by Megan Linski
It was madness. The sea called to him, but his mate did, too. Both were undeniable urges that he couldn't satisfy at the same time. If he was with one, he wasn't with the other.
Adrian wondered if he’d be cursed to suffer like this forever. He was undeniably in love with both of them, he knew that.
But he knew the sea. He didn't know Isa. That was something he wanted to rectify, if just a little, before he informed his father of his decision.
His mind was already made up. How Poseidon would take it, Adrian was sure wouldn't be well.
“They're going to know I'm lying, Adrian. They'll be confused when they see we’re not together.” Moona swayed slowly back and forth in the water. “I said no.”
Adrian shrugged. “Okay. Fine. I'm leaving with or without your help.”
“Adrian, wait,” Moona hissed, and she planted herself in front of him. “Are you sure about this? Is she worth the risk?”
He stared coldly at her. “She's the one, Moona. She’s my mate. I wouldn't tell you that unless I was sure.”
Adrian swam underneath her and came up at the window. He pried it open and slipped out.
At the last minute, Moona gave a heavy sigh, hung her head, and swam out the bedroom door. Merpeople immediately started following her, calling her name.
Adrian smiled. “Thanks, Moona.”
He swam toward the surface where he knew no other merfolk dared to linger. From there he kept up a steady pace, until he reached his private cove and pulled himself up out of the water and onto the beach.
Out of his net bag he pulled a slim glass bottle, filled with glowing liquid. He'd stolen it from the apothecary long ago and had been saving it for something like this. Adrian was glad he’d been smart enough to keep it and not use it foolishly.
A transfiguration potion. Little magic. Not very powerful. But it would enable him to walk on land for a full day rather than just a few hours. Adrian was sure this was all he would need to find Isa.
He had to be careful. Once he drank this potion, it would become like poison to him. He couldn't drink it again, not for at least another month.
Adrian had to make this day count.
He popped off the cork and tilted the potion back into his mouth, ignoring his gag reflex and forcing himself to swallow. A pain rolled in his gut, and he grimaced as his fin turned into two legs.
Wobbling worse than yesterday, Adrian retrieved his pants from the hidden nook in the cove, along with a shirt and sandals he’d found on the yacht before he returned to the water. He put them on and started walking around to find Isa.
Adrian followed his instincts. He knew they would lead him to Isa, wherever she was.
She wasn't in Coral Bay. That much he could feel. She was outside of it, not too far away but not too close. Adrian got on a bus and rode it until he could feel the pull inside of him screaming to get off.
He disembarked in a large city, a touristy area with shops and towns. Adrian kept his head down and ignored the giggles of the beautiful girls that passed him by as he left the towns and entered a college campus. He was only looking for one woman.
He was nervous. Adrian had never been this far from the sea before. Even now there was a burning feeling in his chest that made it uncomfortable to be so distant from the water.
But the burning wasn't the worst problem. If he couldn't get back in time before the potion wore off, there’d be bigger problems.
He would die. Mermaids couldn't last long out of water, not without extensive magic. Eventually he’d turn back, and his lungs would no longer breathe the oxygen in the air without water to filtrate it.
The risk of death would be worth it, to find Isa.
Adrian wandered around campus until his gut led him to an aquarium on a lake near the food courts. He entered the aquarium and paid for a ticket, looking around at the various sea folk contained in glass tanks.
Adrian always thought it was funny humans sought to keep fish in tanks, but hey, they were humans. There wasn’t much use in trying to explain anything they did. The fish followed him as he ventured through the aquarium. They knew who he was and whispered to him to let them out. Adrian felt sorry for them, but at the same time, knew there wasn’t much he could do. He could release these fish, but the humans would find others to take their place— not to mention he’d blow his cover.
Finally, he found her. There she was, sitting on the edge of a fountain and bent over a textbook. Her hair was pulled back, there were square glasses on her face, and she was frantically scribbling something into a notebook. She was wearing an orange shirt with a dolphin insignia— the aquarium’s logo— with jeans and white tennis shoes that were impeccably clean.
