“It means it doesn't matter.”
“Oh.” He got up, went to the pool, and snatched something out of the water.
It was a silvery fish. It wriggled until he bit its head off. Chewing thoughtfully, he sat back down on his pallet and returned to staring at me. Years ago, I may have cringed to see someone eat a fish like that. But I had eaten people in my dragon form, so a little raw fish with bones hardly bothered me. In fact, it made me think better of him.
“So who are you really?” the Kelpie asked.
“Take off these manacles, and I'll tell you.”
He grimaced.
“No?” I chuckled. “All right then. No bedtime story for you.”
“Maybe I'll take you to my queen and she can get the truth out of you.”
“I doubt it. I've been tortured by the best and they never broke me.”
“You've been tortured?” he asked, doubt lacing his tone.
“Oh, yes. In all sorts of ways. One guy tore my limbs off, but I still didn't break. I'm pretty proud of that.” His queen had even stabbed me in the heart with a wooden stake like I was a damn vampire. But I couldn't tell him that.
“Tore off your limbs?!”
“Yup, but that was in a . . . let's call it a realm of the mind. I felt the pain but my body was actually injured. On the one hand, it was good because I didn't die. On the other hand, he just kept putting me back together and doing it all over again.” I growled, then said, “Fucking Spider God.”
“Spider God?”
“Forget about it. It doesn't matter. The point is, your queen doesn't scare me.”
“Well, I must do something with you. You've been making things difficult for me.”
“Have I?” I pouted. “Sorry, not sorry.”
The Kelpie scowled. “I'm at a loss at what to do. I guess you'll have to stay here for a while.”
“Really? You're just going to keep me here? No beating, no nibbling on my flesh, no rape?”
The Kelpie looked horrified. “By the great sea! You are not right in the head.”
I burst out laughing. “Sorry, usually when I'm kidnapped, they do something to me.” I cocked my head at him. “You know, Kelpie, you're not so bad.”
“Thank you?”
I grinned. “I think I'll let you live.”
“Oh? You'lllet melive? You're the one in manacles.”
“For now,” I said, still smiling. “That's the thing. I used to get abducted a lot—don't ask, long story, or stories—but I always got away.”
“You will not get free of me, Impossible Woman,” he said, turning the description into a name.
I was glad he hadn't asked my name. I'd give him the same courtesy. “We will see, Nice Kelpie.”
He grinned, putting his fangs on sharp display. Literally sharp.
“Uh, you, uh.” I waved at his mouth. “You got fish in your teeth.”
“Oh. Thank you.” The Kelpie's hand flew to his mouth to pick at his teeth.
