The place truly hummed with magic on nights like this the moon rising above the water, bright and glowing, the witches and magical creatures free to be themselves completely. That kind of freedom brought with it an indescribable joy Tempest wished she could revel in with the townsfolk.
“Oh, look!” someone called out.
At the edge of the water, the curvy platinum-blonde haired woman she had seen earlier moved her hand in slow motion, a little ball of water following her every movement. She dropped it back into the sea, then pulled a stream of water as thick as her forearm from the waves. Tempest watched in awe as the water danced at her instruction, moving in a graceful arc.
She couldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like to have such steady control of her magic. More often than not, Tempest found herself creating storms with flashing lightning and crashingthunder whenever she got upset. Her magic responded to her emotions, not her instructions.
“Nice work, Juniper,” said the brunette woman beside her, her eyes flashing. “But you know what would be even better?”
Juniper smiled slyly at her friend before flicking her wrist in Elliot’s direction. One minute, the seal-shifter stood tall and dry with his deep brown hair, and the next he found himself soaked to the bone, water dripping from his bangs onto his face. It took all of Tempest’s self-control to stifle her laughter at his confused expression.
She covered her mouth with both hands and shook with suppressed amusement. Her favorite coworker had an easygoing attitude and wouldn’t be upset over such a prank, but seemed genuinely baffled at why he was suddenly sodden. Poor, sweet Elliot.
Tempest glanced down at her nearly empty glass and realized the magical drink was working exactly as promised. Her mood had improved significantly, happiness bubbling up inside her just waiting to be released. That was the appropriate mood to be in as she wandered the stalls and tents of the Moonlight Market.
Sea shanties and mermaid songs played over the Boardwalk speakers as she wandered toward the first stall. Beautiful pearl jewelry sat on soft blue fabric, sparkling in the twinkle lights strung across the top of the storefront. Such gorgeous pieces, hanging from gold chains with seashells and diamonds, a perfect example of the sea brought to land.
“See anything you like, miss?” asked the shop attendant, an older woman with greying hair.
“Oh, I don’t need anything, thank you,” Tempest murmured.
“Sometimes you don’t know what you need,” the woman locked eyes with her. “Sometimes, the universe gives you what you never knew you wanted. The blessings of the moon.”
She giggled at the prophetic words, unsure what to make ofthem. The next shop boasted fresh fish, caught that afternoon. Her freezer was well-stocked at the moment, so Tempest continued on down the row. A soapery with home-made soaps in every color of the rainbow, dyed from berries and plants locally grown, always brought a smile to her face.
Tempest caught sight of the sage green sign of the Crescent Cove Apothecary, her feet following automatically. This was what she had come for: tinctures to heal wounds, calming teas, and the calendula salve she could only get here. Though she had a list, Tempest allowed her eyes to wander the shop in search of new or seasonal items.
A new tea-strainer shaped like a golden sun caught her attention. She picked it up with careful fingers, admiring it for a moment before setting it back on its velvet display. As much as she wanted it, what she needed was the Sea Mineral Serum that helped her sleep and kept away bad dreams.
Tempest dropped one into her basket, pleased they were back in stock.
Taking His First Steps
REED
T
wo days later, Reed found himself staring at the edge of Crescent Cove that could be seen from the sea. From the edge of the beach, where the water was just deep enough for him to lay beneath the surface and out of sight, Reed observed the town. The setting sun cast a soft golden glow on everything. His inquisitive hazel eyes soaked it all in. Humans, dozens of them, maybe more, wandered all over the beach and the halfbeachedship that looked over it.
He heard voices of all kinds, unfamiliar accents and
languages he could not place. Reed watched as couples strolled hand-in-hand down the beach, exchanging soft words and tender kisses. They looked happy in a way he couldn’t quite explain—something intangible, but he could feel it radiating off of them. Joy, adoration, affection.
As they wandered past him and out of hearing range, Reed found himself disappointed. Watching the loving couples brought him a strange feeling of contentment he usually only felt when he watched his parents fawn over each other. Their love shone like the moon, undeniable and full. He wanted that for himself, that kind of love.
“Come on, I want to look at the shops,” someone said,
25
tugging their partner along. “I’m so glad it’s Moonlight Market season again!”
“Okay, okay,” replied her partner.
Reed had brought a small pouch of rare blush pearls, sparkling gemstones from shipwrecks, and the gold coins often found in treasure chests with him in case he found the courage to try to transform. He had been informed that such items would retain some value on land, though humans mostly used paper money that he was entirely unfamiliar with. He hoped it would be enough to gather enough fish to feed his pod.
Steeling himself, the merman allowed his head to breach the surface. No one would notice one more magical creature stepping from the water in the dark, in a busy place like this. Carefully, he pulled himself across the beach with his forearms.
Once his tail no longer touched the sea, a strange tingling sensation overtook him. An uncomfortable pinch worked its way down the length of his tail, the teal scales suddenly parting and disappearing. Two soft, peach-colored human legs replaced his tail and Reed stared in disbelief at the human feet now resting on the sand in front of him.
