Page 131 of In Rising Tides

“She doesn’t mean it,” Nerida said, placing a hand on Thalassa’s shoulder. “She’s just crabby because we woke her.” Nerida surveyed Lyra with a keen eye.

“Are you feeling well?”

Lyra faced the looking glass and rested her elbows on the tabletop, pressing her fingers into her eye sockets.

“No,” she grumbled. “I’m not sleeping well. And this fucking headache won’t go away.”

She felt the water stir around her before a hand pressed gently against the back of her neck.

“You’re not feverish,” Thalassa muttered. “Maybe lingering effects from her transition back to the sea? She was on land for quite some time.”

Lyra cracked open an eye as Nerida’s expression turned grave. There was a vacancy in her eyes as if she pushed whatever she felt deep beneath the surface, locking it away.

Lyra wished she could do the same.

She unfortunately felt everything so rawly, so profoundly, all the time.

“It’s the bargain,” Nerida replied gravely.

Thalassa clamped her sharp teeth down on her lower lip and sat on the edge of Lyra’s bed.

Her tail fanned out, casting little rainbows around the room by reflecting the light. It was a sharp sight to Lyra’s fatigued eyes, and she winced.

The sea smelled of salt and something old, but was unusual today, as if the tides had begun to change.

“The water smells different today,” she muttered.

Nerida snorted. “It’s nearing the summer equinox. Of course it’s changing.”

There was nothing special about their holidays anymore.

The only one mermaids were allowed to participate in was Tidal Tithe, which came several months after the summer equinox.

“Time never slows, just beats its constant drum,” Thalassa trilled. “We should proceed if we wish to stand a chance against its marching.”

Nerida snapped her fingers. “Up you get. Let’s show Thalassa how much you’ve improved.”

Lyra tilted her head back and let out a small exhale. “I’m too tired.”

“Just show her, and you can be done.” Nerida clicked her tongue.

There was a clinking of vials as Lyra shoved away from the vanity and turned to face her sisters. Nerida wasn’t wrong.

The magic had been easier to control and didn’t exhaust Lyra as much to use it now, but she hadn’t technically been using it. Just stroking the thread.

She hadn’t a flicker of an idea what to do to get her sisters off her back so she could return to her bed, so she did as instructed.

Lyra closed her eyes, gently reaching for the thread of gold around her heart, the same shade of gold as Thalassa’s loose, golden curls.

Just as Lyra’s fingers touched the thread of magic, her eyes blinked open, and she let go.

Nerida and Thalassa gasped, their eyes widening.

Lyra shivered, pulling her arms tightly around her chest before she sank to the edge of her bed.

“Lyra—” Thalassa began, reaching a hand out to steady her. “Are you alright?”

Nerida moved closer too. Her jaw clenched shut as she also reached for Lyra.