Clio, Sedna, Halie, Pasithea, Little Meela.
As soon as I got the chance, I wanted to get to know all of them. How did talking to kids work? Was I supposed to tell them stories? Maybe I should ask what their favourite animals were.
We made it to Nilus’ grotto and he opened the door—a real wooden one with a knob and everything. I ran a hand up the smooth surface.
“Did you build this?”
“Me and Little Meela.”
Nilus removed his crossbow and tossed it to the floor.
The grotto was roughly circular, with lumpy stone walls and an air pocket overhead. Littering the floor were a few dolphin-shaped figurines and a jumble of kelp, shells, and gems. Five starfish clung to the far wall in a perfect row. In the corner sat a rawhide bag and a pile of combs and jewellery.
“Is this everything you were able to bring from home?” I said.
“It’s enough. The kids brought their favourite toys.” He reached into the rawhide bag, dug around, and grinned. “Close your eyes.”
I did. He grabbed my hand and put something in it. I closed my fingers around it, feeling a smooth stone on a ring.
“Is this—?”
I opened my eyes and let out a small scream. It was the onyx ring he’d once given me, the one I’d lent him as a token when he’d left on his Massacre. My fingers trembled as I turned it over. All these years, he’d kept it. It was exactly as I remembered it.
My eyes burned.
“You abandoned us, Nilus.”
I looked up to see grief etched in his face.
“I never stopped caring about Eriana Kwai,” he said. “Doesn’t the fact that I’m here, hiding after I tried to kill Adaro, prove it?”
“I’m not talking about your loyalties. What about me, Nilus? Our parents?”
“I’m sorry, Meela. I was scared. I thought you would rather think I was dead.”
“Me?”
Nilus drew a wooden container from the bag and removed the lid. He scooped a glob of dark paste and slapped it over his face.
“Maybe not you, as much. But our parents. Everyone else.”
He scrubbed his face vigorously, massaging the paste into his skin.
I wanted to tell him he was wrong, but I couldn’t. Until recently, maybe my parents did think transforming into a sea demon was a fate worse than death. A lot of our people hated mermaids enough to think so. But now?
I wondered how things had evolved on Eriana Kwai in the last few days. Did my people have a change of heart after what happened at the beach with Adaro and the serpent? Were my friends and parents making efforts to help everyone see the truth about merpeople?
“Well,” I said, “they were fine with my transition.”
Nilus froze in the middle of scrubbing his face. He peeked through his fingers with an expression as though I’d told him our father had decided to become a professional ballerina. “They weren’t upset?”
“They were sad I had to leave, of course, but they were happy for me.”
Nilus said nothing. He slowly lowered his hands, his red eyes flitting around the room. I picked up the quickening in his pulse as he considered this.
“So, you’re going to go visit them the first chance we get,” I said, and I was surprised at the anger in my voice.
I couldn’t help feeling abandoned, even if it wasn’t his fault he was lured. Part of me was also angry at Ephyra for taking him from me—for using the allure against him.
