Page 2 of Storm and Sea (Storm and Sea Saga #1)

“ Y ou’re stalling,” Sonia said, absent-mindedly rubbing her swollen belly.

“Am not.”

“Are too.”

“I just want to make sure everything is locked up properly,” Nyel argued, checking the knot for the third time. There was little chance of the goatfish escaping the woven wood cage, especially with Ripple standing guard.

“It’s not going to go away, you know. And it’ll be worse if you’re late. Might as well get it over with,” his aunt said, her logic annoyingly sound.

Nyel sighed, a small stream of bubbles escaping his gills. “I’ll be there in five minutes,” he relented.

She gave him a pitying look before turning, her tail lazily propelling her through the water and into their domed clay home.

Nyel crossed his legs in the sand, his tail swishing and making a trench behind him. He wished he could blink and have the day be over. The so-called casual dinner his mother insisted on hosting would already be behind him, forgotten, so he could get back to his life and pretend it never happened. Yet every time he opened his eyes, only a second had passed, and the dinner loomed ever closer.

“What am I going to do?” he asked Ripple, who waddled beside him. The creature lumbered through the water with slow, deliberate movements. Ripple’s six legs moved in tandem as he plopped his flubby body on the sand with a grunt.

“Yeah, I feel the same way,” Nyel said, scratching his most loyal friend behind the antenna where he liked it.

The sandwinder’s broad head was flat and spade-shaped, with two fin-like appendages protruding on either side. Poking from beneath the fins and swaying with the ebb and flow of the water sprouted two long antennae. The organs at their tips emitted a faint, pulsating hum—invisible electromagnetic waves that effortlessly herded schools of fish without touching a single scale. Four tiny red eyes blinked lazily as Nyel rubbed him behind the flaps on his head. The sandwinder groaned, kicking one of his six legs in pleasure.

“Who’s a good boy?” Nyel scratched his scaly body with both hands as the mossy two-ton beast rolled over, exposing his soft white belly.

“Who’s a good boy? You are, yes you are, Ripple,” Nyel cooed as Ripple’s stubby tail waggled back and forth, his giant tongue lolling from the side of a gaping maw .

“Nyel!” His mother’s shrill voice cut through the water.

“Coming!” he called before she could shout again, “Sorry boy, gotta go.”

He gave Ripple one more scratch behind his antenna and slowly swam to their home. It was identical to all the others in Corallina. Made of hardened clay and mud, it was shaped into a dome and rested on a foundation of sea wood, keeping it lifted above the sand. A ramp wound its way from the base to the elevated entrance for the rare occasion Ripple was allowed to sleep inside. More often, the sandwinder slept beneath the hut or near goatfish, always alert to the needs of the school.

It was the same scene, played on repeat every day of Nyel’s life. Nyel was born in this home, lived here for eighteen springs, and would likely continue living here for many more. It was also the home where he would soon meet his Bond mate, or at least, that’s what his mother hoped for.

“Hurry, the Ernestis will be here any second. Go change and be snappy,” she said while simultaneously setting the perfectly laid-out dinner table. Despite dreading the meal to come, Nyel’s stomach growled. The table was loaded with his favorites: Wakame kelp, hijiki, and sea prunes. They lay on clay plates, cut into flowery shapes with culinary scrutiny. Normally, delicacies like those were saved for holidays. He supposed tonight was more important than any holiday—at least in his mother’s eyes.

Nyel swam to his private alcove of the home. The circular space was too small, but he only needed it to sleep. He sorted through his basket of various clothes made from anemone threads and driftweed fiber. He preferred to wear only the pants, as most men did, allowing his chest to remain bare. The village women most often wore loose-fitting sea-grass dresses or even a fascia and skirt.

But ordinary clothes wouldn’t suffice tonight. With his mother dressed in her fine-fitted coral silk gown, Nyel knew that if he didn’t wear his best outfit, she’d make him change. Groaning, he pulled on his pants, slipped his tail through the designated hole, and tied the itchy vest across his torso. He hated the way it tugged at the delicate scales across his chest and pinched the dorsal fin on his back.

Already uncomfortable, he forced himself back to the main room, where his mother and aunt were deep in conversation about where to set the clams.

“We simply can’t have them at the table. They will make everyone lose their appetite,” Bianca said, removing the plate of clams from the countertop with a disgusted look on her face.

