by Kelly Risser
She knew Stephen cared for her, in his way. He just wasn’t any good at showing it, or talking about his feelings for that matter. Once he told her that he lost both parents at a very young age. It was rare for sharks to attack Selkies, but that was how his parents died. The shark continued to stalk their island after the initial attack. Stephen said it took five of their guards to take down the shark, and one lost his life in the process. Stephen became their leader at the tender age of ten, although a distant cousin cared for him until he was of adult age at fifteen. The experience molded Stephen into a survivor, and the loss of his parents left him somewhat reserved and aloof.
Sometimes when they went to the mainland, she shopped with him. Today, she wasn’t in the mood. Instead, she sat contently in the park and watched the humans while Stephen shopped for wine. The vineyard was within walking distance, and secretly, she thought he preferred to go alone. He could pick out what he wanted and not worry about pleasing her.
“Are you ready to move on?” Stephen spoke from behind and startled her.
“Yes, of course.” She turned and gave him a big smile. “The bottles are purchased, then?”
He nodded and placed her arm on the crook of his, patting her hand with his free one. “And now it’s time for your favorite errand.” He winked at her.
“The sweet shop!” they said at the same time and laughed. It was just as much his favorite as hers, although she let him tease her. Calla’s Cakes and Pastries was the best bakery they had found on the mainland, and they’d tried several. The tantalizing aroma of baked bread and spun sugar washed over them as they opened the shop door.
“Stephen! Sera! So good to see you!”
Calla was a petite woman with short, curly black hair and warm brown eyes. She smiled with her whole mouth, and her teeth were a brilliant white against her gorgeous espresso skin. If Sera lived on land, she knew they would be friends. Calla was friendly, quick to laugh, and a miracle worker in the kitchen. Sera wondered if Stephen would allow her to take baking lessons. She’d ask him later, once they were alone.
Calla stepped around the counter with a silver tray. On it were several tiny desserts that looked like packages. “I’m trying out some new items in the shop. As one of my best customers, I’d love if you would try them and tell me what you think.”
“They’re too beautiful to eat!” Sera exclaimed. The designs were elaborate. They must’ve taken hours to decorate.
“They’re meant to be eaten,” Calla assured them, holding the tray higher. “Please try one.”
Stephen plucked one off the tray and popped it in his mouth. He closed his eyes and chewed, nodding his head in approval. When he opened his eyes, he smiled. “Delicious.”
Sera took a moment to decide. She finally selected a pink one with little pearls evenly spaced around the edges. The cake was both sweet and tart, surprising her with its range of flavors. “Oh!” she said after swallowing. “That’s really good. What flavor is it?”
“Raspberry and lemon crème. It’s my favorite, too.” Calla winked at her before addressing them both, “Would you like another?”
“No, thank you,” Sera said.
At the same time, Stephen replied, “I’d love one.” He picked a chocolate one this time.
Calla took the tray around the counter. When she turned back, she said, “What can I get for you today?”
They spent the next half hour selecting various sweets and candies from the cases around the bakery. The children loved sugar cookies, especially the ones that were decorated to look like animals or flowers. Sera selected several dozen cookies for the children. By the time they left the shop, they each held two large bags filled with bakery items.
Calla opened the door for them. “We’ll see you again next month. Thanks for coming in!”
While they carried the baked treats because they were light, the wine and coffee were delivered by coach to the building they rented near the wharf. That close to the water, they could garner enough magic to transport the goods and themselves back to the island. From the security of the dark, locked building, they were also protected from prying eyes. It was the ideal situation.
Money was not an object for Selkies. The ocean was generous to them, and shipwrecks wielded many treasures that could be traded for goods and services if you knew the right people to exchange with. Through the years, Stephen had made many connections, and their clan was considered quite wealthy by human standards. Wealth meant little to the Selkies. Money was merely a means to an end. In this case, the end goal was pastries and other culinary indulgences.
That night, the children laughed with delight at the beautiful treats. Their clan of fifty was not large, but all were invited to the great hall to share dinner and a substantial portion of the desserts. The baked goods tasted best when fresh and didn’t hold up in the moist, salty air of their home. This was a ritual they practiced every month, and something that all the families looked forward to. It gave Sera a chance to catch up with the women and watch her children play with the other kids. She looked forward to it every time. However, on this night, her mind wandered yet again to the man on the island. Perhaps she would take him a treat or two tomorrow. Would he be awake? She longed to speak to him and find out why he was unconscious in the water. Would he remember what happened? Even if he did, would he tell her?
Her thoughts were interrupted when she noticed Alexios standing before her, his eyes solemn, yet questioning.
“I’m sorry, my heart. Did you ask me something?” She sensed that he had been there for longer than she realized.
“I asked if you would like to dance?” He held his hand out to her in a formal fashion. Alexios loved music and dancing. It was the only time he could be as lighthearted as his twin.
She placed her hand in his. “I would love to.”
