Neryssa
Avery Sam
Neryssa
by Avery Sam
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Neryssa
by Avery Sam
© 2025 Avery Sam
All rights reserved.
Author: Avery Sam
Contact details: averysam.parachute371@passinbox.com
Book cover, illustration: Avery Sam
Editing, proofreading: Avery Sam
This e-book, including its portions, is protected by copyright and may not be reproduced, resold, or redistributed without the permission of the author.
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Table of Contents
Copyright Information
Table of Contents
Cara Is Kidnapped
The End of a Terrible Day
An Unexpected Visit to the Outcast’s Abode
Caylith’s Tale
The Grand Adventure Begins
Becoming Parker
A Long and Exhausting Day
Aqua Munchies
The Tastiest Food Yet
The Lighthouse
Emperor Island
Meeting Drake
Sharp Teeth
A Successful Experiment
An Unpleasant Interruption
Giving Drake a Second Look
A Workplace, Not a Dating App
Sparkling
Confession Time
One Last Chance
Kids These Days
Mermaids Never Lie
A Joyful Reunion
Meeting the Family
Welcome to Shimmerdeep
Bubble Bouncing
A Sweet Finish to a Long Day
Plenty of Room in the Ocean
Goodbye… For Now?
Also by Avery Sam
Cara Is Kidnapped
With a squeal of delight, Neryssa flicked her tail and went speeding around the first turn.
Of all her favorite games to play, Coral Circuit was at the very top of her list. And nothing was more exciting than playing it at night.
Neryssa swam ahead at full speed until she reached the tunnel where she had to go either left or right, both options beautifully illuminated by bioluminescent creatures too small to see.
There was just something mysterious and thrilling about playing at night when you had to rely on your other senses and not just your eyes.
Going with her instincts, Neryssa swam left. Her heart leapt with joy as she spotted the pearl neatly tucked in a crevice that another player might've swam past without noticing. Grabbing it with her nimble fingers, she turned around and headed back to base.
"Aha, first!" she cried as she slotted the pearl into the large clamshell where the tokens were kept. "Better hurry up, Cara, if you want to beat me!"
But there was no squeal of disappointment from her octopus, which was a little unusual. Neryssa shrugged it off and went racing after the second pearl. This time, it was hidden inside the wreck of an old drylander's ship that had been around so long it was scarcely even recognizable anymore as being from their world.
When Neryssa got back to base and tossed in her second pearl, she noticed that Cara hadn't gotten her first one yet, and that worried her.
"Cara? You slacking off tonight or what? I'm kicking your butt, girl!" said Neryssa.
She listened carefully, but there was nothing, not even a squeak or a chirp. Neryssa felt the hairs on her arms stand up as she abandoned the game and went looking for her pet. Cara loved playing Coral Circuit just as much as she did, so where was that goofy octopus?
"Cara? Where are you?" said Neryssa, growing ever more frantic as she searched the game course, but there was no sign of her octopus.
Now fearing the worst, Neryssa nervously looked around for any sign of sharks, but there were none. Anyway, they usually stayed away from the shallower waters, and Cara was a smart girl. Even if a shark had ambushed her, surely, she would've sent out a warning squeal, right?
It just didn't make any sense that Cara was missing. Even when Neryssa reached the end of the deepest tunnel, there was no sign of Cara, and all of her pearls were still there, waiting to be collected.
The only thing Cara loved more than playing Coral Circuit was eating. Had she perhaps spied a tasty crab and swam off after it? It was possible. But Neryssa's gut was telling her that something was seriously wrong here.
"Cara! Come on, girl! Where are you?" shouted Neryssa, her heart racing in her chest. "You're scaring me half to death."
It was only when she swam around the final bend that she spotted the ring of bright lights coming from the surface. The lights were so powerful that they were turning a stretch of the ocean into a parody of daytime, the crystal blue waters shimmering under their focus.
And in the center of that ring Neryssa recognized a shape that she knew was the keel of the object the drylanders called a boat.
The older mermaids had long warned her to flee if she ever saw such a vessel because the split-tails would toss nasty sharp objects into the water that could hook into your skin and seriously wound you. But Neryssa had never heard of them going about their business during the nighttime.
Cautiously, Neryssa swam closer, although she stayed well outside the reach of those bright lights. Up above, she could hear the strange grunting that the split-tails used for language which sounded almost like the chortling of a cuttlefish when it spies its prey. What were those cursed drylanders after? And did they have anything to do with Cara's disappearance?
