"Would you believe me if I said this?" How curious, the way she talked. "Not everything within me is me." The door opened, or disgorged – something crawled through, several things, several human things.
"All anikiaun are capable of changing mortals. Of creating what you call graiim." If these were graiim, they were relatively unmutilated – for their kind. "Those who make too much use of me forget their lives. They lose themselves. They can only remain within me...parasites."
Was that contempt in her voice? Who had ever heard Salleritt show true emotion - judge another?
"They are of no use to me." The creatures approached; cautiously, curiously. What lives could they possibly lead now? Ticks on the hide of this timeless dream-spirit. Did they recognise themselves in me? "They have no human thought; they are mistakes."
The stink of rotten fish on their breath...some of them had gills; some of them had pulpy, useless webbed hands. One's head hung forward on an eel's neck. All parodies of their goddess, the shimmering serpent, coiling ceaselessly through the magical seas...the one they had sacrificed themselves to, with no idea they had done so. Did she hate them for it?
"Do you want them?" The closest to me rasped, head jerking upwards suddenly. It sucked in breath – its eyes, bulging and black, focused on me. It had my scent. "Is this the secret you desire? That I am not safe?" In the distance, Salleritt smiled. The new fold of skin split open her featureless face, stretched out as fangs grew into it. A stereotypical, mocking grin.
Just in time before May ends, my other Mermay picture - this one a little more unconventional!