Salt Shaken

by Winnie Winkle

  Bubbles and hisses swirled from the mob of mer.

  “In this place,” Poseidon continued, “legs make you prey, and those who avoid the hungry, die a slow death of starvation. You allowed yourselves to be fooled, believing that a reset creates balance, a lie with consequences.”

  “We want respect for the ocean that feeds us all,” a female mer stood at the foot of the god, shaking. “Humans befoul everything they touch.”

  “Says who?” Poseidon eyed her. “Gaia? She’s freed her children and they are all working to restore the damages. But you,” he gestured, moving water to cover the grounded mer with silt, “chose violence and deceit. My seas swirl, sickened, but redemption beckons. Instead of helping to heal, the mer aligned behind chaotic warfare. Those are the choices of fools, a race that declines a seat at the table.”

  “We are the unseen! None know of us and treat our home like a garbage dump! Why should the mer bend to careless ignorance?”

  “Why? Who better to shepherd knowledge of the depths? I watched the mer help, only to resort to deviance when no eyes were upon them. Yours is a race the world should mistrust; you earned no other reaction.”

  Another mer, a male, edged forward. “I guarded your home with my life, and never once did you thank me. Mistrust cuts both ways. I dwell as a free being, not under the heel of any god.”

  Poseidon glared at him. “Who is the killer of my daughter? You of all mer should know. This is your last opportunity to save your race. Choose your fates.”

  Qiton pushed through the group and stood in front of Poseidon. “Your daughter lived, and Gaia misled the mer. Why exact vengeance when your Keeper’s purpose is peace?”

  Poseidon eyed him in silence. The mer shuffled in unease as sharks circled, held back by Phorkys, who floated amongst them, observing. Keto shimmered into view next to her husband and crooked a finger at Poseidon.

  “Perhaps a mediator would help?” Keto eased into the group of mer and placed herself between Qiton and the god. “Destroying an entire race because they tried to destroy a different one isn’t the best solution.”

  “I am the god of the sea, and those who dwell here will accept that or perish,” Poseidon’s hair flowed in unending swirls, a serene counterpoint to his stubborn tone.

  “The realm is yours, but time matters when defusing missions of temper. Until you understand the reason to anger, vanquishing is premature.”

  Poseidon wagged a finger, and the mer faded, no longer able to hear, as Keto put her hands on her hips.

  “You must sit and talk with them, because being a hard ass is the wrong approach. We’ve all lost children, and you were lucky enough to see your child returned to life. Take that gratitude and use it to reach the mer, who lost many in Gaia’s manipulation and grieve for lost loves and their community. They have purpose in the balance, too.”

  “Give me the one who betrayed me. As for the rest, I will listen to their pleas.”

  “An eye for an eye will set this back eons. How long can a child of yours avoid the sea? Hmm? Set the example and observe whether the mer punish their own. This is a crossroads, Poseidon. You need to choose if you too are Triune.”

  “This negotiation crap suits you.”

  “I’ve had several millennia to think. Now I’m grateful to act.”

  “OK, Kid, here’s your work bible,” I shoved the copy of The Joy of Mixology toward Parker. “Read it twice tonight. You’ll start tomorrow morning behind the human bar; we’re reopening for breakfast, so Bloody Mary’s, beers, and mimosas are mainstays. Ian agreed to train you, so stay sharp; he’s good and you can learn beyond the pours and the POS. He’ll show you how to make it fun and earn mad cash. Remember, our task is to keep both Boogies rolling.”

  “OK, Patra.” He stuffed the book in the small of his back.

  “You’ll continue to study the record, but prioritize this for the next few months. Glenna will handle The Boogey.”

  “Why not Chelsea? What are you planning to do?”

  “Travel. Chelsea and I head to New York first. I’m supposed to address the United Nations and explain the state of the three worlds. Poseidon may have oversold my power, but I’ll give it a shot.”

