Page 16 of Wave Song (Deep Waters)
Alys reached overhead, her body straining to get ahold of the grape tomatoes she’d been growing. They were a finicky bunch. Usually plants grew quite well in her underwater home, but the sky had been much more angry these days. Soon enough, she might have to reprogram the ship to move.
The sun was blotted out of the sky by storms these days. Not even ash. It was like there was a never ending wall of clouds and she only had so many grow lights in this place. It was safe, still. At least that much she knew. She could live here for her entire lifetime, and the home her father had built her would keep her alive.
If she did her part.
Finally grabbing the bunch of tomatoes, she brought them down onto the table and started cutting. Today was a special day, after all.
Twenty years. She’d been under the water with him for twenty years and she wanted to do something special for the undine who had filled her heart with so much joy.
Rushing now, she got the salad prepared and brought it out into the main living area. So much had changed since her first day here. She’d painted the walls numerous times. For now, she’d settled on sunflowers. Tomorrow, she might change her mind and bring waves back inside like she had before. The sheets were far more threadbare, but they were worn in and more comfortable than they used to be. The metal was rusted along the edges of the moon pool. She frowned at that and told herself that she’d clean them up once she got the chance.
Alys had laid out a blanket next to the water and piled it high with all the food she could. Of course, most of it was vegetables from her expansive garden. But there was plenty of that to go around, and she wanted him to try some of the summer squash she’d been growing. She even baked it this time, since sauteed squash had been “offensive” the last time he’d tried it.
Besides, she had two platters of fish ready for them. One for her, cooked and seasoned with a heavy amount of basil on top. His raw, with every bone picked clean, so he didn’t have to worry about stabbing himself.
Everything was ready.
She waited until the water stirred, just a bit. Enough so that she could see that beloved head crest the surface and the bright grin on his face. Imber was just as handsome as he’d been twenty years ago.
“You,” she said with a laugh as he rose the rest of the way out of the water. “What have you brought me?”
Imber’s arms were full of sea flowers. He knew she couldn’t have them out of the water, but he liked to dot them over the glass surface of her bedroom so every time she looked up, her vision was full of rainbow colors.
“Happy anniversary, wave song,” he said.
She shook her head, but then nodded for him to head up. “Go on, then. I’ll wait.”
Imber ducked underneath the water and arced over her home. She watched that massive, emerald green tail flickering above her head with all the sparks of green light as he showered flowers down upon her. Some of the petals broke off, looking like falling leaves that she remembered seeing in her youth.
A rare beam of sunlight broke through the clouds, illuminating the handsome undine who had stolen her heart.
He returned, looking quite pleased with himself. “What have you gotten for me?”
Spreading her arms wide, she gestured to everything laid out in front of them. “A feast for my mate.”
Already he was licking his lips, like he hadn’t tried food like this countless times before. He was always so sweet to her, though. Since the first moment they met.
Together, they fell into the easy habit of eating together. He told her about his day, she told him about hers. Of course, Imber tended to experience more adventures. He had been talking with some of the other groups of undine who were closer to the surface.
“The waveriders were pleased to see the last of the humans were swept out to sea.” He took a deep breath, holding it for a long time before he allowed himself to exhale. “I fear there are none of your people left on the surface, Alys.”
“We knew it was coming. I just didn’t think it would take this long for the ones who didn’t get to the cities to...” She couldn’t say the words.
“Enough dark talk. What did you do today, my love?”
The soft expression on his face soothed her to the core. “I’ve been working in the garden more. Oh, and your sister stopped by with your niece.”
“They aren’t supposed to do that,” he grumbled.
“They don’t like it that I’m alone in here. Neither do you.”
He huffed out a breath. “I’m just trying to keep you all safe. If anyone else found out--“
She reached for his hand, holding it against her lips as she kissed his salty knuckles. “No one will find out, Imber. They’re very careful to wash themselves of my scent, and besides, no one comes out here. We’re all perfectly safe.”
He reached for her, brushing the back of his claw against her cheek. For a moment, everything seemed to stand still. They just looked at each. Both of them seeing the only person who they would give up the world for.
“You are as beautiful as the first day I met you,” he murmured, that claw trailing down to her jaw. “More beautiful, in fact. I didn’t know that was possible.”
She leaned into him. “You are much larger than the day I met you.”
“The People of Water never stop growing.” He looked pleased with the assessment, though. “Are you ready for the second part of your anniversary gift?”
Alys looked over at the food they had demolished and wondered what else he would get her. “Did you find a new wreckage?”
“No.”
She frowned, watching as he prowled closer to her. His tail slid out of the water, wet drops splattering all over her clean floor. “Did you discover some new species of fish you want to show me?”
“No.”
How could she not know what had brought her? After all these years, she knew that look in his eye and that proud grin on his face when he was about to turn her world upside down and inside out in the best way possible.
He dragged his hand up her side, the webs catching on the fabric of her shirt.
“You still want me after all these years?” she asked, her voice a low murmur.
“Every wrinkle, every scar, every sign of your age is a testament to how much I love you,” he murmured before kissing her and stealing all the breath from her lungs. “There is nothing on your body that will ever make me love you less. You are the light of my life, Alys. I am just lucky you saw use in me.”
“Use?” Alys dragged her hands up his muscular chest, feeling the power there that had built for countless years now. “There is more to you than just use, my love. You have guided me through so much of my life and I am so lucky to have you as my partner.”
“Happy anniversary. You and I are going to live through so many more of these.”
“Are we now?”
“I couldn’t imagine a life without you, Alys. And someday, when you decide your body is tired and your will to live has ended, I will hold your hand into the darkness.” He kissed her soundly one more time and then grinned. “Now, no more talk of death. I want to live with you, wave song. Until the end of all things.”