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Chapter Two
AQUARIUS CONSTELLATION IS SEEN IN THE SEA REGION OF THE SKY
Maris
Thunder crackles loudly as lightning strikes across the midnight sky. It looks both beautiful and deadly. I can feel the warm tears run down my face to join the ocean. My bad mood has lasted all day, despite chasing sanctuary. Everything I thought was true is turning out to be a lie. My best friends are untrustworthy like my father said, and despite the fact Ryn is dating Pasha, it doesn’t mean he won’t be my husband. I could’ve dated other mermen, but I chose to wait for him. I’ve been taken for a fool and I’m not going to accept it. My father doesn’t value my opinion, but I can change his mind. I won’t be marrying a man who doesn’t love me.
The sea is choppy as the storm whirls around me. The high waves and water spray fuel my anger. I can make my own ripples. A piece of driftwood hits my arm as it churns around. Another piece floats right past me as I see more pieces in the fore mist. It’s a shipwreck, not random weathered branches from trees. If a boat has collided with some rocks, I’m guessing the human is still out there.
My daddy would tell me to let the gods have their fun, but as the unconscious body of a man comes into view, I find myself moving towards him. His thick blonde hair covers most of his face, and he seems to be unconscious. His skin is weathered in the way most sun walkers usually are. I’m not an expert on the species, but he doesn’t look like the typical sailor. His hands aren’t calloused enough, and he’s kind of pretty for a man. He also doesn’t have any waterproofs on or rubber shoes. The arm holding him above the water begins to lose its grip. I try to push him back on, but it’s no use. If I don’t intervene, he’s going to sink. This is bad.
Swimming into Haiti’s harbour is too risky when I can’t hide under the water. I can’t be seen to be rescuing a human or I’ll be labelled a traitor. But I can’t let him die when he’s this close. Could fate have brought us together? Am I supposed to save him? There’s a place I could take him until I can find a boat to carry him back to shore. It might be reckless, but I pull him onto my back before setting off towards the hidden caves. The entrance is underwater, but it’s only for a short amount of time. I drag him under, barely missing his head on the top of the rocks. Once we’re inside, I hoist his body onto the land. Holding myself up, I watch for his chest to rise. It’s been longer than I think it should have been. I hit him hard in the solar plexus and water comes up through his mouth. He coughs as he gasps for air. Turning onto his side, the water falls to the ground. It’s both gross and fascinating to watch. Once he seems okay, I start to leave.
“Wait,” he says between coughs.
I hesitate. Saving a human is one thing, but letting him get close to me will be unforgivable. Hopefully, he’ll think he’s delusional from all the water he’s ingested. “You’ll be okay here. Rest up, and I’ll find you a boat to take you back to land.”
“What about the one I was in?” he asks.
I shrug. “I found you in the water.”
“Are you a siren?”
“I saved you and this is the thanks I get,” I say, shaking my head. I’ve had enough of people assuming things about me. Maybe my father was right about this, though. I should’ve left him be rather than give him stories to take home.
I lower myself into the water.
“Don’t go. Please!” His tone seems desperate.
My hair becomes weightless as the air is traded for the water. I’m already a couple of meters down when doubt sets in. Should I have listened to him before I abandoned him? The ugliness waiting for me at home stops me in my tracks. The human already thinks I’m a creature of the sea. Would it be so bad to spend a little more time with him?
In less than ten minutes, I find myself resurfacing in the cave. The man’s shivering from the cold water. “Why are you out in the storm?” I ask.
“I missed the weather forecast,” he says, pulling his arms tightly around his chest.
“Is that some kind of oracle?”
“I guess, in a funny kind of way, it is. Do you have fortune-tellers down here?”
“We don’t need to predict the weather on land.”
“That’s not what I meant.” He blinked a few times, then rubbed his eyes. “Sorry, even seeing you with my own two eyes, I never thought it was possible to meet a mermaid. I mean, I hoped they were real, but wow. Do you believe in prophecies or signs from the gods?”
I never expected to meet a human, but also, I didn’t think he’d be questioning me on my beliefs. What a strange species. “Why do you want to know these things?”
“I’m curious, that’s all. I’ve never met a mermaid before.”
“You need to forget this ever happened. Once the storm starts to calm, I’ll get you back to land. I think we should try to find a way to warm you up for now.” His teeth are chattering and his skin’s a strange colour.
“Do you have anything to start a fire?”
I frown. “It’s not something we need to know how to do.” I’ve seen campfires on the beach and read about them in books. My father’s going to kill me if he ever finds out what I’m about to do.
I pull myself up onto the land. He watches me but makes no effort to move. I flip my tail so I can drag myself towards him. We hold our gaze, and I lean in to touch his lips with mine. Heat ignites as I deepen the kiss. This wasn’t how I expected this to go. It feels nice to be close to him.
The pink tone returns to his skin, and using the essence I’m empowered with from the sea, he stops shaking. I’ve warmed him by giving him a gift from the ocean.
“Wow, that was some kiss,” he says, looking as shocked as I feel. I’ve never felt a spark like that before. “I’m Kasper. And you are…?”
