Chapter 18 - Who Are You? (1/2)

So Al was on the beach my first day in town. Interesting. He did say he liked coming here.

”You saw all that?” I asked hesitantly.

Percy's worry that I would be seen by someone important acting so impulsively was valid after all. I didn't think nobles went to the beach. Everyone else I saw then looked like an average citizen, not that there were many people there in the first place.

He nodded. ”It was quite brave, what you did. Standing up to that old doctor even though the chances of him listening to you weren't high. I wanted to talk to you that day but you were gone before I could do anything. Imagine my surprise when I saw you present yourself in front of the monarchy the next day.”

”Is that why you were staring at me?” I asked, unable to stop the words from tumbling out.

At least he had enough shame to look embarrassed. ”You noticed?”

”It was hard not to.”

Al scratched the back of his neck.

”Forgive me, but I had a hard time believing someone so kind or knowledgeable could be a debutante. The earldom is nowhere near the ocean…how did you know the proper way to treat a jellyfish sting?”

Ah. This could get tricky. ”I read about it,” I said truthfully.

”In a medical textbook? I wasn't aware that jellyfish stings were common enough to end up in one. That doctor certainly didn't know what to do.”

”Not a medical textbook…” I read about it online but there was no concept of the internet here.

”I was reading about ocean creatures when I came across that information.” It wasn't a total lie. I only looked it up because I was already learning about jellyfish and got curious.

”I had no idea someone had written a book about what lives in the ocean. Sailors catch fish using large nets so I suppose a jellyfish or two could get stuck in them from time to time,” he mused. ”I may want to read this book myself. What was it called?”

”I don't remember,” I said hastily.

Everything I knew about jellyfish came from the internet, placards at aquariums, or ocean doc.u.mentaries. There wasn't a book about ocean creatures in this world!

”But if you ever want to know more about ocean life, I can tell you.”

He raised an eyebrow at me while his lips quirked into a half-smile. ”You plan to stay in contact with me after running away?”

He had a point. I'd spoken without thinking yet again. There was a good chance this would be the last time I saw him.