Melinde

The Beloved God knew I loved Arno, but sometimes I wished that I had married a smarter man. I understood that I had no training as a warrior, but, after hearing the feats of Sol, I was certain that the Mistress would grant me the same strength. He came from a society with female warriors, so why did he feel the need to coddle me? After all our years together, why had not taught me anything?

There was no way he could have known that I would be called upon by a god, but the fact that our love was forbidden should have been enough motivation. Maybe I should have pushed to be trained instead of relying on his strength and knowledge. Maybe I would then be prepared for my looming confrontation.

I felt a chill go down my spine. I was scared.

Why did the Mistress choose me instead of a trained warrior? I was certain that there were enough people brave enough to cross the Forbidden Line and that many had love for their families. I was a poor choice. Sol had more training than I did; she should have been a champion. I never would understand gods. Basically what the Mistress had done was give me a big pointy stick and said kill the bad demon.

Was it really difficult to stick around for a few minutes and give actual instructions on how to kill the demon?

I looked at “Fix” in my hands. The spear could heal wounds, but not perfectly. What use was such a tool on the battlefield? I would heal the enemy as soon as they were stabbed, as for allies, I’m not sure anyone wounded would willingly be stabbed.

I sighed and turned my attention to my husband. He was watching me quietly while leaning against our bedroom door.

“Why are you doing this?” he asked as soon as realized my attention had returned to him.

I chewed on my bottom lip for a while as words escaped me. “The Mistress has told me to slay a demon.”

“How do you know it’s a god and not some prankster or evil spirit? I don’t want my wife chasing after some fantasy.”

I felt my cheeks heat as tears welled in my eyes. I was scared that this was all a lie, but I was too afraid to walk away on the chance that this was real. If it wasn’t for the existence of Waterfolk I would be questioning my circumstances even more. Our gods liked to leave signs of their divine presence, for Waterfolk it was their Grace. For me, it was the change in my hair and eyes. I even seemed to have grown slightly taller and my strength was now on a level to rival, if not surpass, my husband’s. Why would an evil spirit go through so much trouble to trick me?

“Can you have a little faith in my decisions? I’m not some fool child anymore, willing to run away just because someone tells me too!”

“Mel, you’re not being fair!”

“I ran away for you! I destroyed the life I had and abandoned my family for you! Rolan could have grown up with my family and I could have hidden his Grace, just like we do now!” I glared at him while gripping “Fix” for support. I could see the surprise on his face darken into a scowl. His lips curled back revealing more of his teeth as he spoke.

“Stay in a place where everyone knew us? It wouldn’t take them very long to figure out that Rolan was a half-breed as soon as he had his first bath!” Arno’s fist hit the door. “I left my family behind as well! I abandoned my people to live among Landwalkers because I knew it would be safer for us. If you really didn’t want to leave, why are you still here?”

“I’m here because I love you! You don’t trust me at all; do you? Look!” Before he could stop me I gripped the spear just under its tapered blade then ran the sharp edge against the palm of my left hand. Arno jumped and ripped the spear from my hand and threw it on the floor before grabbing my hand. It hit the floor with a loud clatter that made me flinch. He stared dumbfounded when he saw that my skin was unbroken.

“Tempest and waves, don’t scare me like that woman!”

“The Mistress gave this spear to me. I’m meant to use it against the demon.”

“How are you supposed to use a harmless spear against a demon?”

“It would be insane to give me a weapon that wouldn’t work.”

Arno sighed and shook his head. “You’re crazy, but,” he said holding up his finger to stop me, “a spirit wouldn’t go through this much trouble to trick you… Are you sure that you want to go slay a demon?”

“I don’t know… I’m more afraid of facing a god’s wrath if I refuse. Look at what happened to Sol.” I rested my head on his chest and listened to his heartbeat. I was tired of our fights. I wanted to get away for a while, but I didn’t want to abandon our son. I was hesitant to return to Naomi. Who knew how many people would recognize me and know that I had run off with a Watefolk warrior? Six years was a long enough time for such a story to spread there.

Would my aunt and uncle allow me in their home? Would my friends speak to me? All of that seemed trivial when compared to the demon threat.

Arno wrapped his arms around me and rested his chin on my head. “I feel like I’m sending you to slaughter. I have no faith in a god of death.”

“Wouldn’t my chances of survival rise with the Mistress on my side?”

He sighed. “Yes and no. They might be using you as a sacrifice.”

