Shearwater: Ocean Depths Book One (FULL)

by D. S. Murphy

  “He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of forgiveness and redemption,” Father Murphy continued. “Micah writes, ‘Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy. You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.’”

  Father Murphy said that last line with a knowing look that made my blood run cold. Was it just a coincidence—or was he telling me he knew something? As I looked around at the empty church, a chill crept up my spine and I shivered.

  “Thanks,” I said hastily, standing up. “Sorry to bother you, actually I didn’t expect anyone to be here, I just needed a place to think.”

  “You’re welcome here anytime. See you in class next week?” he said.

  I nodded and hurried outside. Once I returned to the bright light outside I felt ridiculous. Father Murphy was just trying to help. Still, I wondered… if God had thrown all our evils into the sea, did that mean the merrow were evil? Was I part of the dominion of darkness? It made some sense; the merrow existed in a world that was naturally devoid of light. A silent, dark world beneath our own. What if the dark place under the ocean, where merrow come from, was the source of evil? But that seemed too black and white to me. I thought about Ethan and Sebastian. Both, in their own way, had a moral compass, and were fighting for what they believed was right. Maybe it wasn’t what you believed that made you evil, but how far you were willing to go to defend those beliefs.

  I caught a bus home and called Sebastian on the way to make plans. The weather was clear but chilly—I was glad I’d brought my new coat and the blue scarf Aedan gave me for Christmas. I felt bad leaving Aedan alone on New Year’s so I invited him to our party, even though it would be a little awkward, but he said he had plans. With Helena.

  “A date?” I asked.

  “Well, I don’t know if I’d go that far,” he grinned. “Just asked her to join us for a pint at Liam’s place. It’s no big deal,” he said. But he’d combed his hair and was wearing a green sweater that looked new. He looked adorable.

  “Okay, I’m glad you’ll be with friends,” I said, giving him a hug.

  “Be safe,” he said earnestly. “Stay with Sebastian. Don’t drink too much. If you need to stay over there or with Jackie, just text me and let me know.”

  I wanted to help Sebastian shop for the party, but he said he’d already taken care of everything and would pick me up at seven. He was right on time, and he jumped out and held the door open for me.

  “Your chariot awaits,” he said, beckoning towards his car.

  “Derry and Patricia texted about inviting some friends, is that cool?”

  “It’s New Year’s,” he shrugged. “The more the merrier.”

  Sebastian’s apartment sparkled with silver glitter decorations and paper streamers. On the main table was a massive spread of snacks and a pot of chocolate fondue surrounded by fruits, bread and assorted cheeses. On the porch was a bucket with at least five bottles of champagne.

  “You did all this today?” I asked.

  “I move fast, remember? I can slice up a dozen apples in a minute.” He handed me a glittery tiara and gave me a kiss.

  Guests started arriving at eight. Jackie and Derry came first, marveling at the space and the decorations. Then Patricia and Kyle arrived, leading a group of other kids. I’d met most of them before but had never really talked to them. Plus they looked different without their school uniforms on.

  Jackie refreshed my memory as they came in.

  “So that one, with the shaggy blonde hair, is Tristan. He plays tennis and is dating Megan—the one with dark hair in the pink top. Declan and Kiara are together,” she said, pointing at a taller boy with dark hair and green eyes, and a pretty girl with light brown hair. “And that’s Kaitlyn, with the freckles.”

  “It’s almost too pretty to eat,” Patricia said, standing near Sebastian’s magnificent spread.

  “Allow me to go first,” Kyle said, piling up his plate.

  As we ate I learned that Kaitlyn loved computers and tech, Kiara was learning to skateboard (which is where she got the long scrape on her forearm) and Tristan was a jokester—he kept doing impressions or saying things that made everyone laugh.

  The doorbell rang and I went to get it. I was surprised to see Ethan at the door. After recent events, an unannounced visit from Ethan was usually a sign that something terrible was about to happen.

  “What are you doing here?” I asked.

  “Nice to see you to,” he smirked.

  “Sorry, I’m just surprised. Did Jackie invite you?”

