Page 64 of The Secret of Drulea Cottage

All the breath left Briony’s lungs. She stood frozen for several seconds before she could force herself to inhale. “What? Wh-Who did?”

“They did.” He gestured toward the crowd. “The people o’ Everton murdered yer father.”

Briony’s eyes widened. “N-Nay, that can’ be—”

Niall wrapped his hands around hers. “And when yer tears called me, I knew you needed me to save you from them. To make up fer my failure before.”

Briony opened and closed her mouth several times, but she was too dumbfounded to speak.He knew my father? Mum said Da’ was lost to the sea. How could he have been murdered?

“Briony, how can you na know what I am? ’Tis what yer father was. ’Tis whatyouare! Why does yer blood sing when yer near me? Why does the sea call to you? I saw you swim when you saved that merchant the other day. You were glorious! But still, it must have felt incomplete.”

A tremor coursed through Briony’s body at his words. Something inside her knew he was telling the truth, but fear made her step back.This man knows far too much about me.

“Yer na meant fer the human world, Briony. Yer meant fer mine. Come away from these people, these murderers. They’ll do the same to you as they did to yer father once they know what you are.”

Heat began to spread from Briony’s fingers, down her arms, and into her core. Despite her fear, she had to know, once and for all. “What am I?”

“Yer a selkie.”

Briony took a deep breath.

Then another.

Finally, after the third one, she was able to meet Niall’s gaze. Hope danced within his eyes, as dark as a starless night.He wants me to believe him. To swallow everything just like that. To turn my back on this entire town.

“Yer mad.”

The man’s mouth dropped open before he shook his head in disbelief. “After everything I’ve said,that’syer response? To deny everything you know is true?! What o’ the connection between us? You yerself said ’twas there!”

“I know what I said! But that does na mean I have to believe everything you tell me. If what you say is true, then why did you leave me behind that day?”

Niall jammed his fingers into his pockets. “Because yer mother denied us! She did na want you to have anything to do with yer selkie blood. She wanted to raise you as a human.”

“She knew my father was a selkie? And she did na bother telling me?”

This story is getting more and more difficult to believe. Whatever I thought I felt fer this man must have been a delusion. He has clearly lost his mind.

“O’ course she knew. She—”

Briony held up a hand. “Enough. I’m done with these lies.” She looked back at her neighbors, just now noticing how far she and Niall had strayed in the midst of their conversation.

Niall suddenly lashed out, grabbing Briony’s shoulders. His nails dug painfully into her skin as he pressed himself to her. He placed his lips at the curve of her ear.

“Niall, let me go!”

“We belong together, and I’m going to make you see why. You may na believe me, but maybe you’ll believe this!” Then he released her and looked up.

Briony followed his line of sight and gasped at what she saw: black clouds had appeared out of nowhere above the town. Thunder rolled within their depths, and sparks of lightning bounced between them. A strong wind swirled through Briony’s locks, tugging them free from the pins that had held them prisoner.

Just like the storm yesterday…

The other villagers soon became aware of the strange weather, and when droplets began falling on their heads, anxious chatters replaced all traces of music and gaiety.

Briony looked to Niall, not convinced he had anything to do with this. He raised a knowing finger, waiting. There was a savage gleam in his eye that frightened her more than she cared to admit.

What is he waiting fer?

CRACK!