Nyel didn’t blame her. Even the smell of meat made him want to gag. His species of Mer, the Sireni , were vegetarians, only eating flesh in rare or dire cases. The swell in his aunt Sonia’s middle was one of those rare times.

“You know I have to eat at least five a day,” Sonia insisted. “I won’t miss a single bite.” She rubbed her belly in a protective gesture.

“Can you eat them now, then? Before the Ernestis arrive?” Bianca reasoned. “Please? I know you have to. I remember eating them when I was pregnant with Nyel,” she said, eyeing the fleshy circles resting on their open shells. “But, they’re gross.”

“Fine,” Sonia said, taking the stone plate and swimming to her room. She gave Nyel an exaggerated eye-roll before disappearing.

“Oh, there you are. I was about to fetch you. Okay, let me see,” his mother said, wiping her hands on a cuttlefish-dyed apron and motioning for him to spin.

“Mom,” Nyel groaned but did as he was told and twirled in the water, feeling silly.

“When was the last time you polished?” she asked, rubbing at his scales as though her touch could make them shine.

“Last week,” Nyel defended, “I’m not doing it before every single dinner, Mom. My scales will fall off. ”

“Well, at least the vest looks good. I can’t believe how grown up you look,” she said, getting that teary-eyed look only mothers could.

Nyel turned away, his tail curling behind him. “I’m only eighteen springs.”

“That’s old enough. A Lifebond can take place from the moment you become an adult. It could happen anytime; don’t you realize how important that is? We can’t waste a single day. And I have a good feeling about this one.”

Nyel clenched his jaw, fingers curling at his sides. “I told you before, Chel and I are just friends.”

“Exactly, childhood friends. Who’s to say, now that you’re both adults, something more won’t set into place? The tides of fate have seen stranger things.”

Nyel forced his mouth shut, unwilling to start another blowout minutes before guests arrived. Chel was not just any guest; she was his best friend. Ever since they were kids, they shared a comfortable companionship that Nyel never found with anyone else. The Ernesti family owned several acres of kombu, bladder, and ribbon kelp that fed not only their village but half a dozen other Sireni villages in the Mediterranean. Corallina was the largest Sireni settlement, with the highest crop yield. Hundreds of hungry mouths depended on their farms to eat. Nyel’s family cared for a goatfish school as the local pest control. They went from farm to farm, releasing their four hundred head of goatfish to eat away any pests that might harm the crop. And with the vastness of the Ernesti’s farm, Nyel frequently shepherded the school to their land and, thus, spent a lot of time with Chel.

A gentle “Hello?” sounded from the front of the house.

“That’s them!” Bianca whispered in alarm. “Nyel, straighten up, chin high, show off those cheekbones.”

“Chel’s seen my cheekbones a hundred times,” Nyel grumbled as his mother hastily removed the apron and swam to the front of the house .

Friendly chatter and pleasantries drifted from the front, and when his mother guided their guests inside, Nyel’s heart sank. Chel was there with her parents, and she was dressed to perfection. Nyel didn’t know if it was her parents’ insistence or if she wanted to dress to impress. He hoped it was the first one.

Never once had Nyel viewed Chel as more than a friend. It didn’t even cross his mind that she, a sirena (female), and he, a sireno (male), could be a potential mated pair. The thought made his stomach twist, and in an instant, the spread of delicious food lost all appeal.

“Hello, Nyel,” Chel said with a shy wave.

“Hey, Chel,” Nyel replied in kind.

It was awkward—so terribly awkward—as the five of them floated in the dining area, his mother and her parents watching them as though the Lifebond would spring into existence between them at any second.

“Let me get Don and Sonia, and we’ll get started,” Bianca said, excusing herself from the room.

Nyel was left alone with the three Ernesti members. Their appearance matched that of all Sireni : bodies covered in algae-green scales, rounded fins, and murky brown eyes. Scales matched the yellow-green hue of healthy kelp swaying in the sunlight while their fins draped in delicate layers over their heads, cascading down their backs and deepening into darker shades on their tails. The Sireni inherited their color from ancestors who camouflaged among the kelp back when the sea was ruled by monstrous predators ready to swallow them whole.