“Can you say that my life is really my own? The gods created us and gave us sentience. When we sleep our souls are cradled in their halls. If it wasn’t for the Gentle God your people would be dead. What I’m saying is: does it matter if I’m sacrificed?”

“Won’t you miss Rolan and me?”

“Of course, I’ll miss you. How could you ask me that? If I could take you both with me I would. If I could stay here I would.”

“Ok… that’s all I needed to hear…” he said then picked me up in his arms and tossed me on the bed. I squealed as I hit the mattress with him following me. His lips found my neck and I sucked in a gasp as his hands gripped my waist. “I love you, Melinde.”

His breath tickled my neck like a warm summer breeze.

“I love you, Arno.”

“Promise that you’ll come back?”

“I-I promise.” Even if I was only a spirit.

I tried to hide my flushed cheeks when we returned to the kitchen. Sol looked exhausted as she sat hunched over her knees. Lasaro was standing by the banked fireplace with Neara clinging to his right sleeve. He had been speaking to her when I passed through the doorway. She looked tiny next to his looming frame. How could she protect my husband and child? What strength would she be granted for this task? How much faith could I place in her and the gods?

“Excuse me,” I said carefully. All eyes turned to me, including those of Dorotea and Ryaa. I was suddenly glad that the two hadn’t followed Arno and me into our room. I cleared my throat and looked back at Neara and Lasaro.”

“My husband is preparing some bedrolls for you both. I hope you don’t mind sleeping here in the kitchen.”

“That will be fine, Lady Melinde,” Lasaro said and bowed toward me. I felt my face heat. I wasn’t used to being addressed so formally. I tried to curtesy for him the way I heard described by friends. I lifted my skirt slightly and bended both my knees. All the Waterfolk looked at me strangely and I wondered if I should have bowed instead.

“Think nothing of it,” I said as I heard Arno walk down the short hall. He dropped the wooden trunk he was carrying on the floor. I frowned at him when it landed with a thud that shook the floor boards. I knew Rolan could sleep through such noise, but my floors would be scratched.

“Sorry, Honey,” he said sheepishly and ran his hand through his black hair. I rolled my eyes. What was I going to do with him?

Sol crouched in front of the trunk and tipped back its lid to reveal the sheepskin bed rolls and woolen blankets. She pulled out two rolls and two cream colored blankets. “Neara, Sweetheart, you can sleep on the cot,” she said in a flat voice.

“No thank you, Eminence, I’ll be fine on the floor.”

“It will be better for you to sleep on something soft.”

The little girl looked up at Lasaro expectantly.

“Neara has fewer nightmares when she sleeps near me,” Lasaro said. Sol’s eyes darkened and she looked back at the bedroll.

“Ok…” She unrolled the bedrolls and arranged the blankets on them before sitting on the cot. I bit my lip. Was this going to be a bad idea keeping them all in the same room?

“Sol, would you rather sleep in Rolan’s room? You can take one of the bedrolls with you.”

I saw her face relax slightly. I moved forward and bent to pick up the nearest bedroll. Neara was watching Sol with wide eyes like a mouse cornered by a cat. She stood stiffly, her hands wringing Lasaro’s sleeve. I pushed the bedding into my husband’s hands then went to the shelf above my prepping table. I pulled the square lid off of an earthenware jar with a soft pop before reaching inside and pulling out two cookies.

I approached the girl and kneeled in front of her. “Would you like these cookies?” Her eyes focused on the treats and she reached out hesitantly.

“Y-yes…please,” she whispered.

I smiled gently and handed them to her. The first cookie became a pile of crumbs in a few seconds. “We also have some bread and jam if you’re really hungry.” I showed them the food and left some plates on the table.

“Thank you,” Lasaro said. I grabbed the bedding then went to the cot and pulled Sol to her feet before looping my arm around hers. I felt my heart beat faster as I touched her. I still felt awkward around her. I expected her to show some sort of hostility toward me and the role I had in her mother’s death. How was I supposed to make up for her loss?

I had already accepted that I would never see my family again, so the realization that Ryaa had died in my absence seemed like a confirmation of my loss. I felt guilty for leaving my family behind and now I had three people under my roof that I had to face. The brother that I had abandoned, the woman that had sacrificed her life for me, and the daughter that I had left motherless.

In a way, Ryaa had repaid my debt to Dorotea and Sol in a way that I had been unable to. It was horrible that he had to be the sacrifice. I hoped that the Sol and I would grow closer over our losses. Maybe it was wishful thinking. Maybe it was an urge to please everyone. I hated to see people hurting and not being able to help.

