n

n

n

"How many children are you planning to have?

" Red asked Riha as they walked through the forest, following a beaten path that led to the traveller's road.

n

"None,

" the selkie replied. He paused.

" Why do you ask?

"

n

"You're the last selkie left in the world. It's pretty obvious what you're supposed to do.

" Red had heard about selkie folk interbreeding with humans so it wasn't far fetched to assume that Riha would want to procreate and make more tasty selkie babies.

n

"I'll worry about my own survival first.

"

nRiha had been rescued but to what end? He would be confined in a home with demons, never having the freedom to leave unless he found a way to mask his scent. The oceans weren't safe for him either. There were other creatures including the merfolk who would be more than interested in capturing him.

n

"They made it,

" Syryn pointed to the end of the path where a hound coach was parked. The teenagers had also taken notice of their arrival.

nAlka and Magnus shared looks of relief at the sight of the group that was approaching them. As Syryn and his companions neared the duo, Magnus closed the distance between them.

nRed froze in his steps when the fire mage came to stand before him. Magnus scrutinised him from the top of his redhead to the ground that his feet were anchored to. It felt like the fire mage's gaze had sheared a layer of skin off of his body.

n

"You're okay,

" Magnus said. It somehow sounded to Red like the teen was assuring himself that Lucien was unhurt and alive. The fire mage had a haggard look about him that went beyond his lazy demeanour. Hair a messier bedhead sticking out more than usual, and eyes that looked like they were carrying weights - Magnus was just as dishevelled as Lucien.

n

"What the hell happened to you, Magnus?

" Red asked.

nAlka came behind Magnus and filled in the fire mage's silence.

"He hasn't had any sleep or rest. None of us have, except we didn't run up and down Elysium in our animal form.

" Magnus had run several laps around all parts of the city trying to track down the scent of Luci. It had been a tiring and disappointing exercise in futility.

nAlka too looked paler than usual but it was Magnus that looked the most wretched. Red switched with Luci and watched them interact from the safety of his mind.

n

"Magnus, look, I have an interesting item here!

" Luci cleverly directed the fire mage's attention to something else so they wouldn't be forced into a conversation about the kidnapping.

n

"Where did you find it?

" Magnus lifted the rowan wood chest and examined the markings on it. As tired as he was, the fire mage's bone-deep relief at finding Luci safe renewed his energy.

n

"Inside Zelli's room! She was also hiding Riha, Lumi, and Aya in a secret place behind a wall that Syryn destroyed like it was made of cotton! You should have seen Riha's face when Syryn-

"

n

"Luci, get inside the carriage. You can tell Magnus all about it after we leave this place.

" Syryn then looked back at Riha who had patiently waited and allowed Alka's unabashed scrutiny. The plant mage was visibly impatient to ask questions about Riha but good manners prevailed over his curiosity.

nLuci skipped inside the carriage and he was followed by the older boys. Riha was the last to get inside, right after being sniffed at by Dani.

nOnce seated, Syryn introduced the selkie to his friends. Riha was courteous with his answers and explanations for the unending questions that Alka had about selkies. A short while into the journey, Luci fell asleep, head lolling against their fire mage's shoulder. Magnus helped the boy adjust into a more comfortable position and he too closed his eyes, ears still perked up to the conversation that was flowing between Alka and Riha.

n

"Is it true that selkie tears give its drinkers the ability to breathe underwater?

"

n

"That's not something I've ever heard before,

" Riha replied.

"Selkie tears are just salty water but Mermen tears supposedly turn into sea orbs when collected and exposed to moonlight for years.

nAlka made an 'ah' sound. Syryn was unable to get in a single word when Alka was firing off a new question to every answer he was given. He had no idea that Alka was such a big fan of selkies.

n

"Will you be living with us on land or in water?

" Alka asked.

nSyryn had wondered about that as well. If Riha chose to, he could inhabit the oxbow lake that wasn't too far off from their land.

n

"I'm fine with either,

" the selkie replied.

"Is there a body of water near your home?

"

n

"Not within the land that we own. There's a spring that passes through the edge of the land but we don't use the water because it's too far from the house. I figured you could swim in the lake that sits just beyond the border of Syryn's land. But it's not salty at all. That won't do, will it?

"

nRiha shook his head at Alka's assumption.

"For a mature selkie like me, my body can adjust to both fresh and saltwater. Egg sacs and baby selkies, on the other hand, require salty water and the right temperature to thrive in.

"

n

"Eggs? How big?

