The door swings open, and there she stands. Her dark auburn hair falls loose around her shoulders instead of her usual practical bun, and she’s wearing a simple blue dress that matches the storm-gray of her eyes. For a moment, we just look at each other.
“You came,” she says softly. “I wasn’t sure you would.”
“I said I needed time to think. So did you.” I shift my weight, still adjusting to these two legs. “Have you? Thought about us, I mean?”
Her eyes hold mine steadily. “I have. And I’m still here.”
“One day doesn’t solve anything, Ashe.”
“No.” She steps closer. “But I know what I’m choosing, Roark.”
I want to believe her, but Sebastian’s warning echoes in my mind. “Let’s see how today goes first. Then we can talk about what comes next.”
She nods, accepting my caution. Her gaze travels over my human form. “Do you think anyone will recognize you here? As Captain Sterling?”
“Unlikely,” I say, relaxing slightly. “I retired from seafaring decades ago and rarely came to town even then. After the Unveiling, when my glamour disappeared…” I shrug. “The only ones who might know me are other monsters living among humans.”
Ashe’s eyes light up. “That’s right. Maybe you’ll see Iris.”
I nod. “That would be nice.”
As we walk down the hill toward town, I struggle slightly with my altered balance. Ashe notices and slips her arm through mine.
“Just like sea legs,” she says with a gentle smile. “You’ll adjust.”
The contact steadies more than just my physical form. Her warmth against my side grounds me, reminding me why I’ve taken this risk.
The festival transforms the normally sleepy harbor into a riot of color and sound. Booths line the wharf, selling everything fromfresh seafood to handcrafted maritime trinkets. Children race between exhibits with painted faces—some as pirates, others sporting starfish and seahorses on their cheeks. Flags snap in the breeze, and string lights criss-cross overhead, waiting for evening to transform the scene further.
I tense slightly at the crowd, scanning faces out of old habit. Most decorations celebrate the town’s fishing heritage with nets, anchors, and sailing ships. Here and there, I spot stylized sea creatures—mostly decorative rather than menacing.
A few pubs still display their old mounts and trophies, visible through open doors, but they seem more like relics of the past than celebrations of hunting.
“You all right?” Ashe asks quietly.
“Fine,” I say, forcing my attention back to her. “It’s just… It’s been a while since I’ve walked among so many humans.”
“Then let’s start with something familiar.” She points to a booth by the water. “Marina’s set up near the main pier. We should say hello—she’s been wondering about you, in her way.”
“About me?” I raise an eyebrow.
“Well, about why I suddenly needed to start fishing again, back when you were injured.” She smiles, tugging me gently through the crowd. “Don’t worry—she’s good people. Probably the only person in town I’d trust with… well, with anything important.”
We make our way to a booth near the water where an older woman serves steaming bowls from a large pot. Her silver-streaked hair is pulled back in a practical bun, and her hands move with the confident efficiency of someone who’s spent decades working with fishing gear and bait.
“There she is,” the woman—Marina—calls out when she spots Ashe, her eyes crinkling at the corners. Then her gaze shifts to me, lingering just a beat longer than casual interest would warrant. “And you’ve brought company.”
“Marina, this is Roar… Robert,” Ashe says, a slight nervousness in her voice that probably only I would notice. “He’s visiting Cape Tempest for a few days.”
I bow my head slightly. “A pleasure to meet you, Marina.”
“Robert,” she repeats, her tone neutral but her eyes sharp as she takes my measure. “First time in our little town?”
“Not exactly,” I answer carefully. “I’ve passed through before, but never had the chance to properly enjoy its… charms.”
Marina reaches for a ladle and dips it into the large pot of chowder, filling two bowls with the creamy mixture dense with chunks of potato and clam. “Well then, consider this your official welcome.” She hands us each a bowl. “On the house.”
Ashe starts to protest but Marina waves her off.
