"Oh," I whisper, surprised. "At least you're here now. How did you manage that?"

"The pearl." He smiles as he speaks aloud. "It carried my essence within it, and when the priestess broke it, it automatically allowed me to enter this hallowed space."

"Did you know she'd break it?" I ask, regarding him with suspicion.

A sheepish smile crosses his face.

"It was a possibility I planned for," he admits.

"Ze! But it was my bracelet! How could you give me a gift knowing it would get destroyed?" I give him a deadly stare as I break free of his embrace. One look around, though, and I note that the priestess has been frozen in place, her eyes wide with shock, her arm stretched and ready for attack. There's not even the twitch of a muscle or the evidence of breathing. It's almost as if she's a statue made of stone. Even those serpent-like locks are frozen still in an awkward position.

Did he...stop time? Of course he did. He's Ze after all. I doubt there's anything he can't do.

He blinks, his smile slowly fading when he realizes he messed up.

"Oh," he murmurs, averting his gaze and scratching the back of his head.

Before I can blink, he disappears and appears again in front of me, taking my arm and slipping another bracelet on it with a similar purple pearl, yet this time it's a deeper color with streaks of black.

"I apologize." He sighs wearily. "I am afraid I am not used to caring about your human sensibilities."

I stare at him dumbfounded. Human sensibilities? The gall on this man.

"Tell me you did not make another mermaid cry." I shake my head at him, though I must admit, this new bracelet is prettier than the other. The chain is a rose-gold color that complements the purple of the pearl.

He gulps guiltily.

"I cannot tell you that, for it would be a lie."

I close my eyes, taking a deep breath.

"Fine. Let's just get this over with and leave. I think I've been traumatized enough for one day."

Snapping his fingers, he allows time to flow again, and the priestess moves anew.

"How dare a male come into the temple of her ladyship?" she grits out, her chest expanding with each labored breath. She doesn't wait for a reply as she summons her strength, sending blast after blast at Ze.

He dodges each blow easily, moving through the blasts as he stops in front of her, staring her down. Despite her high heels, he's much larger than her, and a sliver of fear enters her gaze.

"You know who I am," he notes, his voice suddenly changed. There's a coldness there that was not present before.

"You're the God Killer," she spits out at him, doing her best to keep her calm. "The king warned me you would attempt to come inside, but I did not think you would succeed."