Page 97 of Voice of the Ocean

She closed her eyes and began to sing along.

Once there was darkness

before there was light.

The world lay embraced by shadows.

The song moved through her as water, filling every part until it came spilling out, taking her feelings with it.

She who ruled darkness

would sing through the night.

Till one day another listened.

The melody was as old as time. It thrummed through her. Pulsing.

For him, she gifted

the moon in the sky,

so its pale face could reflect him.

The sea around her shook and rose, higher and higher. Celeste’s eyes blinked open in surprise, but she did not stop singing. Her insatiable curiosity felt too strong.

As one they counted

each bright star up high,

lighting their way to each other.

Something moved far beneath in the sea. Then a huge wave rose before her, higher and higher, until she was certain it would crash, pulling her under. And yet she continued the song. This fear, too, she poured into it, letting it wash from her.

Daughter above us,

protect those we love.

Welcome us into your shadows.

She who rules darkness,

we sing to you still.

In starlight, we find our way home.

With a roar, the wave split apart, and a great, dripping creature emerged. Deep blue scales on its sides glittered in the early light of dawn. It tossed its majestic head, crowned with one long fin extending down its neck. Its nostrils flared. With large, soft eyes, the midnight blue of the purest ocean, the creature blinked at her under long, thick lashes. Celeste gasped in awe as she recognized it. A creature of myth that she thought only existed in statues with the Goddess or carved into the walls of buildings.

Girl and beast stared at each other in silence. It was said the Hippokamp was as old as the sea itself, created by the Goddess to pull her starlit chariot. Towering above her, it was certainly big enough. The Hippokamp pawed at the water impatiently with one long, muscled leg that ended in a fin. Everything about the creature was breathtaking. Celeste marveled at how much it reminded her of the human horses she’d seen on land, with its long neck and two front legs. In place of back legs, it had a long, curling tail, like a siren. She reached out her hand to it, and the beast lowered its nose to her touch, nuzzling.

A smile pulled at the corners of her lips as she stroked along its muzzle. The scales along its face were surprisingly soft, still slick with water. It pulled back, pawing at the water again, as if chiding her.

“You’re right,” she said, already wishing she had more time to unravel this mysterious creature. “Let’s go.”

Celeste swam around to the side of the great sea creature and prepared to mount, like she’d seen the humans do. But the Hippokamp did not have a flat back. Its hips connected in one elegant line to its tail, leaving no easy spot for her to sit upon.

“You didn’t think to bring the chariot too?” she asked, only half joking.

The Hippokamp gave an annoyed snort.

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