Page 23 of Storm and Sea

Nephi found the spot where they’d last spoken and followed the scent. In his prime, following a scent, even one a day old, would have been child’s play. Despite resenting that side of himself, the Sireni were excellent trackers. Their enhanced sense of smell allowed them to detect even the smallest change in their crop. But with his sense of smell damaged and his right eye nearly blind, he struggled. Still, he followed the scent and, late in the afternoon, found that it led to a small island with a human tower perched at the top.

Of course he came here, even after I told him not to.

Nephi stepped from the waves, unflinching as Marvassa tickled his skin. He walked with confidence, upright with perfect posture. He’d spent many weeks in this form, hiding amongst the humans. Learning their secrets. Listening to their conversations. Watching. Waiting for the right opportunity to strike.

A spy amongst wolves.

But now he was marked by the human’s sadism. Nephi cringed as Marvassa changed scale to skin, including the parts disfigured with burns. He examined his new body, seeing for the first time how these scars fared under the sunlight. They were just as distorted and disgusting as they were in his Mer form. He touched the side of his head; his dark brown hair burned off one side, and his ear crinkled to almost nothing.

“You’re an ugly bastard in both bodies,” he told himself as he smirked.

At least he wouldn’t have to worry about the human females throwing themselves at him anymore. That was the part he hated most about his missions into human territory. The dance between male and female. The ritual of courting and mating. Humans were mad for it. It was their greatest weakness, an easy one for him to exploit. And when he learned that he was particularly attractive to the human females, it was almost too easy to infiltrate their defenses.

He got close enough to steal the needed information, then returned to the sea. He’d never actually bed any of them. Even the idea of lying with a human made him want to gag. They were filthy, oily, and smelled of the earth they lived on. It took years for him to master enough self-control to hide his repulsion. To smile instead of snarl.

They ate it up every time.

Now, with scars marring his once handsome features, Nephi would have to figure out a different way to infiltrate their ranks. It didn’t matter. His job right now was to heal. That’s what his commander said. He’d be back in the thick of the fighting soon enough.

Nephi shook off the remaining water droplets, letting the air fill his nose. His shoulders relaxed some. There were no humans here; by the looks of it, there hadn’t been for a long time. He followed Nyel’s trail to the lighthouse, pushed inside, and halted. The scent was strong now, mixed with the tang of iron.

Nyel was hurt.

Nephi raced up the tower steps.

The humans have him. Damn it, why didn’t I stop him? The stubborn brat should have listened when I⁠—

He charged into the lighthouse room, only to find it empty. Nyel’s scent was strong. Fresh. He’d been here only an hour or two ago. Nephi was about to go down to find the fresh scent when another one made him pause. Another Mer. Male. There was something off about this one—something different. A scent Nephi hadn’t encountered in a long time.

Another halfling.

Even more on edge, Nephi didn’t bother with the stairs and shoved open a window. The tower stood resolute on the rocky cliff, the waves crashing against the stone. He jumped on the railing with ease, his balance perfect. He may be an ugly bastard, but he was still strong. Poised. A weapon itching for its next fight.

He jumped.

There was no hesitation. The wind howled past him, but he didn’t brace—didn’t tense. The height didn’t scare him. He had done this a thousand times, and he would do it a thousand more.

The ocean rushed up to meet him. At the last moment, he curved his body, angling just right—barely disturbing the surface as he slipped into the depths.

Marvassa took him, and he was a monster once more.

The swim to the human settlement would take him less than half an hour. That meant it would take Nyel twice that. And in this weather, the choppy current may have slowed his brother even more.

In typical early spring fashion, the sky remained in a perpetual state of indecision. Rain. No rain. Wind. Lightning. A constant whiplash of weather currents, shifting on the whim of Pygon’s mood.

In the minutes he spent in the tower, the weather turned once again to an angry gray whirl of nature’s forces. It was the perfect storm and a prime opportunity for an inexperienced Mer to get caught unaware.

Nephi shook his head, cursing the foolishness of youth. He’d never been so careless at that age. If he pushed himself, he might catch the dumb kid before he did anything even more stupid. Nephi kept close to the surface, where Nyel’s scent was the strongest.

Moron. If a boat came by, he could have been spotted⁠—

No sooner had the thought occurred to him than the sound of an approaching engine sputtered in the water. Nephi dove straight down, letting the depth hide his presence from the vessel’s captain.

The boat listed harshly to its port side. Something was off.

Easy pickings.

He could sink this boat. Overpower it like a shark picking off the weakest swimmers in a school. But Nephi was alone. Here, he had no Pod to help him sink the human machine. To help erase the land-dwelling creatures that dared intrude upon their ocean home. The thought sent Nephi’s blood to boil. And even now, knowing it was stupid— he was tempted to take the vessel on his own.