Just then, Neryssa saw the shadowy outline of something dip into the water. It was so transparent that it was hard to see, but it was attached to a long stick of some kind, which made it easy to track.
Neryssa watched with horror as the object reached down to the bottom of the ocean, enveloping a surprised group of lionfish which had been resting near a rock. The semi-invisible thing then lifted them up to the surface until the drylanders hauled it into their boat and out of sight.
Scared out of her mind, Neryssa threw caution to the wind and shouted, "Cara! Are you there?"
Cara must've heard her because she let out a little squeal. Neryssa swam closer to the boat, desperate to locate her octopus.
Breaking every rule in the mermaid book, Neryssa lifted her head out of the water. To her horror, she saw half a dozen split-tails on the boat, all covered in some bright yellow material that kind of looked like the inside of an abalone shell. Their hideous, strange faces frightened her, but Neryssa had to know if they'd taken her octopus, so she swam even closer.
Cara let out another squeal, and the sound about broke Neryssa's heart. She could just make out some kind of cylindrical thing on the bottom of the boat. Neryssa watched as Cara raised one tentacle before one of the split-tails brutally slapped it away and then put a lid on top to prevent her from escaping.
Neryssa's heart felt like a stone in her chest as she sank beneath the waves. What was she going to do? The drylanders had kidnapped her octopus, and there was no telling what they were going to do with her.
Neryssa had heard the rumors about the barbaric practices of the split-tails, sometimes even going so far as to eat octopuses, which made her want to throw up. Oh, it was all so horrible to contemplate, but she couldn't just swim home and forget about her beloved pet.
As Neryssa debated what to do, the split-tails switched off their lights. A few moments later, their vessel began to rumble and shake like a thermal vent, and then it zoomed off in the direction of the land.
Neryssa flicked her tail and began pursuing the boat, pushing herself to the limit. For a species that couldn't swim, it was astonishing how fast their boat could move across the surface, so she was exhausted by the time it arrived at a secluded lagoon.
Hanging back to as not to be noticed, Neryssa watched as their vessel rumbled to a stop. The drylanders began shouting and grunting in their strange language, and Neryssa saw them transfer all of the sea creatures they had kidnapped onto a dock, including the cylinder thing where they had Cara caged.
It was a truly revolting spectacle to witness, but Neryssa had to know what they were doing to her sweet octopus that she'd raised from a fry scarcely bigger than her little finger.
Realizing there was little more that she could do other than say a little prayer for her lost friend, she noticed a sign mounted high above the dock. It took her a minute to parse out the strange glyphs that the drylanders used, but eventually she managed to sound it out: TideStar AquaPark.
She had no idea what it meant, but she knew enough to know that it was where they were taking Cara. With tears streaming down her face, Neryssa turned around and slowly began swimming back home.
Why did the split-tails have to be so cruel? The merfolk never went into their domain to steal their companions and wreak havoc, so why couldn't the drylanders just leave them alone?
And to know that her best friend was now trapped by those awful savages was almost too much to bear. They were probably lighting one of their ghastly fires and preparing to eat her at that very moment, which made Neryssa nauseous.
Or maybe they were going to do something far worse to Cara like poke and prod her and stick hooks in her. There was no telling what those barbarians would do when they got their hands on creatures from the sea.
Neryssa knew exactly what her parents would say when she told them what had happened to Cara. They'd shake their heads and cluck their tongues and say there was nothing anyone could do about it. Sometimes, the drylanders head out to sea to perform their cruel rituals, and all the merfolk can do is accept it and move on.
But Neryssa didn't want to hang her head in sorrow and give up. She wanted her friend back. And if there was even the smallest chance that Cara could be rescued, she was going to take it.
But how? All Neryssa had to go on was that strange name - TideStar AquaPark. Furthermore, she was just a teenage mermaid, not a mighty warrior of old like Poseidon.
Nonetheless, she was determined to try, even if that meant risking everything by going straight into the heart of the drylander's world!
The End of a Terrible Day
By the time Neryssa got back to Shimmerdeep, she was so tired she could barely keep her eyes open.
Between her high-speed chase after the drylander's vessel and the knowledge that her beloved Cara was probably gone forever, Neryssa just wanted to curl up in her grotto and cry herself to sleep. Alas, her older sister Sylune was floating around out front with her friend Veyra.
