Soul Ties

Chapter 2: Seren

Seren, I think as I swim as hard as my tail will push me through the water. With the meeting being not too far away, I know I have to get as much time with her as I can. Who knows when the next time I'll be able to see her will be, let alone the next time I will be able to hold her. The thought of Seren being out of my life for good forces my tail harder through the water. My heart throbs heavily in my chest, but I continue to rush.

Seren's home comes into view and it's like she was expecting me. I watch her float back and forth in front of the opening of the cave. My heart skips at the sight of her. The way her legs softly kick and her tail gently sways off behind her, barely disturbing the water, created a swell in my chest. Sometimes I wonder where she learned to move this gracefully. Everyone else I've seen has never swam this way, or moved the way Seren does, yet she had to have learned it from somewhere.

I keep myself close to the ocean floor so no one will be able to see me. The light at the bottom is scarce, keeping me hidden from prying eyes. Though the water seems so still that I can't imagine anyone finding me here. With my gaze still fixed on Seren, who now has her eyes closed as she spins slow circles, I can't help but be in awe of her. Not just the way she moves, but the serene expression that takes her. Her face looks so calm and relaxed I almost don't want to disturb her, but I continue to inch closer.

Seren, I call out to her with my thoughts, and her eyes fly open, body stiff with surprise but easing when she finds me. The smile that stretches across her face is contagious, making me want to go up to her and wrap myself around her. But I know I can't. Not here in the open. I tilt my head to the left, signaling her where to go, and she nods while searching the water for others before swimming in that direction.

The water is usually quiet around this time in the day, but we know better than to assume no one could be around watching us. I move first, keeping my movements small as I swim nearer to the floor. Seren does the same on the opposite side of the water closer to the surface. Although we're swimming in the same direction, we're too far apart for anyone to notice us together. No one would even catch a glimpse of me this close to the ground since rarely anyone looks down here.

I can't be too careful. Not with something like this. Not when my mother was who she was to these people.

Seren breaks through the surface first, body completely out of the water, but I keep swimming, making sure if we were seen that I'm the one followed. I stop and scan the area. No one's around but that doesn't stop my heart from hammering in my chest. It's like I can feel someone in the shadows watching, waiting. But that would be impossible since I am the only one this close to the ocean floor.

Still, my instincts are on high alert.

Taking a deep breath, I push my feet off from the soft ground and shoot myself to the surface of the water. I swim towards the small island where Seren is sure to be waiting for me. Excitement takes over when I reach the shore. My body tingles, my skin already heating up knowing Seren's finger will be touching me soon. No reason to bite back the smile trying to battle with the small twinge of fear that's bubbling against my stomach.

Running through the trees I yell her name, eyes scanning the empty land. I turn in circles looking for her, but she's nowhere in sight. There's no way she didn't make it here before me. She always does. My stomach flips and a panic begins to set itself deep in my gut. What if we were being followed like I thought earlier? What if someone found out about us and took Seren while she was waiting on the island for me? What if—

A loud shriek echoes from above me and someone falls heavily on my back. Shocked, I'm thrown to the ground as the body puts its full weight on my back, causing the air to be completely knocked out of me. My head spins as I try to push myself off the ground, but the weight is too heavy. Fear erupts in my chest. This is it, the voice in the back of my mind tells me. I let my body go limp when I feel a hand lift my left shoulder and turn me over so I'm now looking up into the trees.