  Parker eyed my shorts and snickered. “Do you even own a suit?”

  “Ha! Not yet, but it’s a shopping type of day. I’m buying a bigger condo, too. Plan on moving into my old one once I find something suitable. There’s magic in place to shift the ownership to you. You’re the proud owner of a fat bank account.”

  “Me, own a beachfront condo? Are you for real?”

  “Part of the perks of being a Keeper, Kid. Just try not to die.”

  “Holy shit.”

  “Ballard, what does it mean when you’re an original?” Aegeus asked.

  “Your mom is the expert, but I believe it means that throughout time, our energies created love together, because Eros originally paired us to love each other.”

  “Does that mean I’m original too?”

  “You are loved, Aegeus. Beyond that, I don’t know the answer.”

  She scratched Justice under her chin, smiling at the outsized purr.

  “I miss Daddy.”

  Ballard shifted to face her. “I’m sure you do, and it will be harder when you haven’t seen him for weeks, but your mom wants to care for you. And I’m here to help you both be happy.”

  “Does that make you happy?”

  “More than anything in all the worlds.”

  “Mommy says we have to move.”

  “For us and Justice to be comfortable and safe, we need a bigger place, but we’ll stay on the ocean. You’ll see the sea every morning, I promise.”

  “Daddy said I can’t swim or see the creatures in the oceans. They’re my friends, and it makes me sad.”

  “Justice is your friend; you aren’t alone. And we can use the pool. It’s small, but it’s wet.”

  “Is that the little blue pond below the balcony?”

  “That’s right. No mer live in the pools, so swimming is safe.”

  “OK. Are you going to stay with us always?”

  Ballard tapped her nose. “This is my spot, Kiddo. I’m here for the duration.”

  “Do we have an accord?” Keto met the gaze of each of the mer’s leaders.

  “In exchange for a return to our natural selves and autonomy to self govern, we will push the plastic and filth from the sea to the shore for the humans, accept the leadership of Poseidon, and enter the Triune,” Qiton answered.

  “And you?” Keto’s eyes traveled upwards to meet blue, somewhat cranky ones.

  “I agree to these terms, and that the mer mete any punishments on transgressions within their own culture without interference. And I will hear their grievances with an open mind.”

  “I so record this agreement,” Keto said. “Gaia, Mother of Creation, come to me.”

  Gaia solidified at Keto’s side. “Why have you called me, Child?”

  “The mer and Poseidon settled on a path of mutual respect. Please restore the mer to their own bodies.”

  Gaia eyed Qiton, who inclined his head.

  “I see,” she said, waving as the mer’s legs shifted to tails, blades flashing in warning to the circling sharks, who drifted away from the no longer free lunch.

  “The Keeper leaves to speak to the entire human world. It’s time for the mer to make their statement regarding the oceanic desecration,” Poseidon said. “The humans saw you, now air your complaints.”

  “Our call to action spreads throughout the seas,” Qiton answered. “And the entirety of the mer will join in pushing the defilement back to its origins.”

  The balcony was twice the size of mine and overlooked The Boogie.

  Right next door, this is perfect.

  “You’ll have sunrise and sunset views from this wrap around outdoor area,” the realtor gushed. “A set of master suites for you and guests, and a bonus office room. One of the best buildings in Boogie Beach.”

  I gazed
at the long blank interior wall, building bookcases in my mind.

  “The unit is perfect. Write it for fifteen percent under asking, cash.”

  She blinked, calculating the commission, and unleashed a beaming smile.

  “Let’s close ASAP, so put a rush on the title work,” I added, smiling as Pook and Bingo soared past the new balcony.

  “Are you positive you’re up for this? Yesterday, you had a woman you enjoyed getting naked with, today it’s a hell of a lot more. Aegeus is a demigod, so raising her should be interesting. Nothing normal will be the norm going forward.”

