mjkj asks:

Dear left behind ones (I mean, those that stayed on earth) or whoever may know

If it is not too spoilerish, what happened to the evening out and the movie in the cinema they prepared to go to before they ended up in Talonyka? (read: what happened back on earth?)

Daniel Steven’s answers:

Yes, we were due to go to the cinema that evening, weren’t we? I guess that should have alerted me that maybe our father wasn’t resonsible for the gate opening. He’s not quite that mean. I’d been at karate class and when I got back our den in the attic was empty. Given what they’d taken it wasn’t had to surmise where they were. I opened the gate myself and headed off after them. I’d been planning to go after the pendant that night anyway. You know the rest.

But I  wonder what would have happened if I’d got home ten minutes earlier.

Their father answers:

I didn’t realise the gate had opened until Daniel reopened it to go after them. I’m still not sure what power could open a gate in my own home without me sensing it, but something did. Once the gate had opened there wasn’t much I could do about it except cover for their absense and keep an eye on them.

mjkj’s second question:

Dear Mela

Could you please tell me about your life? Like how life is for your kind (merfolk/siren) especially how it was for you – and also how it is to be under water most of the time etc.

Thank you so much

Mela replies:

I can only speak for my clan really, other clans have different traditions – especially the coastal ones.

Like all merfolk children I learnt to swim before I could walk, and to sing before I could speak.  Later Aunt Lori taught me how to empower my song and how to make a spear and use it for hunting. She and my mother taught me about the laws, both Queen Valeria’s and the Core’s.

I’d never known anything else but I think it was a pretty good life, the grotto was comfortable, there was plenty to eat and the pool never dried up, so we never had to migrate. Aunt Lori told me stories about those long land treks to find new homes which some clans have to make every year or so. I’m glad that never happened to us.

We were quite wealthy as well, because as well as trout and other fish our pool supported freshwater shellfish which not only provided food for us, but pearls and iridescent shells which Haltia and Dwarven jewellers traded with us for. Once, when I was eight, one really big black pearl was even bought by a goblin! That caused a stir for months.

What’s it like to live underwater? Well, we only spend about half our time underwater. Less when we’re babies because for some reason it’s a few months before our gills work properly. And I’m not sure I can properly describe it.  Can you describe what it’s like to live purely on land and breathe only air?