The Wild and Lonely Sea

by Isobel Robertson

  When she eased the door open and slipped into the room, two of Red’s siblings were slumped on the floor, fast asleep. Foolish humans, so easy to enchant. She scanned the room quickly, but her bag was nowhere in sight. Closing her eyes, she looked with her magic instead. There it was, tucked behind a loose stone at the edge of the fireplace. Red might not have known what he had found in the sealskin, but he recognised it as something valuable enough to need hiding.

  She tugged it out, discarding the bag and clutching the sealskin close to her chest. The gold coins were gone; no doubt Red had spent them already. It didn't matter. She’d have no need for money anymore. Stepping over the sleeping humans on the floor, she headed back into the street, not bothering to close the door behind her. She swept down towards the sea, the energy from her skin setting her blood bubbling and her brain fizzing. Her fingers tingled with fresh power and her heart sang.

  She walked straight into the water, almost running as she crossed the beach and splashed into the waves. Her skin wrapped around her as she sank into the water, then came a moment of pain before the incredible rightness of her true form, gracefully twisting through the waves. The beauty and perfection wrapped around her, the water more wonderful than she had ever appreciated before. If seals could laugh, she would have been doubled over in joy.

  But then, she slammed into something invisible that sent her flying backwards. What had happened? She eased forwards again, exploring with the sensitive tip of her nose. There it was - something invisible, cutting right through the sea. The waves passed as if nothing stood in the way, yet she could not get through. She tried moving up and down, left and right, but the invisible barrier seemed to stretch as far as she could reach.

  A little chittering noise sounded in the distance, and this time she did laugh.

  “I'm here, Delfie,” she called. Her dolphin bounded up beside her, leaping and twisting as he nudged against her with joy.

  “You should have gone home,” she told him, hugging him tightly. “Have you been waiting for me all this time, you foolish little dolphin?”

  Delfie chirped happily, rubbing his long face against hers.

  “Don't worry, I'm coming home with you this time,” she said.

  She pushed him away from her a little, taking some space to steady her magic before she sent little tendrils snaking out into the ocean.

  “Erlend!” she called in her mind. “These boundaries are your responsibility! Explain!”

  No reply. She waited, sending out angry pulses of magic. On the edge of her own kingdom, it could not be long before help arrived.

  When no one appeared after a while, she tried again.

  “Erlend! It’s Lisbetta. I need you now.”

  At last, he appeared, a shadowy figure on the other side of that strange barrier.

  “Lisbetta? You found your skin?”

  “Obviously,” she said, her patience wearing thin. “I’m ready to return home - and yet I find that the boundaries supposedly managed by you and your father are impassable. What is the meaning of this?”

  “No one expected you to return for a while yet,” Erlend said. “The boundaries are closed. I’ll have to talk to my father. It won’t take long to let you through, I’m sure.”

  “Closed? What do you mean, Erlend? This is my kingdom. Why are the borders closed to me? That’s ridiculous. Let me through right away.”

  “We can’t just open the boundaries like that,” Erlend said, his voice as sickly-sweet as if he spoke to a small child.

  “You can do whatever I tell you to,” Lisbetta hissed, but his expression didn’t change.

  “The situation has changed since you left, Lisbetta. We’re at the edge of war with the western tribes. Times aren’t safe. We’ve had to close the boundaries to protect the kingdom, and it’s a massive undertaking to open them again without risk. You’re just going to have to wait until it’s safe again. I’m sorry.”

  “That’s nonsense. I’ve never heard that before.”

  “There have been raids along the west coast, and some odd magical disturbances along the east coast. I’m sorry, but we can’t make exceptions.”

  “You can’t possibly stop me from coming home.”

  “I can’t do anything until I’ve spoken to my father and your mother,” Erlend said gently. “It’s complicated. But I’ll do my best to get you home soon, I promise.”

  He faded into the depths of the water again, disappearing. Had he even been there before, or was it all just an illusion? Lisbetta threw herself at the barrier again, ramming with all her might, but it held firm and her sleek body just skidded straight off it. Delfie slipped straight through, speeding off in the direction Erlend had gone. Lisbetta almost called him back, but she knew the dolphin should go home. If he could cross, why couldn't she?

  She smacked the barrier hard with her tail, screeching her frustration. If only she could scream in her seal form. No way back. Whether Erlend told the truth or not, she was trapped here in the human world for a while longer. She set off back to land, shooting straight onto the beach and changing in the air, crashing back onto the sand on all fours as a human woman. Her dress still lay where it had fallen and she pulled it back on, ignoring the sand that scratched at her skin.

  “You’re going to regret this, Erlend!” she screamed at the sea, and then burst into tears.

  If her oldest friend wouldn't help her, who else could she turn to? She remembered all the gold Erlend had stolen, and the uneasiness deepened, as dark and confusing as the waters in front of her.