  “Naked won’t be a problem, Patra.” Ballard wrapped long arms around my torso as we watched Aegeus sleep nose to nose with Justice on the pull-out bed in the front room. “I know what we are, and I found true happiness. In hell. Who does that? Life is weird, Babe, but it will never be boring. I have you and Aegeus to love and protect. That’s a righteous path.”

  “I love you, Ballard. In two weeks, we move to the new condo and begin. Beyond that, no clue.”

  “The same challenge faces the rest of humanity. The job isn’t running the individuals, it’s steering the ship.”

  “Ready? Nice suit. The blue matches your eyes.”

  Chelsea wore an emerald green gown, gold ropes criss-crossing her chest cementing the image of a medieval badass.

  “You’ll make an impression, Chels.”

  “My precise intention. Shall we?”

  Vertigo potion in hand, I gripped hers and she snapped.

  “Ma’am, I must insist you enter the normal way, though security.”

  I swallowed, looked at the guard, and cocked an eyebrow. “The old systems won’t work anymore. Get used to change, my friend. It’s here to stay.”

  He shrugged and escorted us into the hall to our seats at a center table equipped with two microphones. The delegates from the represented nations stared, and humans packed the upper galley. We were the main event.

  “Good grief, we’re a pair of goldfish in a bowl,” Chelsea muttered.

  “At least you look fabulous. And I’m not face-planted on a beach broken in a million pieces. This has greater potential to end well.”

  “Maybe,” Chelsea’s gaze traveled around the room and met mine, unconvinced. “The energy in this building is crap.”

  “That’s how humanity works. Light and dark, positive and negative. Humans are a balance of their own making.”

  “Exhausting. So glad I’m not human. Too many contradictions, illogical to the core.”

  I grinned at her pained expression and she twinkled back. “Present company excluded, of course.”

  “Damn skippy.”

  The body called to order, and I listened to the opening remarks while watching the delegates. Most were not anywhere near on board, but the hottie from Canada’s delegate winked at me, and the US guy gave me a thumbs up and a grin. I’d met and briefed him yesterday. So out of a hundred and ninety-three, two support the Triune? Great.

  Chelsea had a corker of a spell ready, and as I rose to the podium, she made an obvious cast.

  “Delegates of the United Nations, I greet you in your own languages.” My voice, translating in real time, filled the hall, but in the ears of the listeners, my words arrived in their native tongues. The stir amongst the translators was immediate. Delegates turned as one and stared at me.

  “My co-presenter today is a magical, a High Priestess of the Covens. As a sign of goodwill, she cast a spell to translate my speech into the language of your homes. We’re here to brief you regarding recent events on the coast of Florida in the United States, the emergence of the additional worlds that humanity co-aligns with, and the path of the Triune going forward.”

  “Mommy looks pretty,” Aegeus sat next to Ballard, Justice snuggled between them, watching the live stream from the UN.

  “Across the globe, multiple intersections of the human and magical worlds exist. Magicals cross into the human world on the new and full moons using these access points. Alternately, they can choose to live among humans and interact as part of their societies. We know the third entity as the Vapors. They are non-corporeal, and their mission is to create peace. Last October, the three parts intersected for the first time, signaling the Triune’s beginning. Within this framework, acceptance of each other forges opportunities for the world to experience exponential growth and harmony.”

  A report interrupted my speech. The beaches around the globe, with the mer seen by many for the first time, were getting covered by garbage. Wide eyed, our audience stared at us as the huge screens rolled back into the ceiling.

  Forty minutes later I’d knocked out a rough map of each non-human group, requested global sea keeping, designated forests for the shifters, and outlined the goals and purpose of the various entities. Then I dug into the rules governing the whole. Some delegates acted excited, others interested in gaming this new system, and a third looked shell-shocked. Relatable. It’s still weird to me, and I’ve been living it more than half my life.

  “This august body requests our return to address you in one month’s time, to allow each nation the opportunity to plan and research. I look forward to meeting with you again.”

