Page 76 of Storm and Sea

Which was stupid.

“He’d sooner trust a human than a halfling.”

Atreus ground his teeth, his feet wandering wherever they wished. He hardly noticed that he’d left the square and was pacing up and down random backstreets. But he couldn’t shake the truth. Nyel was perfectly at ease among humans now.

“And yet he’d turn and run from a freak like you.”

“Stop talking.”

“You’re mad. Talking to yourself like that.

What would Nyel think?

Maybe that stranger was right.

Maybe I am your Skraith.”

“Shut up!” Atreus yelled, nearly tripping as his shoe sank into the damp sand. He blinked, the faint glimmer of moonlight illuminating the gentle push and pull of the water. Without thinking, he’d walked to the beach, his subconscious taking over, trying to lead him home.

Atreus kicked off his shoes, letting the cool sand sooth his bare feet. He had no reason to be this upset.

You’re being stupid.

This time, he didn’t know if it was ‘the voice’ or himself thinking the words.

It didn’t matter.

He wasn’t sure how long he stood on the shoreline—maybe only a couple of minutes or more— maybe he’d go to his lighthouse after all. Maybe he was better off alone⁠—

Maybe I’m not meant to be with my own kind.

“You’ve always been an outcast.

It’s in your nature.”

What if I don’t want to be alone anymore?

“It’s not possible.

They’ll hate you.

Fear you. Despise you.”

Nyel doesn’t hate me.

“Because you’re a liar.”

I’m not a liar.

“You’ve been living a lie since the

moment you stepped on this island.

You’ll always live in the shadows.”

Stop it. I don’t want that.

“It’s too late to change the tides of fate.”