"Well, well, look who finally decided to show up," said Sylune, taunting her. "Mom and Dad were wondering if you got swallowed up by a whale or what."
"Shut up and leave me alone," muttered Neryssa, too exhausted to deal with her sister's annoying behavior.
"Why? What's gotten into you?" said Sylune, swimming over closer to get a better look. "You look like crap, by the way."
"Thanks," said Neryssa, rolling her eyes. "I just want to go to sleep. Now let me pass."
"Oh no," said Sylune, holding out one arm to block her passage. "Not until you tell me what's going on."
"Maybe she's been snogging a merboy," said Veyra with a nasty chuckle. "She is getting to that age, you know."
"I have not!" protested Neryssa. "Now just let me be."
"Say, where's that annoying little octopus of yours?" said Sylune. "That little mutt is always nipping at your tail."
"Don't worry about it!" shouted Neryssa, fighting back tears.
"Aww," said Sylune, mocking her. "Did your little pet run away?"
"She didn't run away!" said Neryssa. "The drylanders took her."
"Friggin' savages," muttered Veyre, shaking her head in disapproval.
"Yeah, they'll do that, especially if they spot a tasty little morsel like your octopus," said Sylune. "Anyway, what are you crying for? You can always get another one. They're a dime a dozen out on the reef."
"Shut up!" said Neryssa, giving her sister a shove. "Why do you always have to be so mean?"
"I'm not being mean," said Sylune, glaring as she crossed her arms underneath her ample bosom. "I just live in the real world. Only dumb little kids play with octopuses."
"Mom!" wailed Neryssa, not caring any longer about embarrassing herself as she was in simply too much pain.
"Hey, give the kid a break, eh?" said Veyre, nudging Sylune aside so Neryssa could pass.
With tears streaming down her cheeks, Neryssa swam into her house, blowing right past her mother in the kitchen without saying a word. Even her dad looked surprised, his mouth hanging open as Neryssa swam into her grotto and then slammed the door behind her.
"Honey?" Neryssa heard her mother say a minute or so later, followed by a soft knock on the door. "Is everything okay?"
"I'm fine, Mom," said Neryssa, grabbing the sea sponge she used for a pillow and clutching it to her chest.
"Oh, hon, what happened?" said Neryssa's mother, easing open the door and swimming over to where her daughter lay on the soft white sand of her sleeping nook.
"Nothing," said Neryssa, burying her face in her sea sponge.
"Well, it looks like something happened," said Neryssa's mother, reaching out to gently caress her daughter's head. "Are you sure you're okay?"
"Look, it's just been a long day, okay? I don't want to talk about it," said Neryssa, flipping over to face the wall of the grotto.
"Sure thing," said Neryssa's mother. "Say, where's Cara, anyway? A little snuggle with her always cheers you right up."
Just hearing the name of her beloved octopus set Neryssa bursting into fresh tears. For a long time she lay there sobbing, and even the comfort of her mother's hand on her shoulder couldn't ease the grief she felt in her heart.
"Sweetie, did something happen to Cara?" said Neryssa's mother, speaking in a soft and gentle tone.
"It's the split-tails, Mom," said Neryssa, turning to face her mother. "They scooped her up! I saw the whole thing."
"Oh no," said Neryssa's mother.
"They put her in one of those whatchamacallits, their sneaky surface vessels," said Neryssa. "And then they took her back to their lair. I swam as fast as I could, but I just couldn't rescue her! And now they're probably going to eat her."
"Oh, sweetie," said Neryssa's mother, her brow furrowed. "I think that's just a myth about them eating octopuses, but I am sorry they took Cara. She was a good girl. No one can understand the drylanders and their evil ways."
"I've got to get her back, Mom!" said Neryssa, her eyes pleading. "I saw where they took her, some place called the TideStar AquaCenter."
"Sweetie, it's too dangerous," said Neryssa's mother with a sad sigh. "You know the rules. Cara was a great pet and we'll all miss her. But once the split-tails get you, that's it. You have to say goodbye."
"But isn't there anything we can do?" said Neryssa. "Cara looked so scared. She tried to escape the cage they put her in, but then they slammed the lid right down on her head. I just can't sleep knowing she's out there all alone and frightened."
"Cara is a brave and strong girl," said Neryssa's mother. "But there's really nothing any of us can do. It's just too dangerous for us to go on dry land."
"But why, Mom?" said Neryssa, using the back of her hand to wipe away her tears. "Why can't we go there?"
