Page 7 of Fae Tithe (The Cursed Courts #1)

A week or so after Helena had travelled to and from Portson to deliver Eleanor to her boarding school, she finally deemed it warm enough to brave the sea. It had been a long, stormy winter, and she was concerned at the state of the oysters attached to the rocky reef just beyond the shore.

Helena had been working up the courage to brave the steep stone steps carved into the cliff. “I am heading down,” she announced to Rose as she entered the kitchen.

She heard his song again last night. Goosebumps had prickled her skin as the deep notes had thrummed through her, coiling excitement in her belly. He was so close, she knew it.

Part of Helena had wondered if he had been done with their relationship or if, even worse, something terrible had happened to him. He had been gone for all of winter, the longest they had been apart since she had first found him washed up on her beach six years ago.

“I bet.” Rose smirked. “Hoping for a special visitor, are you?” Mischief twinkled in her green eyes.

Helena stuck her tongue out at her friend. She stooped and rubbed the top of Biscuit’s coarse head with the back of her knuckles, before turning and grabbing two thin towels from the cupboard.

Two, Helena noted, just in case.

“Come, Biscuit,” Rose called. The dog happily lurched towards her.

Helena was already wearing her swimming clothes.

A wide cut of strong black cotton made up the bottom half, covering the triangle between her legs, and tied off firmly at either side of her thick hips.

She had a similar cloth at the top, wrapped around her breasts and shoulders, and tied tightly at the back of her neck.

“You’re looking really good, Len,” Rose complimented, running an eye up and down her strong curves. “He will like the outfit.” She winked.

Touched by her best friend’s words, Helena pulled Rose into a tight hug. Biscuit pushed his scruffy head between the embrace, not wanting to miss out on the affection. He snuffed loudly, his cold nose on her bare calf making Helena squeal with surprise. The two women giggled and broke apart.

“C’mon, Biscuit.” Rose tugged the mutt away. “Let’s get some work done. Your Mum has to brave the ocean today, so we should do something.”

“See you later… I may be bringing a plus one.” She smiled.

“Have fun,” Rose teased before heading down the hallway with Biscuit on her heels.

She smiled after her friend. Off to wake the boys up, I bet.

Helena slung the towels over her broad shoulders and yanked open the battered cabinet, fishing out her custom-made rubber fins.

Helena hooked them over her elbows and grabbed her glass-lensed goggles, looping them around her neck.

Without hesitation, she pushed open the back door.

The fresh, salty breeze rushed to meet her.

Anticipation gathered in her stomach as she made the steep descent down the steps of the cliff face.

Her mind flashed back. Helena remembered the way his corded body moved up, down, and inside her.

His muscled thighs pushed hers apart, as far as they could spread, and held them that way behind each knee with large, calloused hands.

His fingers had gripped onto her skin and left tiny love marks.

He then filled her deliciously as he thrusted.

Wetness pooled between her legs at the memory as she took the last step into the soft sand. Before Helena knew it, she had daydreamed her way down the beach. She toed the sea, its cold shocking her back to her senses.

Concentrate. She shook her head, attempting to loosen the memory of their last time together.

A few deep breaths, in and out, over several minutes eventually quietened Helena’s mind and slowed her quickened pulse.

She finally stepped out into the gently lapping waves.

It was frigid. She gasped as it sluiced its way around her calves.

Helena nearly changed her mind about checking the oyster grids, but it had been at least three months since she had done so.

A harsh winter had repeatedly driven her from the reef.

Anxiety had haunted her as she watched several severe storms wrack the island coastline from the kitchen window.

She was worried there would be nothing left of her livelihood.

Helena swam out further into the sapphire blue until her toes barely scraped the bottom. A well-practiced manoeuvre flicked the rubber fins into place, fixing them onto the back of her heels. Helena then effortlessly trod water while she snapped her goggles into place over her eyes.

She took a deep breath and filled her lungs.

Helena descended into the reef, acclimatising herself, as was her routine.

