Page 172 of Storm and Sea

“Excellent,” the mayor said, slapping the desk. He peeked around the boys to where Giovanni sat silently in the back of the room. “Signore Marcello, are you in agreement?”

Giovanni nodded sagely. “I am.”

“Excellent, excellent,” the mayor repeated, a bit more energy in his movements. He mumbled under his breath. “We might just save this island yet.”

Marina offered him an encouraging wave as he marched into the surf. Nyel waved back, trying to exude a confidence he didn’t feel. He took a giant gulp of air. This was it.

“Let’s go.”

But Nyel stopped knee-deep when he noticed Atreus didn’t follow.

“I won’t help your chances,” he said.

“What are you talking about?”

“You’re about to ask a lot from your people. And your people are…” He hesitated before settling on, “set in their ways. It’ll be hard enough to get them to surface without a halfling by your side.”

Nyel bit the inside of his cheek. Atreus was right, of course, but that didn’t mean he liked it.

“It’ll get better, Atreus. I’ll make it better.”

Atreus smiled, though it was weak.

“I know you will.”

“I’m on your side, Atreus.”

He remembered the first time he spoke those words and truly believed them.

On that night, they stood before each other as Mer, beneath a sky awash in fire and light. And by the look on Atreus’s face, he was remembering the same thing.

“I know,” he said even softer.

“Say it out louder,” Nyel demanded.

Atreus smiled warmly. “I know you’re on my side, Ny.”

“And that I’m the greatest Bocce player there ever was⁠—”

“Get the hell outta here.” Atreus rolled his eyes, but not before adding, “You can do this.”

Nyel nodded and, without another word, dove into an oncoming wave.

Marvassa greeted him, and he flexed his tail muscles before they were truly there. The change came so naturally to him now that he marveled at how he’d gone his entire life without its touch. He wondered why so many of his people feared its tickling transformation. His stomach clenched in anxiety. Nyel was about to ask them to face that fear. That, and so much more.

“You’re making a mistake.”

Nyel flinched as a voice sounded far too close, swimming parallel to him in the water.

“Spirits, Nephi! Don’t do that.”

“You’re alarmingly easy to sneak up on.”

“I have a lot on my mind,” Nyel said, plowing ahead.

“You’re making a mistake.”

“You said that.”