Page 10 of Ballad of Sea and Sky

Selkie festivities were one of the few times I felt truly connected to my people. Our islands were cold and unforgiving, but our celebrations were warm and joyous. Both males and females wore elaborate outfits of shells and pearls when it was warm enough, or sealskins in the winter months, and the drums would pound a merry beat as elders told stories to the younglings, and the grown-ups danced through the night.

Selkies dressed in layers against the cold rather than for propriety. By virtue of shifting, we needed to be able to shed our clothing easily, and many didn’t even bother with anything other than a sealskin wrapped around the most vulnerable places. Finer fabrics were rare, since we hadn’t traded with the mainland in over a century, but tonight my gown was of the finest silk.

It was as if the sea herself had crafted the gown, the pale turquoise fabric falling to my bare feet like the waves cascading in summer. Clips of shells and gold held the dress at the shoulders, and bands of gold wrapped around my waist and under my bust giving it some shape. The dress had a slit up the thigh, allowing for freedom of movement, and I added some anklets and other jewelry for the occasion, including epaulets of shell and pearl and sea glass to match my crown. The dress was a gift from my mother, passed down from her own betrothal feast, and it fit like a glove.

“It’s going to be boring and stuffy with Vitulus as my dance partner all night,” I lamented to Sereia as I dressed. The drums were already pounding a beat down on the beach, and they called me almost as strongly as the sea. “And that’s if my lungs will even let me dance.”

“Oh, Marina,” Sereia breathed when I emerged. “You look like a queen.”

“Thank you,” I said, sitting before the vanity to let her help me with my hair. I liked to braid some of it back in intricate knots for special occasions, and Sereia was the best at getting my rebellious waves to behave.

“And it might not be boring,” Sereia said, pinning pieces of hair in place with tiny pearl clips. “I’ve seen Vitulus dance. He’s not terrible.”

“A ringing endorsement,” I said wryly, catching her gaze in the mirror. She bit her lip to stifle a laugh. “I suppose I won’t be allowed to dance with anyone else,” I added, sighing morosely. “Ronan is an excellent dancer.”

“You flat-out vowed never to dance with him again after he tried to stick his tongue down your throat,” Sereia reminded me. “I actually can’t think of a single male you don’t have some objection to.”

“I liked Cato,” I argued, thinking of my brief affair with the young guard.

“He was low-born,” Sereia said, giving me a pointed look. “And I think he’s mated now, anyway.”

“All the good ones are,” I sighed, toying with the shells on the front of my dress.

“This is what you get for reading too many forbidden books,” Sereia teased.

I gave her a wry smile, remembering our childhood misadventures. We had begun sneaking books out of the royal archives as a game, but the more I read, the more I wanted to know. It quickly become an obsession, that Sereia only grudgingly kept a secret.

“They’ve given me unrealistic expectations,” I agreed with a feigned sigh.

“You should probably get rid of those before Vitulus finds them,” Sereia added, glancing to the chest where I hid my stash. “He’ll be sharing your room, after all.”

“Ugh,” I groaned. “I hadn’t even thought of that.”

“At least your bed is big enough,” Sereia teased, her cheeks tinged a little pink.

I ignored this, looking wistfully around the room I had grown up in.

“Do you remember the time we climbed to the roof under the full moon and pretended to fly?” I asked dreamily. The roof had been my idea, and the broken ankle I incurred from falling was well worth it for the view.

“I loved dreaming about flying with you as a child, Marina,” Sereia agreed with a sigh. She squeezed my shoulder, her face a little sad. “But it’s time to grow up.”

My heart cracked a little. Sereia had been my confidante all my life, and I knew she wouldn’t reveal my infatuation with siren lore. But the idea that she agreed it was time to settle down and give up the dream to go adventuring was disheartening.

“I know,” I said sadly, picking at the pearls on the dress.

“Mating might be a new adventure,” she suggested, squeezing my shoulder again and smiling at me in the mirror. “Learning to be queen and taking a new lover—most females only dream of such things!”

“I see my mother asked you to give me a pep talk,” I noted wryly, trying to smile for her sake. “I already promised I would try. I know it’s my duty to be a good and steady queen. I just thought I had more time before I had to give up my dreams.”

“What dreams exactly are you giving up?” Sereia asked, combing out the rest of my hair. “Exploring the sea caves? Sneaking away from your father? I bet you can convince Vitulus to do those thingswithyou. You managed to convincemeto indulge you, after all.”

“Maybe,” I agreed, shrugging noncommittally. Truthfully, I wasn’t even sure what my dreams were. I’d never really been allowed to have them. I was told exactly what my future would be from a young age, and it never seemed to matter much what elseImight want. “Thank you,” I added, catching my friend’s eye. “I know you must think me an ungrateful wretch not to be happier.”

“I don’t,” she said, laughing a little. “I think you’re taking this exactly like the Marina I know would. But I think Vitulus truly cares for you. He stares, you know.”

“You said that last night,” I laughed, nudging my friend playfully. “And he doesn’t stare likethat. More likely strategizing how best to keep me safe and away from danger.”

“Well, he’ll learn soon enough,” Sereia responded, settling the tiara of shells and pearls I wore for official engagements atop my head and stepping back to admire her handiwork.