Page 114 of The Secret of Drulea Cottage
Nay, yer going to be fine!
Briony grabbed her own tail, clawing at the pelt she loved so dearly, desperate to make it separate from her human skin.
Her seal self had done all it could to save Santiago. The only hope he had left would be if she became human once more.
Though it felt like her soul was being ripped in half, Briony continued to pull the two skins apart. Soon she could see her feet pressed together within the skin. As she kept going, she felt the pelt slide away from her body, and with it, her human senses returned. Santiago’s blond hair, the blueness of the sea, the pale tone of her skin…black and white had transformed to colors once more.
Briony placed her mouth upon Santiago’s and breathed, just as she had done for Mr. McLaren earlier.One, two, three—
Water spewed from Santiago’s mouth in a sudden cough! He took a deep gasp of air, his chest heaving with the effort.
Briony, too, gasped in incredulous relief. She kissed Santiago’s mouth over and over in jubilation. “Yer alive! I thought I lost you. I thought I lost you.”
Santiago cracked his eyes open, and when he saw who leaned over him, a brilliant, exhausted smile came over his face.
Briony smiled back at him, reaching for his hand and interlocking their fingers.
“I thought I was gone too. But you saved me. Again,” he wheezed.
Then Santiago’s eyes drifted downward, and his expression changed from happiness to shock. Within a second, he pulled his hand away and put it over his eyes, his cheeks redder than Mr. Burgess’s hair. “Briony, y-you’re…” He gestured blindly toward her body.
Briony’s eyes widened, and her cheeks flamed up in embarrassment. She picked up her sealskin and wrapped it around herself. “I’m so sorry! I… I can explain that! You-You can open yer eyes now.”
Santiago slowly removed his hand, though the pinkness in his face remained. Briony helped him up into a sitting position, and he immediately turned his head from side to side, searching. “Where’s Niall?”
Briony couldn’t say the words, so she simply shook her head.
Santiago sighed and looked away. “I don’t understand. Why would he do any of this? Why did he try to kill you? And what happened to that seal in the water? And Mr. McLaren! Is he—”
“He’s gone.”
Santiago ran both hands down his face. “What is going on, Briony? None of this makes sense. You realize that, right?”
“Aye, I’m well aware o’ that. I’ll tell you everything. I just don’ know where to start…”
Santiago waited patiently, giving her the chance to explain. His face was full of confusion, but despite that, she could see the trust in his eyes.Whatever I tell him now, he will believe me.
Except the problem is na so much whether he believes me or na. The problem is whether he will still want me after he knows everything.
“Before I tell you, there’s one thing I want you to know. And that’s this: I love you. Please remember that after you’ve heard all there is to hear.”
Santiago’s quick intake of breath made her heart pick up its pace. She watched as another smile overtook his face, starting at the corners of his lips and spreading out until he was almost glowing.
Before she knew it, he was leaning forward and lifting his fingers to her cheek. He held them there so tenderly, just barely touching skin to skin. Lightning pulsed through her where they made contact, igniting her entire being with energy and heat.
“You don’t know how long I’ve wanted to hear you say that. I—”
Briony pulled back, shutting her eyes tightly. “Don’ say anything more. Na until you’ve heard the whole story. Otherwise, I might na be able to tell you.”
Santiago didn’t speak for a few seconds, and Briony instantly regretted her words. But she knew she was in danger of losing her nerve. She needed to tell him now while she still could.
“Aye. If that’s…what you want.” The soft response was so sad, so solemn.
Briony opened her eyes, but she couldn’t look Santiago’s way as she spoke. “Thank you. The truth is, I’m na all you think I am. And Niall, he was… He was like me. Where yer from, you may na know the stories or what the wordselkiemeans…”
Briony looked up at this point, but there was no recognition in Santiago’s eyes. He was still waiting for her to explain it in a way he could understand.
She swallowed thickly before inching her right foot toward him.