"Oh, sweetie," said Neryssa's mother, wringing her hands. "You know the legends. Some of us have tried, including many brave mermaids and mermen. But the ways of the split-tails are too wicked, and the price we have to pay is too high. That's why we stay here in Shimmerdeep with our own kind."
"But Cara is right there, Mom!" said Neryssa, sitting up. "Maybe I can just go on dry land real fast, get her, and then come back. They won't even know I'm there."
"Hush now, don't even think about it," said Neryssa's mother. "There's no such thing as a quick swim in their world. Once you leave the safety of the water, you're helpless and completely at their mercy."
"But I'm young, and I'm strong, Mom," said Neryssa, grabbing her mother's arm. "I think I can do this."
"Oh, yeah?" said Neryssa's mother. "You wouldn't land five minutes on dry land, sweetie."
"Why not?" said Neryssa. "I never understood what's so bad about that place, anyway."
"Let's see. For starters, your tail won't work," said Neryssa's mother, shaking her head. "As soon as it gets dry, it'll crack in half, leaving you with two flabby appendages that are useless. Furthermore, you've seen drylanders before. They all go around wrapped in skins, whereas you'll be in the beautiful body you were born in, so they'll spot you immediately."
"Hmm," said Neryssa.
"And there's no telling what they'll do to you when they catch you," said Neryssa's mother, making a gesture to ward off evil. "The legends say they could do all kinds of things like cut you open and study your insides. Or they try to give you strange dryland foods that you can't digest, so you end up starving to death."
"Are you sure that's all real though, Mom?" said Neryssa. "Sometimes, I think those stories are just told by old mermaids to get children to behave. Surely, the split-tails can't all be bad."
"Oh no?" said Neryssa's mother, arching one eyebrow. "And you just finished telling me how they snatched up poor Cara and took her away. You need to stay away from those awful barbarians!"
"Yeah, you're probably right," said Neryssa, her melancholy once again overwhelming her.
"Just try and get some rest, honey, okay?" said Neryssa's mother. "I know you're hurting inside. But you'll get through this. And we'll all be here to support you."
"Not Sylune," muttered Neryssa, flopping her head back onto her sea sponge.
"I'll have a talk with her," muttered Neryssa's mother. "Don't you worry about your sister."
"Okay, Mom," said Neryssa. "I'm pretty tired. I think I'm going to sleep now."
"Good," said Neryssa's mother, standing up. "I'll fix you a nice breakfast of sea cucumbers and kelp in the morning, just how you like."
"Goodnight, Mom," said Neryssa, her eyes beginning to grow heavy.
"Goodnight, my love," said Neryssa's mother, slowly backing out of her daughter's grotto and then closing the door.
Despite all her heartache, somehow Neryssa managed to drift off to sleep a few moments later, although she was plagued by visions of Cara, squealing with pleasure as the two of them raced around playing Coral Circuit.
An Unexpected Visit to the Outcast’s Abode
The next day, Neryssa was feeling slightly better, although there was still a heavy stone in her chest every time she went to look for Cara and realized she was missing.
Everyone in Neryssa's family, even her sister Sylune, did their best to cheer her up, but it just wasn't enough. Knowing that her octopus Cara was frightened and alone kept haunting her thoughts.
Finally, Neryssa decided to slip away from all the people putting on brave faces and went for a wandering swim on the outskirts of Shimmerdeep.
Without even realizing how she got there, Neryssa looked up and saw she was floating near a strange-looking abode made from whalebones and giant mollusc shells.
With a gasp, she realized that this was where Caylith lived, the woman whose eccentric ways made her the subject of a thousand rumors. Little kids said that she made magic potions with the scales she collected from merfolk whose tails had molted, while others whispered that she was hideously disfigured and that's why she lived all alone on the outskirts of town.
Either way, Neryssa was about to turn around and head home when she heard a strange kind of music emanating from somewhere within Caylith's house. It sounded mournful at first, like a humpback whale calling for her calf, but then it transformed into a strangely upbeat but haunting melody, and Neryssa found herself getting drawn in closer.
She was so entranced by the music that it was only when a shadow fell across her face that she looked up and saw a middle-aged mermaid with a great big bosom and long locks of flowing purple hair.
"Well, well, look what the tides dragged in," said the mermaid with a booming laugh that was scary at first but then sounded friendly.
"Um, sorry to bother you, ma'am," said Neryssa, her voice trembling.
