Sleeping with the Fishes by MaryJanice Davidson

Author:MaryJanice Davidson [Davidson, MaryJanice]
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fantasy
Published: 2009-04-25T05:26:57+00:00

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Chapter Twenty

"Ah Little Rika. At At last I have you alone."

"Sshhhh!"

Fred had Artur by the hand and was leading him to the waterline. That was tricky at the NEA on Saturday mornings, as the place was jammed. She and Artur couldn't just strip in public and leap in.

"I do not understand why we do not merely leap in."

She rolled her eyes and they crept closer. They were beneath one of the observation decks, a glorified cement dock which, luckily, led straight to the water. With luck, they'd be twenty feet in and way deep and no one would see them.

"Look, Artur, you might not care if the entire world knows what you are, but I do. I managed to keep my secret from everybody until you got to town. I don't want anybody else finding out."

"You should not feel shame for—"

She swung around and let him feel the full force of her glare. "It's not: about being ashamed!"

"It is."

"Like hell! It's about not wanting to spend the rest of my life as a zoo exhibit! Do you know what the bipeds would do to me?"

"No."

"You didn't see Splash, did you?" Of course he hadn't. Dumb question. Next! "You've seen what they do to the planet. You've seen the NEA. It's a nice cage for the fish, but it's still a cage. I like my freedom."

"If you were to come to my home, you would know nothing but freedom."

Now, why was that idea as exciting as it was terrifying? Just being able to swim around and do whatever, with her own personal tour guide none other than the High Prince.

"I like it here," she said shortly. Which was the truth. Right?

"You like hiding? You like being a commoner?"

"I come from a long line of commoners. Strip."

"Ah, you see, Little Rika? I am yours to command. "

She smiled at him (she couldn't help it; he was kind of funny sometimes), kicked off her shoes, and started to take off her clothes. Above her, out of sight, she could hear the excited murmuring of NEA visitors looking at the outdoor exhibits.

Artur had been about to spontaneously combust, so she figured he was due for a break. And Thomas wanted more time to number crunch. She could have stayed to help Thomas, in fact had been sorely tempted, but in the end she decided to try the harbor herself. (Not to mention, there was no telling what mischief Artur might make if left alone.) Maybe she could smell or taste something in the water that would help. Artur's senses were no doubt much better instruments than hers, but she had the scientific background he lacked.

In fact, what was his background? Did they have colleges under water?

"What are you grinning about?"

"I cannot help feeling joy that you have chosen my company over his."

"Uh, it's not about that, Artur. It's just that the last time I was in the harbor I didn't notice anything was wrong, so this time—"

"Yes, yes." He waved her perfectly logical explanation away.

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