Page 21 of Buoy
Only the surge of water surrounding him brought his consciousness back properly. The deeper he sank, he breathed in water to force the gills at his neck to surface faster. He choked, gasping for breath his lungs couldn’t take until finally his gills flared and he drank in the ocean.
Vex sat in a rowboat above him. Soren often thought of tipping it over, but decided the consequences wouldn’t be worth it. Not if Soren wanted to live.
He was tethered to said rowboat with a spelled chain around his waist. If he tried to take it off, it constricted until it was strangling him so much he couldn’t breathe, let alone move. The chain barely gave him the length he needed. He pushed deeper, waiting for his shift to complete.
All he needed was a proper swim. Water through his gills. He’d be fine. His eyes stung until his second eyelid slid into place. His fingers and nails elongated to claws, blue scales rolled up to his elbows. Thin webbing stitched his fingers together. Finally, his legs fused and a sapphire blue tail fanned out behind him.
He was glad Vex didn’t send him out with Kane, but he was desperate enough anyone would have been better than slowly dying, unable to breathe.
Soren swam in slow half-hearted circles while his body acclimated to its preferred element. The surge of water through his gills always soothed him. It felt more natural than breathing air.
He was angry at such a close call, he could have suffocated on the cabin floor. Then what? Soren puffed out a laugh, sending bubbles to the surface. Vex would just throw him over the side of the ship and find another mer. Why he hadn’t already done so, Soren wasn’t sure.
The inevitable tug of the chain forced him from his thoughts and to the rowboat. With one last breath of saltwater, he surfaced and clung to the rowboat’s side.
Like other shifter types, it was quick and easy to shift back to his human self. A moment’s thought and he had legs again and his mer traits receded. But waiting for his lungs to force the water from them was always agonizing. He spewed what seemed like the entire ocean. It was the worst part of being mer. When he’d gotten it all out and could breathe properly through human lungs again, he crawled back into the boat.
Vex tossed him a shirt to dress, then threw the oars at him. “Good?”
“For now.” Soren’s voice was rough. He’d be fine for a few more days, but he needed a proper couple of hours of swimming. He pulled on the overlarge shirt, letting it pool around him.
“Good. You’re on inventory with Ash. If you get it all done before noon, you can spend the rest of the day with your dragon. But if you can’t, you don’t get to see him for the rest of our time here. Understand?”
Dropping his shoulders, Soren nodded. There was no way they’d get the inventory done before noon.
Vex leaned over and lifted his chin. “Never fucking ask for Kane to do this for you. Never. I don’t want you alone with him. Not yet. Understand?”
“What would you have done if I were dead when you found me? Do you know other mer? What—”
Vex’s slap rang out. “Do not talk back to me. You just lost your dock privileges.”
Soren bit his tongue, but couldn’t hold back. “Then tell me what it is you hope to accomplish with whatever this magic is Kane told me about. What—”
Vex’s hand wrapped around Soren’s neck. He held his breath, but Vex didn’t squeeze, he just wanted to scare him. “You’ll stop asking questions. Row.”
RHYS (AGE 15)
Rhys didn’t want to go back to the academy without seeing Soren one last time. Without telling him how he felt. He watched Soren every time he saw him on deck, doing whatever it was he did. Rhys didn’t know the various jobs on a ship.
He stayed hidden since Soren had said he didn’t want the crew knowing about their friendship. But it was his last day home, and Rhys was desperate to see him again.
Rhys had noticed a few of the local taverns wheeling barrels on board, and he ducked into a tavern to ask about helping for the day. They agreed and showed him where the order was and where to take it. They all knew who Rhys was and trusted him to do a good job. And he would. But his priority was seeing Soren.
He wheeled his cart right up to The Golden Drake, looked up at the massive mast in the center, then pushed up the gangplank like he was supposed to be there. And technically, he was. Working with the taverns and all. He kept his eyes out for Soren, but not finding him. Not until he was directed down to the storage hold. He was lifting the third barrel when he finally saw Soren as he was going back up to the deck. Soren’s eyes were so wide upon almost running into him.
Rhys had to contain a laugh. “Found you.”
“You can’t be here,” Soren whispered, and pulled him back into the storage hold. “What are you doing?”
“I had to see you again.”
Soren only stared at him, mouth open. He blinked. Confused. Adorable. “You did?” Another whisper.
“I wanted to make sure you were okay. Are you?” Damn it, Rhys, just say the words. I. Love. You.
“I. I don’t know. Yes. Yeah, I’m fine.”
“Soren. I—”
