"How do you know that I am a man of faith?"
She smiled, "Easy, it radiates out of you. You have a beautiful aura about you. My people could learn much from you."
"Just what faith are we speaking of? Who do you serve?"
Her words were confidence itself, "There is only one God and He is the Great Creator of all both above and below and beyond."
Koke pulled back from her disorienting touch and turned to stare off into the wonders of this underwater world. He believed everything she'd told him. Call him a fool, but he trusted her and she had saved his life.
It was so tempting to give in to her hedonistic request of him to be her mate.
What am I to do God?
All he felt was an open door before him, but he didn't have the courage to take it.
He glanced back to her, "Your people, do they go to the surface?"
Her eyes fell from his and her thought out words had a mournful tone to them, "My people cannot go to the surface and survive in the open-air as we have been below water for far too many generations, but you may yet leave if you wish."
It had cost her a lot to admit that, but she'd been honest with him. She'd given him the knowledge that he could leave. Leave her.
Looking around Koke shook his head. Who would ever want to leave a paradise like this much less a fantasy such as her?
How was he to help Kim though?
Kim wasn't his responsibility anymore. He relaxed slightly at the remembrance of the man named Colt. Kim was making her own way in this new world and so should he.
There were injustices in this hidden world that needed to be taken care of.
"You seem a peaceful person and yet you offer to help me kill a cruel pirate Queen?" Koke asked in a doubtful manner.
A piece of coral exploded beside of Koke and he glanced from the shattered remains of the coral reef to the crystalline structure of an odd looking ring on the girl's finger.
His eyes rose to hers as she said, "We are a peaceful people, but we can defend ourselves and fight our own battles. I did not lie in what I offered to you."
"What's your name?" Koke asked.
"Loranni. What's yours?"
"Koke."
She smiled for a moment before her smile turned bittersweet and she said, "You are leaving then?"
Koke shook his head no, "No, I'm staying. I look forward to meeting your father."
An impish grin came to her face, "There is no need as he has already approved of my decision. Come let us be one."