He swam away at first - then doubled back in a wide arc, under the docked boat to pop up under the dock. 

“-going to hurt me,” Derra said, “They made that pretty clear.”

“You don’t know why they’re here,” Peyn sighed, “I know Old Derra was friends with a mer, but that doesn’t mean you should trust the first one that swims up to say hello.”

Who’s Old Derra? Wjae felt a strange sense of familiarity as he eavesdropped - he’d had similar conversations with Obal concerning humans. Unfortunately, the mer prince’s curiosity and naivety had led to his capture - thankfully short-lived. Thanks to Derra.

“I know,” Derra said softly. 

“Shit - I’m sorry,” Peyn replied, shifting his weight. 

Hard to forget a lesson that’s written on your face, Wjae thought. He’d interviewed most of the mer Derra had helped over the years - the one that had scratched the human’s face was one of the earliest cases. A saddle grouper mer who’d been briefly caught - the hunters that did it claimed they’d been too close to the town and were a threat. 

Just thinking about human ‘logic’ made Wjae bare his teeth - a threat for living in their own territory. Still, they had been tied up in a net on the human ship - to be sold as a pet to human nobles. Derra had freed them, and earned the scar over his eye as a reward. 

Still, the grouper said the prince hadn’t called out - he’d just dragged the mer over the side of the boat using the net. 

“It’s fine,” the present Derra chuckled, “Worrying about me is your job - but I wasn’t about to yell for help just because a mer surprised me.”

Peyn sighed again, “Well... yeah, that probably would have ended poorly.”

“Though I imagine you plan on sticking to my side for a while?” the human prince asked wryly. 

“Worrying about you is my job,” Peyn returned, then added, “I just don’t want to see you get hurt.”

“I know,” Derra sighed, then snorted, “You nearly fainted when you saw all the blood from my eye…”

“Yes, and you lost that eye,” his guard replied - though not harshly, “You’re too reckless.”

Wjae frowned - Derra had definitely had two eyes when he was talking with the mer. 

“That’s why I have you,” the human prince replied cheerfully, “And Lenyer and Yashol.”

Yes, the shark mer thought, considering how Obal was already planning his next ‘human world expedition’, These two would get along.

Peyn sighed again - more heavily, and there was a dull thud as Wjae presumed he sat, “For what it’s worth, I hope things go the way you want.”

“I know,” Derra said, “But thanks for saying it - and putting up with me.”

“Always,” his friend replied, and the shark mer could hear the warmth there. 

Having heard enough, Wjae slipped back under the water - satisfied there was still no elaborate plot in place by the humans to trick mer. 

Of course, now he had more questions. He set them aside as he swam away from the atoll, and back to Prince Obal’s grotto. It took him a few hours to do so, but he felt the frequent trips were good for his fitness. 

He waved to the guards on duty - other sharks - and swam through the halls, nodding or waving to servants and nobles as he went. As expected, he found Obal in his suite. 

So, did you actually meet Derra, or did you just ‘survey’ again? the prince thought at him, studying his map table. 

Mer spoke through telepathy - which humans appeared unable to understand. 

I made myself known, Wjae replied, Spooked one of his guards in the process.

You don’t appear injured, Obal smiled.

He was very careful not to be a threat, the shark mer replied, shaking his head at the map, You can’t even wait a year?

They just surprised me, the prince waved a hand dismissively, then twisted to show his back as he flexed the venomous spines along his spine, The next humans that try to lay a hand on me will regret it.

At least Derra lets his guards do their job, Wjae rolled his eyes. 

It wasn’t as if Obal had no reason to be confident in his vemon - the shark mer had been stung on accident when they were both younger and needed a few days to recover. It was not an experience he was keen to repeat. However, the spines were fairly obvious - which made them easier to avoid than the prince would ever believe. 

Obal put a hand to his chest, gills on the sides of his torso fluttering in mock surprise, You? Complimenting a human? 

He did save your life, Wjae pointed out, examining the map and trying to figure out where the prince was planning to ‘explore’ next. 

I would have gotten free on my own, Obal waved a hand again, You worry too much. 

Anyways, the shark mer thought, reminded of the conversation between Derra and Peyn, There was apparently another Derra that was friends with a mer.

What kind of mer? the prince asked. 

I don’t know, Wjae replied, I’m going to investigate the area to see if anyone has territory nearby tomorrow.

Let me know what you find out, Obal said, Anything else interesting happen?

I overheard Derra’s guard say he lost an eye, but he seemed to have two when I introduced myself, the shark mer replied, for want of a better description of the interaction. 

Interesting, the prince said, looking up from the map, Magic, perhaps?

No one has been able to perform magic in ages, Wjae replied, And no one has ever heard of humans being able to use it to begin with.

Maybe they just use it differently than we used to, Obal’s neck gills fluttered in amusement, But I suppose you’ll be finding out in any case. 

It’s not magic, the shark mer said - knowing how dangerous it was to let any strange ideas settle in the prince’s mind. 

Since Derra is also a prince, Obal said, unsubtly changing the subject, There are probably human kings or queens, right?

Obal, Wjae thought slowly and clearly, Do. Not.

Do not… what? the prince thought back - eyes shining with mischief.

Do not go searching out human royalty, his guard replied sternly, Just because one of them is friendly to mer doesn’t mean the others are. Or their guards.

His guard didn’t attack you, Obal pouted. 

Derra’s guard knows his charge’s wishes, Wjae felt a familiar headache coming on, We don’t even know how the other royals feel.

I’ll be careful, the prince said. 

I’m not asking you to be careful, I’m asking you not to do it, the shark mer crossed all four arms.

I’ll take Alja with me, Obal bargained. 

Alja is worse than you are, Wjae held out his bottom set of arms, At least take me or another shark with you.

No, you lot are too cautious, the prince replied, crossing his own arms, I won’t get anything done with one of you around.

I am the right amount of cautious, the shark mer shook his head, You just think any caution is too much caution.

You took three days to say hello to a human that you’ve known is friendly to mer for years, Obal’s pectoral fins on his tail flaring. 

And it still could have gone wrong, Wjae said. His own torso gills flared for a moment before he added, At least promise you’ll tell me when you leave.

Alright, alright, the prince said, then grinned as he turned back to the map, Now, help me figure out which island is most likely to have human royals.