Page 54 of Saved By the Selkie

“Yer right,” Porthos says, rubbing his head and glaring at Anna, “Lir’s got better manners.”

This time, both Anna and her grandmother conk the cranky giant over the head.

We head south in the morning—or, well, I think it’s morning anyway. The sky remains dark; the aurora plays across the midnight blue canopy. It’s freezing and miserable, but I’m awed by the lights. The natural world is such a wonder.

“Do you see the lights on Mythos?” I ask Lir, who nods.

“All the time,” he murmurs. He’s sitting tight on the sledge, Blizz clutched to him. His gaze is pinned on the heavens, and I wonder if he misses the island at all.

“Mush!” Anna calls to the dogs. “Mush!” The dogs pant, and the runners of the sled swish through the snow.

I tilt my head back, suddenly feeling bad about the way we parted from her family. From what I understand, her grandmother argued with her about leaving. Anna insisted we had no choice; if we didn’t leave now, we wouldn’t meet the ship that docks in March. She didn’t know when we’d be able to leave then. There might not be another ship headed to the main line this season.

Her grandmother argued that Lir and I were still too weak from our ordeal to make such a journey. I think she had some fierce words for Anna too.

“You know, you could have stayed,” I tell her.

Her dark gaze darts down to mine; then she snorts and looks away. “As if.”

“I’m serious—you didn’t have to come with us.”

She tosses her head, the wind ruffling the fur of her hood, which is drawn tight around her face. “And what? Lir would have driven one of the teams?”

“I could have—”

“You can barely stand for five minutes at a time, Aramis. Don’t even joke.”

I sigh, knowing she’s right. “Still,” I murmur.

“Who says I wanted to stay in a place like that anyway?” she says after a moment. “Village life isn’t for me—bring me the open seas, the wind in my sails.”

“A bottle of rum and sunshine in the Caribbean,” Porthos adds, looking at her almost wistfully.

She pauses, then smiles wryly at him. Despite their argument last night, the two are back to being friends, it seems.

“I take it you’re not just dropping us off then.”

Anna laughs. “Not a chance—I can’t wait to get off this iceberg and see the world.”

“I’ve had quite enough of the world,” I mutter. “I’ll be glad to get back to New York.”

Porthos laughs. “As though you’ll settle down and become a family man.” He winks at me. “It ain’t in your blood.”

The remark, as good-natured as Porthos means it to be, cuts deep. What’s that supposed to mean anyway, that settling down, being a family man isn’t in my blood? Is being an absentee father, an abandoner, somehow in the blood?

I swallow down the idea that I will become my father. That I can’t help but be anything else.

I glance over at Lir, who is watching me with careful eyes. Blizz is oblivious, babbling excitedly and waving at the aurora, which seems to wave back to him, earning a delighted smile and laughter.

My heart squeezes. How could I ever think about leaving them? In such a short time, they’ve become my entire world. I care not for sailing and adventures any longer. I don’t even care what my patron is going to say when we get back to New York.

No, all that matters now is Lir and Blizz, and keeping the three of us together.

twenty-nine

Lir

P