I could sense the tension between Lasaro, Sol, and Neara. Was Sol’s dark look because of the violent history between them? Did Neara feel like Sol abandoned her? Would it be best for the girl to come with us instead?

I slowly pushed Rolan’s door open and stepped over the squeaking board in front of his door. Sol followed my action and came to stand beside me silently. I laid the bedding on the floor and arranged the blanket.

“Do you want to talk?” I asked as I patted the roll until it was smooth.

"I can't believe that I have to sleep under the same roof as the man who claimed to have...k-killed me!" Sol said in a harsh voice. "I just want to claw his face off. And when I think about doing it I just want to claw off my own skin!"

I stiffened when I heard her aggressive words. I hadn't realized that she was in such dark turmoil. I placed my hands on her shoulders and shook her gently. "You're going to drive yourself insane thinking like that. I think you need to talk to him about it instead of thinking about assaulting him."

Sol brushed my hands away and turned her glare on me. "I don't want to hear it! I know what you're going to say. It's my fault; I know! I shouldn't have challenged the Bone God! I should have just kept my mouth shut and obeyed like a good mortal then I wouldn’t be worrying about whether or not I killed my husband. I wouldn’t be worrying that he hates me or his son will hate me!

“How can I go home? And Lasaro… He acts as if it’s just a trivial matter to sever one’s soul from their body and reattach it. I should be dead! He should have let me die!” she hissed.

“Why, because that would make it easier for you? You’d rather run away from your problems instead of facing them! You’re pushing your blame onto Lasaro who saved not only your life, but your husband’s as well.

“You are not a victim! Your husband is hurt and all you can think about is how bad you feel! You need to apologize to Lasaro and then you need to apologize to your husband.”

Sol looked stricken as she stared at me with wide eyes. I could see the tears glistening in them from the dim hallway light. She covered her face with her hands and began to shake from her quieted sobs. I wrapped my arms around her and held her.

I hummed and rocked her side to side just as I would for Rolan. I was now starting to see why the Mistress had not chosen Sol to be her champion. Who would choose a person that acted on their emotions instead of their knowledge? If Sol had been given a divine weapon, she probably would not hesitate to use it against someone she deemed a foe.

She pulled back from my embrace and wiped her face. “I’m sorry… I feel so frustrated. I want to see Vael… I want to apologize, but I’m afraid he won’t accept me.”

“Hush… You can’t control whether he forgives you, but you can control your future actions. Show him that you will be a better wife. Arno and I get into fights all the time. At times, I don’t even like him. We challenge each other, but, we try to understand each other.”

“What if we never do?”

I rapped my knuckles on her left shoulder. “Don’t think so negatively! If you both are trying, then it will work.”

Sol nodded and buried her face in my shoulder.

Morning came all too soon after our long night. Arno was up before dawn and putting on his armor when I woke up with a start. Normally I would wake with him, but I had spent the latter part of the night comforting Sol and making sure that Lasaro and Neara were comfortable in the kitchen. I felt guilty that I had invited such trouble into my home. Hopefully Arno would not hold it against me when all of this was over.

My husband leaned over the bed and planted a kiss on my forehead. “Go back to sleep, I was trying not to wake you,” he whispered. His warm breath tickled my cheeks and I smiled.

“O-kay…” I yawned as I grabbed his face and nuzzled his nose. “Love you.”

He kissed the tip of my nose before pulling away. “I love you too.”

He left the room, closing the door behind him with barely a sound. I stretched out on our bed and immediately fell asleep.

When I awoke once again the sun was shining through my small window on the left side of my bed. My limbs felt heavy and my eyelids ached from my exhaustion.

When was the last time I had stayed up so late? Was it when Rolan was an infant? What happened to the days where I could wake up after only two hours of sleep and still feel refreshed? Had motherhood changed me or was I getting older? How different would I be in five or ten years? My twenties were halfway gone, but I felt as if I hadn’t accomplished anything until now. I was the housewife who mended, cooked and aided. If it was not for my hair I would be nearly indistinguishable from the other wives and mothers of Locksin.

I pulled my braid out from under my shoulder and held it up to the light. Should I keep hiding it from the other women? It was easier to shrug off my eye color because it was once, but going from brown to white hair was concerning. Changes like this brought superstition.

Not many had seen Sol and I had kept them away from the house. If I were to show my hair now, they might think that Sol was the cause for it. Lasaro and Neara arriving did not help the situation either. It was vain of me to think that I could hide my hair forever. I could only blame myself for my predicament.

