“Yup,” Caspian said. He draped his silvery coat over his shoulder.
I reached for my own selkie coat, a much darker shadeof gray, and settled it into its familiar place. The familiar low hum of selkie magic thrummed through my chest, letting me know I could turn into a seal right here in the middle of our living room if I wanted to—though the ocean would be a much better location for that.
It had been a few days since I shifted into my seal form, and the familiar ache was returning. Any time a new work project consumed my attention, I forgot to take time for myself, often skipping sleep and meals until the job was done. Juniper called them hyperfixations.
“Let’s go!” Juniper said, her voice higher than normal. Caspian stooped to kiss her shoulder reassuringly.
Adrian entertained us with an animated story as he led our little group down to the cove that gave Crescent Cove its name. The sun sank lower, gilding the sand and painting the waves orange and pink.
Familiar faces joined us, neighbors of all species—from nereids to merfolk. Adrian slung his arms over the shoulders of a pair of petite nixies who smiled up at him.
The cove was full of our magical brothers and sisters. We mingled into the crowd, accepting drinks and catching up with friends who didn’t come ashore often.
Juniper’s cheeks were flushed as she clung to Caspian’s arm. They spoke with two people who looked oddly similar to—
It’s our parents!
Frowning, I strode toward them.
Our mother turned, smiling at me. “Oh, there you are Malik.”
Her silver hair hung to her waist, threaded through with baubles and blue thread, her pale selkie coat draped over one shoulder.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, hugging her tight.
She smiled slyly. “I’ll let Juniper tell you.”
“What?” I looked between Juniper and Caspian.
“We’d better get Adrian,” my father said, pausing to hug me too before walking away to grab our other brother.
I was still confused when he returned with a babbling Adrian.
Juniper grinned, leaning back against Caspian’s chest. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, like he was her selkie coat.
“Well, we figured tonight, since everyone was gathered together, for the most part—thank you, Kara and Ross, for flying out. Anyway, it seemed like a good time—” She paused, glancing up at Caspian.
He chuckled and kissed her nose. “You’ve got this.”
“We’re getting married!”
Adrian’s mouth fell open, and for once in his life, he was silent.
“Congratulations on your engagement,” I said carefully, searching their faces for cues. “When is the wedding?”
Caspian’s grin widened, showing his blunt fangs. “Tonight.”
"Poseidon's tits,” I muttered.
“As soon as my Gran arrives. She knows about the plan, and she even got ordained so we can make it government official and everything,” Juniper said.
“What can I do to help?” I asked.
An hour later, a small circle of Caspian and Juniper’s closest friends, along with our parents, surrounded my youngest brother and his fated mate.
Adrian twitched in his spot beside me, acting as best men together. Ocean water soaked into our cuffed pants and rose to just below Juniper’s knees. The seafoam shimmered and swirled with her magic as she stared into Caspian’s eyes.
They exchanged vows, repeating after her grandmother who stood at the edge of the water with her mermaid cane held tightly in her hand.