“I didn’t know you worked here,” Adrian said, and Isa’s head snapped up with a start. She was so surprised she reeled backward, and her eyes widened as she careened toward the fountain.
Adrian caught her just before she hit water. He held her body close… he could hear her frantic breathing, and the quick beating of her heart against his firm chest.
This was everything he ever wanted.
“Uh, hey.” Isa parted a strand of hair behind her ear, still wrapped within his arms. She blushed slightly pink, and Adrian thought it was unbearably cute. “How’d you find me?”
“I was just looking around,” Adrian lied. He brought her up to a standing position and put her on two feet. Only then did he let go.
He gestured to the notebook. “Working on homework?”
“Just got off my shift,” she said. “I was finishing up an essay I had that’s due tomorrow. Biology.” She blushed again and looked down.
What was it about her that was so irresistible? He wasn’t sure, but he wanted to drag her back to the sea again… show her who he truly was, not this mask that he was forced to wear.
“You all right? I’ve been thinking about you,” Adrian confessed. Talking to her was so easy. They’d just met, only barely talked, but it was like he’d known her forever.
“Yeah. I’m still recovering, but the doctor said by tomorrow I’ll be back to normal,” she said. “Thanks again for saving my life.”
He shrugged and gave her a smile. “No thanks needed.”
He picked up the book and rifled through it. “Biology, huh? You left out that it was marine.”
“I want to be a marine biologist,” she said. “Sorry if it’s nerdy.”
She truly did sound sorry. Why? Adrian thought it was cool. She already had a love for the ocean, for the animals that lived there. She couldn’t have picked a more perfect career. “I don’t think it’s nerdy. And if it is, so what? To be a marine biologist, you’ve got to be really smart. That’s pretty badass.”
She sighed. “Some people think it’s stupid.”
“People in general are stupid, Izzy.” He laughed. “Everyone has an opinion, but I’ve found the only one that matters is your own.”
Her head tilted at the nickname, and she said, “You’re pretty confident. What do you do?”
Adrian hesitated. What was he supposed to tell her? “I uh… mostly help my dad,” he said. “Family business.”
Wasn’t a lie, exactly. But the truth was so much more.
“Oh, my family has one of those, too. A dolphin tour boat,” Isa supplemented.
She assumed he had a tourist joint. It was reasonable to consider. Most locals down here did. Adrian hated lying to his mate, but he figured it wasn’t for long, so he said, “Something like that.”
He changed the subject quickly. “So… if people didn’t want you to be a marine biologist, what did they think you were going to do?”
“I don’t know.” She stared downward. “My dad’s in the military. I think everyone expected I was going to marry some powerful official. Stay inside. Be kept.”
Adrian felt a wave of rage rise and fall within his chest. How dare anyone think of imprisoning Isa like that. She deserved to be free. Yes, Adrian knew that he would someday be king of the sea, and if she said yes, she would be his qu
een.
But beside him, Isa would have equal power… and even power that went beyond his own. She wouldn’t be locked up and kept as a pretty pet for him to have on his arm.
“That’s dumb.” Adrian sat beside her. “You totally made the right decision.”
Isa gnawed on her lower lip. “I don’t know.”
He nudged her. “Come on. You seem hungry. What do you say we go out for a late lunch?”
Her eyes brightened, but she hesitated. “I don’t know. I have a lot of work to get done.”
“You can do it later. Have a bit of fun.”
At his prodding, Isa gave in. “All right.” She put the book back in her backpack and slung it over her shoulder as she stood up. “Where to?”
“I know this awesome seafood place. You’re going to love it,” he said.
They wandered through the aquarium to get to the back exit. As they passed through the various exhibits Adrian pointed out fish after fish, naming them all and explaining to Isa all the little things he knew about them. He was sure she had an idea of what they were, as she was studying to be a biologist, but there were some things about the sea not even the most experienced human knew. He couldn’t help it. He wanted to impress her, and it was obvious she was into marine life.