Now they had almost no natural predators, especially in the shallow, warm waters of the bay. Nyel supposed this was fortunate, as he, his mother, and his aunt Sonia were unique amongst the Sireni . Their scales shone the color of jade. Blue tones mixed and balanced the green before fading into dark azure at their fins and finally turning completely black at the tips. If they’d been born centuries earlier, they would have been easy targets and swiftly eliminated from the gene pool.

Nyel suspected that his unique scales were what constantly drew the attention of the village sirena . When he was little, the village girls would pretend they were dating as children did, annoying Nyel with unwanted attention. But as he grew older and the first signs of maturity changed his body, their pursuits grew less playful and more serious.

Once the rounded fins along his tail flared high (the sign of a sexually mature Mer), the girls pursued him in earnest, asking him on dates, pestering him at every turn, and inevitably going home with tears and a broken heart when Nyel told them to stop. That was also the reason he had no sireno friends. The boys hated him for the attention he garnered, and that bitterness left Nyel isolated.

But that’s what made Chel so perfect. She wasn’t like that. She didn’t push him for unwanted kisses or lock their webbed hands together. She didn’t snuggle up too close or insist on discussing marriage, Lifebonds, and babies. She was just his friend. Plain and simple.

Now, this dinner jeopardized it all.

“The school looks good,” Mr. Ernesti said, and Nyel gave him a grateful look when it was clear neither he nor Chel would start first.

“Yes, their spring colors are coming in. I like all the red and orange and… pinks,” Nyel finished lamely.

“Ripple keeping them in check?” her father asked.

“Honestly, they’re so well-behaved that Ripple is getting lazy. He sleeps most of the time.”

“You have a good beast. Spirits know we’re seeing fewer and fewer sandwinders. Is there any chance of finding a female and having a litter?”

Nyel shrugged. “We’ve been asking around for a while now, but it doesn’t seem anyone has a female anywhere near here.”

“Shame, they’re magnificent beasts; I would hate to see them gone.”

Nyel nodded, unsure of what else to add.

“Found them,” Bianca said, hurrying into the room, Sonia and Don at her tail.

Nyel’s father, Donato, had the characteristic yellow-green scales of all Sireni . In recent years, the darker fins atop his head had begun to recede, leaving him with a balding appearance.

As a kid, it confused Nyel why his parents were closer to the ages of his friend’s grandparents. Bianca and Donato met late in life, and there was uncertainty about whether his mother could conceive at her age. Nyel was a miracle baby, which was also why he was an only child.

Well, the only child his mother ever had.

As though reading his mind, Mr. Ernesti broached the topic. “Will Nephi be joining us this evening?”

Everyone visibly tensed at the mention of the name, none more so than his mother.

“He had some errands to run, so we won’t be seeing him. Now, shall we get started?” she said, quickly changing the topic.

The tension in the water eased as everyone put Nyel’s estranged half-brother out of their minds. He hated how quickly the mood darkened at the mere mention of Nephi.

But…he understood why. There were too many stories, too many old fears about his kind.

The water shifted as everyone settled around the table, picking at the food in uncomfortable silence. Finally, Mrs. Ernesti broke the awkwardness and directed her next question at Sonia. “How are you fairing, dear? Everything is going okay?” she asked, referencing the bump in Sonia’s middle .

“I’m doing well, thank you for asking,” his aunt replied kindly.

“I am so glad you have Bianca and Don. I can’t imagine caring for a little one alone. Especially after everything that happened. If you need anything and Bianca and Don are unavailable, you can come to us.”

Sonia’s jaw tensed, but her voice remained calm and polite. “Thank you; you’re very kind. I’m lucky to have my sister and brother-in-law. I’m grateful they’re letting me stay until the baby comes.”

“And after that,” Bianca chimed in, “I want plenty of time with my niece or nephew before you set off on your own.”

Sonia forced a courteous smile but said nothing else. Nyel was proud of how far his aunt had come. She was much younger than his mom, and Nyel’s relationship with her felt closer to brother and sister rather than aunt and nephew. Sonia found her mate fairly early in life and became pregnant shortly after.

That was when his aunt’s idyllic world plunged into despair.

Nyel’s uncle, Santé, was found deceased while working the feather kelp fields. There were no wounds on his body, and most assumed it was a failure of his heart, but there was no way of knowing for certain.

