Page 74 of Anchored to the Storm

Right before I sank underneath, I heard a roar, “Maddox!”

Gentle hands slid under my back and lifted…

Breaking the surface, I sucked in air.

Styx was splashing as he ran down the pool stairs. “What’s wrong?”

Saleeni rubbed her nose to my cheek and spoke words I’d dreamed of her saying… “I’m -w-with… y-you.”

Styx touched my face but jerked his hand back. “Fuck! He’s hot as a stove!”

Dazed, my vision was like trying to see through a wicked fog. My skin was on fire. Besides Saleeni, heat was all I could feel.

“B-Boy. Ch-Change.”

“What? Why?” Styx’s shriek faded from my ears.

Heat… Heat… Until this rocking motion entered my senses. It reminded me of the first night, when Saleeni was calling to me—summoning me, her demand slamming me up against the bedroom door. But as the rocking continued in the pool, I recognized the same pull. Then I realized it hadn’t been Saleeni that was summoning me.

It was the water.

Floating on top of the water, Saleeni’s gentle hands made my body sway, left… right… left… right… Foreign voices in foreign languages entered my mind. Some were happy, some were scared… Then feelings, not mine but the feelings of others, entered my spirit… I sighed. “Water holds memories.”

Saleeni leaned her head to mine. “B-Blood and… h-heart.”

As they had in the hospital room, those words did something to me. Impossibly, I arched in the water, struck by the words Noma and I shared.

How did Saleeni know?

“Maddox!” Styx yelled again, until Saleeni grabbed his hand, set it on top of hers, then laid them both on my chest.

Patience echoed through me, and my body eased, soon floating again.

Saleeni exhaled. No, she blew her breath over me, head to my feet. Her eyes closed. She spoke in another language; however, I did hear, “… give thanks.”

Gramps’ jaw was unhinged; nonetheless, he nodded, repeating, “Much thanks. Just make him okay.”

She let go of Styx’s hand and my chest. The water moved, telling me she was signing to him.

I didn’t bother opening my eyes until Styx said, “I don’t know what you’re saying.”

Once they slid open, I smiled, seeing her signing… “She’s telling you of our love.” Then she cupped her fingers, one hand over the other, and tilted her face down toward the water.

“And that?” Styx asked me.

I watched her do it again. “I’m not sure, but my guess is some sort of union.”

She nodded, then wrapped her arms around herself in an embrace. She rocked herself, as she had done me moments ago.

Then she showed her leaving—two fingers walking across her palm.

“Wait.” I tried to stop her, but was too slow. She was under the water, her tail splashing at the beginning of the tunnel, then the water went still.

Styx blew out a stressed breath. “You are aging the fuck out of me.”

Exhausted as hell, I still laughed. “Not keeping you young and on your toes?”

“Fuck me.” He blew out another breath. “How are you feeling now?”