Dangerous Depths (The Sea Monster Memoirs)

by Karen Amanda Hooper

  After only a few minutes of sitting with her and Rownan, the pain and lightheadedness I’d been feeling from Nixie dissolved. I was relieved that her pain had subsided, until a familiar ethereal feeling washed over me. I’d only ever felt that otherworldly sensation one other time—in the Inbetween.

  I bolted up the small ladder to go above deck. Everyone was circled around Nixie. “Nixie!” I rushed forward, kneeling at her side. “What’s wrong?”

  “She has lost too much blood,” Indrea said gently.

  “No.” I clutched Nixie’s thigh. Her eyes were closed and she was so cold. Siren skin was supposed to be hot. “Give her my blood.”

  “We don’t have the supplies to do a transfusion here,” Caspian explained.

  “I can fly ahead. I’m fast. Tell me what supplies we need.”

  “Yara,” Indrea placed her hand on mine. “She’s fading too quickly. There isn’t time.”

  “Nixie, don’t do it. Don’t cross over.” I gripped her hand. I refused to believe it. We had made it out of Harte. Nixie couldn’t die after all we had been through. After everything she did to save us. “We have to do something.”

  Indrea’s eyes were glassy. “All you can do is say goodbye before it’s too late.”

  Because of our connection, I could feel the life draining out of Nixie. She wasn’t in pain anymore, and I had experienced firsthand what that meant on the Triple Eighteen. A boulder formed in my throat as I gazed down at my siren. Her eyelids opened just enough for me to see her passionate ruby eyes were dimming. I leaned forward, desperately wiping slime from her as if that would save her. “Hang in there, Nixie. You can’t die on me. I need you.”

  “Yara,” she uttered weakly.

  “I’m here. I’m not leaving you. You hang in there.” My voice croaked. “I demand that you survive this.”

  Sage slithered down one of my arms. The sprites landed on my shoulder, sniffling and crying just below my ear.

  “Thank you,” Nixie whispered.

  I leaned closer, fighting back tears as I wiped slime and blood from Nixie’s cheek. She was so cold. “Shh, just rest. You’ll be fine.”

  She lifted her trembling arm and pressed her hand over mine. “You saved me.”

  I choked back a sob. “I only saved you if you live.”

  She shook her head slightly. “You didn’t give up on me.” She coughed, and blood came up.

  “Nixie,” I whimpered, wiping the blood from her mouth. “Please don’t leave me.”

  She had a faraway look, like she was staring at something far above me. “The waterfall. It’s so beautiful.”

  “No! Don’t cross into Eternal Falls.” I gripped her tighter. I knew what she was seeing. I knew how tempting the Inbetween was. “Tell Medusa I won’t allow it. She can’t take you.”

  “I’ll always be with you.” Her eyes drifted closed.

  The sprites flew forward, crying, whimpering “I love you” and hugging her neck.

  “Nixie!” I shook her, but she had gone completely limp. The damn of tears I had been holding back broke free. I collapsed on top of her. Treygan tried to comfort me. Caspian and Indrea tried to calm me. None of it worked.

  Nixie was gone.

  My world was whole again.

  Vienna grew stronger each day. The more time she spent with her family and friends, the brighter her eyes and smile became. My awful memories of Harte were already starting to fade. For Vienna, it would take much longer to forget. Some nights she still woke up from nightmares, clutching me and making sure I was real. She had lived in Harte for longer than any soul should have. Only someone as loving and extraordinary as Vienna could have survived a place filled with so much ugliness.

  The season changed into Stheno’s icy reign. Vienna and I sat on our front porch together watching the snow fall.

  “Sometimes I see movement out of the corner of my eye, or a simple shadow, and panic hits me,” Vienna said. “For a brief moment, I think I’m still in Harte.”

  “I’m sorry for that, but you’re home. I won’t let anything hurt you ever again.”

  Vienna reached forward, trying to catch one of the colored snowflakes. “Why do you think she’s crying?”

  “Medusa is very emotional, but I think they’re tears of joy.”