Nyel suspected—no, he was positive that if not for the babe inside her, his aunt Sonia would have followed him to Thalaren. The beyond. The next life. The loss of a Lifemate, the shattering of a Lifebond was… Nyel didn’t understand it. Couldn’t. His mother had once told him it would feel like his very soul was torn in two.

Before, even broaching the subject would have sent Sonia into a grief-stricken spiral. Now she was healing, and Nyel knew it was for her unborn child. He was proud of her.

Fortunately, his father chose that moment to ask about the neighbor’s farm, diverting attention from Sonia and allowing the conversation to flow smoothly as everyone dined. They discussed crop yield, recent sightings of Great Whites (mostly rumors), and the predicted storms this spring. Mr. Ernesti became very animated, complaining that some of his fields were going gray. Other farmers were having the same problem, with entire sections of kelp turning gray before rotting off the stalk.

“A few of my farm hands are getting sick just touching the rotting stuff. I can’t figure out what it could possibly be,” Mr. Ernesti said, looking concerned. “And whatever it is, it’s spreading.”

Donato suggested an extra pass with the goatfish school in case of a parasite. Nyel listened to the ever-present talk of farming, kelp, annoying pests, and so forth. These were words and speculations he’d heard all his life, which was comforting. Normal dinner talk was more than he dared hope for. Nyel was actually beginning to enjoy himself when his name rang through the water.

“Nyel, tell Chel what you told me yesterday; it was such a good idea,” his mother said in a less-than-smooth segway to force him to speak to the sirena .

Nyel sighed internally. He’d mentioned the idea two months ago and regretted opening his mouth ever since. When his mother’s eyes widened dangerously, he forced the words out. “I had this idea of starting a starfish colony.”

“Why is that, honey?” his mother pushed him when he didn’t expand.

He sighed. “The goatfish are great about picking off barnacles and smaller pests, but they won’t touch the sea urchins. Starfish prey on them naturally. It could be a good way to manage their numbers.”

“Spirits know I can’t stand those buggers.” Mr. Ernesti nodded, agreeing right away. “No matter how many hands I hire to get rid of them, they come back in droves.”

“Right?” Bianca said, “I can’t believe nobody has thought of it before. It’s such an inspired idea, right, Don?” She turned to his father .

“Yes. Of course. Brilliant,” his father said shortly.

“It’s not a big deal,” Nyel grumbled, but nobody heard him.

“Chel, what do you think? Would you mind being a starfish farmer’s wife?” Mrs. Ernesti asked, nudging her daughter conspiratorially.

Nyel choked on his sea prune. “W-wife?” he coughed.

He hated how the color in Chel’s cheeks deepened as blood rushed to her face. He hated how his mother looked as if she might float to the ceiling with joy. But most of all, he hated the way his chest grew heavy. The idea of marrying Chel and taking her as a Lifemate was…

Across the table, Chel didn’t seem to mind at all. Though her cheeks brightened, she was smiling, twisting her hands in a shy gesture. Some might call it cute. No, all the eligible sireno boys in the village would call her cute, adorable, beautiful even. Chel was a young and stunning sirena , deserving of a mate who would adore her in all seven seas.

Nyel wanted that for her. But he also knew—it couldn’t be him.

Mrs. Ernesti looked at Bianca. “You haven’t told him?”

“I thought it would be good for him to see Chel tonight before breaking the news.”

“What news?” Nyel asked, his tone harsher than he intended, and Chel’s face fell.

Bianca didn’t miss this and glared at him as she spoke. “Mr. and Mrs. Ernesti have been talking with Don and me, and we all agree that a Tideway would be a great idea for you two.”

Chel gave him a hopeful smile, but no matter how much he wanted to, he couldn’t return the gesture.

“A Tideway—Isn’t that only for mated pairs? Bonded pairs?” Nyel urged.

“Yes, well, our theory was that if a Tideway can help couples conceive, it might also help set the wheels of fate in motion. ”

Nyel knew what that meant. They were all hoping for the Lifebond to take root.

A Tideway was when an already Bonded pair, who were struggling to conceive, followed the winter tide for several weeks. Sirena were only fertile in the winter months. The idea was that by following cooler waters, the window of fertility would be extended, thus giving them a higher chance of conceiving that year. Not to mention, it was supposed to be extremely romantic. The tide followed a stretch of ocean lush with coral reefs, great planes of seagrass, and incredible blooms of pearl poppies and wave orchids.

