Salt & Stone: A Water Elemental Novel & Mermaid Fantasy (The Siren's Curse Book 1)

by A. L. Knorr

  “You have photos of us?” Getting out of my chair, I went closer to the candid shot of me and Martinius. Whoever had snapped the image had taken it while we’d been saying goodbye at the airport. He was holding my hand and smiling as the wind picked up my hair and blew it away from my face. In my hand was the envelope he’d just given me, the one containing the translated excerpt from his ancestor’s diary––concerning Sybellen herself and the years leading up to the night The Sybellen had gone missing.

  Reading Aleksandra’s diary had been an emotional experience for me, and it had made me feel closer to the Novak family. Even though we weren’t related, the fact that Sybellen was a siren tied me and my mother to the Novaks in a powerful way. Martinius’s great-great-great-grandmother never knew what Sybellen was, but what she’d written about Sybellen’s behavior had been more than enough proof for me. The Novaks had siren blood, and now, Mom and I had inherited their legacy. I had to admit, there was a sense of poetic justice about it.

  Below the photo of Martinius and me was a caption written in Polish, but my name was there, written as ‘Targa MacAuley-Novak.’

  “What does this say?” I asked Hanna, pointing to the Polish caption.

  From her seat, Hanna steepled her fingers and smiled. “A long-lost daughter comes home.”

  Tears pricked my eyes and I looked away from Hanna. I hadn’t expected that the new CEO of Novak really believed Martinius’s claim that Mom and I were family, but it seemed she did.

  The photo beside the one of Martinius and me was of my mother in her salvage gear. It was also candid, taken while she was talking with the dive team on the deck of The Brygida, their salvage vessel. She looked to be deep in discussion with Simon and Jozef, the weather-worn but handsome fellow she’d said goodbye to in a familiar way (out of character for my mother). They’d hugged, and my mother never hugged anyone except for me, my girlfriends, and Antoni.

  She hadn’t said much about Jozef since then, but I hadn’t been imagining the connection between them. She’d admitted she’d felt something for him, but she cut me off whenever I had prodded for more. I glanced at my mother, relieved to see that normal color had returned to her face. She gazed at the photograph of her and Jozef, her expression closed.

  There was no caption beneath the photo other than the date and a short phrase. I was able to translate the phrase as something to the effect of ‘on board The Brygida.’ My mother’s name had been written ‘Mira MacAuley-Novak.’ ‘Simon Nicholls’ and ‘Jozef Drakeif’ were listed behind hers. Drakeif? What kind of last name was that? It sure didn’t seem Polish to me, based on all the Polish names I’d been exposed to.

  “It must have come as quite a shock to you to learn of your true heritage,” Hanna commented from her desk. “It was quite a shock to us.”

  “I’m sure,” my mother murmured as I returned to the chair beside hers.

  “What did Martinius tell you about us?” I asked.

  “Simply that you are his only living relatives and that you came from Sybellen’s side of the family, of which there is almost no record.”

  “You had no trouble believing him?” my mother asked.

  Hanna’s dark eyebrows lifted a little, wrinkling her normally smooth forehead. Suddenly she laughed, as though the very idea of not believing Martinius was preposterous. “I have been part of this company for longer than you’ve been alive,” she said to me, “and Martinius and I were friends for even longer. I would put more faith in something Martinius told me, even with no evidence to back it up, than a whole panel of people I didn’t know who had reasons to believe otherwise.”

  Mom and I shared a startled look and I thought I could read her thoughts. We’d been expecting skepticism and resistance, but instead we were accepted as Martinius’s bonafide heirs. It was baffling given that there really was no proven family connection between us.

  “Shall we move on with the agenda?” Marian prompted.

