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A sense of duty swelled in me. I had to protect my people. Get them back to the sea safely. Ensure they were never harmed again. But I also had to help my friend from whatever trouble she was in.
I turned to Fin and said, “Give me the treasure from the trove.”
He returned to the horse and removed the items he’d taken from the trove. Back at my side, he handed them to me.
“Thank you,” I said, leaving to cross the group to where Snow was.
I bent down beside her.
Startled she shuffled away.
“Take these,” I said. “Sell them. Buy what you can to feed these people.”
Snow stared at the gifts I offered her. She selected a hand held mirror from my grasp and looked into it for a few seconds. It glimmered gold at her tough. She gasped and dropped it.
“Take it,” I said, replacing it in her hands.
It glowed again at her touch, but this time she didn’t make a sound nor move. She seemed transfixed by the mirror as if it called to her in a strange way. The dark pearl had done the same to me.
“I can’t stay,” said Snow, not looking at me. “I’ve got to get all these shifters to a safe place.”
My gut sank with disappointment. After so long of not seeing my friend I wanted to spend more time with her. But I understood her responsibilities. I too had to take my people and return them safely to the ocean.
“I can spare you four horses to carry your merfolk,” offered Snow.
It wasn’t going to be enough. But it would carry half of them.
“Thank you. That would be wonderful.” I watched as my friend disappeared into the woods, carrying the mirror, glancing at it occasionally.
Something was not right with her. She’d been hurt judging by the bruises and cuts on her face. Had her stepmother been cruel to her?
Snow returned some moments later with the steeds she’d promised. “Here.”
“Thank you, my friend,” I said, taking the reigns of one horse.
Snow nodded and left, scooping up the rest of the treasure I’d given her.
“Gill,” I called to him, and he came over to me. “Get my people on the horses. We’re walking back to the sea.”
