Page 39 of Welcome to Seaman’s Cove: Part Two

Farra’s head whips to me. “Heard before?”

“Yes.” I’m cautious in my answer, unsure how much I should share. I opt to go with a half-truth. “As I told you yesterday, my grandfather was obsessed with the myth of Ocearus and humans. I… I could translate for you, if you’d like.”

The princess’s eyes light up, the promise of new knowledge enough to stem her questioning for now. She nods eagerly, settling back to watch the projected figure.

“...archetecture is a blend of mercities and human dwellings. As you can see, there are streets, yes, but also canals for merfolk to utilize when in their aquatic forms.” The woman on the screen gestures to a canal exactly like the one we used while in Ocearus.

I translate for both Farra and Amalie, who is no longer shaking in fear. Farra’s guards hang back, close enough to listen in.

It seems to be an educational video about Ocearus.

“These dwellings may seem primitive at first glance, but they are actually a perfect mix of form and function for blended packs. I may be in my human form now, but I, too, love to slip into the canal running through my home, not only for travel but to spend time in my aquatic form. Not all of my alphas can join me underwater for extensive stretches, so having multiple options is perfect.”

The scene changes, and suddenly we’re underwater, following a mermaid through the canals. She turns and swims backwards, revealing the same woman who has been explaining the city. She no longer speaks the human tongue, so I stop translating for the group.

“Now that we’ve seen some of the residential areas, I want to show you my favorite part. The Great Hall is where our monarchs host everything from community forums to bonding ceremonies. Below it is the infamous Library of Ocearus.”

The mermaid grins wide, then flips over to swim forward again before the projection cuts off and disappears entirely.

“Is this true?” Farrasea asks. “Did merfolk and these humans really live together in packs? Whole groups in a permanent relationship, exchanging bites.”

“From what knowledge I’ve garnered, yes,” I hedge. “I do know that it is more common for human alphas and omegas to form packs than to have a simple two-person bond.”

Farrasea is quiet for a moment, seemingly in thought.

I turn to Amalie. “Where did you find this?” My sister glances warily at Farra before looking at me. I set a reassuring hand on her shoulder, and nod encouragingly. “It’s okay, you can speak freely.”

“Near the rocks. The… prison.”

Before I can question her more, Princess Farasea swims closer.

“Is that something… you’d want? A pack?” She asks the question as if already mid-thought, like she hadn’t been paying attention to what Ama and I were saying.

“Yes.” My heart slams against my ribs, waiting for her reaction.

She lets out the smallest giggle before immediately covering her mouth. “Forgive me, it’s just… I never thought… You see there’s an omega. I always assumed I’d have to give her up when the time came… But maybe… if you’re open to it, to meeting her…”

I shake my head, struggling to follow her reasoning.

“It’s an interesting concept,” she continues. “One I’ve heard rumors of, but never such hard evidence. Although, of course, humans must be long extinct since we have no knowledge of them. I’ve certainly never seen one.”

My mind races like the northern current, this new information about Farra spurring an idea. My mother thinks if Farrasea finds out about the bond, she’ll call off the wedding, which honestly is the best case scenario for me. If the wedding is off, I can be with my starfish and our pack. As long as my mother never finds out why she’s calling off the wedding, or that I told her about Madi, this might work.

I cross my fingers behind my back the way humans do when they are hoping for something, ready to take a leap of faith. “I met one. A human, and… I bonded with her.”

Farrasea frowns. “Okay, that’s enough. I won’t be made a fool.”

I unclasp the agual-scale gorget my mother has forced me to wear whenever I’m out of my quarters to hide my bond marks. When it drops from my neck, I lift my chin to show the bite. The fresh mark at my hip is partially hidden by my scales, and Hunter’s bite isn’t obvious behind the belts floating at my waist, but Madi’s is on clear display now.

Farrasea’s eyes go wide, her expression incredulous and severe. “You’re mated!” She jabs a finger at my chest. “How dare you disrespect our betrothal so blatantly. Why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you call off the wedding?”

“My mother wouldn’t allow it.” I reclasp the offending armor, an uncomfortable feeling of being choked washing over me. “She doesn’t recognize my bonds, since they’re with humans.”

“Truly? You’re sticking with that?”

“I can prove it.” I flick my tail in agitation, jolting when my gaze lands on the guards, reminding me we’re not alone. “But right now, I’m already late. My mother is expecting me.”

“An excuse.”