He’d forced his hands to release her, forced his body to creep back into the shadows. Doubled over in agony, he crawled back to the marshes, disappearing under the water. He healed there, but when he emerged, he was different, changed. If he were to meet Edythe again, she wouldn't know who he was.
Now when he came out of the water, he was no longer the pale, scaled creature he'd been. The darkness inside him was reflected in his scales. It started with just a patch of blackness, still iridescent, reminding Linc of the lava that hardened when spilling from undersea volcanoes. When the light hit him just right, they reflected the sun, and he could see in places he’d turned a deep green.
The darkness began to creep over his body. First a patch on his shoulder, then it moved to his back, across his shoulders, and down his other arm. Now, the only part of him untouched was the skin on his face, finally healed fifteen years after his scales were pulled off.
He told no one what had happened to him, but they guessed. Worse, they discovered he had a mate, and so they watched him carefully, waiting for him to show signs of madness.
The curious, confident male he'd been was replaced with a moody, short-tempered beast. One who spent more and more time lurking in the marsh or creeping up the sand dunes out of the sea. He returned many times to the neighborhood where Edythe had lived, but she never returned. The pain in his chest never lessened, but he grew used to it. He came to believe as long as he felt the pain, she was still alive somewhere, still connected to him. He long ago gave up hoping she'd return. In truth, he didn't want her to. He'd had his chance to prove his worth.
And then there was his mind. He couldn't trust he wasn't crazed. He had moments of darkness so deep that days passed before he became aware of himself.
He merely existed. Alone, shunned, but still too proud to end his pathetic life, and missing Edythe so much that he wished sometimes he’d never met her. Because then he’d never have known what it was like to live without her.
Chapter Three
Edythe Carson resisted the urge to tuck her short blonde hair behind her ears and blow her bangs out of her face. She gripped the podium with both hands and leaned forward, staring at each member of the planning commission.
“The saltwater marsh is essential to protecting the coast. I understand that tourism drives this town’s economy, and that you believe the site to be perfect for a hotel, but if you fill in the marsh, the next time we have a super storm or a hurricane, there will be no buffer between the sea and the town.”
She intercepted a few glances between the committee members and resisted the urge to stomp her foot and demand they listen to her.
“Miss—”
“Doctor,” Edythe interrupted.
“Dr. Carson,” the chairperson corrected. “We understand your opinion.” She held up the thick document Edythe had submitted as evidence against filling in the marshes. “We’ve read it, and we appreciate the time you took away from your lab to come here and voice your opinion.”
She could feel the brush-off coming. The big but discounting everything she said, and putting the town on a path where all the natural beauty was eclipsed by high-rise hotels and casino boats.
“But,” the chairperson went on, pushing her glasses up on her nose. “We must balance the good of the town against the marshes. The marsh, as you pointed out, stretches for ten miles. The section of marsh Sunrise Hotels proposed filling is merely half of that.”
“It doesn’t take into account infrastructure!” Edythe argued. “Roads, run-off, drainage, seawalls, breakwaters. All of those things change the ecosystem. It’s five marsh miles, but what about the road to get there? What about parking?”
A buzzer sounded, indicating her time to speak was over. She noticed the chairperson sighing with relief as she leaned back in her chair, but Edythe wasn’t done. “Your town will not be the same if you allow this hotel to be built. I promise you, you’ll come to regret it.”
“Are you threatening us, Dr. Carson?” A man who’d gone unnoticed by her leaned forward in his chair, steepling his fingers and watching her with interest.
She shook her head, tucking her staticky hair behind her ear quickly. “No. Of course, not. I am merely warning you of the ecological disaster that awaits—”
“The buzzer sounded, Dr. Carson. Your turn is over. Please step aside, or Deputy Minor will remove you.”
“Wait”—she saw the county sheriff, a stocky, sweaty, anxious-looking man, start toward her so she held up a hand to ward him off—“Just listen.”
“Deputy.” The man gestured with his fingers toward Edythe. The deputy stepped forward eagerly, clearly excited the boring planning commission hearing generated a problem for him to solve.
“This way, Miss Carson.”
“Doctor,” Edythe said under her breath, but she gathered her things. She barely had time to stuff them in her bag before the deputy grasped her arm and pulled her away from the podium. “Hey!”