“You sure know a lot about fish,” Isa said. Her tone was riddled with a hint of suspicion, but what could she guess? The reality was something she couldn’t imagine, not even in her wildest dreams.
“I grew up in the sea. It’s all I know,” he answered cryptically.
Isa stared straight ahead and didn’t answer. They entered into the sunlight, and Adrian cringed as it hit his skin— he didn’t like feeling so dried out, so hot. It was uncomfortable. He wanted to be wet. But he would put up with it for her.
They wandered to Isa’s car, light blue in color. Adrian got in and she drove out of the university, back toward the ocean at Adrian’s direction. The closer they got to water, the more relieved Adrian felt.
Adrian noticed she listened to K-Pop. Isa was quiet… it was like she didn’t even realize it was on.
“You like K-Pop?” Adrian asked, as just a question. He’d hardly heard it before, but some of the mermaids who lived in the bodies of water around the Korean peninsula were obsessed with it.
“Oh, yeah, sorry.” She fumbled to change it. “I’ll put on something else.”
“Don’t.” He grabbed her hand. “I don’t mind.”
When they touched, Adrian had the feeling of being knocked over by a powerful wave— it sent him inwardly reeling backward. Isa could feel it too, he could tell… by the astonished look in her eyes, she had felt the powerful feeling that had ricocheted up both of their arms.
The bond was only getting stronger. Adrian was ready for it, but Isa wasn’t.
“Pull off here,” Adrian pointed, and Isa did as she was told. When they got out of her car she avoided his eyes.
There was the ocean, and on the beach was a tiny yellow shack with a gray shuttered roof, surrounded by picnic tables shadowed by blue umbrellas. The shack was barely held together, and had hardly survived the last hurricane, but Adrian was glad it still stood. For all his hatred of humans this was the only place Poseidon would come on land for. He’d often brought Adrian here as a small child, but they hadn’t been here together since Adrian was around ten. Overfishing was getting bad and the pollution worse, so Poseidon had ruled that no one was to venture to the surface. Adrian had broken his rule and come here many times alone, though he often wished his father still accompanied him.
It was quite busy, even for after lunch. Adrian and Isa stood in line, Isa hiding behind her orange, plastic sunglasses.
“I’ve never been here before, and I’ve lived here all my life,” Isa said quizzically.
“It’s Coral Bay’s best secret,” Adrian said. “Watch. You’ll see.”
When they got up to the window, Adrian ordered them two dinners. The food came out in round baskets, nestled in that day’s newspaper. It contained a pound of crab each, steaming and red, with a large cup of butter and tongs for snapping. The sides included homemade coleslaw, a big hunk of cornbread, and collard greens. Adrian never liked collard greens, but here, they were mixed with bacon and dipped with— you guessed it, more butter— so these were a favorite treat.
Two root beers in the bottle were placed on the table. “Nothing like drinking a cold one on the beach during a nice day,” Adrian said, and he popped the cap. As he took a swig he saw Isa crack open a crab leg. She devoured the juicy middle, and her face melted.
“Emm,” she mumbled, and she rolled her eyes back. “This is so good.”
“Told you it was incredible.” Adrian started in on his own meal, and they ate while watching the waves roll in. Two little kids played by the beach, and their parents closely watched as laughter from the surrounding tables matched the sound of the ocean. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky. It was truly a perfect day.
“Enjoying yourself?” Adrian asked happily. It’d only been minutes, but Isa had devoured most of her meal already.”
“Yes.” Isa struggled to talk around a full mouth before swallowing. “This is incredible. I’ve never had anything like this. At least, not in a long time.”
“What do you mean?” Adrian took a bite of cornbread and raised an eyebrow.
“Me and my dad used to do this, come to tiny seaside shacks like this. Our favorite place to eat was on the beach.” She gave a tiny sigh. “That doesn’t happen anymore.”