  *****

  Chapter 7

  Tears still poured down Lisbetta’s face by the time she reached the house. Sea salt soaked and stiffened her dress, while a combination of sea water and tears streaked her face. She stumbled in through the unlocked door and walked almost straight into Moira.

  “What happened?” Moira asked, catching her by the shoulders.

  Lisbetta could only shake her head for a moment, overcome by the effort of holding back the tears. Eventually, she took control of herself enough to draw a deep breath and wipe her hand across her face.

  “I can’t go back,” she said, hating the quiver in her voice. “The magical boundaries are closed and I can’t get in. I don’t understand what’s going on. I don’t know who to trust, or who to believe.”

  Moira frowned.

  “I knew there was some strange magic coming from the sea, but I didn’t expect anything like that.”

  “If only I could speak to my mother,” said Lisbetta. “She must know what’s going on, but I have no way of reaching her.”

  “Well, I cannae help you speak to her, but I could perhaps help you see her.”

  A spark of hope broke through Lisbetta’s tears.

  “That might help. Would it be difficult for you?”

  Moira looked thoughtful for a moment. “Well, I’ve never found scrying difficult before, but then again I’ve never tried to spy on a selkie.”

  “Let’s try it.”

  Moira set her equipment up in the kitchen, Lisbetta doing her best to help, although she had very little idea how to be useful. It appeared that human magic differed a great deal from selkie magic. There were shapes to be drawn in chalk, plants to be prepared, and crystals to be laid out.

  At last, Moira sat cross legged on the kitchen floor, her cat beside her, and a glass bowl full of water on her lap. Candles flickered all around, casting an eerie light in the dim kitchen. Bending over the bowl, Moira began to chant softly, and Lisbetta lent forward in fascination, wondering what Moira could see in the water. Selkies did not practise this magic.

  “What the hell is going on?”

  Moira and Lisbetta jerked around at the same time, sending water splashing across the floor and setting the candles jumping.

  Cormac stood in the open doorway, glaring down at them, his expression black.

  “Ye told me ye were done wi’ this, Moira,” he said. “I thought we agreed the risks were too great.”


  “No, you agreed,” Moira said calmly. “I have been continuing exactly as before.”

  “Five years!” Cormac screamed, all his calm and composure gone. “Ye’ve been keeping this secret for five years?”

  “How else do you think you survived all those storms? Where did you think your luck came from, or your good health? I’ve been helping you every second of the way.”

  Cormac shook his head, stepping further into the room. “It isnae worth it, Moira. If they catch ye…”

  “It will be no worse than if you’re caught for piracy,” Moira pointed out. “We need to protect each other. Did you honestly think I'd make you a few magical charms and then stop?”

  “No, Moira, we dinnae need to protect each other. I need to protect ye! I’m your brother! And as for ye-” he turned to Lisbetta and stopped short. “Well, I didnae expect ye to be involved in anything like this.”

  He frowned down at her. “What happened? Ye’ve been crying? Are ye all right? I hope that my sister’s nonsense didn’t upset ye.”

  Moira broke into laughter, the noise cracking unexpectedly through the tension.

  “You’re the grandest fool I’ve ever met, brother,” she said. “You brought magic right into our midst and you didnae even see it. Could you honestly not tell what she is? Or were you just fooled by a pretty face?”

  “What in hell d’ye mean?” Cormac asked. Uncertainty hovered in his eyes and it hurt Lisbetta to see it.

  What should she say? Would Moira go along with a lie, if she could think of one in time? Did she want to lie to Cormac?

  “I’m a selkie,” she said, after a moment’s hesitation. She lifted her chin a little, meeting his wide-eyed gaze directly.

  “A what?”

  “You ken the stories as well as I do, brother,” Moira said, her voice dry. “Half woman, half seal, shapeshifter, magician. Turns out we’ve had one in our house for days without you knowing. And a princess, at that.”

  “That’s preposterous” Cormac said, shaking his head. “Selkies are just an old story. Ye know that.”

  “I stopped believing anything was just a story the day I discovered my magic,” Moira said quietly.

  Cormac looked at her and smiled sadly. The connection between brother and sister felt almost strong enough to touch. Clearly, Moira’s experiences with magic had not always been positive ones.

  “I cannae understand this properly,” Cormac said. “I need a drink. But I can tell ye right now I dinnae believe that woman” - he pointed at Lisbetta - "is some kind of mythical creature. It's all nonsense."

  He reached into one of the sideboard cupboards and pulled out a decanter, along with a small glass. After a second of hesitation, he reached in again and pulled out two more. He poured a small measure of amber liquid into each one and silently offered them to Moira and Lisbetta. Moira knocked hers back without hesitation, and Lisbetta followed suit, gasping a little at the burn. Whisky, and not the finest either. She’d had it a few times before, sealed into little bubbles so that selkies could drink it underwater. She hadn’t realised that the everyday version would be so much harsher.

