If I never again see the sea, it will be fine with me. The last two days were among the most wretched of my life.
Why did nobody tell me you canna drink seawater?
Nor did I have any idea how horrible it is to be sea-sick. I spent most of the trip lying on my back atop that selkie’s head, groaning and wishing I could die. I got no sympathy from her, of course. She said it served me right for tricking her.
And then there were the mermaids. You’d think they had never seen a brownie riding a selkie before. All right, they probably hadn’t. Even so, that’s no excuse for the way they circled around us, singing nasty songs accusing the selkie of being in love with me. And other songs even more insulting than that. The one that made me maddest was:
Selkie and brownie,
Swimming cross the seas.
Watch out, selkie—
Brownie has fleas!
I felt the urge to pitch a fit, but the top of a selkie’s head in the middle of the sea is no place for such a thing. For certain it was a wise move when I made the selkie take the oath to carry me safe across. The mermaids upset her so much, I am certain she was tempted to dive deep and stay under till I was fit for naught but fish food.
And there are some mighty strange fish swimming in the Shadow Sea!
When we finally reached the far shore and the selkie dropped me off, she said, “Well, that’s done, brownie. I’ll be back to my own life, and hoping I never have the grievous misfortune to see you again, little man.”
I again felt the urge to pitch a fit, though I knew she had said it to taunt me. Just as well I had not the energy for it. I realize now she would have been happy to see me lose my temper.
Still, ’tis a sad state of affairs when I am too tired to tell off a selkie.
My travels are nae over. I still have to make my way to this Alex Carhart. Finding her is not much of a problem, as I am drawn to her by the queen’s curse. It’s as if I am a fish pulled by a hook.
But who knows what I will find when I am pulled into the boat?
I do wish Sarah could have let this Alex know I was coming. I wonder how she will react when she discovers I am to stay with her as long as she lives!
Maybe I won’t tell her.
Yes, I think that’s best. Though Sarah and I became friends, the curse does not require me to get to know the person I am bound to. I will simply clean and tidy for her in secret.
No need to become friends. One human friend was enough.
They only go and get old on you.