Page 93 of Storm and Sea

“I won’t go.”

“And what’s stopping me from tying you up and dragging you back?”

At this, Atreus raised his shoulders, fists clenched. He sidestepped in front of Nyel. “Try it,” he growled.

Nephi’s body responded, taking a fighting stance out of instinct. He’d love a good rumble in the sand. “You sure you want to try that, Bluey? Remember last time?”

Atreus didn’t back down, which made Nephi want to slam him into the sand all the more.

“Stop it, both of you!” Nyel placed a hand on Atreus’s shoulder. “This isn’t helping.”

“What the hell am I supposed to do then? Leave you in this human death trap?” Nephi pressed.

“You could come with us?” Nyel offered but it came out like a question.

“Nyel, what are you doing?” Atreus hissed, his attention never leaving Nephi.

“He’s my brother.”

“He’s also a murderer.”

“What—!?” Nyel’s gaze darted between Atreus and his brother, disbelief waring in his eyes.

“How do you think he got those burns?” Atreus accused, jabbing a pointed finger. “He’s been fighting humans—probably killing them, if his lack of respect for the living is anything to go by.”

“You don’t know that. It could have been⁠—”

“How many Mer do you know can build a fire?”

Nyel’s mouth snapped shut in defeat.

Nephi grinned, showing off his longer-than-usual canines.

So my reputation precedes me. Even this far south.

“It doesn’t matter. He isn’t doing that anymore,” Nyel insisted.

Not by choice, Nephi thought.

“This is a chance for a fresh start—for all of us,” Nyel said, addressing them both. “Let’s start this over.”

“Not likely,” Nephi said, full-heartedly ignoring the small prickle of hope in his brother’s words, tamping it down with decades of bitterness and rage.

Here was the chance to make amends, to fix burned bridges, and to quell with the rage that took permanent residence in his heart. But the injustices of his life flared, and the rage returned. Hot. Familiar. Safe.

“I’ll stick around until you either see sense or the humans kill you. Fuck if I care which happens first.” Atreus let out a low rumbling sound in his chest. “Or maybe this monster will finally snap.” Nephi grinned maliciously. “What do you think, bastard-born?”

Nyel wasn’t fast enough to stop Atreus this time, and Nephi was ready. The Mer attacked, learning from their last encounter and keeping his feet firmly planted.

Clever fish.

But with a solid base and feet stuck in the suctioning sand, Nephi’s opponent was top-heavy. It was too easy to dodge his human-learned punch and headbutt his chin.

Nephi loved how the other males’ teeth clashed as he slammed his jaw shut, sending him toppling to the sand. A wave broke over the beach, half submerging Atreus as he stood. When he found his feet, he was taller, broader, and with flared fins.

That’s it. Show me your Mer.

Atreus dove, moving faster than before despite his size. A stray claw sliced through Nephi’s parka, shredding it in a burst of puffy white cotton. The tattered fabric hung like a rag, exposing his scars.