by Amber Garr
“Yeah, no kidding. Wouldn’t it be nice if our elders would enlighten us about more things?”
“Agreed,” he said as we walked through the doors, down our large deck, and toward the beach. The cool and crisp night brushed against my skin, and the smell of smoke and burning driftwood filled my senses. It was just after nine but from the sounds of laughter and chortling coming from the bon fire crowd, it seemed as though the night had just begun.
With that thought, my heart froze. This would be the last time I’d set foot on my beach. The last time I’d see my friends. The last time I’d see Kain before breaking his heart. Once again, the guilt stomped down to smother my excitement and I stopped walking.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“Nothing,” I said a little too sharply. I really didn’t know what excuse to use. He gave me a look and I shook my head. “Really, it’s nothing.”
He moved his body in front of mine, effectively blocking the pathway to the fire and our friends. “Listen, I know that you’re not thrilled about the wedding tomorrow, but I promise you that I’ll do what I can to make you happy.” He grabbed my hands and pulled them to his chest. “I want us to be partners in this, Eviana. I won’t keep you in the dark like your mother. I won’t force you to stop seeing Brendan.” I dropped my head, weighed down by my heavy conscience with the mention of Brendan’s name. “We can do this.”
“I know,” I whispered without making eye contact.
“Eviana, look at me,” Kain demanded. I lifted my head and hoped he wouldn’t comment on my glistening eyes. “Please know that I’ll do anything for you. Be anything for you. All you have to do is ask.”
I’d never understand why Kain continued to place me on a pedestal and hold me in such high regards. It was clear that he was in love with me, and I suppose that a part of me deeply cared for him as well. But I didn’t deserve his affection or his attention. And he certainly didn’t deserve the pain and humiliation he would face tomorrow morning when I was gone. I frantically wished there was some way I could tell him or warn him. But I knew I couldn’t and that fact cut through my bones like a knife.
“You’re a good man, Kain.” The words flowed without a filter now. “Please know that. And if something were to happen to me, I want you to find someone else and be happy with them. Don’t mourn me. Don’t hate me. Just live your life.”
“Why would I hate you?” His brows pinched in concern.
“Just promise me that you’ll live and move on. Please!” I squeezed his hands harder and pulled them against my body. Escaped tears rolled down my cheeks, adding authenticity to my plea.
Kain leaned forward and kissed my forehead. “Okay. I promise. Now stop crying.” He tried to tease me, but his voice sounded strained. I took a deep breath and sighed.
“Thank you,” I breathed, but the remorse and fear of his impending pain and heartbreak still stirred around at the surface of my skin. I looked up at Kain to see him studying my behavior. So much for playing along and keeping my cool. To distract him, I let go of our entwined hands and wrapped my arm around his waist, pulling him toward our friends. “Let’s go. They’re probably waiting for us.”
It took a few tugs but Kain finally began walking with me. He slipped his arm over my shoulder and we approached the orange fire ball. Shadows from the flames cut throughout the collection of mermaids sitting next to each other in a semicircle facing the ocean. We found an empty spot in the sand at the edge of the group, and I sat down while Kain walked to the other side to greet Vance and Daniel.
My sister’s annoying voice squawked out a laugh and I almost told her to go home. But then I thought about it some more. She should be here to represent our family, because in just a few hours, I’d be leaving. I didn’t know what would happen to me in regards to clan politics, but at least they’d still have one Dumahl left that everyone could count on.
“What’s going on with you?” a smooth, silky voice asked. I hadn’t noticed anyone sitting next to me.
“Huh?”
Carissa threw back her head and laughed. “Very eloquent, Eviana.” Her longs legs folded underneath her and she held some sort of drink in her hand. “You’re going to be the wife of a clan leader tomorrow. Better get all of the one syllable words out tonight.”
I think she was toying with me, but it still sounded kind of rude. Choosing to ignore my glare, she continued to press.