As a species, Selkies enjoyed music and dancing. Many took music lessons from a young age, and tonight, the musicians were playing traditional songs, mostly waltzes. Alexios guided her smoothly around the dance floor. Several months ago, she noticed that he had stopped counting the steps under his breath. Now his moves were smooth and well planned. He was becoming a natural.
When the song finished, he bowed and she curtsied. He led her back to her chair and bowed again before running off, most likely to find his twin. Sera watched him leave with bemusement. Her sweet, sensitive son was truly a gentleman.
A throat cleared behind her. She turned and looked up into the eyes of her mate. She had always loved his eyes—an unusual stormy gray fringed in thick, black lashes. He was a handsome man, especially when he smiled as he was doing now. “May I have this next dance?”
“Of course.” She stood and placed her hand in his.
“I fear I may not be as debonair as your last partner,” he whispered near her ear, making her laugh. His warm hand wrapped around her waist and held her close. He smelled of earthy moss and bright citrus, the most pleasant combination. Resting her cheek against his chest, she allowed herself to relax and be held.
There was a time when things were simpler between them. Although their match was arranged, he had attempted to woo her with flowers, beautiful shells, and pearls, and once, a sonnet of his own creation. During that time, he was attentive and sweet. Then the twins were born, and his focus switched to grooming the lads into men, practically before they were crawling. He received what he wanted—heirs to the kingdom—and Sera was mostly forgotten.
“What troubles you, my dear?” Stephen’s low voice rumbled near her ear. “You seemed quite distant in the market today.”
Sera lifted her head and met her mate’s eyes. “Nothing is wrong.” She smiled to reinforce her words.
“You are sure?” he persisted.
“Stephen!” She lifted up on her toes and kissed him lightly. “Everything is fine. Although…” She hadn’t meant to bring up Tyrese’s teacher, but now that the thought had crossed her mind and she had Stephen’s ear, she might as well address it.
; “Although?” His dark eyebrow rose as he waited.
“Agatha is too harsh on Tyrese.”
“That again.” His face started to close down, and he took a step back.
Sera placed a hand on his cheek, holding him and his attention in place. “She is only a young girl, Stephen, and much different from the boys.”
With a sigh and a shake of his head, Stephen relented. “Who would you have teach her?”
“You.”
Stephen’s brows shot up at her suggestion. “Me?”
“Your daughter needs you,” Sera said. “She seeks your approval. You have no idea.”
Stephen rubbed his chin, looking thoughtful. It was more than Sera hoped for. It meant he was considering her words. The song ended, and he bowed to her automatically, his expression remaining distant. “You’ve given me much to think about,” he murmured, kissing her forehead before walking away. Sera watched him go, hopeful that he’d finally heard and understood her words.
The orange vest and empty containers remained in the cave, but the man was not there. Sera’s heartbeat quickened. That meant he was awake. The island was too small for him to hide. Where was he?
She gathered up the empty containers and placed them in the pack. The salve was almost gone, but she brought another full tin with her, along with two canisters of water, dried meats, fruit, and sweets. If he was up, he was probably ravenous. Clearly, he let none of the previous supplies go to waste.
“Who’s there?”
Too late, his shadow covered the entrance of the cave. He squatted and blocked the exit completely. She couldn’t see him well, as the light lit him from behind, casting his face in shadows. She jumped at his voice, which was rich and commanding. Covering her heart with a fluttering hand, she managed to say, “You scared me!”
“I scared you?” He moved back so she would be free to exit the cave if she wanted. “Who are you? How did you get here? I’ve inspected every inch of this sorry excuse for an island. If you were here, I would have found you.”
“I’m Sera.” She started with the simplest of explanations. Moving to the mouth of the cave, she rose to her feet once free. It was better to talk in the light, where she could see his face more clearly. “I brought you to this island.”
“You?”
His expression clearly said he didn’t believe her. She understood his skepticism. She was just under five and a half feet tall, and he was well over six feet. Her body was slim, and although toned, not muscular, while he was well muscled, an athlete of some kind. She’d surmised as much when she assessed his wounds. Being in shape was probably what kept him alive all those days at sea.
“Is it not customary to provide your name in return when someone offers theirs?” she asked before he asked a question she couldn’t answer.
He frowned, two lines appearing between his brows. “I would tell you if I knew.”
He had amnesia. How awful. It wasn’t a common ailment of Selkies, but it was known to happen on occasion. “Do you remember anything?” she asked.
“No,” he admitted with a quiet voice and downcast eyes. “My memories begin with me waking on this island.” He looked up suddenly. “You left me the food and water?”
“I did.” She held the empty bag at her side, offering him the full one. “I brought you more, too.” He eyed it greedily, but he waited until she said, “Please, take it. It’s yours.”
“Thank you.” His first find was a water canister, which he emptied. He ate two strips of dried meat before he paused and looked momentarily embarrassed. “Would you like anything?”
“I ate before I came.” She sat and wrapped her arms around her knees. His skin was still blistered, but the sores looked less angry today. “How are you feeling?”
