Second Chance at Love and Life
After my bath, Reginald gently carried me to bed with the utmost care, as if I were something fragile and precious.
Blushing slightly, he pulled out a small, glowing orb and awkwardly mused, "This is half of my inner pearl. Once things get intense… Those water-repelling pearls you've been using… They'll lose their effect.
"In our merfolk tradition, when we marry a human, we offer half our inner pearl so our bride can breathe and live underwater safely."