I rubbed my face with the rough palms of my hands then forced myself to sit up in the bed. I looked around the small room. It was big enough for a full sized bed flush against the left wall and corner, which was nearly too short for Arno’s height. There was a trunk at the end of the bed with extra bedding and a second one on the right side of the room in the corner for our clothing. A chair was next to the second trunk and that was where Arno usually kept his leather armor when he was home. Above that was shelf where I kept mementos and my combs.

It was to this shelf that I shuffled to and picked up a bone comb. I clumsily untied the ribbon at the end of my hair and began to comb through the crinkled locs.

“Come home my darling,

Come home my darling,

I lit a lantern for you by the sea,

We don’t need wishes, we don’t need wishes,

Just a strong boat, home and family,

The stars are shining,

The stars are shining,

I lit a lantern for you by the sea,

Do you see it my darling?

Do you see it my darling?

I lit it so you can find me…”

“You still sing that song?” Ryaa said. Startled I dropped the comb before I glared at him.

“Get out of my wall and act like a proper person!”

The rest of his body floated through the wall and moved to the right of me. “But I’m not a proper person anymore,” he said with a grin. I resisted the urge to smack him.

“Har har… Is anyone else haunting my room?”

“No, just the kitchen. Everyone else is still asleep. Dorotea is doing a circuit of the town to scout for danger. Since Geyser was attacked unexpectedly, she figured the same might happen here since more the Mistress’s servants are gather here.”

“All the more reason for us to leave sooner.”

“So you actually want to leave?” My brother crossed his arms and floated back a step.

I sighed and picked up my comb. “Yes... I do. I miss Wallow, and Naomi and just… Illuria. Artus may be its neighbor, but it’s different enough to make me homesick. They farm differently, they cook differently. Even the houses are different. When I saw someone with a tattoo on their hand I about fainted!”

Ryaa chuckled.

“That’s not funny!”

“You should see Waterfolk culture. They place their criminals in white robes and paint white designs on their skin. None of them wear shoes or underwear-”

“Why are you peeping on naked people?”

“Uh… It was…and accident?”

I felt my face flush with anger and slapped his cheek. I felt my hand connect and his skin flashed with blue light where my hand rested. I gasped and took a step back. “My hand…and your face.”

“Gods right your hand! That hurt woman,” Ryaa said clutching his cheek. “How come you can hit me, but not hug me?”

“Pfft… how should I know? You’re the dead one, go ask the Mistress.”

“If I could tell Dad…” Ryaa grumbled under his breath and floated through the wall. The shock of the incident was replaced by sadness. Ryaa would never get to speak to our father again.

I placed the comb back on the shelf then stripped out of my night gown. I rubbed clary sage oil over my body before putting on a faded green dress and tying an apron around my waist. I slipped on my sturdiest pair of shoes before leaving my room and entering the dining and living area. I turned right and entered the small hall that led to Rolan’s room and the kitchen.

I knocked on the door before opening it. Sol was still sleeping on the bedroll, but Rolan was up and dressed. He was staring at the Waterfolk woman while squatting beside her when I walked in. He jumped up and saluted me. “She hasn’t tried to hurt herself, Mama!”

I smiled and shook my head. “Thank you, Rolan,” I said. I took his small hand in mine and led him to the kitchen. “I actually have some new people for you to meet. In fact one of them is going to live with you for a while.”

“Really?”

“Yes, and they’re like you and Papa.”

Rolan’s eyes widened and he pulled on my arm as he jumped up and down. “Where are they? Where are they?”

“In the kitchen-” I began when he let go of my hand and dashed through the kitchen door. He paused abruptly and stared. I followed him into the room and found Neara sleeping on the cot while Lasaro lay on the floor holding her hand. The man’s eyes were open and he watched us silently before smiling gently.

“Good morning, Lady Melinde. This must be your son?” he said after he sat up.

I placed my hands on Rolan’s shoulders and nodded. “Yes, this is Rolan. He’s half Waterfolk.”

“Is that so?” Lasaro said in a soft voice. “It’s nice to meet you Lord Rolan. I am Eminence Lasaro, Illustrious of Nadir.”

“You’re a prince?” Rolan said excitedly.

“No, there is only one prince. I’m…a part of the royal family.”

“Oh, okay. Who is that?” my son said as he pointed to Neara. The girl had just started to stir and was smacking her lips. With a large yawn, she lifted her head from the cot and looked at first Lasaro then Rolan.

“Morning,” she said.