  “No, Sebastian did.” He laughed when he saw my expression.

  “Yeah it surprised me too at first. Actually I was half sure it was just a trap to get me alone. But I watched everybody else arrive. With all the guests here, I think we’ll manage to keep it civil for one night.”

  I nodded and held the door open for him. I’d never seen Ethan be social. He always seemed sullen, and I think he used his reputation as a bad boy to keep people away. I was afraid he’d be a jerk and ruin the vibe of the evening, or sit alone in a corner drinking himself into a stupor, but I shouldn’t have worried. Tonight Ethan was generous with his smile, and he seemed friendly and confident. He jumped into Declan and Tristan’s conversation and was soon laughing along with them. Kiara and Patricia joined them and a few minutes later they all headed towards the door.

  “Where’s everybody going?” Jackie asked.

  “Impromptu skate session,” Tristan back over his shoulder. “Ethan’s going to give us some pointers.” We followed them outside and waited as Tristan retrieved two skateboards from his car.

  “Here you go, mate,” Tristan said, tossing one board to Ethan. “I bought one just to keep her company, but every time I get on that damn thing I fall on my ass.”

  Ethan took the board and shoved off with his back foot down the cement pathway leading up to the house. Then he flicked the board up and it spun under him. He landed the jump and then kicked the board up, catching it with one hand. The other kids cheered and clapped. I was seeing a whole new side of Ethan tonight and realized I’d been unfair to him. I thought angry jerk was pretty much the default setting of his personality, but I realized he was just that way around me. And with everything going on, who could blame him? It made me happy to see him this way, having fun for a change. I didn’t realize how much I was smiling until Patricia came up and stood next to me.

  “It’s not fair, you know,” she said.

  “What’s not?”

  “Stringing him along like this.” I turned and looked at her with wide eyes. “Ethan? We’re just friends. I’m with Sebastian.”

  “Does he know that?”

  “I’ve told him.”

  “Then why does he still look at you like that?”

  “Like what?”

  “Like he’d jump into a volcano to save you. Like he’s waiting for his chance, because he doesn’t believe what you have with Sebastian will last.”

  At that moment Ethan caught my eye and smiled. I felt my gut tighten. Was Patricia right? Was I leading him on? Giving him cause to doubt?

  “What should I do?” I whispered.

  “Convince him,” she shrugged. “If you’re not into him, you need to make it clear. So he can move on.” She nudged my shoulder and nodded her head towards Jackie, who was sitting alone on the front steps.

  When we went back inside I wrapped my arms around Sebastian and gave him a long kiss. I didn’t have much experience dating and was shy about kissing in public, but what if Patricia was right? What if, by not showing my feelings, I was screwing things up—not just for Ethan, but for Jackie also? For the rest of the night I tried to stick close to Sebastian, and pay Ethan less attention. Suddenly I was self-conscious about everything. I’d never had to worry about stuff like this when I was y
ounger, but with my changed appearance, I realized, I needed to be more careful. A smile or a touch on the shoulder could make someone fall for me; it could create jealous girlfriends or ruin friendships. I hated that I couldn’t just relax and enjoy myself without being a source of drama. But I also didn’t want to accidentally be sending the wrong signals.

  Just before midnight we went outside again, with a couple bottles of champagne, a big dish of chocolate-covered strawberries and a box of sparklers. We walked out to the grassy park—Sebatian had pulled two picnic tables together and covered them with shiny gold tablecloths—but stayed far from the water. Some of the others started sharing their New Year’s resolutions and talking about their plans for the coming year. I could tell that the bonfire attack was on people’s minds, even if the subject was avoided. Most of the resolutions involved living life to the fullest, because life was short. Declan wanted to learn to surf. Kaitlyn wanted to study French. I couldn’t think of anything I wanted. My plans for being a singer were shattered, and I was still reeling from that loss. All I wanted now was more time. More moments like this one—surrounded by friends. Even if I had to lie to them to keep them safe.