A Sireni couple’s dream vacation.

Nyel’s worst nightmare.

Weeks on end with nobody else around—just him and Chel making small talk and maintaining each other’s virtue while waiting for the Lifebond to take hold. Not that Nyel was even remotely tempted to sully their virtue .

Because mating, or even worse, conceiving while Unbonded, well… there was no greater shame. Unbonded couples were driven out of Corallina and left to navigate the wild seas alone. Being Bonded with your mate was not optional. Lifebonds were the center of everything they knew. Everything they were. Everything they sought to be.

And now, the weight of that connection, the expectation for him to forge such a Bond with a sirena, made the water around him as thick as mud. Nyel could hardly breathe, his gills heavy. He was eighteen. Old enough to find a mate. Old enough to experience what it was to be Bonded.

He couldn’t do it.

“No.”

The word rolled from his lips before he registered that he’d spoken.

Nobody heard him as they chattered enthusiastically about all the sightseeing Chel and Nyel would experience during the Tideway. Nobody noticed how pale he’d grown. Nobody noticed the shake in his hands. Nobody… but Sonia. Her eyes met his as incoherent words mumbled around him.

It was like looking into a mirror. The same scales, same sad expression. Even their eyes were the same, brown with scattered flecks of gold. Nyel supposed his mother had eyes like that, too, but he’d never looked long enough to notice. She’d never held his gaze long enough to see him. Not the way Sonia did.

When it was clear nobody was going to stop for breath anytime soon, Sonia cleared her throat, forcing the chatter to cease. The water grew still again, and Nyel’s shoulders shook as he found his voice.

“I… I have to decline.”

“What are you talking about?” Bianca said, brows scrunched, “Of course, you’re going. Where else would two young Sireni hope for a Lifebond to take hold? It’s the perfect environment.”

“I can’t,” Nyel stuttered again.

“Nyel,” his mother said with an air of exasperation, “We’ve had dinner with every eligible sirena in the village. I saved the lovely Chel Ernesti for last at your insistence. Even you have to admit this is the best fit for you. You two are long-time friends, and your interests are aligned. It’s a match blessed by Elowen herself. Don’t you worry my little minnow; it’ll be singing and Lifebond ceremonies in no time.”

Nyel cringed at the mention of Elowen , the Spirit of Bonds.

“It’s not that, I?—”

“When do you think is the best time for them to depart?” His mother addressed the Ernesti couple. “The tide is already moving; I say the sooner, the better,” Bianca continued as though Nyel weren’t there.

“My nephew and his mate left last week,” Mrs. Ernesti said. “They’ve been trying for a baby for two winters now, Lasidru bless them. ”

“How much did they pack to carry along? I already started a travel bag for Nyel, though I’m worried that?—”

“I’m not going,” Nyel said, his voice loud and slightly hysterical.

All fell silent.

Bianca rounded on him, her voice a heated whisper, though everyone could hear. “You will not start one of your scenes right now, Nyel.”

“I’m not going. I don’t agree with this,” Nyel said again. Chel’s eyes welled in front of him; all her previous joy evaporated. “I’m sorry, Chel. This… this wasn’t my idea. I never wanted?—”

“You hush right this instant!” Bianca hissed. “Not another word to this poor girl. What do you think you’re doing? This is your best chance for a Bonding, for a Lifemate. I will not let you throw it all away because of foolish nerves.”

Nyel’s mouth went sour. His stomach threatened a rebellion as all eyes glued to him. But he forced himself to speak, knowing he might never get another chance. “I can’t do this, Mom. I’m sorry.”

“Do you want to spend the rest of your life alone? Huh? Go about your life as a lone sireno with no family and no connections? You want to spend your entire life never knowing the joys of being Bonded?” She gave a mirthless laugh. “Or are you planning on running away and pairing yourself off Unbonded?”

“No, it’s not that I?—”

“Well, if you’re going to be an Unbonded heathen, might as well take a lover that isn’t Sireni . Fill the world with more half-breeds.”

“Bianca.” His father’s voice was firm, stopping her rant before she could go any further. “That’s enough. I think he gets the idea.”