“I saw your exchange back there.” She jerked her head behind us toward the place where Kain and I had stopped.
“And?”
“And I wanted to see if everything was okay with you two. Is someone getting cold feet?” Her shoulder pushed against mine and I tried to pull out a smile.
“No. Everything’s fine.”
Carissa sat and stared at me for at least half a minute before shaking her head. “You’re lying.”
“No I’m not.”
“You are. I know.”
I looked at her with curiosity. She said that like it was a fact. Like she really could declare when someone lied and when someone told the truth. “There’s something going on with you.”
I didn’t like the way this conversation was going, so I decided for a distraction. Maybe a partial truth would keep her busy? “I’m nervous. I’m going to be a child bride.”
She laughed again and the serious look she’d been giving me disappeared. “That’s not all that’s bugging you, but it’s a start. You’ll be eighteen in no time.” She waved her hand at me. “Besides, seventeen was practically middle-aged back in the day.”
“Yeah, like a hundred years ago,” I said with a groan, getting another chuckle out of her.
“What’s so funny?” Lily cut in with authentic curiosity.
“Oh, just talking girl stuff,” Carissa replied. When Lily looked at her questioningly, she continued in a friendlier tone. “We’re discussing her upcoming nuptials.”
“Oh! I’m so excited for you!” Lily exclaimed and plunked down in front of us. “Tell me about your dress. Who’s doing your hair? Are you going on a honeymoon?”
And so went the rest of my evening. Brendan would be proud of me. I spoke of the wedding with ease, swallowing the ball of guilt each time it tried to escape. For several hours, all of our friends talked, laughed, and shared stories about Cotillion and how Kain would never have to go again. He played along, although I sensed his unease when the topic broached his father’s death. No one spoke of it outright, but whenever his new leadership was mentioned, it became an unspoken link to his father’s legacy.
By midnight, we doused the fire and returned to my house. Everyone said their goodbyes, but mine were pierced with the reality that I wouldn’t see any of them again. Brendan and I would be safer if we cut all ties from our current lives. Besides, once they realized what I’d done to Kain and our families, I doubted any of my friends would ever want to speak to me again.
Surprisingly, saying goodbye to Carissa was hard. She’d spent the entire evening by my side, refereeing Lily and Brinsley and changing the subject when she sensed that I felt uncomfortable.
“Whatever it is, I hope that you’re sure,” she said to me as we hugged goodbye. I jerked back in surprise but she walked away before I could ask.
“She’s an interesting one,” Kain said from behind me.
I turned and looked at him. “What do you mean?”
“Carissa. I can’t quite figure her out,” he said while staring after her retreating form.
“That makes two of us,” I mumbled back.
He shrugged and stepped toward me. “I’m going to go too. We have a big day tomorrow.” His mouth curved up in a grin and I had to return it. He stood there with his heart on his sleeve again. I wrapped my arms around his solid body and rested my head against his chest. The steady beating of his heart soothed me like a lullaby and suddenly I didn’t want to let go.
He rubbed his hands against my back in a calming motion and we swayed back and forth. Neither of us said anything for
a long time. In fact, I began to get sleepy because his presence relaxed me. When he pulled away, the angry ball of shame clawed around in my stomach again.
“I’ll see you in the morning, Eviana. Sleep well.”
He kissed me quickly on the mouth and then walked out the door. I didn’t say anything. Didn’t do anything. I let him walk away knowing his world would change tomorrow. He’d face humiliation and embarrassment, and worst of all, he’d hate me. I stood there, with my hand on the door, watching him walk out of my life permanently.
“Goodbye, Kain,” I whispered and closed the door with a click.
The darkened skies and quiet streets did little to ease my apprehension as I pulled my suitcase down the road to meet Brendan. The wheels screeched and chirped over every piece of gravel, giving me a panic attack each time I thought someone might see me.
