each strand blowing loose and open in the wind for all to see. Sierra would want to lock Phoebe in her room forever. But some things mattered more than her own happiness. The protection of the merfolk was one of them.
hoebe took a deep breath. “Look, I found a merfolk’s skeleton yesterday. It washed up on shore. It had a strange black handprint on the skull and five holes punctured right through the bone.”
She ignored their gasps and hurriedly pressed on. “The elders said it was just an old skeleton that got crushed along the rocks. But what if this wraith grabbed it and sucked it clean? Or worse, what if it was that beast, Baleros? The merfolk have the same stories about him nearly destroying their people centuries ago. Don’t you see?
They need to know.
You helped set the merfolk free, but we’ve done nothing for them all this time. I can’t help them, but you can. You’ve got the magic in the family. Use it to help them. Please!”
Her voice was sharper than intended. Corbin’s eyebrows lifted to his hairline at her tone. Sierra paled. Only Micah looked on serenely, as he usually did.
“You found a
skeleton
? A merfolk that had died violently?”
“Last night.”
“And you didn’t tell me right away. Why?” The softness with which the words were spoken did not reduce the audible fury a single bit.
“Why do you think?” Phoebe clenched her fists and took a step closer, glaring at her big sister.
Sierra growled, but Corbin stepped between them. “Let’s all settle down. Let’s have some supper. Then afterward, when we’re calmer, maybe we can focus on the water wraith. Let’s deal with the, uh, other thing later.”
So the group of four sat at the table, an uncomfortable silence filling the air between the clanking of spoons and clunking of mugs. Corbin tried to make conversation. He explained to everyone that Nell, his partner, would be back later tonight. She was visiting her family on the way home. Others chatted a bit about their trip, but it was a slow and painfully awkward conversation. Phoebe didn’t think she could force anything into her stomach, but the yeasty bread melted in her mouth, and the beans offered sustenance she knew she’d need.
Sierra and Micah finished and left the room to unpack (and probably to talk about how to handle Phoebe.) That was fine. It was easier to eat without Sierra’s worried glare beating down on Phoebe like the noonday sun.
Corbin said, “You know she’s only like this because she loves you so much.”
“I know,” she said shortly. “But love can’t smother people, Corbin. It can’t control them.”
“Give her time.”
“The merfolk might not have any time.”
He had nothing to say to that. She knew he agreed with her. Corbin’s love of magical creatures was as strong as hers.
A few minutes later, Sierra and Micah returned. Sierra looked sullen, Micah ever-peaceful.
“Now,” Corbin said, building the fire up. “Let’s discuss this reasonably. Phoebe wants us to tell the merfolk about this danger, and it sounds like she also wishes to somehow help the merfolk in greater measure, beyond setting up the treaties we arranged.”
“You mean the treaties humans are beginning to ignore?” Phoebe said sweetly.
“Well, yes, uh…” Corbin stumbled.
“The merfolk aren’t my calling,” Sierra said between clenched teeth.
“But―” Phoebe began.
“No, I don’t have a connection to them. I just don’t. And if
you
go to them,
you’ll
be in danger! What if
you’re
the next one who gets their head crushed by some giant claw?”
Corbin let out a soft sigh. “Sierra…”
“No, let’s do this. You want to have this talk? Fine. Micah, tell her about her smell.”
Smell?
Phoebe, ready to argue, lost her train of thought. Her sister thought she was smelly?
Micah chuckled. “Oh, if only you could see how much like your sister you look like at this moment, young Phoebe! I once told Sierra she had a scent, and she looked
hoebe took a deep breath. “Look, I found a merfolk’s skeleton yesterday. It washed up on shore. It had a strange black handprint on the skull and five holes punctured right through the bone.”
She ignored their gasps and hurriedly pressed on. “The elders said it was just an old skeleton that got crushed along the rocks. But what if this wraith grabbed it and sucked it clean? Or worse, what if it was that beast, Baleros? The merfolk have the same stories about him nearly destroying their people centuries ago. Don’t you see?
They need to know.
You helped set the merfolk free, but we’ve done nothing for them all this time. I can’t help them, but you can. You’ve got the magic in the family. Use it to help them. Please!”
Her voice was sharper than intended. Corbin’s eyebrows lifted to his hairline at her tone. Sierra paled. Only Micah looked on serenely, as he usually did.
“You found a
skeleton
? A merfolk that had died violently?”
“Last night.”
“And you didn’t tell me right away. Why?” The softness with which the words were spoken did not reduce the audible fury a single bit.
“Why do you think?” Phoebe clenched her fists and took a step closer, glaring at her big sister.
Sierra growled, but Corbin stepped between them. “Let’s all settle down. Let’s have some supper. Then afterward, when we’re calmer, maybe we can focus on the water wraith. Let’s deal with the, uh, other thing later.”
So the group of four sat at the table, an uncomfortable silence filling the air between the clanking of spoons and clunking of mugs. Corbin tried to make conversation. He explained to everyone that Nell, his partner, would be back later tonight. She was visiting her family on the way home. Others chatted a bit about their trip, but it was a slow and painfully awkward conversation. Phoebe didn’t think she could force anything into her stomach, but the yeasty bread melted in her mouth, and the beans offered sustenance she knew she’d need.
Sierra and Micah finished and left the room to unpack (and probably to talk about how to handle Phoebe.) That was fine. It was easier to eat without Sierra’s worried glare beating down on Phoebe like the noonday sun.
Corbin said, “You know she’s only like this because she loves you so much.”
“I know,” she said shortly. “But love can’t smother people, Corbin. It can’t control them.”
“Give her time.”
“The merfolk might not have any time.”
He had nothing to say to that. She knew he agreed with her. Corbin’s love of magical creatures was as strong as hers.
A few minutes later, Sierra and Micah returned. Sierra looked sullen, Micah ever-peaceful.
“Now,” Corbin said, building the fire up. “Let’s discuss this reasonably. Phoebe wants us to tell the merfolk about this danger, and it sounds like she also wishes to somehow help the merfolk in greater measure, beyond setting up the treaties we arranged.”
“You mean the treaties humans are beginning to ignore?” Phoebe said sweetly.
“Well, yes, uh…” Corbin stumbled.
“The merfolk aren’t my calling,” Sierra said between clenched teeth.
“But―” Phoebe began.
“No, I don’t have a connection to them. I just don’t. And if
you
go to them,
you’ll
be in danger! What if
you’re
the next one who gets their head crushed by some giant claw?”
Corbin let out a soft sigh. “Sierra…”
“No, let’s do this. You want to have this talk? Fine. Micah, tell her about her smell.”
Smell?
Phoebe, ready to argue, lost her train of thought. Her sister thought she was smelly?
Micah chuckled. “Oh, if only you could see how much like your sister you look like at this moment, young Phoebe! I once told Sierra she had a scent, and she looked
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