Jilted Guilt: the Mermaid and the Hunter - Chapter 7
She glared at the man and pushed the two bodies out of the water.
Lavinia went under the water and retrieved one of the dead men’s dagger, but couldn’t find the confidence to use it.
Her heart raced faster than ever, yet her blood ran cold. It was dark in front of her, but her hand gripping the hilt of the knife felt powerful.
A knight of the royal court would have been able to overpower her. Could he really be this intimidating?
If she could lure him into the water, there might be a slight advantage. With only her eyes above the calm surface, Lavinia quickly scanned the spot where the man had been, but he was already gone.
As she emerged from the water in confusion, a strong grip snatched her struggling left arm. She tried to grasp her dagger with her free hand, but even that was swiftly wrestled away.
Lavinia struggled, but with her back exposed, she was helpless. Rosander, with one hand, seized both of her arms and skillfully took her dagger.
As her body floated on the surface, she began to sense the touch of air above.
She flailed desperately. Blood splashed everywhere, staining his clothes, but Rosander didn’t seem to mind as he carried her to the surface.
Struck by the turbulent currents, Lavinia momentarily froze as pain surged from her fins to her lower back.
Rosander hoisted her out of the water as if she were like thoroughly exhausted prey, like a hunted animal.
With each step Rosander took, dragging her along the muddy ground, her fins left a trail on the soft mire. The texture of the clinging dirt was gritty and unpleasant.
Before she could get her guard up again, Rosander menacingly pressed the stolen dagger beneath her chin.
“Don’t even think about resisting. The longer you delay, the more dangerous it will be on your end.”
Lavinia didn’t make a sound, but he brought the dagger closer until she nodded, as if he understood that she could indeed comprehend his words.
As if he were dealing with a spy, he gave her no quarter.
“Did you kill them?”
Rosander didn’t move the dagger. He was ready to slit her throat if he had to. Lavinia stared into his eyes, trying to read his intentions, but she couldn’t discern a thing.
With no other recourse, Lavinia nodded. The man, whose face had been emotionless just a moment ago, furrowed his brow.
Lavinia felt her lower body drying rapidly as the earth touched it. Once out of the water, she was physically powerless, unable to resist. Her only hope was for a swift death to come.
Rosander slowly raised the dagger, bringing it closer to the corner of Lavinia’s mouth.
As the cold blade grazed her lips, Lavinia instinctively recoiled, but Rosander used his free hand to hold her back, preventing her escape.
Lavinia opened her mouth, startled by the heat of his merciless touch. The blade nearly entered her mouth but collided with her fangs.
“Sharp.” Rosander remarked, pressing her tongue firmly against the sharp edge, effectively halting any movement. The hand that held her back tightly had fallen away, but that same hand could have easily torn her mouth open by accident if it hadn’t belonged to a seasoned hunter.
As her saliva dried up, her body grew chillingly cold. Lavinia abandoned following the gaze that was inspecting her and lowered her eyes. Her helplessness, like a dying fish flopping on a rock, rendered her utterly bewildered.
“Do you eat people?”
When Lavinia remained motionless, he asked another question.
“Why did you attack them?”
The more she thought, the more her situation seemed dire, making Rosander’s words nearly inaudible. If venturing recklessly into the human world, driven by curiosity, was a mistake, then it would be her worst mistake.
At least in the world of merfolk, the mermaids were not as ruthless as humans. They didn’t have the malice to destroy a race like this.
Her anger surged, then waned, but her body and mind, determined to survive in any way, felt as if they were operating independently, like malfunctioning parts.
“Do you eat people?”
How could she answer with a blade in her mouth? The looming specter of death was so alien that she could not bring herself to shed a single tear for it.
When he repeated the question, Lavinia shot him a resentful look.
“If you speak, I’ll put the knife away.”
Lavinia nodded slightly, and Rosander, as if responding, eased the pressure on the blade a bit and retracted it. As soon as the blade was out, she clamped her mouth shut and spoke in clear, human words.
“No.”
“Why did you kill them?”
Rosander didn’t seem surprised by her ability to speak. Rather, he frowned at the questioning look on her face.
Why did he care about the reason? What difference did it make? The conversation felt utterly unnecessary. It felt like a futile exchange where life and death might hinge on her answer.
She couldn’t help but think of that moment back when she was caught by the morning fishing boats near the Isle of Larme. The humans who had ignored her screams – what did they care? Lavinia recalled the mocking fishermen, poking her with their spears, and it filled her with bitterness.
“How else could I have defended myself?”
The words she spat out were so icy that Lavinia surprised even herself. As if she had momentarily shivered from the cold, she hugged herself once more.
Could she have fought back differently?
The memories of the humans she had encountered began to resurface one by one. As she revisited those bitter recollections, Lavinia realized the importance of forgetfulness more than ever. If she could remember all those events in their entirety, it would be truly unbearable.
Lavinia gazed into the distance and exhaled deeply. Remaining outside of the water was becoming increasingly difficult.
The man sitting at her eye level seemed to be saying something, but it was barely audible, and Lavinia didn’t respond. Just as he seemed about to press further with his questions, Rosander simply tossed the dagger aside and lifted Lavinia into his arms before she could say anything.
Lavinia was taken aback, but she no longer wanted to dwell on the reasons behind the man’s sudden change in attitude. She had grown tired of everything.
Could she go back? Even if it meant being a castaway, could she return there? She’d start over if she could.
Her heightened perspective was dizzying, and she struggled for a moment before wrapping her arms around his neck.