It had been relatively easy to sneak out of my house, especially since it hadn’t been the first time I’d done it. My parents and my sister were sound asleep thanks to the day’s exhausting events. Since my bags were already packed, I’d only had one more task before leaving. I wrote a note to Kain. It was short and simple, and probably didn’t do him any justice, but I didn’t want everyone thinking the worst had happened. He needed to know that I was safe and wasn’t coming back. I left it on the middle of my bed beside my cell phone that could no longer be used to contact me.
The hum of Brendan’s car made my heart flutter. He waited at the end of the road for me just like he’d promised. The old Honda purred, seeming to approve of our escape. Brendan walked around the front of the car to grab my bag, but not before stealing a kiss.
“You made it,” he said with an air of relief.
“Of course I did. I wouldn’t miss this for the world.” My smile stretched from ear to ear as I climbed into the front seat. With one more kiss, we were off, leaving California forever and starting our wonderful new life together.
We drove through the night and the entire next day, stopping only for gas and food when absolutely necessary. Brendan would drive for a couple of hours while I slept and then we’d switch. By early Sunday evening, we finally made it across the mighty Mississippi and into Tennessee. Driving through the mountains was peaceful and breathtaking. Although we were used to forests and trees at home, this was a different type of scenery all together. I lowered my window to take in the scents of wet ground, cool fog, and crisp mountain air. There appeared to be more conservation areas around than people, so when we pulled into the parking lot of a secluded mountain lodge, I was rather surprised to see as many cars and campers as we did.
“Do we have reservations?” I asked. I didn’t think Brendan had made any concrete plans since we didn’t know how far we’d travel each day.
“Just stay here,” he said with a mischievous grin and jumped out of the car.
I watched him walk into the main office before really looking around. The hotel was built like a large cabin with giant tree trunks making up the walls. It was two stories high and boasted a large deck with a railing made out of smaller tree branches running along the edge. There seemed to be a little restaurant on the far end of the first floor and I guessed there to be no more than fifty rooms.
Brendan jogged back to the car with a piece of paper in his hand. He opened my door and bowed with a wave of his hand. “Right this way,” he said.
I followed him up the outdoor stairway to a room at the end of the second floor. He used the key to open the wooden door and then effortlessly lifted our suitcases inside. The room was exactly what I would picture the interior of a cabin to look like. Light wood planks that smelled like cedar lined the walls and ceiling. A king-sized four poster bed encompassed most of the open space, allowing just enough of a footprint for two bedside tables and one dresser along the opposite wall.
Brendan started digging through his large suitcase that he’d thrown on top of the bed. I, on the other hand, kept staring at the bed realizing this would be the first night he and I ever spent alone together. Butterflies twisted in my stomach at the thought. We’d always been close, but our relationship had not yet gone to the next and final step. Would tonight be the night? Was I ready for this?
Brendan’s laugh startled me. “Come on. Get changed. I have something I want to show you.”
“Changed? What kind of change? Where are we going?”
“For a swim,” he replied nonchalantly.
I looked back out the open door and into the never-ending landscape of trees, rocks, and mountains. “And just where are we supposed to go swimming?”
He unlocked a compartment hidden at the bottom of his suitcase and pulled out his seal skin. Holding it up in the air he peeked around it and grinned at me. “It’s a surprise.”
Pointing to his furry suit I asked, “Aren’t people going to suspect something when they see a seal swimming in the middle of Tennessee?”
“Not when it’s dark. Now come on, let’s go.”
I rolled my eyes and shrugged my shoulders while closing the door behind me. Apparently, Brendan had a plan and I trusted him completely. I found my swim suit and robe, even though both were completely unnecessary for me. But it helped to keep up appearances should someone see us.
It took me only a few minutes into our hike before I wondered again what the plan was. It was nearly dark at the hotel, but in the massive wooded lands, nighttime had already settled in. I wasn’t dressed right, nor did I have the proper shoes for the thirty-minute adventure into the forest. Even though we walked on a beaten path, it was covered in fresh mud and puddles making it difficult to navigate. Especially in a pair of sandals.