  “I hope so.” She wrapped her coat tighter around herself. “I wish Yara could ask her.”

  “I’m sure Yara wishes that too.”

  Medusa’s tears had been falling from the sky off and on since we returned, but her moon seemed to glow brighter while Stheno and Euryale’s moons grew dimmer. I had asked Indrea about it, and her best guess was it only seemed that way because Medusa’s moon and sun shined so bright in comparison.

  “Indrea says it’s because Medusa is proud.” I wrapped my arm around Vienna, running my fingers through her chin-length hair. “After so many years of tragedy and sadness, we finally have peace and joy again. It’s what Medusa always wanted.”

  “I’m not sure it’s what Stheno and Euryale want.”

  “They’ve always been the dark energy of the sisters, but Medusa fills our world with enough light to counter their darkness.”

  “Quite the balancing act,” Vienna said.

  “Life always is.”

  Vienna held up her empty mug. “I’m out of frozen java.”

  “I’ll get you some more.” I took her mug and kissed the top of her head. “Wait here. I’ll be right back.”

  I stood up and turned to go inside, but stopped. My own words brought a bittersweet smile to my lips. I returned to Vienna and gathered her in my arms, carrying her into our house.

  She giggled. “What are you doing?”

  “I can’t chance being separated from you again. Not even for a minute.”

  She kissed me. I didn’t pull away until we were in the kitchen. I set her on the counter and whipped up a new drink for her.

  “Besides you and my family,” Vienna said, “I think I missed frozen javas the most.”

  “A world without caffeine is indeed hell.” We smiled at each other, but sadness tugged at her lips. “What’s wrong?”

  She shuddered. “I can’t completely shake the feel of that place. All the evil, the wrath, the hatred, even the putrid smell.”

  “Give it time.” I stood between her legs, lifting her chin to look at me. “We’ll replace all the negative memories with positive ones.”

  She stared at me with her beautiful dark eyes. Wrapping her legs around my waist, she pulled me closer. “There is one sin I don’t mind giving in to.”

  I licked my lips, already knowing her answer. “Which one?”

  “Lust,” she whispered against my neck.

  For the dozenth time, Vienna and I generated enough heat in our kitchen to melt the selkie side of Rathe.

  I hid behind an apple blossom tree, holding my breath and pressing myself against the trunk. I imagined a protective bubble around me, blocking Treygan’s mer senses from detecting me.

  I heard his footsteps getting closer and held back a nervous giggle. I closed my eyes and imagined myself blending with the tree, hoping he wouldn’t see me. If I could stay hidden for two more minutes, I would win the bet.

  He walked closer. I barely opened my eyes, watching him through my eyelashes. He wasn’t looking in my direction, but his head was cocked. He looked alert, like he suspected I was nearby. He took a few more steps and sniffed the air.

  Then he turned and headed in my direction. He was so close I could have reached out and touched him. I was sure he had spotted me since he was looking right at me.

  “So close,” I said. “I only had one more minute to go.”

  His eyes widened, and grew wider as he scanned me up and down. “How are you doing that?”

  “What?” I glanced down and gasped. My toes and feet were grass. My legs looked like the bark of the tree I was leaning against. I held out my arms, and at first they looked like bark too, but as I moved them they morphed to look like star-flowers.
“Oh, my gods! What happened to me?”

  “You don’t know how you’re doing that?” Treygan touched my stomach. “It’s an illusion. Your skin still feels the same.”

  I touched my stomach, amazed it didn’t feel dry and rough like tree bark because it looked so real. “What in the worlds?”

  He took my hand and pulled me away from the tree. My skin faded back to normal, hallmarks and all. His smile was blinding. “Now that I have never seen before. Yamabuki, I think you’ve just discovered yet another amazing ability you inherited.”

  “To look like a tree? I’m not sure I want that ability.”

  “I bet you can blend to look like anything in nature. That could come in handy in certain situations.”

  “Like when?”

  His eyes shifted, trying to come up with a good answer. “Spying?”

  “I have a mirror for that.”

  “Then I don’t know. But it’s unique, and I’m envious.”

