Page 97 of Storm and Sea

Neither could hide the amused smiles that spread across their faces. Leo let out a soft chuckle.

“Wise words coming from a fucked up stranger on the beach.”

Now it was Nephi’s turn to laugh, and when he did, it felt like a thousand sea birds diving from the cliffs.

Untethered by the world.

“You don’t know the half of it. Though fucked up is a pretty good way of putting it.”

“So, does this fucked up stranger have a name or what?”

“No, he doesn’t,” Nephi snarled, then softened as he added, “but he does visit this beach a lot.”

Leo nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

And instead of watching Leo’s lips turn blue as he choked the life out of him —Nephi watched the color return to his cheeks as he smiled.

“That’s not fair. I’ve been outside just as much as you,” Nyel complained, holding his forearm beside Atreus’s. He was pasty by comparison.

“You’re pale enough to scare off the fish,” Atreus teased as Nyel shoved him.

“Ha ha,” he deadpanned. “At least I’m not getting sunburnt anymore.”

“Way to look on the bright side, Marshmallow.”

“Are we doing nicknames? Gatto’s already got his,” Leo hollered from the deck of his boat. Atreus and Nyel unloaded his cache as the shiny new vessel bobbed along the dock.

“What does that even mean?” Nyel asked, taking the tray of squid that sometimes got caught in the nets.

“Don’t ask⁠—”

“It means kitty cat,” Leo called, “because Atreus is so scared of the water. It’s been years, and he still won’t get on the boat with me. I’ve stopped trying.”

Nyel exchanged a meaningful look with Atreus.

“Well, I guess I can be Gatto, too, since I won’t go anywhere near it either.”

“Aw, come on! Nothing I can do to tempt you? One loop around the bay?”

“No thanks,” Nyel said, earning an approving nod from Atreus.

Since their conversation with Nephi, he was more determined than ever to make Baia Vita his home. At least for the fishing season. After that? Nyel didn’t want to think about it. If he was going to stay, he needed to be more cautious. And if Atreus, in all his years here, had never gone on a boat, neither would he.

“I don’t want to be called Marshmallow. Even though they are delicious.”

This made the other two laugh as they finished emptying Leo’s catch. They wished him luck as he ushered the boat into the bay again. With all boats out working the bay, the pair had a moment to sort the fish before the next rush returned. They tagged the bigger catches with a handheld ‘clicker’ that punched a colored ribbon through the gills.

Nyel winced in sympathy as he stapled a heavy sea bass with Leo’s black tag. Now, even if there were a spill, this fish wouldn’t be mistakenly thrown into someone else’s catch. The smaller ones were dumped into a barrel of ice with the vessel’s name painted on the side. Nyel frowned at the scratched-out letters. Vino Rosso was no more, crossed out and painted over with the name Pesce Pagliaccio. He couldn’t read either of the names, but he knew the letters corresponded with the names of Leo’s old and new boats.

“He’s in the same boat as the rest of them,” Atreus said, following Nyel’s gaze. “No pun intended.”

“What do you mean?”

“I know you’re worried about him. So am I. Everyone is fighting the same battle. There aren’t enough fish in the bay anymore.”

Nyel’s shoulders slumped. “I just worry. With the new boat and…”

And how beaten he was the night of the festival.