Aulani didn’t believe me, but she looked sympathetic all the same, like she believed me to be a crazy little frog that talked.
I had to try harder. “If you kiss me and I transform back into a human, I’ll help you get to the ocean. You’ll probably have to turn into a human in order to survive, unless mermaids can survive out of water for a long period of time. It might take at least two days to get to the sea.”
“Two days?”
“From here? Yes. We’re in the deepest mountains of the island. I’m not even sure which village might be closest at this point.”
“Hmm… Well, I can’t survive out of water for longer than a day.” She sighed and rubbed her forehead. After a moment, she added. “I’ve done more ridiculous things in my life. If I kiss you, and you turn back into a human, youpromiseto help me?”
“I promise. I’ll do everything I can to get you to the ocean as quickly as possible.”
She slipped into the water and shivered. “If you’re lying and just want a kiss from a mermaid princess, I will be very vexed with you, little frog prince.”
“Trust me, I’ll be vexed too,” I said, then closed my eyes as she leaned in to kiss me. She closed her eyes too, probably not wanting to watch herself kiss the tiny, smelly frog.
I was so small, her lips basically covered my whole head. But she smelled like coconuts and vanilla, and hot summer days. If that was all I got out of this, I’d be alright with that, especially after dealing with the feeling of being wetallthe time. Sticky. Musty. Humid.
But Aulani? She was literally a breath of fresh air.
And suddenly she was not so big. My legs stretched out, the webbing between my fingers disappeared. The pond, which had seemed so large, now appeared small and shallow. The trees I once climbed seemed like minor branches.
For a brief moment, I was disoriented. My body ached, and my neck and back felt as if they’d been hunched over for too long. My fingers and toes stretched out, a sensation that was overwhelming since they’d been connected by webbing for so long. And the view.
I can see!I could see so much better, my vision no longer bubbled, no longer confined to my small size.
And Aulani… I could really see her.
Her eyes were closed and our faces were so close, I was tempted to kiss her just to kiss her. It was not like me to be ungentlemanlike, but I couldn’t help it. What would it be like to kiss a mermaid? I leaned in and kissed her, my heart racing. This was the best first thing to do as a human.
She gasped and opened her eyes, but, much to my surprise, she didn’t pull back. Instead, she wove her fingers into my hair, kissed me back, and then pulled away.
“You enjoyed yourself a little too much, frog prince.” She smiled, but then her expression wavered as she took me in. Self-consciousness flooded into me, and I looked down to see that I wore the same clothes I’d been wearing when I walked through the garden with Cressida.
My shoes were gone, as I’d taken them off before stepping into the pond and transforming into a frog.
“You’re…” She blinked. “You’re human. You really are…”
“And I promised I’d help you,” I said, regaining my composure after that kiss. Why did she kiss me back? Shouldn’t she have pushed me away, or was she playing with me? She seemed like the flirty type.
Not my type,I thought. Besides, I signed betrothal papers to Cressida, a thought that filled me with dread.
“Your eyes,” she said, reaching a hand to touch my face but pulling it back before we touched. “They remind me of someone.”
I tipped my head.
Aulani cleared her throat. “A woman who helped me. Her eyes were a very distinct emerald color, but… probably just a coincidence.”
Probably.
I stood and stretched. I’d never been so grateful to have my body back. It hurt so badly, but I also wanted to run for miles, never to hop around again.
And now I have work to do.
“Listen,” I said. “If my calculations are correct, there could be a village not far from here. My cousin lives there. I could carry you there, but it might be faster if you walk. My cousin plays around with potions, and maybe she has something that could allow us to communicate, even if you do become mute when you turn into a human.”
At this, Aulani bit her lower lip. She didn’t want to be left alone, and I didn’t blame her.
“I won’t be long,” I said, then smiled, which seemed to put her at ease. “I promise.”