Bianca looked like she wanted to continue her verbal tirade but stopped. She took a deep breath, composing herself. “Well. Now that the stakes are clear, we can move forward.” She shook herself, plastering on a perfect smile like she hadn’t just torn her son’s heart in two. “Back to what I was saying. Next week would be the best time for Nyel and Chel to— Nyel!”

Bianca shrieked behind him as he darted from the room. He was out of their house in one lunge, shoving Mrs. Ernesti in his haste. He didn’t know if it was the rush of adrenaline or the repressed sobs that made pulling water through his gills impossible as he swam. Only when he escaped the boundaries of their property did a distant voice break through the pounding in his head.

“Nyel!” Sonia chased after him.

He flattened his fins, slowing his momentum. “You shouldn’t be swimming so fast,” Nyel called as she swam to meet him.

“I’m fine,” she said, but her gills worked hard, the delicate layers of tissue pulsing in and out as she panted. “I needed to talk to you before?—”

“I know I shouldn’t have,” Nyel interrupted, his tears mixing with the water around him as his voice broke. “I know, I know, I’m so sorry, I just?—”

“Nyel, stop. You did the right thing. What Bianca did in there, what she’s been doing since you turned eighteen, I should have stepped in sooner.”

“It’s not your problem.”

“You’re my nephew. You’re blood. And your mother…” She let out a weary breath. “She is a difficult person.”

They floated there, letting the words drift through the water. He knew she was about to tell him to come back and make things right.

And he’d do it.

“She isn’t going to let this go anytime soon. I think it’s best to let her cool down for a few days.”

Nyel recoiled. “Really?”

“Yes. I’ll talk to her and try to smooth things out with the Ernestis. She’s probably making a scene as we speak. ”

Nyel imagined his mother’s reaction and shivered to think of it directed at him.

“Stay with a friend for a while. Come back when you feel ready.”

“I… I don’t have anywhere to stay,” Nyel confessed. The only person he knew well enough to ask such a favor was Chel, and he assumed that was off the table. Remembering the hurt look in her eyes made Nyel’s chest tighten. Chel didn’t deserve this.

Sonia tilted her head, considering him. “Then go to the surface for a while. Bianca won’t look for you there.”

“S-surface?” Nyel’s head shot up in surprise.

“The old human tower island—you know the one. The humans won’t bother you there; they abandoned it long ago.” Sonia didn’t miss his hesitation. “What? You’ve… tell me you’ve experienced Marvassa before, right? You’ve changed ?”

Nyel swished his tail uncomfortably. “Only once, and it was by accident. I got caught up in a rogue wave, and it washed me ashore and…” He remembered the sensation. The tickling. The nakedness of having no scales. The impact of the sun on his skin.

“Then it shouldn’t be a problem. The first time is the hardest. I still think it was a mistake on your parents’ part to shelter you. By your age, you should have more experience surfacing. But that’s neither here nor there. The point is to stay in the tower house, and I’ll come to get you when things have settled.”

“No, Sonia, you can’t surface. Not in your state.”

She rubbed at the small bulge on her belly. “I’ll send word then. Staying here won’t help you or Bianca right now. Give it time.”

Nyel’s shoulders dropped in resignation. It was the best option. Undoubtedly, his mother would look for him when Sonia came to say he wasn’t coming back. But she wouldn’t dare surface. He never asked, but Nyel got the feeling that both his parents were scared of Marvassa .

“Hey.” Sonia touched his cheek with a gentle hand. “Everything will be okay. You did the right thing.”

Nyel nodded though he wasn’t so sure. She hugged him before turning and swimming slowly to their home. The adrenaline of his escape was finally fading away, and the shake in his shoulders trickled to the tip of his tail.

How could Mom do that to me?

He knew she wanted to see him Bonded. But didn’t that also mean he had to be happy? That it was still his choice? The dinners with potential mates had been pleasant at best and awkward at worst. Yet tonight felt different. It was like his mother had placed all her cuttlefish eggs in one basket—and that basket was named Chel.

“No” wasn’t an option.

Is it even my life anymore?

Nyel didn’t know. The lingering feeling of being a passenger on his own Spirits blessed journey was unnerving. Frustration built in his chest until the burn in his eyes became too much. He clenched his fists, teeth grinding as the ocean snatched the tears from his cheeks.

This is my life. Not hers.

With nowhere else to go, he turned toward the island. It was time to take his life and shape it with his own claws.