Page 87 of Surface Pressure

“It wasn’t my choice.”

Soulara had expected to feel shock, hurt, outrage. Anything with the revelation. Instead she felt a numb confirmation of a fact she had always known but never acknowledged.

“Please, what happened?” Soulara floated to the sandy floor in front of her mother. She curled up her tail and rested along her side, one elbow holding her head up. “Will you tell me?”

Soulara didn’t miss the parallel between this position and how she would beg for stories as a child.

“Your father knew I struggled with many things in the city. But one day he decided he couldn’t wait until I hated him for making me stay by his side. He decided it was time for me to leave, while we still loved each other, and your other mother Kolista. That to live happy lives instead of what he feared we would become if I stayed, I needed to separate from our family.”

“He didn’t ask you?” Soulara’s question was a whisper, and the pain in her chest made her breathing come short and sharp. “He made the choice without you, decided he knew better, and you resent him more now than you ever could have had you stayed.”

“I don’t know.” Milan’s voice was louder than Soulara’s but not by much. “But I should’ve been given the chance to choose my own life.”

“I’m too much like him.”

“You are like him in such wonderful ways.” Milan smiled as Soulara looked up at her words. “But make sure you also remember your heart is just as important. And so is hers.”

Soulara’s neck burned.

“What?” She reached up her hand. Before her fingers brushed against Nylah, she realized the burning hadn’t come from within her, but from the ray pressed against her skin.

“Nylah,” Milan said with a softness Soulara could still only begin to understand.

“What’s wrong?” Soulara pushed away any more questions she had about her parents and focused on the small ray. They vibrated in the water in front of her.

The ray moved closer and brushed a fin gently over Soulara’s cheek.

Soulara closed her eyes and fear and panic washed over her long before a single thought came into focus in her mind.

“Autumn.” Soulara spoke her name as though it were a prayer on her lips. “She’s activated the soul stone again.”

“Then you have to make a choice, Soulara. Perhaps many more before this war is over.”

“Thank you.” Soulara brushed her lips along her mother’s cheek.

She didn’t look back. She didn’t wait to see if her mother had any more words for her.

With strong strokes of her fluke, Soulara left Milan’s and swam straight for the surface.

28

Autumn stood on the edge of the beach, her boots already off.

Soulara pursed her lips, eyeing her from under the water. She wasn’t stupid. There was no way after what happened that Autumn hadn’t been caught, that they hadn’t been found out. Autumn was being watched.

Nylah swam up to the edge of the beach, as far as they could go and stopped. Coming back swiftly, they bumped into Soulara as if pushing her forward, not that the small ray could do that. Soulara waved Nylah off, keeping calm as she watched.

Eventually she would see where the other one was hidden.

She must have waited hours.

But Autumn turned around and faced where she knew the other one was hidden, and he came out to talk to her. Their voices were muffled under the water, so Soulara couldn’t make out exactly what they were saying.

Eventually the other one stalked away, angrily.

Autumn turned back to the water, clutching the soul stone in her fingers.

Soulara popped up above the surface, keeping her eye on the man’s retreating back. Autumn caught her eye instantly, a smile blooming on her face. Autumn started walking toward her, deeper into the water, as if she had no fear.

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