  We counted down to midnight and raised our glasses, shouting and banging pots and pans. We hugged each other and then lit sparklers. Tristan chased Megan around with his. I was trying to get mine lit but had trouble with the lighter—the wind kept blowing out the flame.

  “Need a hand?” Ethan asked. He cupped his hands around the tip of the sparkler so that only he could see it, narrowed his eyes and whispered something. I smelled a wisp of smoke just before my sparkler exploded into a shower of brilliant white sparks.

  “Show off,” Sebastian muttered next to me. Ethan grinned and then lit his own. I moved my arms around, weaving patterns in the air. It was beautiful, watching everyone play with their sparklers on the shoreline. The ocean was so dark I couldn’t see where it stopped and the sky began, except for the stars.

  The bright lights were affecting my vision. After my sparkler died out, I was still seeing spots. I blinked a few times but they didn’t go away. Then I felt Sebastian stiffen besides me.

  “What the hell is that?” Derry asked, pointing out towards the sea.

  There were lights out near the horizon. Colorful, glowing lights. They spread as far as I could see, for miles and miles.

  “Can’t we see the northern lights sometimes from here?” Jackie asked.

  “Yeah but I don’t think they look like that,” Derry said.

  “Plus those are lower,” Kyle said. “It looks like they’re actually in the ocean, not above it.”

  “Shhh!” I said. “Quiet, do you hear that?”

  Everyone stopped talking. At first I thought the steady thumping was just my heartbeat, but Ethan met my eye and nodded.

  “Drums,” he said. “And something else—”

  “Sounds like a horn, or lots of horns,” Patricia said. “Weird. Okay this is creepy. Plus it’s freezing out here, I’m going back inside. Who’s with me?”

  The others followed her in. Sebastian didn’t move, he was still staring out at the ocean. Jackie was holding back as well, waiting for us.

  “See you inside,” Ethan said, waving to her. She went in reluctantly. When it was just the three of us, we could see the lights more clearly. Ethan pulled out a pack of cigarettes and lit one. He took a deep pull and I watched the end of the cigarette glow red. It was bright and fiery, unlike the lights in the ocean. They were subdued, pinks and purples, greens and yellows. Hundreds of them, spread out in a massive line that filled my vision. I shivered and crossed my arms.

  “I’ve read about stuff like this,” Ethan said finally. “Mystical lights out at sea. Trumpets of the deep. It’s the merrow, right?”

  Sebastian nodded. “Conch shells,” he said. “Not trumpets. They’re just letting us know they’re there. While we’re celebrating, they’re preparing for war.”

  “Wait, what?” Ethan’s eyes widened.

  “The merrow are coming,” I said gently. “Soon.”

  “I thought you said they were just thinking about it. I didn’t think it would actually happen. They want to wipe out the human race, seriously? What are they waiting for? Why haven’t they attacked again, since the bonfire?”

  “We should tell him,” I said to Sebastian.

  “Tell me what?”

  Sebastian took a deep breath.

  “The general’s name is Anicetus. He was looking for a powerful weapon, but decided not to wait any longer.”

  “He’s the one in charge? The leader of the merrow?”

  “Yes, but by accident. He was leading the army, but it was an honorary title only, the merrow haven’t been to war for over a thousand years. Who would we fight? Anicetus started campaigning, becoming more of a politician, trying to convince people that the king was weak and that we needed to strike against the humans before it was too late for our race. He campaigned and tried to get the council to put pressure on the king to use the weapon, and he got a lot of support.”

  “But the king refused. Not long after, the royal family disappeared. Anicetus started building up a standing army, and in the past decade has become the de facto ruler. He’s so powerful nobody will challenge him.”

  “So what’s he waiting for?” Ethan asked.

  “He’s waiting for his son to return and lead the charge,” I said.

  “His son?”

  “Sebastian,” I said. “Sebastian is his son.”

  Ethan’s eyes widened and he took a step away from us.

  “So I was right,” he said. “The bonfire attack—they were here for you.”