"Ma'am? I'm no ma'am," said the mermaid with another big laugh. "Please, call me Caylith. And who might you be?"
"Uh, N-Neryssa," stammered Neryssa, the scales on her tail rattling.
"Well, I was just about to take my break. Come on in and keep me company," said Caylith.
Neryssa wanted to beg off and swim back to the safety of Shimmerdeep, but something about the kindness she could see in the older mermaid's eyes relaxed her a bit, so she nodded her head.
"Good! I'll just put the kettle on," said Caylith, zooming inside with a swish of her tail.
Neryssa had no idea what a kettle was. For that matter, she had no idea what half the objects were that were hanging from the walls of the older mermaid's abode.
Some were gleaming and looked like the drylanders' metal, but others had an odd, twisted look, covered in barnacles, serving a purpose she couldn't possibly fathom. Either way, they were a marvel to behold, so much so that she realized with a gasp that her mouth was hanging open.
"Ah, I see you like my treasures," said Caylith with a smile. "Good. It means you have a sharp eye. Too many merfolk these days are content to keep their heads down."
"Where did you get all these things?" said Neryssa, wanting to touch them but not wanting to damage or disturb them.
"Oh, here and there," said Caylith as she curled up on a large clamshell. "Some of them I just like to look at because of the way they refract the light."
"Yes, very cool," said Neryssa before remembering her manners and taking a folded tail position opposite the older mermaid.
Neryssa could only watch as Caylith did something that created a brief flash of light before sticking a long, slender tube in her mouth and then sucking in her chest.
For a long moment, nothing seemed to happen other than the device making a bubbling sound. Neryssa then watched as Caylith opened her mouth and let out what looked like a ribbon of steam from a thermal vent.
"Sorry, I know it's a vice," said Caylith with a little chuckle. "But life's all about little pleasures, is it not?"
"I suppose," said Neryssa, wondering if the strange steam device was the kettle or if that was another one of the many oddities in her abode.
"So, kid, what can I do for you?" said Caylith. "Looking to buy a little love potion? Maybe a charm to catch the eye of a cute merboy?"
"What? No way," said Neryssa, feeling the heat rise to her cheeks.
"Suit yourself," said Caylith with a shrug before inhaling some more steam from her kettle. "But something led you to darken my door this fine day. I'm all ears."
"Sorry, I was just swimming around, and I got lost," said Neryssa. "I've never even been out this way before. I didn't mean to disturb you ma'am, err, Miss Caylith."
"Hmm, well now you've got me intrigued," said Caylith. "Seems like something's on your mind, young lady."
"Well, yeah, kinda," said Neryssa, hesitating for a moment before telling Caylith about how the split-tails had stolen her octopus Cara.
"Ah, that's a sad tale for such a young mermaid," said Caylith, nodding sagely. "And I feel your pain. The drylanders can definitely be cruel."
"I just can't sit around and do nothing, you know?" said Neryssa. "I told my mom I wanted to rescue Cara, but she said it was too dangerous."
"Your mother is right. It's definitely dangerous," said Caylith. "If anyone should know, it's me."
"You?" said Neryssa, surprised. "Wait, you've been on dry land?"
"Sweetie, I spent almost a year of my life living on dry land," said Caylith with another one of her mirthful chuckles. "I thought everyone knew that."
"Woah," said Neryssa, her eyes wide. "How did that happen?"
"Well, if you must know, I was probably about your age, maybe a little older," said Caylith, pausing for a moment before taking another inhalation from her kettle. "I was swimming around, minding my own business, when one of the split-tails' boats approached the reef. Of course, I kept my distance. I was a good little mermaid in those days. But then one of 'em leaned in under the surface, and that, as they say, was all it took."
"I don't understand," said Neryssa.
"Oh, right. Well, see, water is a scarce and precious resource for the split-tails," said Caylith. "So they get dirty really easily. This bloke, he was more civilized than the average drylander, so he put his face beneath the waves in order to wash himself."
"Ah," said Neryssa.
Caylith’s Tale
“Yeah, and silly old me, I took one look at his stupid drylander mug, and I immediately fell in love,” said Caylith with a sigh.
“Wow,” said Neryssa, drawing in her tail so she could sit more comfortably.
“Yeah, it’s a typical tale, I’m afraid,” said Caylith. “I followed him back to his grotto, he fell madly in love with me, we got married, blah blah blah.”