" Syryn interjected. In such close quarters, Riha's selkie scent was like rich sweet sea nectar that still bothered him. Having come to his senses though, it wasn't so much of a temptation as it was a distraction.

n

"Why do you want to know?

" The edge of Riha's lips went up a smidgen.

n

"So that I know to bake the right size of bread for the sandwich I can make out of selkie egg.

"

nMagnus cracked open his eyes to look at Riha even as Alka frowned at Syryn.

nRiha, the target of Syryn's careless remark, looked to be the most at ease with it.

"Selkie eggs can be as big as Lucien's head or as small as his closed fist. It depends on the size of the female that lays them. If a male selkie mates with a human though, there will be no eggs. You'll never get your sandwich.

"

n

"So you're going to mate with a human woman then. The responsibility of keeping the selkie line alive falls on your shoulders, Riha. Do you feel any stress from it?

" Alka, who was seated across Riha, leaned in towards the selkie and asked. Syryn could practically see the scholastic eagerness in his friend's animated body language.

nRiha was amused by the line of questioning that they'd reached. Red had pretty much asked him the same question.

"No, I don't. As the last selkie left in this world, I have no living elders to answer to, nobody to tell me that I'm being selfish by not immediately finding a woman to impregnate with a selkie baby.

"

n

"But you do think you're being selfish?

"

nSyryn felt sorry for Riha. Alka's questions were like a barrage of attacks, one after another without rest.

n

"Yes. But I'm also weary of the world and I don't have it in me to seek out a mate.

"

nAlka made an upset face at the words that Riha spoke.

"Syryn will take care of you.

" The plant mage responded.

"If you stay close to Syryn, he will divert attention towards himself and get into all sorts of trouble. But you'll be alright.

"

n

"Is that true?

" Syryn asked. Was he really a trouble magnet? Alka was the one that bumped into troublesome situations. Syryn was just an innocent bystander getting dragged into it.

nAlka paused and thought back to the few years they'd had together.

"Not true,

" he replied, having a change of heart.

"It's more like you attract troublesome people to yourself and take on their problems.

"

nWhether it was Luci, Alka, Magnus, Artemus or Salem - Syryn had been involved in their trials, one way or the other.

n

"I see,

" Riha replied. His gaze drifted to the birdcage that was settled in the space between their feet. As much as needed to, the selkie was reluctant to ask for help with Lumi and Aya's situation. Syryn owed them nothing. Until he found a way to repay the boy for freeing them, Riha decided to ask for nothing more than what was already given to them.

n

"Why did Artemus not come with you?

" Syryn asked the plant mage before he could give voice to get another query that lay ready at the tip of his tongue.

nAlka's mood dampened visibly.

"Big brother was called away for a mission. They know that he hasn't healed completely but they still made him go into a dangerous situation. He won't be back for a few months.

"

n

"Couldn't he refuse?

"

n

"Yes, but you know what Artemus is like. Work comes before his safety. Mother was furious when she found out but he had already packed up and disappeared by the time she did. I'll wager that he will be chewed out by her when he gets back.

"

n

"Artemus is not suicidal. He's one of the smartest and strongest anti mage I know. I'm sure he won't take any unnecessary risks, Al.

" Syryn tried to assure his friend. He meant every word of it too. And despite his belief, Syryn still worried for the anti mage because of his cold poison.

n

"You're right. I'll plant a few Ruis for his safe return. Salem has a whole basket filled with Rui seeds.

" Alka pointedly looked at Syryn as he spoke. Rui seeds were a monopoly of the Gaha T'rui followers. They worshipped Gaha, a deity of protection and pregnant women. Rui seeds went through a secretive fertility process before they could be planted so if one were to collect seeds from their own Rui plant, the seeds would never germinate without the Gaha T'rui treatment. Syryn had an inkling that Salem had collected the seeds to replicate the treatment and satisfy his curiosity.

n

"Remind me to ask Salem about it,

" Syryn told Alka. He too wanted to know what made the Rui seed germinate. It would give him easier access to Rui seeds.

nAlka nodded and then went right back to grilling Riha with more questions. Their long journey was shortened by the conversation between the two occupants. Syryn learnt a lot more about selkie physiology, habits and history. Magnus though had fallen asleep with his arms cradled around Luci. The younger boy had climbed onto the fire mage's lap and curled himself into a ball. Syryn eyed the young boy's behaviour and wondered how old he would get before he stopped sticking to Magnus like a baby monkey.

n