I was just about to ask how much further, when Brendan suddenly stopped and sighed. My foot slipped and I reached out to grab his shoulder before landing in a pile of mud. When I looked up, I saw what had caught his eye. In front of us was a tranquil mountain lake surrounded by a sharp rock cliff on one side and endless forests on the others. The pine tree branches made an archway for us to pass through and the moon highlighted the water’s surface like a mirror.
“Wow,” I breathed.
Brendan grabbed my hand and we walked the remaining few steps to the edge of the bank. Large pieces of rock lay scattered along the beach area and we carefully balanced on the mini boulders as we made our way to the water. Without saying a word, we stripped out of our clothes. I dove into the water to encourage my change while Brendan became his seal. With little effort, he wrapped his skin over his shoulders, dropped to the ground, and shimmered several seconds before the transformation was complete. He once told me it was like entering a dream for him. No pain, no twisting of bones and sinew. Just a transformation to a different state. I envied him.
The cool water was more akin to our California stomping grounds, but it was much calmer and clearer. Sharp rays of moonlight danced around just under the surface and the depths of the lake reflected back a dark abyss. There were very few animals to see, but it didn’t matter. I’d never been here before, so the exploration alone was enough to keep me occupied.
Brendan and I swam together, investigating the lake’s perimeter. When a seal, human communication was impossible, but we were so attuned to each other that words were no longer necessary. Large underwater outcroppings and the animals sleeping beneath soon became our biggest curiosity. We dove and leapt around at the surface not really feeling the need to explore the deeper, darker waters in the center of the lake. It was as if something warned us to stay away.
I don’t know how long we were in the water until he signaled for us to head back to shore. We changed and moved several of the small rocks out of the way so that we could lie on the beach with some type of comfort. Nestled in his arms, Brendan used his seal skin to wrap around our naked bodies. Neither of us wanted to leave yet, so we stayed there, content with exhaustion and the elation of being next to each other. We’d found a new sanctuary.
I’d nearly drifted off to sleep when Brendan suddenly tensed. I sat up and pulled the fur tighter ar
ound my body. “What is it?”
“I don’t know,” he replied while scanning the lake back and forth with his eyes.
I followed his lead but didn’t see anything. I was just about to say that, when I noticed the water rippling slightly in the center of the lake. “Do you see that?” I whispered.
He nodded and hugged me closer to him. The ripples became larger and larger until it almost appeared as though the lake was bubbling from underneath. A dense fog began to form around the water’s edges and moved like smoky tendrils reaching out toward the area of disturbance. We watched in awe as the fog swirled around in a circle, almost like a slow tornado, until it began moving in our direction. The forest suddenly grew silent and I no longer felt as welcomed as before. But we couldn’t move. The sight was too amazing.
From the boiling center of the lake, water droplets rose and moved together in a pattern like millions of tiny synchronized swimmers. In a few moments, a human shape appeared as the water particles molded with each other to become one. The figure floated toward us on the water’s surface waving its arms around and controlling the fog. Colors materialized in and out of the being until her body appeared almost corporal. Long, blonde hair that disappeared into the depths of the lake seemed to have a mind of its own as each piece ebbed and flowed throughout the air and fog.
“He was telling the truth,” Brendan whispered in awe and I whipped my head toward him.
“What?”
But he didn’t have a chance to answer. The beautiful women in front of us made a noise almost like a hiss and a growl rolled in one. She still floated on the water’s surface and her body was now at least ten feet tall.
Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath she said, “Who are you?”
We didn’t move and we didn’t speak. I think we were still admiring this creature but it may also have been due to fear. She breathed in again and then reached forward to touch my chin. Her watery hands dripped down into my lap as she turned my head from side to side. A piece of her hair reached toward me from around her shoulder and grabbed a lock of mine, lifting it out from underneath the seal skin and letting it fall to my back.