The Dominant Species

Giselle and I practiced acrobats.

“Why don’t you compete?” Giselle asked me.

“I don’t feel like I’m good enough or that I will ever be good enough.”

“Sure you are.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Because I’ve attended these competitions over the last few years and you are just as good as the merpeople who compete. Maybe you need a little more training.” “What about you?”

“I’m not as good as you are.”

“Yes, you are.”

“No, I’m not. I’m good, but you are talented enough to compete.”

I needed to think about what Giselle told me. See, I wanted to think I was great. I wished I could compete and win. The competition is held every year in front of thousands of merpeople, which usually made the competitors even more nervous. But I was okay with that because I wasn’t afraid of speaking in public. And I’ve given speeches before. I loved acrobats and I really wanted to believe I was good enough to win that competition.

On the other hand, there was my stupid lack of confidence.

Still, I didn’t want to rule out this idea completely...

Giselle and I practiced magic together.

Yeah, I know. I’ve said these words so many times that you probably want to slap me now. But remember, magic and acrobats were two of the areas of my life where I wanted to be the best I could be. Besides, they were both ways to bond with Alastair and Giselle.

“You’re good at that too,” Giselle commented. “Better than me.” “What?”

“Yes, you are.”

I wasn’t going to let her put herself down.

“Actually, I think we’re both equally good,” I said.

This comment was to make her feel better, not me.

Giselle thought about that.

Later, we met Caleb again. I thought if we were going to share the world with humans, then we needed to get to know humans. We talked about magic. Caleb said he wanted to talk about marine animals, but we didn’t because he also thought it was more important to establish a relationship with his allies.