  “Let us do that,” Hanna said, in that way that ESL speakers had of being technically proper. She glanced at me and I noticed that her eyes matched her suit, a light dove gray. “If you agree, I’d like to arrange a weekly meeting between you and me, as well as one between you and Marian. You and I will go over the important points about the company, whatever is the most valuable for you to know, as the owner.” She nodded at Marian. “Then Marian can give you the company’s background and history in detail. I think it is important for you to know the Novak story, because one day you might wish to work in some capacity. You may even want to take the position of CEO if you find yourself so motivated.”

  “I don’t think that will ever happen. I can’t imagine I would ever do a better job than you,” I said, biting my cheek against a smile. The very idea was hilarious. “But I like the idea of meeting with you both. I’m interested to learn as much as I can.”

  “Good.” Marian smiled and a dimple appeared in her cheek. “But we don’t discount any possibility for the future. Agreed?”

  “Agreed.”

  “You have your high school schedule settled? I understand you started a bit late?”

  “I did, but it’s going steadily now, with a slight blip as we prepared to move here.”

  “Excellent. You’ll have to speak to our lawyer about the Novak family trust, but I know there is money set aside for post-secondary education, such as you’d like to pursue it.”

  I blinked and stared at her. The surprises had not ceased. “Really?”

  “Yes, any school you would like. Do you have any particular one in mind? Any line of study?”

  I hadn’t thought that far ahead, and suddenly felt very ill-prepared, not just for this meeting, but for my future.

  “I’m not sure,” I replied, hoarsely, and felt Mom’s hand on my shoulder.

  I had thought that I would probably go to Dalhousie, in Halifax, or perhaps a local college near Saltford, maybe take a general arts program to start with since math and science weren’t my strong suit. I’d always preferred history, English, geography, and the arts. But now, I could go anywhere. I had decent grades, and with the help of Akiko I had pulled my math and science courses up to B’s and maintained A’s in all other subjects—if by the skin of my teeth in social sciences and world religions.

  Perhaps she sensed the borderline panic in my glazed expression because Hanna then said, “You don’t need to make a decision right this minute. But in the new year it might be good to discuss some options with an academic advisor.” She leaned back and put her hands in her lap. “I’m not interested in becoming involved in your personal life,” she said, “but let me be clear that I will become involved should I sense any activities that might potentially be a threat for the company.”

  “What does that mean?” Mom didn’t sound quite as alarmed as I felt by that statement, but close.

  Hanna’s voice softened. “I simply mean that because you are now the owner, and we are on-boarding you, so to speak, this is a fragile time in the company’s history. This year will be defining, for the company and for both of you. We will need some time to learn how you are.”

  I still didn’t totally understand what she meant, but her tone was not threatening, and there was something about Hanna that I liked, something that I trusted. I nodded, not sure what else to say.

  We talked about the schedule and selected some days and times that worked for all of us, before moving on to the matter of the staff at the manor.

  “I don’t know if you noticed, but we cut back on the staff at the Novak manor since Martinius’s death, including the security at the front gate. It now operates by a remote, which Adam will make sure you have.”

  “I thought it seemed quieter than before,” Mom said.

  Hanna nodded. “It is, but now that you’re here, you can decide if you’d like to bring any positions back.”

  “I don’t think we need any staff at the house, really,” I said impulsively.

  There was a moment of silence while Hanna and Marian took this i
n. “With all due respect, some of those staff members have served Novak for a long time. It is old fashioned in your view, perhaps, but the manor used to employ a permanent staff of a dozen, plus casuals when we had a lot of guests, such as when you were here with The Bluejackets. We’ve cut the staff down by half, meaning those let go had to seek employment elsewhere. Are you certain you want to do all of the cooking and the cleaning yourself? Not to mention the maintenance of the gardens and the house? The yards are extensive…”

  “It’s okay,” I said, holding up my hand to stop her as I realized my error. “We’re just not used to being waited on, or living in a house of this size. We’ll be happy to keep the staff that is left.”

  She nodded, satisfied. “Good, because I think you’ll find that you’re going to be quite busy between school, our weekly meetings, and various events and meetings throughout the year.”

  “More meetings?”