She felt the cold water wrap her like a comforting blanket, and to Helena, it felt like home.

When she was under the waves, the world stilled and her mind quietened.

She found nothing more relaxing than when she had only the sound of the sea in her ears.

A map etched into her mind of the seafloor set her off in the direction of where she needed to start.

There was so much life on the reef. The fish were like the many coloured jewels of a treasure trove.

The animals darted away from Helena as she swam past, scales shimmering in the sun’s rays that penetrated the waves.

She giggled at the dinner plate-sized crabs.

They warned her away with waving red claws as her shadow passed over.

At her destination, the bright reef presented a dizzying underwater rainbow. Helena kicked powerfully to the surface and took another huge breath. She descended to the rocks between the colourful corals and spotted some of her rope oyster grids amongst them.

Helena counted the oysters that contained the precious pearls.

They would be hauled out and harvested before the next trip to Portson.

Helena planned to make the most of the journey.

She would visit her daughter and sell the pearls at the market at the Equinox Festival, just before the start of the marriage season.

Helena began her systematic checking of her oyster grids.

Her strong legs kicked her to the surface to breathe and then back down to check again.

Kick, breathe, kick., she repeated in her head.

A mantra that kept her family fed. This is all part of the Circle, she reminded herself as fatigue gnawed at her muscles.

Helena continued her underwater work by tightening thick ropes, counting oysters, and even noting areas for expansion. She was so relieved to see that despite the raging storms, the pearl farm had endured with little damage.

The worry gnawing at her mind eased. Thank the Fae.

Selling the pearl-encrusted jewellery enabled Helena to pay the exorbitant term fees for Eleanor to attend her school in Portson. After that, there was just enough for her to cover the supplies Rose’s boys needed for their lower school.

Helena was strategic in her continuation of the business she had inherited from her Great Aunt. In the Kingdom of Seelieland, pearls were considered a sign of wealth. They lined the veils of well-to-do brides, kissed the bands of matrimonial armlets, and strung the necks of successful businessman.

Helena was nearly complete in her survey of the farm when a deep, melodious voice made her blood run hot.

Goose bumps covered her body as she turned and caught a darting shadow in her periphery.

The sunlight that shimmered through the cradling waves was blocked by a long, lithe shadow that sheltered Helena from the glare.

She looked up, her heart thundering in her chest.

He was alive. He had come back.

Their eyes met for the first time in a long season.

Helena could drown in the Merman’s. They were so completely obsidian.

No iris or pupils were present. They were abyssal, as though she swam out to above the deepest part of the ocean and looked down.

The Merman descended to Helena, upside down and effortless.

She met him halfway and gave a single kick up, so they were face to face.

She grinned at the cute dusting of bioluminescent speckles across his nose and cheeks.

They reminded Helena of her own freckles.

The Merman gave a broad smile, the bioluminescence across his nose flickering, showing a row of pointed fangs.

Helena surveyed his face. Cheekbones gave way to a strong jaw and full lips.

Gills flared excitedly behind his finned ears.

His black hair, long and loosely curled, framed his face and streamed into the water behind him.

Helena’s eyes continued up, desperately trying to ignore the burning squeeze of her lungs as small bubbles escaped her lips.

His webbed hands, the skin in between matching the teal of his tail, moved gracefully and deliberately underwater. “Hello there, sweetheart,” he signed to her.

She beamed back at him and moved her hands in response. “Hello, my love.”

Helena continued her study of him. His golden-brown torso of braided muscles gave way to smooth scales of teal. The Merman’s tail was long and lithe. It ended in a pair of near-translucent fins that propelled him effortlessly towards Helena.

She could not stand it anymore. She arched her neck and crushed her lips to his.

The Merman brought his clawed fingers behind her head and pushed her in deeper for their kiss.

As though he could sense Helena was running out of air, he gathered her into his arms. She felt the press of corded biceps and braided abdominal muscles against her curves as she melted against him.