Page 123 of Sea's Secret

“Does she? Or do you only feel an obligation? Or only a desire for your mother not to turn you away when you go back to Walden?”

“Isn't it my obligation? Do I not need my sister to be able to see my mother and ask her what I seek to know?”

“It is not.” Then without another word, he sank into the sea.

I fell back against the rocks. Only a few minutes later, Meria broke the surface of the water and held up a gleaming star in her hand. I reached out and pulled her from the sea as it seemed she was very tired.

After I pulled her out, and as she fell asleep to the rising light in the sky, I felt a tightness inside of me which I had never felt before.

I had not killed my father. My hands had never actually killed. Yes, I had caused immense and torturous pain, but I had never killed anyone. I smiled and caressed Meria’s face with my glove free hand. Maybe, my hands could bring comfort; maybe, I was not as corrupt as I believed.

There was a weight off of my shoulders and chest that I had never realized had even been there. Even if I never broke my curse, I knew that it did not affect Meria. We could still live a happy life. Maybe, we could sail the seas together. I paused in my musings as Meria stirred beside me. Hours passed, but time seemed so different on that island.

“Dominick?” she asked, sitting up, still clutching the star in her hands.

“Hello, there. Have a nice rest?” I asked with a smile.

“What happened?” she asked me, moving her tail a little, shifting on the rocks.

“You came from the sea and fell asleep. Did it work? Did you find the answer you needed?”

“Yes, the answer is within this star.”

She held it up, and its powerful glow surprised me.

“Is it warm?” I asked as she moved closer.

“Feel it–” she said, holding it out to me.

“That is yours, Meria.”

“Come on, Dominick,” she said, pushing it closer to me.

I touched the warm rock, and a vision fell in front of my eyes.

Free of my curse, Meria and I swam in a lagoon, small children, mermaids like Meria, swam about us. I kissed her cheek, and one child swam up to me with blue eyes, like mine, and with Meria’s beautiful blond hair.

“Father, watch!” the little girl said, jumping from the water. Another image flashed before me; five little heads tucked into five beds on a swaying ship. I turned to Meria who stood beside me, her finger pressed to her lips.

“Do not wake them,” she said softly.

I nodded, extinguished a candle, and then moved from the room. We walked down a corridor and entered a room–our room.

Meria sank onto the bed and pulled me to her. I kissed her mouth and warmth flowed through me. I moved my hands to her cheeks; there was no darkness in my veins–no pain in my soul–only happiness and light.

How I ached for that. How I wanted that desire of my soul, which burned so brightly within me. I pulled back from the stone with a gasp.

Meria's eyes were wide as she let the star drop from her hand and tumble between us.

“What was that?” I asked, gasping and looking into her eyes. Back and forth, I searched. Had she seen what I just saw?

“I did not see anything. What did you see?” she asked.

“I saw a future I greatly desire,” I said faintly with a roughness to my words.

“That future you saw within the star is within your grasp.” We both turned to see the dragon before us.

“You, Dominick, can have that future, but only if you trust completely and believe you deserve such a life.”

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