Faraway Castle Box Set: Three Sweet Fairy-Tale Romances by J. M. Stengl

Author:J. M. Stengl [Stengl, J. M.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-01-12T23:00:00+00:00

Nelumbo loomed over us, his mouth open to reveal those razor-sharp teeth. The beast loved to provoke screams, and I could never blame people for freaking out at the sight of him. How anything so large managed to approach with no warning had always puzzled me. “No danger! He’s just showing off.”

The doctor, who had screamed, gave me a disbelieving glare.

I swam over and latched onto one of the spikes on the back of his neck. “I swim like a rock in this form, Nelumbo. It’s strange to be in the water without my tail! Thank you for coming, and for keeping sharks away.”

My companions relaxed as he rumbled something affectionate.

“You all can sit there to rest.” I pointed out a handy basking rock near the lagoon’s entrance, and most of the group climbed atop it. The doctor swam toward my lake monster, her eyes wide and wary. “It looks even larger today. What an amazing creature!”

Nelumbo enjoyed admiration. He allowed the doctor to swim around his head and study his spikes, the floppy things that served him as outer ears, and the other dangling growths resembling fungi or fleshy weeds. I knew from experience that he could raise these various appendages to make himself look even larger and quite terrifying, but as far as I knew, they had no other purpose.

“Are there many creatures like him in the world’s oceans and lakes?” Dr. Benyamina inquired. She was a good swimmer and never seemed out of breath.

“I don’t know of any others, but I haven’t traveled to very many places. Anyway, Nelumbo likes his privacy, and I respect that.” I gave him a pat and let him loose.

“I would love to know if they mate indiscriminately or choose life partners. How are the young raised? Are they like crocodiles, which carefully tend their young? Or more like snakes or turtles, which lay eggs and leave? What does he eat, and how much?”

Something about her forceful questions irked me. “I can’t tell you those things. Sorry.”

Her brow creased, and she gave me a long, steady look. When I didn’t back down, she turned to Nelumbo and said, “If only you could speak.”

He let out a moist and smelly breath and sank beneath the surface. I don’t think he cared much for Dr. Benyamina either. This wasn’t the first time I’d felt uncomfortable under her cool gaze, as if she were thinking things about me that I didn’t care to have thought.

The doctor spun about, using her arms, to face me. “Why did he leave?” she asked.

“Too many questions?” I guessed. “He is easily bored.”

“Then I shall direct my questions at you. Will you arrange to introduce me to a mermaid or merman? While I am pleased to have met you, I should greatly prefer to meet one of your kind in proper form.”

“I’m sorry, but my sisters don’t speak to humans. They would never agree to speak to you.”

The doctor frowned, sharp lines marring her brow. “Do you think, perhaps another day, the monster would be willing to let me touch it? I wish I had brought a camera.

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