  I laughed and leaned against the tree again. I glanced down. “It’s not working anymore.”

  “You must have done something to trigger it. We’ll have to explore this newfound ability later. Right now we need to head back.”

  We waded into the lagoon. A surge of relief warmed my body as my legs morphed into my tail. “How did you find me?”

  “Your apple blossom scent.”

  “But this whole place smells like apple blossoms.”

  “You have an exceptionally delicious scent that no tree, not even one filled with star-flowers, could ever live up to.”

  “And now I can look like an apple tree too.”

  “As pretty as Medusa’s trees are,” he traced my hallmarks with his fingertips, “I prefer you to look just like this.”

  “Like a mermaid?”

  He grinned. “It’s still my favorite sea creature.”

  We held hands as we swam away from Forbidden Apple Lagoon. I was already itching to return.

  ~

  I spent most of my days making rounds to see all the sea creatures, but each evening we would go to Uncle Lloyd’s to watch the sunset. I would sit at his side as he slept through the night, and when the sun rose—and I was sure he would live to see another day—I made him breakfast and wheeled him out to the garden for fresh air and sunshine.

  I sliced up a monstera fruit and set it between us on the table. “You’re looking good today.”

  “I feel pretty good.” Uncle Lloyd stretched his arms above his head. “It’s great to have all of you here. Does wonders for my soul.”

  Treygan pulled out a chair and sat beside us, lining up Uncle Lloyd’s medications. Vienna and Rownan were laughing and cutting flowers on the other side of garden.

  “Do you have enough strength for a celebration?” I asked. “Maybe even a ceremony?”

  Uncle Lloyd’s eyes lit up. He turned to Treygan. “So, you did ask her? I take it she said yes?”

  “I didn’t ask her anything yet.” Treygan smirked. “I didn’t want Yara telling our children that their father asked her to marry him while we were in hell. Yara deserves a proper proposal, and I need time to figure out how and when to do it.”

  Treygan was planning to ask me to marry him? My heart leaped at the thought, but for all good reasons.

  “I’m confused,” Uncle Lloyd said. “Then who …?”

  “Rownan and Vienna want to renew their vows. They want to do it here. With you.”

  Rownan walked up behind his father and squeezed his shoulders. “You couldn’t make it to our original wedding. I’d like you to be present for our renewal of vows.”

  Uncle Lloyd’s lips tightened the way they always did when he was emotionally touched. “I’d like that very much.”

  Vienna and I smiled at each other. Her beauty still left me staring at her in awe at times. She lit up every time Rownan looked at her.

  “You and Treygan will be next,” Vienna said to me.

  “When the time is right.” I squeezed Treygan’s thigh. “We’re in no rush.”

  Uncle Lloyd chuckled. “I hope I live long enough to attend that one.”

  “You will.” Treygan winked at me. “I promise, you will.”

  Rownan squinted at us, sensing our secret, but I changed the subject. “Jenna and Keeley will be here soon.”

  Uncle Lloyd grinned. He adored Jenna and Keeley. They had been helping him with his latest wood carving while I returned to Rathe during the day. When Uncle Lloyd had finished his last piece of monstera fruit, he released the locks on his wheelchair and rolled himself into the house while we all gathered the dishes.

  Rownan touched my elbow. “What was that about?”

  “What?” I asked innocently.

  “That secret wink Treygan gave you. Is there something you’re not telling us?”

  I glanced between him, Vienna, and Treygan, and grinned. “Let’s just say I did some bartering with Stheno and Euryale.”

  Vienna’s eyebrow rose. “Is the curse on Lloyd lifted?”

  From inside, Lloyd called for Rownan. I nodded toward the house. “Someone needs you.”

  “We will discuss this later.” Rownan took my dishes from me then he and Vienna went into the house together.

  Treygan wrapped his arm around me. “I still don’t understand what could have been juicy enough to strike a deal like that with Stheno and Euryale. What memories did you give them?”

  A vague, faceless image of someone with a head of coral, or maybe it was dreadlocks, flickered in my mind, disappearing as soon as I tried to focus on it. “I don’t remember. Isn’t that the whole point of letting them take a memory from me?”