“Wait, hang on a minute!” protested Neryssa. “You’re skipping all the good parts.”
“Oh, am I?” said Caylith, giving Neryssa a mischievous smile before taking another draw from her kettle.
“You can’t just say you met him one day and got married the next,” said Neryssa. “Tell me all the stuff that happened in between.”
“Well, I guess I was feeling nostalgic this morning, so why not?” said Caylith. “Very well. His name was Rupert, and he was a prince. The drylanders have more than one king, but his father was the king of that region, and they were a very powerful family.”
“Amazing,” said Neryssa, now completely entranced by the story.
“As you probably know, when we merfolk go on dry land, our tails split in two,” said Caylith. “The drylanders call ’em legs, and you have to use ’em to get around because there’s no swimming up there.”
“Uh-huh,” said Neryssa, nodding.
“Let me tell ya, it was really hard to get used to at first. But after a while, I got the hang of it,” said Caylith. “The main problem is that legs are really weak. You feel like you’re going to topple over all the time. And they’re so flabby and thin that every step is kind of painful.”
“Oh,” said Neryssa. “So then what happened? You said the prince fell in love with you?”
“Yeah, he did. And it was beautiful,” said Caylith, smiling to herself. “Sometimes, things don’t work out so well for us mermaids. But he took one look at me and immediately fell in love.”
“That’s so romantic,” said Neryssa with a happy sigh.
“Yeah, I guess it was,” said Caylith. “We made love right there on the beach. But, ahem, I’m not sure you need to hear any more about that. Anyway, Rupert was the heir to the throne, which is what they call their eldest princeling. He went to his father right away and informed him we were to be married.”
“Wow,” said Neryssa, picturing the scene in her mind, which made her feel all tingly inside.
“That’s where the problems started,” said Caylith. “His father didn’t want to allow it. He said I was no more than a talking fish and many other nasty insults I don’t care to repeat. But Rupert refused to back down, and with a little help from his mother, the king finally agreed to let us wed.”
“Gosh, this is so thrilling!” said Neryssa, shivering a little from all the excitement.
“So yeah, we went through this whole big ceremony with music and everything. All the drylanders were dressed in their fanciest skins,” said Caylith. “The king even sent out his fleet to collect the choicest seafood just for me. All in all, it was a pretty wonderful day.”
“But then what happened?” asked Neryssa.
“Oh,” said Caylith with a shrug. “Rupert died. His father blamed me, said I left my slime all over the place, and so I got cast back into the sea.”
“Oh no!” said Neryssa, clapping one hand over her mouth. “That’s terrible. How did it happen?”
“Well, he slipped on these things they call stairs,” said Caylith. “Walking is a tricky business, even for them, so they have a tendency to fall down a lot. Anyway, the stairs were made of stone, so when he hit his head, well, that was it - it cracked open like an oyster. My poor beautiful prince was dead.”
“That’s awful!” said Neryssa.
“Yeah, tell me about it,” said Caylith. “I had to swim back to Shimmerdeep with my shell between my tail, if you know what I mean. Anyway, six months later, I gave birth to a beautiful boy.”
“Woah!” said Neryssa. “You had a child? I didn’t know that.”
“It’s not something I like to talk about,” said Caylith, frowning. “My point is, kid, that the world of the drylanders is dangerous. I’m sorry they took your octopus, but you should probably let her go.”
“But that’s not fair,” said Neryssa, pouting. “If you got to go on dry land, why can’t I? I even know where they took her. It’s a place called TideStar AquaCenter. I’m sure I can get her back if I act now.”
“Hmm,” said Caylith. “Well, you have gumption, kid. I have to respect that. And who knows? Maybe things have changed in their world since I was there. But going onto dry land is not for the faint-hearted.”
“I’ll do anything to save Cara,” said Neryssa, uncoiling her tail to stand at her full height. “I raised her from a fry, and she’s always been my faithful companion. I can’t let her down. I just can’t!”
“All right, then,” said Caylith with a grin before taking another pull on her kettle. “It looks like you’re about to have yourself an adventure. And even if it doesn’t work out, at least you’ll be able to say you saw the world a bit before you settle down and grow old and fat like me.”
“I’m gonna do it, Miss Caylith,” said Neryssa. “No matter what it takes, I’m not coming back without my octopus.”
“Fair enough,” said Caylith with a nod. “But whatever you do, do NOT fall in love with a drylander. You hear me?”