The Mermaid's Mirror

Chapter 44

You feel like an outsider in both worlds.

Lena swam ahead of Lorelei and Havfine, those words as painful as the sting of a jellyfish. She didn't even try to Cloud her mind, so the source of her agitation was clear to Lorelei and Havfine.

When she could no longer tell which direction was the right way home, Havfine took the lead, touching her shoulder as he passed by. Lorelei stayed by Lena's side but did not attempt to speak to her. Instead she hummed a wordless melody that somehow calmed Lena's thoughts.

As they reached the village, Lena saw Merrow and Amphitrite dining with several of their grandchildren. She saw Fossegrim playing his flute, leading a number of children in a wiggly dance around the circle of stones. She saw her mother sitting with Nereus and Iona and another mermaid—she thought her name might be Sedna—sipping kelp juice while they talked.

I want to belong here, she thought.

Nereus glanced up and saw them. "Ah, the wanderers return."

Melusina turned and smiled. "Hello, Selena. Did Lori and Hav show you many sights today?"

"Yes," said Lena. "I'm very grateful to them. They would have traveled much faster without me." She looked at her cousin and Havfine, and said simply, "Thank you."

Then a pair of strong hands encircled her waist, pulling her back against his chest, and Nix said, "I have missed you, my Selena. Will you dine with me? I must return to my patrol before long."

Lena turned to face him. She did not feel like an outsider when she was in Nix's arms. She pressed close to him. "I love you, Nix," she said. "I want to stay here with you."

Surprised by her vehemence, Nix did not answer at first. Then he kissed her and murmured, "I am glad to hear it. You know that my heart is in thrall to you."

Tears sprang to her eyes, and Lena could not speak. She pressed Nix's warm hand against her own heart.

"Tomorrow," said Nix. "Let us stand in the circle before the whole of the village and declare that we belong to each other." He kissed her lips, and her cheeks, and her forehead.

"Yes," said Lena. "Is it ... like a promise?"

"It is a promise, my love. But tonight," he continued, "let us dine together, then I will rest with you until you fall asleep. I will surface, then I will complete my turn as patrol. And tomorrow we will be together." His thumb traced the curve of her cheek.

They ate quickly, more focused on each other than their food. Lena sat close enough to Nix that her leg was touching his strong tail, and their hands kept seeking one another, fingers twining briefly before slipping away.

Lena did not return to the cave for the Riven that night.

"I want to be alone with you," she told Nix, and he led her to a little-used sleeping cave at the farthest edge of the village, near the kelp forest. Perhaps the others saw them enter together, because no one followed.

They lay wrapped around each other, sighing wordless songs of love, until Lena fell asleep.