Tandis nightshade's Arc

Chapter 1 of 3

Tandis Nightshade had come back to the rocks a fourth night to win a merfolk prince her people said would curse her. Her kin believed the sea was poison. If they learned she wanted a creature who lived beneath it, they would cast her out. She crouched low on the wet stone and waited, red hair stuck to her cheek. The water broke without a sound. He rose to his chest, the same prince who had stared at her during the storm. Dark blue hair clung to his shoulders. Gold bands circled his arms. His green eyes fixed on her and did not blink. Tandis did not know how merfolk greeted anyone. On the surface, her people touched two fingers to the throat for peace. But she had no idea what that meant down there. One wrong move could name her an enemy from the land. She raised her hand slowly. Palm out. Fingers spread. She kept it there, still, so he could see it held nothing. The prince flinched. His tail slapped the water, and he sank until only his eyes showed. Tandis froze. Her open palm had frightened him. Among his people, she guessed, an open hand meant something else. "Wait," she said. "I don't know your ways. Show me. Please." He watched her a long moment. Then he lifted one hand from the water and pressed it flat against his own chest, over the heart. He held it there. Tandis understood. She lowered her raised hand and copied him. She pressed her palm to her chest. Her heart beat hard against it. The prince rose again. Slowly, he reached out and set his wet fingers over the back of her hand. His skin was cold. He did not pull away. "Marius," he said. His voice was rough, like he rarely used it above the waves. "I am Marius." "Tandis," she whispered. For the first time she had not marked herself as a threat. She had spoken to him, touched him, learned the gesture his people used to mean trust. Relief loosened her chest. Then Marius went stiff. He looked past her, over her shoulder, toward the cliffs. His grip tightened on her hand. A lantern swung on the path above. Then another. Voices carried down the wind, low and searching. Her people. They had followed her to the rocks. Marius dropped her hand. "They cannot see me," he said fast. "And you cannot be seen with me." "I know," Tandis said. "Tomorrow. Deeper cove, past the black stones." He looked at her once more. "Come alone. If they learn of you, I cannot protect you here." He dove. The water closed over him. Tandis pressed herself flat to the rock. The lanterns swung closer. She had won his trust and learned his greeting. But now her own people hunted the shore, and they were almost on top of her.