#Chapter 41 – Gifts

“Well, a mermaid is certainly not a gorgeous woman,” Laila murmurs, a cunning little grin takes her lips as Laila places my pretty little book on the table and conjures a slim volume of her own. “This is.” And then she opens the page and my mouth falls open. Because the creature there… Well, it certainly has a fish’s tail. But the top half, where it should be a beautiful maiden? Instead it’s the ugliest little monkey, covered in fur, with sharp little teeth, beady eyes, and curled, clawed fingers. Anton and I both stare at the mermaid for a long, long moment before we burst into laughter. “See!?” Laila says, laughing just as hard as we were. “Mermaids in my world are like – pests! They’re horrible! They’re called ‘maids’ ironically because they’re the opposite – they’re the worst – they tear apart our nets and steal our fish! And then climb into the trees and eat the fish and drop the skin and scales on people walking beneath!” Anton and I laugh harder, imagining it, and