"I work for them," he finally clarified, which was the simplest explanation and also the least confusing. It wasn't entirely the truth either, but he could see no other way to convince the other mer to leave him to his mission. He was not about the risk another of his kind to be captured and enslaved, even if it was difficult to mentally call himself that.

"I'm not in physical condition to fight you or drive you off, so I expect you to be gone before we hit the shallows of your own volition."