The Sea Remembers Us — Episode 8

I mimicked the courtship dance movements, twirling through the sea. Opal's eyes grew brighter and brighter, unblinking, fixed on every movement. Like? That was the first word he'd said to me besides my name.

Idiot. If he liked it, then he'd better learn it. I was counting on those mer-pups next year. When the dance ended, he retracted his claws.

Opal pulled me into a fully, slightly ridiculous imitation of a mer-dance. Opal's was effortless and powerful, devastatingly beautiful. He sang something similar to the merfolk courtship song, but more ethereal, more Those impossible eyes held nothing but my reflection the entire time.

Like a sailor bewitched by a siren, I found myself swimming toward him, wanting to dance with The moment my hand touched his, I snapped out of it. Dancing with a fish, I'd lost my mind. I turned and swam hard for shore.

Behind me, Opal slowly lowered his hand, watching me leave in silence. I'd barely peeled off the wet tail when my professor called, and his furious voice erupted from my comm You idiot! You told me you found a deep sea merm! Didn't you notice the razor-sharp teeth?

The long claws? The powerful tail? That's not a mer. It's more like a siren out of mythology. It could slice you open and rip your heart out without breaking a sweat. The only way a creature like that courts a mate is by hunting them down,

dragging them somewhere no one will find them, and keeping them there until they're pregnant.