“Uh, morning!” Rolan shouted. “My name’s Rolan, what’s yours!”

“Uh…um… I’m… N-neara,” the little girl whispered.

“Do you have any friends? Do you want to be friends?”

“Rolan! She just woke up!”

My son flinched then hugged me. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay. Why don’t you help me get breakfast ready?” I lifted my head and looked at the other two. “Do any of you eat eggs and toast?”

“Whatever you serve will be fine,” Lasaro said. Neara nodded quietly behind him. I smiled brightly before grabbing the items I needed. Rolan helped me crack the eggs into a buttered pan while I lit the stove next to the fireplace. He then minded the pan while I sliced the bread and buttered it.

“Did you grow up here?” Lasaro asked.

“No, Arno and I moved here together before Rolan was born. We were running away from Illuria and North Hold,” I replied.

“I see, so your son is half Waterfolk, as you stated earlier.”

“We keep his Grace hidden so that no one suspects him. I don’t know how things are like in your hold, but in Illuria being half is a death sentence.”

“I’m sorry to say High Hold isn’t much better. I think it’s the mentality of our fathers and grandfathers. If they would just travel beyond the line and open their eyes… It took me years to change my views of Landwalkers.”

“You are a warrior?”

“I am.”

“Did you hate us?”

“I did, because I had been taught to. I would be the first to charge in a skirmish. I didn’t question my commander because I thought he was infallible.”

“What changed?”

“I was separated from my squad and wounded. I thought I was going to die when an old woman found me laying in the bushes. She managed to get me into her cart and drove me to her farm. I cursed her because I thought she was going to kill me, but she saved me instead.

“She bandaged my wounds, fed me, and when I was healed enough to walk, escorted me back to the Forbidden Line. I still keep in touch with her even now. None of my family knows about her, if they did they would probably try to use that information to seize power away from my younger sister.”

I placed the food into shallow wooden bowls while Rolan grabbed the plates and forks. “Why would your family take power away from your sister?” I asked.

Lasaro rose from the floor and took one of the bowls from my hand. “They hate us because we’re not pure-blooded nobles and our father favors me and my sister over them. My sister is to be the ruling noble of High Hold once my father passes and that’s something that they cannot stomach,” Lasaro said through gritted teeth. I touched his hand and tried to will happiness toward him. I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to say in this situation.

“Do you think she’ll be a good ruler?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Then tell them to eat dirt.”

He chuckled then raised the bowl. “Where do you want the food?”

“There’s a table in the room down the hall. You can place it there. Neara, can you help Rolan with the plates?”

“Yes, Ma’am,” the girl replied and took the plates from my son.

“Follow me!” Rolan shouted and dashed out of the room with the forks. I pinched the bridge of my nose.

“ROLAN NO RUNNING!” I shouted after him.

How many times did I need to tell him the same things? Thankfully I only had to worry about one of him. I heard the crash of a plate on the floor. Well, two of them now. I rushed out of the kitchen to find one of the plates splintered into pieces on the floor while Neara stared at it guiltily.

“I’m sorry Lady Melinde,” Neara said.

“Oh, it’s okay. As long as you’re not hurt. I’ll grab a broom.” I set the bowl on the table and bumped into Sol as I turned around. I hadn’t heard her behind me so I shrieked. “You scared me! Ryaa would do the same thing… I swear…”

I just want my house back, I thought as I cleaned up the mess and got everyone settled at the table. We ate our food in relative silence and then cleared the table.

“So, what are we doing today? I asked.

“I thought we would see if we could turn you into Waterfolk,” Sol said softly. I pressed my lips into a thin line and then nodded.

“Okay. I’ll draw a bath and we’ll try it in here,” I said. Went through the kitchen to the backyard where Arno kept a storage shed. I pulled our tin tub out and carried it on my shoulder into the house. I set it down in the middle of the living room and then dusted my hands.

“Do you need any help?” Sol asked as I started walking out of the room once more.

“Well… if you could carry the other bucket for me,” I replied. She followed me outside to the shed. I handed her one of the wooden buckets. “There’s a well just down the lane to the left. We will have to make a few trips to fill the tub.”

“Mm.”

Sol followed behind me as I walked two houses down to the well. I could see two women gathered there talking and taking turns filling up their buckets. I sighed as I realized that I was going to face them for the first time without my hair hidden. As we approached they looked at us with wide eyes.

“Melinde! Your hair!” cried Edda as she gripped the front of her blouse. I hated how dramatic she acted just for attention.

