A Merman's Heart

I calmly told them what I really wanted. "I don't need Xir's love, just his heart."

However, both Xir and Thea Jackson simply laughed at me, with Thea scoffing, "Don't lie, sis. How are those two any different?"

So in Thea's mind, having Xir's love meant having his heart, and she probably didn't understand that I meant the physical heart.

Xir frowned in annoyance right then, "Just say that you love me, Lyra. Quit spouting such self-righteous excuses… And don't think I'd fall for you because you're playing hard to get."

Thea seized the moment to lean on Xir's chest with contempt in her eyes. "Merfolk love beauty above all else, but you…"

She trailed off, but I knew all too well what she was referring to.

Before I knew it, my fingers were brushing over the gruesome burnt scars on my face, the same scars that I had sustained when I saved her.

I was just ten and she was six when she set the curtains on fire, and it was just the two of us in the house.

After my mother died, my father took her money to marry his former flame, who had Thea from another marriage.

That day, he told me repeatedly to take care of my sister, "Don't let her get hurt even if you're going to get hurt. Understand?"

That was why when the room was set ablaze, I didn't run as I rushed inside to get Thea out, and ended up caught in the fire.

That was the first time I felt despair, and the sensation of being burnt still lingers in my skin.

If the firefighters didn't arrive in time, I'd be dead instead of being merely disfigured.

On the other hand, the person who started the fire remained unscathed aside from slight shock, so I really have no idea how she could so righteously taunt me for my hideousness when she knew full well why I was hideous.

"Don't forget why I was burnt. Who I had to save."

Thea stiffened as she naturally knew that, but refused to let that debt hold her back.

"I know you saved me, but I was just a child and didn't know better."