  “Good point.” Treygan kissed my shoulder. “Whatever it was, it must have been powerful.”

  “It was an experience from Harte. I would happily give them all of those memories.”

  “Keep some,” Treygan said. “You never know when you might need to negotiate with them again.”

  “Very true.” I raised my face to enjoy the warmth of the sunshine and bask in how much my entire family of sea creatures had achieved in the last several weeks. Something tickled my cheek and I opened my eyes to see Jenna and Keeley flitting in front of me.

  Jenna kissed Sage’s nose. “Hello, stinky breath.”

  Sage rubbed against her affectionately.

  “Come on,” Jenna said, ushering me up by my pinky while Keeley did the same to Treygan. “It’s time for the big reveal.”

  Treygan and I grinned at each other and followed them into the house. Rownan, Vienna, and Lloyd stood beside Lloyd’s newest carving, which was covered with a sheet. Candles had been lit, and sunlight poured into the room through the large bay window.

  Lloyd tugged the sheet away, letting it slide off the gleaming wood and onto the floor. I sucked in a breath because it was more beautiful than I imagined. Nixie’s portrait was breathtaking.

  Lloyd said a few sentimental words. Rownan did too, and he and Vienna thanked her for saving their lives. The sprites petted Nixie’s carved wings while they told her how much they missed her and loved her. Jenna choked up when she thanked her for saving her from the soul suckers. Treygan was just finishing his heartfelt speech when I felt a twinge of sadness that wasn’t my own. Shadows stretched across the room as Otabia and Mariza joined us.

  “You’re late,” I said.

  “Better late than never.” Otabia held my hand while Mariza strutted to the portrait and laid a bouquet of red Calliandra flowers at Nixie’s feet.

  Uncle Lloyd turned to me. “Yara, would you like to say a few words?”

  I could have said wonderful things about Nixie for days. My heart overflowed with love and gratitude for her, but Nixie had asked me to keep it simple, so I said what mattered most. “She will always be with us.”

  Everyone nodded or bowed their head then the room slowly cleared out except for me, Uncle Lloyd, and Nixie’s life-sized portrait.

  “It’s ready.” Uncle Lloyd winked at me. “Liora said it should work.”

>   I stepped forward, eye to eye with my beautiful, devoted siren. As Lloyd recited a familiar incantation in the gorgon language, Sage rose then bowed with respect. I stared at the smooth, rounded mahogany that created Nixie’s lifelike pupils.

  I hadn’t saved Nixie’s life. And I had to live with that guilt each and every day. But at least her soul was saved. It wasn’t the ending I had imagined, and it certainly wasn’t ideal, but at least no one was still trapped in Harte, suffering alone in hell. Vienna had endured enough of that for all of us.

  When the wooden eyes in front of me glowed ruby red, I smiled. “Let the renegotiating begin.”

  THE END

  Sacred Seas, book 3 of The Sea Monster Memoirs will be washing ashore soon.

  Acknowledgments

  I’m a small fish in a big ocean of amazing people. Seriously, I have the best job in the world, but what makes it even better is the people who support and help me along the way. A heartfelt thanks to all the usual suspects:

  Mom, my #1 fan, you’re there for every step of every book. None of my stories would be a reality if it weren’t for your belief in me and your encouragement.

  Dad, my personal Imagineer, thanks for all the advice and ideas, including the “giant lamprey” now known as soul suckers. This book’s dedication said it all.

  John, my Peter Pan, for putting up with me, my musings, and my time-consuming dream on a daily basis. I love you more.

  My beloved M-N-Ms: Megan, Natalie, and Marie...

  Megan McBride, leave it to you to tell me to kill my darlings. And of course, I obeyed. I promise, someday I will write you a romantic kraken story.

  Natalie Bahm, we should meet for butterbeer more often. Play dates with you and your kids keep my imagination going full speed.

  Marie Devers Jaskulka, two bits of your sage wisdom that always stay with me: 1.) Don’t be a serial series starter. 2.) Shut the F up and write. I’ll continue to do both.