Shan lounged in the warm water of the bathtub, his gaze fixed on the rich reddish-golden scales of his tail as he absently ran his fingers over the surface. It was beautiful, shimmering like molten metal under the soft light, but he knew the trade-off well. His mer form meant he was tethered to water; his scales dried out too quickly, making land excursions limited and difficult. More than that, the transformation itself had taken time and effort. His conversation with Lanni about embracing his heritage had sparked the idea to attempt a solo transformation, something he had previously only tried under Lo-ka’s supervision. Surprisingly, becoming a merman had been easier than the roc—he hadn’t even attempted flight yet, not wanting to risk being spotted by someone. His teammates didn’t know, and he wasn’t quite ready for them to. He’d kept another secret, too. No one knew about him and Loka. He avoided entan-glements with others for reasons he preferred not to share; his teammates would pester him about it, not understanding that his desires were for something more meaningful. He wanted a wife, someone to build a life with, not casual flings. But his unusual heritage complicated things, making that dream seem impossible. Suddenly, a knock on the bathroom door interrupted his thoughts, followed by the sound of the knob turning. Shan was grateful he’d locked it. “Shan?” Jahan’s voice called. “What are you doing in there?” “Skin treatments,” Shan replied, focusing on the change back to his human form. He needed to concentrate; his unique lineage made the transformation slower and more de-liberate. “Again?” Jahan asked, sounding skeptical. “You know, you could’ve talked to Lanni’s kids about that when they were here.” Shan grunted, “I grew up in a foster home, remember? Cari’s already treated me.” There was a pause. “Are you alright?” “Fine,” Shan said, breathing out slowly. “Just give me a moment.” He could feel the transformation completing, muscles shifting, scales receding until he was left with his human form again. Wrapping a towel around his waist, he opened the door to face his friend. “What kind of treatment are you doing, anyway?” Jahan asked, peering into the bath-room. “Soaking in a special solution,” Shan replied, motioning towards the tub. “Ah, so that’s what that’s for.” Jahan looked unconvinced but shrugged it off. “Any-way, we need you for something. There’s some suspicious activity at the old mill, and Lanni can’t scry there. The guards can’t approach without drawing attention, but Loka thought you could go for a walk with her and get close enough to listen in.” “A walk in the dead of winter?” Shan raised an eyebrow. “The sun’s out,” Jahan reasoned. “Besides, cold doesn’t seem to bother you as much as it does the rest of us.” “It does,” Shan said, though he knew Jahan was right—it didn’t affect him as quick-ly. “Fine. I’ll get dressed.” Shan hurried and dressed, wondering when Jahan would ask about his feet. He wouldn’t gossip about it, not with his son having Narlin. But he would ask. He was too curious. Before long, Shan joined Loka outside, their hands brushing as they walked. They wore thick gloves for warmth, but Shan could feel a warmth from her that had nothing to do with the cold. Their pace was leisurely, both savoring the rare moment of companion-ship that their shared mission provided. “You know,” Loka said, breaking the silence, “it’s nice to just walk like this. I don’t often get the chance.” Shan looked over, intrigued. “Why not?” She glanced away. “I work long hours, and being around people can feel… over-whelming. Sometimes, it’s easier to stay in my quarters, away from the crowds.” Shan nodded in understanding. “But today, it’s just us. No crowds to worry about.” Loka smiled faintly. “That’s true. I can manage small groups. It’s when it gets crowd-ed, and people bump me. I read everything.” “Yeah, unpredictability can be hard,” Shan agreed. “You never know what—or who—you’ll run into.” Loka gave him a sidelong glance. “Exactly.” Shan took a breath, emboldened by the moment to share something of his own. “I usually preferred being alone while I was growing up. The other kids at the orphanage always found ways to pick on me. They didn’t understand why I didn’t have any body hair. One of them found out about my feet and spread it around. Eventually, I hit him. I ended up with extra chores and Mama Silva talked with him. I don’t know what she said, but he never mentioned my feet again.” They walked in silence for a moment, sharing the weight of memories. Then, as they approached the mill, Shan removed his earplugs, his sensitive hearing allowing him to catch snippets of a conversation inside. He listened carefully, catching fragments about a “missing piece” and nearing the end of a project. Unfortunately, the path they followed was curving away. The snow was too deep to change paths and still appear to be a casual stroll. Shan stopped and looked around. How long could they stay without drawing attention? The man explained that it was inexact, so he couldn’t be precise about the timing. Shan ground his teeth in frustration. They didn’t need to hear this, but they’d be noticed soon. Then, to his surprise, Loka reached up, her hand cupping his face, and kissed him gen-tly. Shan’s first instinct was to pull back, mindful of her abilities and what she’d read from him, but her touch reassured him, grounding him in the moment. For a heartbeat, the cold winter faded away, and all he could sense was her presence. After a moment, she broke away, her breath visible in the cold air. “We needed a cov-er,” she whispered, lips curling into a soft smile. He grinned back. “Effective, but unexpected.” He kissed her again, listening to what was said in the mill. He knew they needed to be ready soon, but it was never said what the project was. The sound of footsteps behind them caused them to turn. Lord Rantar approached, his expression unreadable. “What are you doing here?” he demanded, eyeing them both. Shan replied smoothly, “We wanted some privacy, and the mill seemed deserted.” Lord Rantar nodded, his suspicion tempered with understanding. “Just be careful. It’s not safe in there. Be careful how close you get.” He turned and left, his presence as quickly fading as it had appeared. Once he was gone, Loka turned to Shan, her eyes softening. “Sorry if I caught you off guard,” she said, adjusting her gloves. “Sometimes, the unexpected is necessary.” Shan squeezed her hand gently. “No need to apologize. It was… a pleasant surprise.” She smiled, a quiet warmth in her gaze. “We should get back. You’re shivering.” “Yeah,” Shan agreed, feeling the cold creep through his cloak. “Let’s get inside and warm up.” Together, they headed back, a newfound understanding between them. The day’s mission might not have revealed everything they’d hoped. Still, it had given them something else—a new connection, fragile but undeniable, something neither was quite ready to let go of. #fantasy #magic #dragons #hiddenlands