“Yes, I know. It’s been like this for a while now. Didn’t you wonder why I started wearing a scarf?” I said.

She shrugged and puckered her pink lips. “I just assumed that it was a fashion choice. You’re not from Artus after all.”

I guess being a foreigner had saved me some suspicion.

“Friends, this is Sol, she’s visiting from Illuria. I also have two other guests that will be staying with us. They’re Arno’s… cousins.”

“Oh, they’re not yours with the white hair?” Edda said.

“No, it’s a family tradition when there has been a death in the family,” Sol said quickly.

“Then why isn’t Arno’s hair white?”

“He’s the captain of the guard. Don’t you think that he would lose influence over his men if he actively participated in foreign traditions?”

“I…guess you’re right,” Sera said as she continued to haul up her bucket. “Who died?”

“My younger brother,” I replied bitterly. My chest ached for a moment before I saw the spirit of my brother behind the women making faces and rude gestures. I covered my smile with my hand and turned away. Sol embraced me and pretended to comfort me.

“I’m sorry for your loss. Why didn’t you tell us?” Sera replied.

“Because it was difficult to talk about,” I said once I was done laughing quietly. Ryaa had moved and was now pretending to stick his finger up Edda’s nose. I struggled to keep a straight face. Thankfully Sera finished drawing her water and had picked up her bucket.

“Well Sera and I have to go do our laundry. Come talk to us later,” Edda said. I nodded and waved goodbye before dropping my bucket unceremoniously on the ground.

“Ryaa! Do you need another smack?” I said with a chuckle.

“No! Besides, they can’t see me.”

I rolled my eyes and began lowering the bucket attached to the hoist that spanned the top of the circular well. I heard a distant splash, counted to twenty, and then began raising the bucket. “Don’t mind Edda and Sera. They’re gossips, but they’re harmless,” I said as I turned the crank. I was grateful that I was now stronger than before my transformation. Normally it took me to the count of 50 to raise a full bucket, now it was 30.

After we filled our buckets from the well we went back to the house, emptied them, and then repeated our steps. After the tub was full I looked at Sol expectantly.

“For this to work, you’ll need to borrow a Grace,” she told us. Lasaro borrowed my room and when he came back out he was holding his Grace in his hands. I took the soft garment in my hand. I was always surprised by how warm and light it always felt in my hands. No earthly material could ever come close to this divine fabric.

I draped my body in the Grace like a shawl.

“What next?”

“Climb into the water,” Sol said. I followed her directions. She then grabbed my arms and began to mumble under her breath. I struggled to hear what she was saying when there was a bright flash of light and I fell backwards into the tub. Water rose like a tsunami over the lip of the tub and crashed down onto the floor below. My head submerged and hit the bottom of the tub. I opened my mouth to cry out in pain when water rushed up my nose and down my throat in a burning current.

My arms flailed as I panicked with my wet hands slipping over soap residue left on the lip of the tub. I kicked down with my feet to find purchase, but it felt as if my legs were glued together. I swallowed water as I tried to scream. I felt hands grab my own and pull me forward. I coughed and vomited water over the side of the tub.

“What in the hells?” I cursed. I wiped water out of my eyes. “Did you try to drown me?” I looked down at my feet, or at least what used to be my feet. Fins and scales met my eyes. My underwear floated in the water beside my hip and I immediately grabbed it and sat on it. “It worked!”

I admired my new tail and ran my hands over the camouflage spots. I was Waterfolk now! I ran my hands over my flatter chest. This would take me a while to get used to, but if I was anything like normal Waterfolk my bust size would return to normal once I gained my legs. I looked at my ruined shoes; now I knew why Waterfolk didn’t wear shoes.

“I guess that means we’re swimming,” Sol said.

“Mama, you look beautiful!” Rolan said hugging me. “Daddy should see you!”

“Yes, yes,” I said as I unwrapped his arms from my throat. “When he gets home. For now, bring me a mop. I need to clean up this mess.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” Rolan said and scampered from the room. Neara followed him. I braced my forearms on the lip of the tub then rolled out of it with a thud.

“If one of you could grab the towels from my room?” I said expectantly.

“Sure,” Sol said and went into my bedroom. Lasaro knelt beside me, picked me up, and then placed me on a chair at the table.

“Thank you,” I said softly.

“We can practice swimming today, and then tomorrow we can leave for Illuria,” he said as he straightened up.

“Tomorrow…” I echoed. Would I really be leaving my son and husband behind? I didn’t want to go, not so soon. I felt the tears run down my cheeks as the excitement faded.