It struck Marco that settled things meant going to war.
“You’re going to fight the bad guys?”
“It’s what we do when they threaten the peace. We’re a world of peace, and laws that hold it for all.”
“Are you scared of going south, of, you know, going into battle?”
“Those who don’t fear battle seek it. We don’t seek it, but we prepare for it, and won’t turn from it.” Shifting, Brian smiled fully into Marco’s face. “Keegan tells me you planted your fist in his face when you believed he threatened your friend.”
“Yeah, well, that happened. But I’m not much on fighting.”
“Are you for walks? It’s a sight to see the moons over the bay on such a night.”
Happy butterflies swarmed in Marco’s belly. “Sure, I’m big on walks.” He rose, and like Brian, left his tankard on the wall. “We walk a lot in the neighborhood where I’m from.”
“Philadelphia.”
“Lots of shops and restaurants and clubs you can walk to. We don’t have a bay, but we’ve got a river. Only one moon, though.”
“I’ve seen the one moon,” Brian said as they walked. “In Ireland and Scotland, and in France when I traveled.”
“You’ve been to France? Like Paris?”
“Aye, I went to Paris.”
“Was it wonderful?”
“It was. Full of color and sound, the old and new mixed together. I liked the art, also the old and the new. I like to paint.”
The butterfly wings beat even faster. “You’re an artist?”
“Ah well, I like to draw and to paint when I can.”
“We have art galleries in Philadelphia, one of my favorite things. I can’t draw or paint worth crap, but I sure like looking at art.”
“When we’re in the Capital, I’ll show you some I’ve done, and you can judge if it reaches art. I can judge your music, as I’ve heard it now, as brilliant. The song—the first I heard when I came in—was passionate, romantic, and your voice mated with Breen’s gripped my heart. I’m not musical myself, but admire those who are.”
“I could teach you. It’s something I do—did, anyway. Taught people to play instruments, did some voice coaching. Oh wow.”
Marco paused as he saw the moons, one waxing, one waning, over the bay. “It’s awesome.”
Still starry-eyed, he pointed. “Look. Mermaids!”
“Merpeople,” Brian corrected, taking Marco’s hand to draw him toward the beach. “As there are mermen as well.”
“They’re singing. Hear that?”
“Mers are musical, it seems, by nature, and their voices are part of their powers. They can call other Mers, other creatures of the sea, from far, far distances. And spellbind with a song when threatened. Fierce fighters they are as well. Some of these will go south.”
“So, like Aquaman?”
“I don’t know this.”
“Oh, it’s a character, a superhero character, in stories. The guy who played him in the movies is total.”
All Marco could think was he stood on a beach watching merpeople swim under two moons while he held hands with a smoking dude who rode a dragon.
Over his head and sinking fast.
“So … are you—do you have magickal abilities? Like Breen?”
“None have what she has. I have some Wise from ancestors, but I am of the Sidhe.”
As Marco watched, Brian unfurled wings as bold and bright blue as his eyes.
When his heart jumped, Marco reminded himself beaks, not wings but beaks, weirded him.
“Does this trouble you?”
“No. I mean, it’s all just fantastic and strange, and fascinating, too. I can’t get used to it. I don’t want to get used to it,” he realized. “Because you can end up taking beautiful things for granted if you get too used to them. And all this, it’s beautiful.”
You’re beautiful, he thought, as those butterflies beat their wings all the way up to his throat. “Look, I have to ask, because I’m real new around here, so I don’t know if things work the same. I need to ask if I’m reading the signals right. If there’s a thing happening. A spark happening with you and—”
He didn’t finish, as Brian simply wrapped arms around him and answered the question with a kiss.
Long and deep, and with a tenderness that melted the muscles in Marco’s legs. The Mers’ song lifted into the air with the water lapping the shore, and the moons sailed in a sky dazzled with stars.