  I stepped from the microphone, took Chelsea’s hand, and she snapped. We didn’t see it, but Ballard told me later that when we vanished, the entire UN body went nuts.

  After an uneventful move, I introduced Aegeus to the pool; we swam together most mornings. Justice loved swimming too, a tiny tiger at Aegeus’ side. The role of Mommy felt… nice. Each day love exploded in my heart for my delightful child and my original beloved. Not shabby by any stretch. My unreachable dream of a simple human life was a box checked. Time to set different goals.

  Parker’s abilities expanded, his appetite for the job relentless, and it was a blast to relive the early days as a Keeper, when Billy and I rocked. Park’s chops are solid; he’ll be a better Keeper than me. Being his guide and watching the unfolding felt damn good. Ralph got his new truck, and while The Boogie stayed packed with humans, a few magicals visited the human side to intermingle. Another start.

  Bike Week wrapped, but now it’s spring break and my bathrooms were taking a beating from inexperienced drinkers. In The Boogey, the forest folk showed up in greater numbers. A bill moved through the US House committees to piece out federal lands for shifters, and even the bumbliest bear wanted to learn more. The legislation had a way to go, but I’m pushing hard. Promises matter. After a few hitches, the Triune stood on semi-solid footing.

  No sign of Big Red; I missed his flirtatious irreverence and alchemy fueled shenanigans, but the fairies made up for it. The fae were either the greatest joy on Earth or your worst nightmare, and as I kept learning, their candor in sharing their culture was eye opening. For now, I poured the whisps and hoped for the former.

  At least it’s never boring.

  One piece of unfinished business remained, and based on the way it’s pricking at me, today was the day. I cracked the book, settled into my squeaky chair, and tapped the pages of the record.

  Show me every entry written by the Vapors.

  After an elongated pause, the symbols rose. From the looks of it, I’ll be reading for weeks.

  The End

  About the Author

  Winnie Winkle is a fabulous Central Florida broad who swills bourbon, loves dogs and cats, and practices yoga, but not with any degree of grace. Supporting live local music is a pretty big deal to Winnie, so if you pass a gravestone that admonishes, 'Go see the band and hit the tip jar', it's probably hers. But, since she's not dead yet, she'll keep penning fun stuff to rock your reading chair.

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  A 30-plus year Florida resident, Winnie splits her time between Daytona Beach Shores and the Mount Dora area. She prefers writing beach-side as much as she can because, if we’re baring our souls here, the ocean is a mighty muse and there’s only so much one can expect from coffee.

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  Winnie writes literary fict
ion, often with speculative elements and humorous fantasy. Her newest humorous fantasy series, Boogie Beach, released June 21, 2021. She also writes for the series "The Worlds of Magic, New Mexico" in the paranormal romance/sci-fi romance genres.

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  Readers on her newsletter are the first to get freebies and other perks, so visit https://wwinkle.com/contact/ and subscribe!

  Catch the Beginning! Boogie Beach: The Record, Book 1

  Boogie Beach: The Record, Book 1

  Released June 21, 2021

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  © 2021 Winnie Winkle

  All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

  The tide formed the familiar cross-hatch patterns, signaling a rip current to everyone, well, everybody but me. I knew better, but wished I wasn’t the sole human with this grand understanding. Most of the time seeing both sides had its perks, but when it didn’t… let’s go with Suckfest-9000.

  * * *

  The swells resembled ordinary waves nearing their crest, tops churning to a white froth, so I hung out on the tall pier, holding the space over the sand, watching a full, gorgeous moonrise over a close to high tide.

  * * *

  Perfect.

  * * *

  Moon shifts, both the full and the new, were the busiest and often the best nights, but it’s October, so I wasn’t taking any bets. The black waves grew shoulders, then bodies, and my guests moved onto shore, covered by the shadows of the pier. Faint pops, depending on their magic, sent them into my pub, while others took wing or climbed the steps; I continued to greet the arrivals for the other side of my business.