  “I ran away because my father’s army was becoming ruthless. I wanted no part in it. Once the invasion begins, I’ll be branded as a traitor and put to death. By waiting, he’s offering me a chance to return. But he gave me a deadline at the campfire, and time’s almost up. I have to go back.”

  I bit my lip and tried to keep the tears out of my eyes. I knew this was coming, but we hadn’t actually spoken about it for weeks.

  “He’s your father, can’t you ask him to stop?”

  “People don’t ask things of my father. They obey.”

  “There must be something you can do,” I said.

  Sebastian shrugged. “If I play nice and apologize, he’ll probably give me a leadership role. Maybe I can find a way to sabotage his plans from the inside, or find supporters who oppose him. Or maybe I can leak you information at least, battle plans.”

  “You need to warn the Tuatha Dé and get them ready,” I said, turning to Ethan. “Find the weapons, or make new ones.” I filled him in quickly on all the research I’d done. He looked at me with raised eyebrows.

  “Also, you need to get them to back off Sebastian. He’s the only ally you’ve got right now and there’s a war coming. They need to see the bigger picture.”

  “What about Clara,” Ethan asked, turning to Sebastian. “You’re leaving her here? Alone?”

  “I have to go back,” Sebastian said. “The penalty for not returning would be the swift destruction of Portballintrae and everyone in it. But if I go back, I can try to stall my father’s plans. Or at the very least I can find out what his plans are. I’ll get away as soon as possible. Hopefully in a week or two. In the meantime, I trust you can protect Clara. With Trevor dead, she shouldn’t be in any danger from the merrow. They aren’t interested in her. So the only people who might hurt her are your people.”

  “Hold on,” I interrupted, putting one hand down on the picnic table. “You both keep referring to me like I’m totally defenseless. I’m tired of being sheltered.”

  “You’re not weak, but you are fragile,” Sebastian said.

  “Then make me tough. You said I have abilities I shouldn’t have. If you think I might be dangerous… good. I want to be dangerous. But don’t tell me to hide my powers or resist them. Teach me how to use them. So that whatever is coming, I have a chance at stopping it.”

&
nbsp; Sebastian nodded. “I’ve been teaching Clara to fight. I can keep training her until I leave, to help her control her merrow abilities. When I’m gone, you should take over.”

  Ethan’s face was grave as he nodded solemnly. The three of us stood facing the dark sea and the glowing lights. The drums and horns had stopped, but we listened to the music of the wind and waves. The lights were still there, but looked like they were dimming.

  “The three of us, against an army of mermaids,” Ethan said as we turned back to the house. “Unfuckingbelievable.”

  39

  “Again,” Sebastian said. He attacked me with a long stick and I did my best to block. Parry, parry, thrust. Then he sidestepped and stuck out his foot. I went tumbling past him into the shallow water, cutting my knees on the rocks. Blood hit sea water and filled the cave with a dazzling light show as my wounds began healing. By the time I stood up, the cuts had sealed themselves and the pain was gone, but I was still exhausted. We’d been training like this for days. Every time I thought I was improving, Sebastian would up his game and show me how far I still had to go. Our swimming lessons had become endurance training. He made me swim until my arms felt like limp noodles. We did the sparring first, because after being in the water for an hour I couldn’t even lift the sword.

  I didn’t complain. I’d talked him into this. But it was difficult to keep from getting demoralized. Sebastian was just one merrow, and even though I was faster and stronger than most normal humans, he could still beat me with one hand behind his back.

  “Let’s try something else,” Sebastian said finally, giving me a chance to catch my breath. “I’ve been thinking about it, and it may have been a mistake to ignore your other powers. I understand why Ethan wouldn’t want you to use them, at least the singing. That kind of power—nobody has been able to do that for centuries. It makes me think your grandmother wasn’t just some runaway merrow who fell in love with a human. She must have been from a pure bloodline, maybe a descendent of the sirens or some other noble family. Even so, as a mennow, there’s no way you should be able to do the things you can do… but since you can, it’s better you learn to control them. And who knows, maybe you have other gifts we haven’t discovered yet. It would be better to find out now, rather than on accident later.”