Chapter 2

Especially water like this, where he could still breathewithout any respiratory apparatus. Callum drew in a deep breath and blew it out again just for the sake of checking out the air. He could breathe easily and normally, no matter how weird it was, and to be honest, it freaked him out badly.

“Are you okay?”

Callum whipped his head sideways, having forgotten that Ainsley in his shock.

“Okay? I’m standing here outside the Titanic bedroom, can breathe while immersed in water without a mask and an oxygen tank, and I’m staring at an entire city under the water. Yeah, I’m totally fine. Oh, wait.” Callum turned back and pushed open the bedroom door. He would have head-desked if there was a desk around. His suspicion was proven correct. The bedroom and everything in it were drowned, but nothing was wet. Just like he was right then.

Ainsley let out a small laugh, but he wasn’t condescending. “I’m sorry. It must be hard for you. But it will pass, believe me.”

Callum didn’t say it, but he doubted the feeling would pass, not when he saw things went on as normally as on the surface of the earth. In fact, he couldn’t see any fish besides a few mermen and mermaids swimming around. Hmm. I said that as if it was a daily occurrence. Callum totally didn’t get wide-eyed—totally.

Mer-people weren’t the only creatures he saw. Despite this being inthe water, he saw chupacabras and a wolf—a werewolf, according to Ainsley. “Only monsters and magical creatures can live in Silkwater. But some of them were born as two entities.”

Callum frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Shifters.”

“Oh, so one can be both a werewolf and a mermaid?”

Ainsley broke into laughter. “No. You see, they’re all strong and dominant beings. One body can’t contain them. No, I mean they can shift from a werewolf to a human.”

That was…interesting. If this was such an otherworldly place—

And then a creature that utterly took his breath away turned up. A unicorn. It was majestic, white, with its long, flowing white mane. And, of course, one horn on its forehead, gleaming and glittery amidst the water currents. The unicorn stopped before them and bowed deeply.

Callum chanced a double-take in the other man’s direction, but he didn’t seem flustered or awkward. Ainsley looked even more stunning and Callum felt like panting and letting his tongue hang out of his mouth like his dog usually did. Fortunately, the unicorn finally left and Callum got to keep his dignity.

“All right. Let’s go on.” Ainsley waved his hand. They resumed their walk when suddenly Callum froze on the spot.

“Wait.”

Ainsley glanced at Callum, eyebrows high on his forehead.

“I—I suddenly remembered my dog.”

If a troubled look flitted across Ainsley’s face, it faded as soon as it appeared. Callum didn’t know if he should worry about it. He’d think more about it later.

“That’s good, right? I told you it’ll come to you slowly.”

Ainsley sounded so sure about something as vague as memory loss. But Callum shrugged and walked on. “Yeah, you’re right.”

Ainsley turned out to be an excellent tour guide. He missed nothing and he balanced the detailed information he gave with the time he spared each building, palace, and spot so Callum didn’t get bored.

But how could he be bored? This underwater paradise was a lake with the name Silkwater. What a fitting name, he thought. The water felt velvety smooth on his skin and it glided gently around him, still not making him wet.

And even to call it a lakewould be misleading. Callum felt as if he’d walked forever, or rather, floated, but definitely not swum. He was barely exhausted but this—this was not the size of a lake. More like an ocean that stretched across several small countries. To Callum’s increasing amazement, he saw no sky above him. He’d gone diving before where he could still see the sky above the surface of the water. There was neither light nor shadows coming from the sky. It might be nighttime out there but it was bright in the depths. Callum mentally shook his head. This didn’t make any sense to him. The more he thought about it, the more he developed a headache. It was the biggest mystery he’d ever come across. Perhaps this was never meant to make sense. Callum thought he’d better try to think about something else.

He race-floated to catch up with Ainsley.

“Hey. Can I ask you a question?”

“Shoot.”

“You said you know everything about me. Now, you know I can’t remember anything. Don’t you want to help?”

Ainsley squeezed Callum’s shoulder. “I can’t. It’s not my place to tell you stuff that you don’t recall. What’s the use?”

“That’s bullshit. That can trigger me, at least.”

“I have no right.”

Callum shrugged Ainsley’s hand off and continued walking.