Mermaid Whispers in the Dark

By R.S. Kellogg

 

A most unexpected sound to wake up to.

     Not a new-comer to adventure, Nat knows the hazards of traveling the trade road near the coast as well as the next trader; which is why he always sleeps with shelter: at an inn, if possible, but if not at least beneath a tree.

     But one night during his travels, Nat awakens beneath a great oak near the coast to hear voices on an extra-magical night.

     He smells evergreen needles mixed with the scent of dirt and sea breezes, and he senses a woman's fear.

     And unbeknownst to him, on this night, headed straight to him come the problems of others . . . others not human, with problems unlike those he knows well. 

If you love tales of magic and mermaids, buy "Mermaid Whispers in the Dark" today.

• Language: English
• Publisher: R.S. Kellogg
• Release date: Nov 2, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201774950

R.S. Kellogg

 R.S. Kellogg writes in the fantasy Breadcove Bay series, as well as exploring other story worlds and non-fiction topics.

Book preview

Mermaid Whispers in the Dark

by R.S. Kellogg

Late on a summer’s night under a full moon Nat heard the voices.

The chill of the night had woken him, startling him awake with a cold rush that traced up his back like a finger and shook him with a shiver.

He took in a great shuddering waking breath and smelled evergreen needles mixed with dirt, and sea breezes, and a woman’s fear.

And then, shaking his head and rubbing sleep from the sides of his eyes with the roughness of his cold calloused hands, Nate blinked up at a full moon so large it mocked all his previous sightings of full moons. It seemed to shimmer in the air. The stars glimmered as if all the world and all the skies were awash with an expectant hum of something on the cusp of happening.

Nat had the unnerving feeling that despite being a stone’s throw from the great Westset Trade Road—a main route of civilization that ran parallel to the sandier roads of the beaches and which he had traveled so many times that it had become to feel like home—he was somehow, suddenly a guest here tonight.

An outsider.

That he was, unmistakably, deeply in the heart of the magic wild.

Ands something that was out there was unquiet.

Heart pounding, he stroked the textures of his rough blanket with his thumb, trying to make out distinct words in the chorus of what he thought were low voices. Because the sound of the distant tides mingled with the whispered words and the effect was disorienting, Nat shook his head, uncertain for a moment whether he was in a dream state still.

He patted the cold ground, which felt steadying and compact and reassuring after a long day of travel, and sighed, inviting a silent wakefulness to his bones: He knew that he was awake, now.

It was unexpectedly cold for this time of year, and Nat regretted not having brought his warmer cloak. In the afterglow of a tangled dream, the low voices and the cool night and the huge moon and the very bright stars made him feel as if he’d walked right into a