Page 28 of Storm and Sea

Her bottom lip trembled. “Will you help me search for him? You’d know where he might be better than I would,” she pleaded.

Atreus froze. No matter how much he wanted to search for his friend, he couldn’t go out in this weather. Giovanni spoke, sparing him a reply.

“I’ll go. Atreus, can you finish this yourself?”

“Yes.” He had to resist adding “sir” to the end of that.

“Good man. Andiamo Emelia, let us check the docks.”

And with the tinkle of the bell, they were gone. Leaving Atreus with nothing but the hum of the refrigerators and the pattering of rain on glass.

“What were you thinking, Leo?” Atreus mumbled as his steady hands continued to cut the delicate meat. The Tradi’s boat was ancient, barely seaworthy, and had more problems than he could name. He’d lost count of how many hours he and Leo spent repairing it over and over again. And that idiot took it out in this weather.

Atreus wanted to blame Leo’s pride like his mother did. But he knew the real reason: the financial pressures to provide for his large family. Though Emelia was still in her prime, Leo’s father was far older—older than Giovanni by more than a decade—too old to work the nets. This left the responsibility of a mother and five younger brothers and sisters to rest on Leo’s shoulders alone.

“If he had just waited for me,” Atreus grumbled. He could have helped Leo earn some extra money. If Leo was so eager to work on the opening day of the season, that meant the winter had been harsh. Atreus couldn’t imagine the pressure of so many young lives depending on him. He could barely take care of himself.

He was so lost in thought that he mistook the rapping on the back door for thunder. On the third round of pounding, Atreus looked behind him. Why would Giovanni come through the back? Could it be Horace? No, the old man was likely asleep upstairs. Then who?

Maybe it’s Leo. Maybe he’s hurt.

Quickly wiping his hands, he dashed to the back door, kicking aside some empty bait boxes. He wrenched it open.

“Nyel!?” Atreus couldn’t decide if he was horrified or surprised. Maybe equal parts both.

“Hey,” Nyel said sheepishly.

“What are you… how did you…!?”

The sireno had found a piece of plastic tarp and was holding it over his head like a poncho. His upper half was dry, but there was no hiding his soaked feet, which were currently long and webbed.

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Atreus yelled, grabbing Nyel by the shirt and jerking him inside. “Don’t move,” he ordered, grabbing the nearest rag and bending to dry Nyel’s transformed feet. Almost instantly, they changed, revealing human toes.

Nyel wrinkled his nose. “What in Spirits-blessed is that smell?” he asked, covering his mouth like he might gag.

“It’s a fishery; what did you expect?”

“How was I supposed to know? I was looking for you.”

“Do you realize how dangerous this is? Do you realize what could have happened if anyone saw you?”

Nyel narrowed his eyes. “Hence the tarp.”

Atreus threw his arms up in the air, defeated. “How did you even find me?”

“I followed your scent,” Nyel said, tapping his nose.

“My… my what?” Atreus had never heard such a thing. Humans sure as hell couldn’t do that. Not to the extent Nyel was describing. When Nyel opened his mouth to answer, Atreus held up a hand. “You know what, it doesn’t matter. What matters right now is getting you back to the ocean where you belong.”

Nyel stood straighter. “I’m not going back. I already told you.”

“Well, you sure as hell aren’t staying here.” Atreus was shaking. This was bad—so bad. How was he going to get out of this? Nyel knew nothing about the human world. He was literally a fish out of water.

A stupid fish.

“Okay. Okay, okay, okay.” Atreus said, trying not to panic. He needed to think. “This is what we’re going to do. You’re going to hide back here. I’m going to finish my shift, and then I can sneak you out of here and get you back⁠—

“—I’m not going back,” Nyel insisted.