Page 7 of Storm and Sea

Now they had almost no natural predators, especially in the shallow, warm waters of the bay. Nyel supposed this was fortunate, as he, his mother, and his aunt Sonia were unique amongst the Sireni. Their scales shone the color of jade. Blue tones mixed and balanced the green before fading into dark azure at their fins and finally turning completely black at the tips. If they’d been born centuries earlier, they would have been easy targets and swiftly eliminated from the gene pool.

Nyel suspected that his unique scales were what constantly drew the attention of the village sirena. When he was little, the village girls would pretend they were dating as children did, annoying Nyel with unwanted attention. But as he grew older and the first signs of maturity changed his body, their pursuits grew less playful and more serious.

Once the rounded fins along his tail flared high (the sign of a sexually mature Mer), the girls pursued him in earnest, asking him on dates, pestering him at every turn, and inevitably going home with tears and a broken heart when Nyel told them to stop. That was also the reason he had no sireno friends. The boys hated him for the attention he garnered, and that bitterness left Nyel isolated.

But that’s what made Chel so perfect. She wasn’t like that. She didn’t push him for unwanted kisses or lock their webbed hands together. She didn’t snuggle up too close or insist on discussing marriage, Lifebonds, and babies. She was just his friend. Plain and simple.

Now, this dinner jeopardized it all.

“The school looks good,” Mr. Ernesti said, and Nyel gave him a grateful look when it was clear neither he nor Chel would start first.

“Yes, their spring colors are coming in. I like all the red and orange and… pinks,” Nyel finished lamely.

“Ripple keeping them in check?” her father asked.

“Honestly, they’re so well-behaved that Ripple is getting lazy. He sleeps most of the time.”

“You have a good beast. Spirits know we’re seeing fewer and fewer sandwinders. Is there any chance of finding a female and having a litter?”

Nyel shrugged. “We’ve been asking around for a while now, but it doesn’t seem anyone has a female anywhere near here.”

“Shame, they’re magnificent beasts; I would hate to see them gone.”

Nyel nodded, unsure of what else to add.

“Found them,” Bianca said, hurrying into the room, Sonia and Don at her tail.

Nyel’s father, Donato, had the characteristic yellow-green scales of all Sireni. In recent years, the darker fins atop his head had begun to recede, leaving him with a balding appearance.

As a kid, it confused Nyel why his parents were closer to the ages of his friend’s grandparents. Bianca and Donato met late in life, and there was uncertainty about whether his mother could conceive at her age. Nyel was a miracle baby, which was also why he was an only child.

Well, the only child his mother ever had.

As though reading his mind, Mr. Ernesti broached the topic. “Will Nephi be joining us this evening?”

Everyone visibly tensed at the mention of the name, none more so than his mother.

“He had some errands to run, so we won’t be seeing him. Now, shall we get started?” she said, quickly changing the topic.

The tension in the water eased as everyone put Nyel’s estranged half-brother out of their minds. He hated how quickly the mood darkened at the mere mention of Nephi.

But…he understood why. There were too many stories, too many old fears about his kind.

The water shifted as everyone settled around the table, picking at the food in uncomfortable silence. Finally, Mrs. Ernesti broke the awkwardness and directed her next question at Sonia. “How are you fairing, dear? Everything is going okay?” she asked, referencing the bump in Sonia’s middle.

“I’m doing well, thank you for asking,” his aunt replied kindly.

“I am so glad you have Bianca and Don. I can’t imagine caring for a little one alone. Especially after everything that happened. If you need anything and Bianca and Don are unavailable, you can come to us.”

Sonia’s jaw tensed, but her voice remained calm and polite. “Thank you; you’re very kind. I’m lucky to have my sister and brother-in-law. I’m grateful they’re letting me stay until the baby comes.”

“And after that,” Bianca chimed in, “I want plenty of time with my niece or nephew before you set off on your own.”

Sonia forced a courteous smile but said nothing else. Nyel was proud of how far his aunt had come. She was much younger than his mom, and Nyel’s relationship with her felt closer to brother and sister rather than aunt and nephew. Sonia found her mate fairly early in life and became pregnant shortly after.

That was when his aunt’s idyllic world plunged into despair.

Nyel’s uncle, Santé, was found deceased while working the feather kelp fields. There were no wounds on his body, and most assumed it was a failure of his heart, but there was no way of knowing for certain.