“Better now.” He sat across from her and continued to rummage through the bag. “Oh man, are these cookies?”
“You remember cookies?” she asked, taking it as a good sign.
“I guess.” He looked up and smiled at her, exposing perfectly white, straight teeth. His eyes crinkled with amusement, and she noticed they were a bright green like spring grass. An unusual color for a human, to be sure, but striking against his dark hair. He was certainly attractive. The long, wild hair on his head and unruly beard on his face didn’t even detract much from his beauty. It was a shame that he was human. Then again, she was mated and a mother. It wasn’t like she was on the market for a man.
“What I meant before,” she started, “is how are your wounds? Are they troubling you?”
“Much better,” he mumbled between bites of cookie. “The salve is great.”
“Yes.” She gestured toward the pack. “You’ll find more of that in there too.”
When the cookies were gone, he put everything back in the bag and placed it next to him. Stretching out his long legs before him and leaning back on his hands, he studied her with a curious expression. Sera squirmed under his gaze. She really should be going. If she stayed away too long, Stephen would question her.
“So, how did you get here?” he asked. When she didn’t answer, he looked around. “I don’t see a boat.”
“I swam,” she said finally.
“I see.” His voice was calm, like he believed her. “And where did you come from? I see no other islands on the horizon.”
“My island is not too far away,” she said, playing with the hem of her long skirt. How much would she have to tell this man? Shouldn’t he be grateful that she saved his life?
“Yet, your clothes are dry.”
Sera kept her eyes downcast, unsure of what to say.
“I can tell that I’m making you uncomfortable,” he said. “I’m sorry.” His apology made her glance up. “I don’t know why I’m asking anyway. I guess I’m just curious. This island is small. There’s not much to do but try to figure out where I am and who I am.”
“I would take you home,” Sera said. “I mean, I will take you home.” She stumbled over her words, feeling awkward and not knowing why. It had been a long time since she felt nervous around anyone.
“Once I figure out where home is,” he clarified with a rueful expression.
“Yes.” She stood and brushed the sand off her skirt. “I must leave, but I will be back again tomorrow morning… um…” It felt strange not to have a name to call him. “What should I call you?”
He lowered his head and appeared to consider it. Finally, he looked up with a grin. “Call me Boyd.”
“Boyd?” It was an unusual name.
“It feels right to me.”
“Okay, Boyd. I will see you tomorrow.”
She felt his eyes on her as she waded into the water. Then she heard his incredulous voice behind her, “You’re seriously just going to swim away?”
She looked over her shoulder at this strange human man who she was nursing back to health. She wasn’t entirely sure she made the right choice to save him, but it was too late now. “Seriously, I am,” she replied and dove under the water, transforming to a seal once she was out of his eyesight.
****
They fell into a pattern, and Sera found herself looking forward to the time with Boyd as much as she used to enjoy her solitude. He was a clever man, and funny, too. Even without his memories of who he was, he remembered random bits from his former life. One of his most vivid memories was of the Three Stooges. It fascinated Sera to hear about these men who acted in movies to make people laugh. At first, she didn’t understand what movies were, but Boyd was very patient explaining it to her. He also described the theater where people went to watch the moving pictures. The idea of watching a recorded event amazed Sera, and she wondered if Selkies could invent such technology or use magic to create something similar. Humans certainly made up for their lack of magic with ingenuity.
Most days, Sera spent time trying to help Boyd remember how he ended up in the water, but each time she asked, he grew tense and frustrated. Once, he explained that it was like staring into a dark hole. The memories were just not
there, although around that hole, other knowledge was vivid and accessible. Physically, he was completely healed, but without his knowledge of who he was and where he came from, she could not help him get home.
On this particular day, when he had been on the island for three weeks, they went for a brief swim, and then stretched out on the sandy shore to dry. She found it easy to relax around him. The nerves she felt when he first spoke to her were long gone. She told him about her childhood in Chile, and he laughed at stories of her mama.
When the conversation lulled, his face grew serious and he asked, “Where did you find me?” She explained how she found him floating in the water during one of her daily swims. “Is that why you visit me around the same time of day?”
“It is,” she admitted. “My mate would be angry if he knew I was here.”
Boyd’s eyebrows drew together in confusion. “Why? I would never hurt you.”
“Stephen doesn’t trust hu—” She paused, realizing what she almost said and knowing that Boyd would certainly question what her mate was if he didn’t trust humans. So far, she had avoided the topic of explaining how she got to the island or what she really was. He seemed to take for granted that she was like him. She knew in this form, there was really nothing that gave her away. “Well, anyone really.”
“You called him your mate. Are you married?”
That’s right, she thought. Humans actually celebrated a ceremony called marriage in which they pledged their undying love to each other. Unlike Selkies, however, the human pledge didn’t seem to hold much weight. Even her beloved baker, Calla, was divorced. Divorce was not a word in the Selkie vocabulary, but Sera knew it was the name of the process to end the human union. She didn’t pretend to understand; it was all very confusing to her.