“Sorry.” He frowned. “My dad and I used to do this a lot, too. But I guess he’s too busy now.”
“Parents get too busy for their kids once they stop being cute.” Isa shrugged. “It happens.”
“You obviously like crab,” Adrian suggested.
“I enjoy eating seafood. It’s my favorite. But lately, all my dad brings home is fast food.” She looked down at her basket. “I shouldn’t complain. But it’s getting really old.”
The conversation had turned too sobering, so Adrian picked up their finished baskets and threw them away. “Come on,” he said, and he extended a hand to her. “Let’s go for a walk.”
Isa gave his hand a wary stare before slowly slipping her own into it. “Okay.”
Adrian had only meant to pull her up, but before he knew what was happening, they were walking onshore holding hands. Isa didn’t pull away though, just kept her hand in his as they strolled along the shoreline.
Adrian wanted this to be more than just magic. He wanted Isa to like him for him, not just because the mating bond forced her to. It took all his will to pull his arm away, but he did.
“So,” he started. “Been surfing since that night?”
Isa laughed. “No. My friends would kill me if I tried. But I’ve been saving up money to get a new board. I want to get back out on the waves as soon as possible.”
“That fall didn’t scare you?”
“Not at all.” Her eyes were flashing. “I’m addicted to surfing. Can’t get enough. I’ve won a lot of trophies. Not to brag or anything, but I’ve been on a board since before I could walk. My dad taught me.”
“Your dad sounds pretty cool.”
“He… was pretty cool.” Isa trailed off. “Then he got old. And obsessed with his job.”
“What does he do?”
“He’s in the Navy.” Isa bent down to pick up a shell. “But that means he never tells me anything.”
Isa brushed off the shell. She stared at it in her cupped hands, and Adrian thought how pretty it would look in her hair.
Isa chucked the shell back into the sea. “School and studying are my life right now. That, along with working at the aquarium, and on my uncle’s tour boat, keeps me busy. What about you?”
“I have a lot of free time. I like exploring. I collect things, usually stuff people don’t want. My friend Moona calls it junk.” He laughed.
“Where do you collect it from? Antique stores?”
“Naw.” He shook his head
. “Shipwrecks, mostly.”
“That’s so unique. I haven’t been diving in a while.” Isa sighed. “I’ve been meaning to get back into it.”
“Maybe we can go diving together,” Adrian suggested, before he truly thought about it. Adrian knew that was something that could never happen. The minute they went in the water, his tail would come back and she would know. But he wished for it anyway.
“That actually sounds like fun.” Isa grinned. “I’d love to.”
Did I just ask her out on a date? Adrian realized that they were technically already on a date now, and the notion made him want to do backflips. “Soon,” he promised, though he wasn’t sure how he’d be able to keep it. “I’ll show you around some of my favorite diving sites.”
Her eyes brightened. Her mood definitely seemed better from when he’d first seen her today.
They continued walking up the beach and didn’t stop until it ended and they had to turn back. They talked, and talked, and each time the topic changed it seemed the two of them had more to say.
The day lengthened, and eventually the sun started dipping lower and lower. Adrian didn’t notice how late it was until he realized his shadow was lingering against the water. With it came a shocking pain he’d been ignoring, and a dryness in his throat that was practically unbearable. He’d been so wrapped up in their conversation he hadn’t noticed the potion was wearing off. He’d have to go back into the ocean soon.
And leave her. The thought was terribly depressing.
“Shit. It’s already getting late,” Isa said. “I hadn’t realized. I really need to get home and finish my essay.”
Adrian wilted, but he also knew it was time for him to go, too: his legs were getting really wobbly. He’d spent too long with Isa, though it’d only felt like precious minutes. “I get it. We’ll catch up later.”
“Yeah, totally.” Isa stopped and turned toward him. “Can I get your number? I’ll give you a call.”
“I uh… I don’t have a cell phone.” He laughed nervously and rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m not online, either.”
“What kind of guy doesn’t have a cell phone or social media?” She raised an eyebrow.