Morgen Song

I frowned. “Well, I am not luring men to a watery grave either.” I draped my arms around Olly’s shoulder, leaning in to rest my cheek against his. “I have no need, not when I have Olly.”

“Thanks, I think.” Olly’s tone was dry, but he squeezed my hand. “But that doesn’t get us very far, does it?”

Edenvert shook his head. “I hope I do not need to say it, but I have no enmity towards man. I fear we do not need to look far for this ‘mermaid.’”

The stress my father put on the word. I sat up. “Do you think it is the King That Was?”

“I do not know.” Edenvert frowned. “He has no love for mankind, but he was so much weakened when we left him that I have trouble believing he has the power left to disguise himself and swim amongst men without attracting alarm.”

“So does that mean”—I swallowed—“the morgenau have returned?”

Duhywynt looked from me to our father anxiously. I could not blame him for his alarm. I was a youth when the last of our people departed the Llŷn, pushed beyond endurance by the increasing burdens placed upon us by the cruel King That Was, but Duhywynt was even younger still, a mere child. I would not wonder if he had no memory of our people at all.

“It was always a possibility that someone would return,” Edenvert said slowly. “But who, and why, and what is in their mind to have come back after so many centuries? It raises more questions than it provides answers if that is the case—and we do not know that it is the case.”

Olly nodded, leaning forward. “First things first, we need facts.”

I nodded eagerly, standing. “I will scour the oceans at once—”

Olly grabbed my hand, tugging me back to my seat. “You promised.”

“But this is an emergency—” I protested.

“Not yet.” Myfanwy tugged a plait. “Listen to Olly.”

Olly turned to Duhywynt. “You can join the seal colony in the bay without attracting any notice if you climb down to the bay, and transform in the cave.”

Duhywynt nodded, sitting up straight. “I am to question the seals?”

Olly nodded. “Find out if they’ve noticed anything unusual in the ocean, or seen anything that might give us a clue to these sightings.”

“I will do so,” declared Duhywynt. “And before I transform, I shall place my clothes on the high rocks of the cave. I will not return home soaked by the ocean, to raise even more questions from our guest.”

I crossed my arms, sinking low in my chair. Yes, I had acted precipitately, but there is no need for him to rub it in!

“Myfanwy,” Olly said. “You know the password to my laptop, right?”

Myfanwy looked up. “You want me to google the sightings?”

“You got it. I’ll borrow the papers from Old Mr Jones when I drop Edenvert off, see if I can find anything in that.”

“And I will see if my redoubtable host knows anything about these mermaids.” Edenvert nodded slowly. “A good plan of action indeed.”

There was only one thing wrong with it. I frowned. “And what am I meant to be doing while all of you are busy?”

“You can practice for the Eisteddfod that you are definitely not going to use magic to win.” Myfanwy smirked at me.

I gave her a flat look. What is she trying to imply?

“Not a bad idea,” Olly said. “But I was thinking that someone needed to keep an eye on our guest. Make sure that she’s well looked after.”

“She does not need looking after,” I complained. “She said that she had errands to do this afternoon.”

“Just as well. With an extra person in the house, you’re going to need to pick up some more groceries.” Olly glanced at the shopping list attached to the fridge.

I folded my arms. I felt that I was definitely getting the worse deal out of this. “But you are taking the car! I do not wish to walk back from the village carrying the milk.”

“Sacrifices must be made, brother.” Duhywynt skipped out of range before I could kick him.

A thought occurred to me. “If our guest is to be absent this afternoon, there is no reason I should not travel back via the waves—”

“No.”

“Absolutely not.”

“Think about the milk, Myrhydion!”

I held up my hands against the tide of protest I received. “It was only a thought!”

Edenvert’s chuckle was so soft that you had to strain to catch it. “It will be good practice for the coming days.” His eyes twinkled.

I wasn’t fooled. “You are all unkind to me.”

“It’s not a question of kind or unkind,” Olly said. “It’s about not taking unnecessary risks.” He reached for my hand. “I’m selfish enough to not want you to go anywhere.”

I allowed myself to smile. “Perhaps I am too used to be acting the prince with you. I forget that I am prince second, your husband first now.”

“Not again,” Duhywynt muttered.

“I think they’re cute,” Myfanwy scolded him.

Duhywynt shot us a dire look as he stood from the table. “You’re not married yet.”

Olly wrapped his arms around me comfortably. “Don’t mind what Duhywynt says.”

I winced as the door slammed shut behind Duhywynt. “I generally don’t.”

“The important thing is that you’re happy.”

I bit my lip. I was not happy. But Edenvert watched me with an expression that made me conscious that I had not acted with the wisdom of a prince. Perhaps it was only fair that I should remain behind? Looking up, I caught Olly’s gaze.

His blue eyes were overshadowed for a moment by his frown. He studied my face, his concern for me evident in his expression.

Reminded of his love for me, I smiled. “I will play the part of a host so well, Beverly will not believe we have never had a guest before now.”

“That’s the spirit.” Olly’s smile warmed me to my core.

Myfanwy sighed. “When you make grand statements like that, I worry.”

“You only have to worry about your task.” I nodded. “I have this under control.”