  “I think it would be a good idea for you to attend our quarterly board meetings as well as our annual general meeting. If you find in the future that you simply have no interest in the company, then we can arrange to have you as a silent owner.” She spread her palms up. “Totally hands off.”

  I nodded, although I wasn’t sure about anything yet.

  She gave me a serious look, one I thought was laced with nostalgia. “If you’re anything like the stock you come from, you’ll want to be involved up to your neck. Novaks are a very ambitious lot.”

  “What about Mira?” I asked, aching to get the spotlight off me after that rather pointed discussion.

  Hanna’s sharp, intelligent gaze landed on my Mom. “I understand you’ve chosen to retire from the salvage business? True?”

  “It’s true. I’m a little burnt out by the industry, if I’m honest,” replied my mother, resting her hands on the arms of her chair confidently.

  “If that is the case, then the salvage company can remain as is. We have a good team, and the company does well as one of our subsidiaries. If you ever change your mind and wish to become involved, just let me know.”

  Mira gave a nod. “I will. In the meantime, I’ll support my daughter in the transition to European life, and in finishing her final year of high school.”

  This seemed to satisfy Hanna, but it made me feel like my mouth was full of sawdust. It was only a matter of time before my mother went to sea for her salt-cycle, and what would we tell people then? More importantly, how would I cope without her? I hoped her departure was still years away.

  The rest of the meeting involved signing some documents and adding the board meeting dates into the schedule. When this was done, Hanna laid her hands on the desk and straightened.

  “Very good. Are you ready to meet the board?”

  We agreed and stood to follow Marian. She reached for the door handle but then stopped and turned to address Mom.

  “I forgot to ask—one of the local museums here in Gdansk is curated by a lovely fellow by the name of Abraham Trusilo. He is looking to secure permission to feature the artifacts taken from The Sybellen in the spring. May I tell him he can borrow them?”

  Mom blinked once vacantly as though she’d forgotten that the artifacts belonged to her, then registered understanding. “Of course. Please tell him he can. Any questions regarding the artifacts can also be answered by Targa; I’d like her to have control of them as well.”

  “Wonderful!” Marian scribbled in her portfolio. “I’ll make a note of that and arrange a time for his team to come by the manor and collect the pieces they need.”

  We followed Marian into the bright hall and crossed to the other side of the building, Hanna following behind. Marian held open the door to a boardroom from which the buzz of casual conversation could be heard. Hanna walked past us and entered the room; we followed her. All conversation ceased immediately.

  “Antoni!” I gasped, unable to stop myself.

  He’d been standing by a small bureau where a coffee pot gurgled as it brewed next to a stack of cups. He’d been facing one of his colleagues and turned as we’d entered.

  His cheeks reddened and he raised the coffee cup in his hand to salute me. “Hello, Targa. Nice to see you again.”

  I had to fight back the urge to leap across the boardroom table and fly into his arms, covering his face with kisses. The aloof tone in his voice and his carefully blank expression was the only thing that held me back. I had forgotten that Antoni was sensitive to how he was perceived by his colleagues—of course he wouldn’t want to greet me affectionately.

  “You, too,” I murmured.

  Mom poked me in the side and I thought I could feel her shaking from stifled laughter.

  “Some of you will remember Mira and Targa MacAuley-Novak from the summer dive project and the party,” Hanna said. “And all of you are aware that they’ve completed the big move from Canada and will resume life here in Gdansk.”

  I could hardly tear my eyes away from Antoni’s face. It was only when Hanna began introducing the men and women in the boardroom that I forced myself to focus.

  “This is Earnest Jurak, our CFO.” Hanna gestured to a short, red-faced man in a suit that was a little too small for him.

  “Pleasure to meet you, Miss Novak.” His hand was cool and soft.

  “And this is Hilary Osetek, head of mergers and acquisitions. ”

  I shook five more hands until we came to Antoni, finally.

  “You remember Antoni, of course.” Hanna put a hand on his arm.

