He had been assured by a Fae that the bubbles were fairly sturdy, so long as one was careful. Still, he was cautious in both their speed and the path they took and he let Evie guide how much and how far she was willing to test the strange algae and its useful properties. There was no need to rush things and her comfort was more important than his experiments.
He couldn't hear her voice, but he could see the joy in her eyes as they followed the goldfish and he felt the pressure of her hand. He gave it back with his small, mischievous smile and stretched out their joined hands slowly and gently until her fingers could brush the cool hardness of golden scales and feel the soft, yielding muscle beneath before the goldfish wriggled faster and slid ahead of them once more.
He sensed the change in the water in his nose and on his tongue and he slowed their gentle pace until they had stopped, the top of Evie's fiery head only a few inches below the surface. The water was siltier here, and it was hard to see for very far beneath the waves. Here, too, it was brackish and easier to float as the salt of the sea overwhelmed the fresh water from the Symphony.
Hadama tilted his head at Evie questioningly and pointed to the air above and then, after a moment, he pointed underwater back the way they had come. Did she want to swim back on the surface? Or stay below for the return trip?
He couldn't hear her voice, but he could see the joy in her eyes as they followed the goldfish and he felt the pressure of her hand. He gave it back with his small, mischievous smile and stretched out their joined hands slowly and gently until her fingers could brush the cool hardness of golden scales and feel the soft, yielding muscle beneath before the goldfish wriggled faster and slid ahead of them once more.
He sensed the change in the water in his nose and on his tongue and he slowed their gentle pace until they had stopped, the top of Evie's fiery head only a few inches below the surface. The water was siltier here, and it was hard to see for very far beneath the waves. Here, too, it was brackish and easier to float as the salt of the sea overwhelmed the fresh water from the Symphony.
Hadama tilted his head at Evie questioningly and pointed to the air above and then, after a moment, he pointed underwater back the way they had come. Did she want to swim back on the surface? Or stay below for the return trip?
