I can’t do that to a human against their will and you can’t make the decision for him. I can, however, turn you into a human. It’s not an easy spell though and it will take time to complete. For you to become a human, you need to be sure of your love for him. Therefore, I will give you two months.”

  “Two months?! That’s a very long time!”

  “These things take time. I can cast the spell that will give you the confidence to pull him closer. However, you have to do more of the work. You want this human, now you have to show him that. Humans don’t always fall in love right away. They take their making decisions. Now this is the important part,” s
he whispered, pulling him in. “If you can love him and he loves you in return before midnight on the final day, you will become human permanently. You will be able to live with him for the rest of your life. If not, you remain a merman and I will take your human from you. Then you will both belong to me.”

  “Belong to you?” Kai repeated. He didn’t like the last half of the deal so he tried to change it. “You can’t just turn me human now?”

  “I’m afraid not. You’re asking me to do a risky thing. You want to give up your entire life for a human you barely know. That’s why I’m giving you a chance to know him. Talk to him. Find out more about him. Eventually, you will fall deeper in love with him and he will learn to love you. Of course, that is if everything goes right.”

  Kai swallowed. “If I become human, I can never go back to the sea.”

  “No, you cannot.”

  “If I stay a merman, I can never be with him. We’ll always be separated by land and sea.”

  “That is also true.”

  “If I turn him into a merman, that would make me happy but it would break his heart. He would never be able to see his family or friends again.”

  “These are all things you must consider before making a decision,” Eirene reminded him. “I will give you ‘til tomorrow evening to make a choice. Think wisely because it will affect both of you.”

  Kai nodded. “Then I’ll come back here tomorrow. I need to think about this for a long time.”

  “Remember, once you make your decision, you cannot turn back. You need to sort out your feelings. Decide what means more to you right now.” She turned her back to him. “Now go. I will expect you back here and you better be ready.”