  Antoni’s hazel eyes met mine and a smile curved his generous mouth as my palm slid against his. He was as beautiful and enticing as I remembered him to be, and my fingers trembled.

  “Congratulations on your promotion,” I said.

  “Thank you.” He released my hand and it felt cold and bereft. “How are you settling in?”

  I became aware that everyone in the room was watching us. “Great, thank you. Will we be seeing you later?”

  A tinge of color revisited his cheeks and crept up from the collar of his shirt. “I… I’m sure we’ll see each other around.”

  Hanna was introducing us to the remaining board members but I kept one ear on Antoni as he chatted quietly with my mom before she moved on to the next person.

  After the introductions, the meetings were over and Hanna released us for the day as she and Marian joined the team for a meeting. I’d been hoping Antoni and I could slip away somehow for a proper hello, but he was needed in the meeting too.

  As Marian led us away from the boardroom I looked back through the glass walls and found the top of Antoni’s head. He looked up and caught my eye just briefly and I smiled at him.

  “Miss you,” I mouthed.

  He’d already looked down again but not before I caught the smile on his face.

  4

  A knock on my suite’s door came while I was hanging the beautiful teal mermaid dress Antoni had given me. It was one of the few things that had survived the destruction of our trailer because I had taken it over to Georjie’s house to show her. She told me she’d steam the wrinkles out of it. I left it in her hands, which had saved it from ruin. It had wrinkles in it once again from its journey back across the ocean, but it was in one piece and could be made to look as good as new again.

  Going to the door, I found Adalbert, Sera’s husband, in the hall. I was happy to find I did remember his face from my last visit. Finally, someone I didn’t have to be reintroduced to.

  “Oh hello, Adalbert!”

  “Lovely to see you again, Targa. Welcome home. Antoni Baranek is downstairs waiting to see you. I’m sorry I didn’t use the intercom, I had to come up anyway.”

  My heart leapt. “No worries. Thank you.”

  I left the suite and went down the main staircase to find Antoni still in his business attire, standing in the foyer.

  He opened his arms and I flew into them. He kissed the side of my face and picked me up off the ground, crushing me against his chest. It felt so good to be held by him again, it felt lik
e home, and the thought startled me.

  Setting me down, he cradled my face in his hands and kissed me properly, softly and sweetly.

  I couldn’t help but smile when we separated. “Finally, a proper hello.”

  “Finally. Welcome home,” he said, kissing me again. “I know it’s late but I didn’t want to wait to see you. We’re working long hours at the moment as we’re nearing the fiscal year end. I wish I still had the suite here, but that perk ended when I took my new position, and I can’t stay, as I have an early start tomorrow.”

  My expression fell. “You tease.”

  I’d save the convincing him to move back in when we had more time to be alone.

  He gave a lopsided grin. “I know, I’m sorry. I can be back tomorrow evening around nine, if that works for you?”

  “Nine?” I fought the urge to stick out my bottom lip. “So late?”

  “I have a hockey game tomorrow night.”

  I brightened. “Why don’t I come and watch? We can leave the rink together?”

  “Really?” He looked delighted and bemused at the same time by this idea. “You’d really want to come watch me and a bunch of overgrown boys shoot a rubber thing around the ice for two hours?”

  “Of course! You know it’s Canada’s sport? I got to see my dad play a couple times when I was little. I liked it, I would love to see you play!”

  “All right, then. I have to be at the rink early and right after work. Can you get Adam to bring you?”

  “I’m sure I can.”

  “Why don’t you invite Mira to come, too?”

  I said I would and we kissed one another good night. Dashing up the stairs to my mom’s suite, I knocked on her door. When there was no answer, I went in.

  “Mom?”

  The suite was empty but I found a doodle on a piece of paper on the end of her bed. Picking it up, I smiled at the drawing. The message was for me and me alone, and it couldn’t have been more clear. The doodle was of a little fish swimming in waves with a smile on its face, meaning: I’ve gone to the Baltic for a swim.