on the Beach

The siren Aurora sent her most trusted mermaid guard to escort us out of the deep sea, her silver tail cutting through the dark waters as she guided us past jagged reefs and swirling currents. When we finally breached the surface, the fresh air hit my face—sharp with salt and the faint scent of pine from the distant shore—and Black Wolf Baker and I waded onto the beach, our legs unsteady from weeks underwater. The sun had just risen from the calm sea level, painting the sky in streaks of pink and gold, its warm light glinting off the wet sand beneath our feet. It was exactly like the scene where we first arrived here, all those months ago—before the lies, the betrayal, and the battle with the siren clan.   Black Wolf Baker and I stood there for a long moment, looking at each other in silence. There was no need for words; we’d been through too much together—near-death experiences, stolen moments of passion, and the weight of past mistakes—and our eyes said everything. I could see the re