Page 17 of Midnight Waters

“Oooh, serious matters. Did you bring trouble back with you from the mainland?”

I shuddered in the wake of a harsh breeze. “I hope not.”

The boat skimmed across the water, slowing only when it slid up the beach of Magdora.

I clambered out of the boat with Sammie and bid Mylania goodbye as she splashed back out into the sea.

As I walked up the beach toward the collection of huts that marked the merfolk settlement, I realised they had built a few more homes since I last visited.

I followed the sound of laughter from along the beach to a stretch where the merfolk coven gathered. Most of them frolicked in the water, sending rainbows across the surface with flicks of their tails.

I searched among them for Janeira, the coven’s High Priestess and the only person among the merfolk who could grant the permissions we need.

Sammie bounded into the water, tongue lolling out of his mouth, and was immediately swarmed with young merfolk eager to pet him.

As I tucked a lock of my hair behind my ear, I spied a red tail a stone’s throw from the main group of merfolk. Janeira floated on her back, staring at the sky, her hair like veins of silver in the water.

A rocky outcrop stretched toward where Janeira floated and I clambered along it, waving to get her attention.

“Well, look at this.” Janeira twisted in the water and floated toward me. “The wanderer returns.”

I smiled as she reached a hand up to me and I shook it.

“I won’t be wandering far anytime soon,” I said.

“That’s nice to know. I’d like to see more of you.” Janeira’s face fell a little. “Are you here about the body?”

I froze halfway to sitting down on the rocks. “You heard about that?”

“What are they saying about it?”

I checked over my shoulder in case someone had wandered nearby. Mallory hadn’t released any official information to the public yet, and I didn’t want to cause a leak.

Janeira rested her hands on the rocks by my feet, the crinkles around her eyes deepening.

“He fell off the cliff,” I said. “He went out for a run and lost his footing, is what they think.”

Janeira touched the shell necklace at her collar. “This was no accident, Maeve. That boy was pushed.”

My stomach dropped as if I’d swallowed a lead weight.

“Pushed?” I said. “How do you know that?”

Janeira clasped the necklace in her palm, the wrinkles around her eyes deepening. “Rela was heading a fishing trip that day with a few others. She heard a commotion at the top of the cliff. Arguing, fighting.”

My eyes widened. “And?”

“The boy tried to stop himself from going over, but he was no match for them,” Janeira said.

I clenched my hands into fists atop my knees.

Ben Everhart may have been right all along. As much as I hated to admit it, even to myself.

Regardless, this situation had turned from a simple body removal to a murder enquiry.

“Did she see who pushed him?” I asked.

“She didn’t see. The cliff was too high. But from the sound of the altercation, the other was male.”

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