  “Now,” Cormac said, fixing a piercing gaze on her. “I want ye to sit down in the parlour and explain everything to me. Tell me the truth.”

  So she did, telling him all about her visit to Glasgow, the capture by Sigurd, her lost skin, and her failed trip into the sea. She left out all mention of Erlend. Somehow, it seemed strange to discuss him with Cormac. She simply told him that a border guard had stopped her from passing.

  He shook his head when she finished.

  “This cannae be true. There's something strange enough about ye, but selkies just cannae be real. I dinnae ken what tae say, or even what tae believe. But if Moira trusts ye enough tae let ye stay, then I’ll do the same."

  His gaze lingered on hers, confusion mixed with something a little more heated, and Lisbetta couldn’t stop a blush rising to her cheeks. She looked away. The whiskey must be affecting them all more than she’d expected.

  “But as for you,” Cormac said, turning to Moira. “How could ye lie tae me for five years? How could ye disobey me like that? It’s the most incredibly foolish thing I’ve ever heard. Practising magic, right here in this house where anyone could find ye!”

  “I take my own risks, brother,” Moira said calmly. “As do you. It’s not your right to make my decisions.”

  “Until ye get married, I am yer guardian,” Cormac said, slamming his fist down on the arm of the chair. “So aye, it is my right tae make yer decisions! Especially on issues like this. Do ye think I want tae see my sister hang?”

  “I’ll do whatever I like!” Moira shouted back. “This magic is in my blood, and I’ll not abandon it out of fear.”

  “Then abandon it out of obedience! Or whatever reason ye like - because ye are going to stop it. From this moment on, no more magic.”

  “You’re wasting your breath, Cormac. I’ll practise whatever magic I want, and there’s no way on earth for you to stop me.”

  “Why should she stop?” Lisbetta cut in. “Magic is a gift, a power. Why should she make herself weaker by abandoning it?”

  “Magic is a crime here, Lisbetta,” Cormac said, tugging at his hair. “If Moira - if either of ye - is caught using magic, the punishment is hanging.”

  “But magic could get either of us out of trouble,” Lisbetta pointed out.

  Cormac shook his head. “Not forever. There’s always someone else ready tae turn in a witch. Besides, there would be a good chance of friends and neighbours being accused as well. Witchcraft accusations spread like the plague, and I’ll no’ see that happen in my town if I can help it.”

  “And you don’t think that five years of keeping secrets even from you shows I can handle it?” Moira asked. Her eyes were dangerously bright, and Lisbetta could feel the magic building in the room. Subtly, she placed a fine web of power around Moira, holding her magic in, just in case. So easy. With her skin back, every inch of her body had come alive again.

  “You’re banned from magic for good, and that’s all I’ll hear about it,” Cormac said firmly.

  “You’re wrong,” Lisbetta told him. “I’m a guest in your house, and I don’t want to offend you, but magic is a strength, not a weakness. Anyone who can use it should embrace it.”

  Cormac looked at her strangely. “I'm starting to believe that ye are what you say ye are. You dinnae sound human."

  "Time to believe that the world is stranger than you ever expected," Moira said, a sardonic twist to her words.

  "This conversation is done." Cormac said, his voice and face tight. "No more magic.”

  He stormed out, slamming the parlour door behind him. Moira and Lisbetta stood looking at the space he’d left, both shaking slightly and bubbling with magic.

  “Arrogant idiot,” Moira said.

  “He just wants the best for you.”

  “I think you might find he actually wants the best for you,” Moira muttered darkly, and stormed out of the room herself, no doubt to confront her brother again. Lisbetta let her go. At her feet, the cat miaowed up at her hopefully. She conjured a fish from thin air and flicked it onto the floor, where the cat dived onto it. At least someone could be happy.

  As for Cormac, she couldn't quite be sure if he'd really believed her. Time would tell.

  *****

  Chapter 8

  Lisbetta had just sat down to dinner with Cormac and Moira when a knock sounded on the door. The siblings exchanged glances before Cormac rose to his feet.

  “Be prepared,” he said in a low voice. “I wasnae expecting guests.”

  Lisbetta nodded, drawing out a tendril of magic to hold at the ready, just in case. Cormac opened the door and they all froze, waiting, breath held.

  “No one there,” Cormac said, after an agonising eternity of silence. “But wait, what’s this?”

  He walked back into the room, a folded scrap of paper in his hand and a frown on his face.

&nbs
p; Standing in front of the fire, he opened up the paper, his face shifting in the flickering firelight.

  “Damn him,” he said softly after a moment. “He just cannae let it go.”

  “What’s the matter?” Moira asked, moving to stand beside her brother.

  He crumpled the letter in his fist and shoved it into his pocket.

  “Sigurd. Telling me to get in the boat and meet him, like no’ a thing ever happened. As if I’m fool enough to just get back on the Golden Lion and hope that he’ll treat me well. What does he expect me to do?”