Fins(42)

“Many years ago, she gave me a gift and I took it, not knowing that I’d owe her. Tammer found out and told me what Geiruna had done, and I tried to give the gift back. She refused to take it, and after a huge disagreement, I ended up throwing it into the sea. She cursed us.”

Tammer continued. “She said there would be great tragedy in our lives and that history would repeat itself.”

“So you’re saying that Thayde and I are falling into your footsteps?”

Mom started to tear up. Tammer didn’t say anything.

“That’s not true!” I stammered and could feel the worry start to creep into my thoughts. Maybe what Geiruna had told me was not all truth.

“Things are starting to happen the same way and it’s more than coincidence. When Thayde went through The Judgment we knew it to be true. I had to go through one when I was Thayde’s age because I didn’t want Elan to be a slave to Geiruna for the rest of her life. So I took the punishment and Elan was released, but we are still cursed. She said she released us, but I think she lied. Now that you and Thayde have found each other, it’s already begun.”

“We didn’t plan on you moving here, but with your father’s death, we had no choice. We’ve been afraid the Dartmoth’s warning would be upheld. It was wonderful you were able to phase and had a power, but we were very worried that if you found your love, the curse would come true. Once you found Thayde, we knew there was no stopping it and we didn’t want you to be without him once you found him. It would have been awful for you. That’s why we brought Thayde here.”

Mom continued, “We already knew you two were going to be together, and after going through such a terrible Judgment for you, we had to help him. It would have taken him months to recover if we hadn’t, or he might have died.”

“You guys are really serious, aren’t you?”

They nodded.

“So how do we stop this curse?”

They didn’t say anything.

“If history is supposed to repeat itself, that means there’s going to be a huge fight between our families and that someone’s going to die,” I said slowly, remembering the story Tammer had told me. “The father,” I looked at Tammer. “You’re supposed to die?”

Mom started to cry and Tammer held her. That said it all.

“Well, we’re just going to have to stop it!” I pressed.

“You can’t,” Tammer breathed into Mom’s hair and rocked her slightly.

“Nothing’s impossible!”

“Some things are.”

I didn’t believe that. Something had to be done. For a moment we sat in silence, until I suddenly remembered that Thayde was still staying with us.

“He’s out for a swim.” Tammer motioned sideways with his head toward the sea steps. “He enjoys it just as much as I do. It’s like he’s a carbon copy of me.”

“Har, har,” I said as I stood, trying to lighten the moment. “Then he’d be your son and frankly, that would be gross.”

He smiled slightly and turned his attention back to Mom who had stopped crying and was stroking his arm. They obviously needed a minute together and I wanted to talk to Thayde.

I returned to my bedroom and pulled on a white bikini that looked really pretty against my new golden skin. It was nice not having to worry about blinding everyone with my ivory skin when I wore a bikini.

When I opened the door, I caught Thayde walking up the steps out of the sea, the water dripping off his body. He had removed the wrappings from around his chest and it caught my breath to see him wearing nothing but shorts. He looked like a model.

Quickly, he wiped the water from his arms and chest with his hands and shook his black hair. He walked to Mom and Tammer and they began to talk.

I made my way over to them, walking up behind Thayde. Water ran like tiny rivers around the muscles in his back. I resisted the urge to trace my finger along the droplets. He turned and smiled at me - that beautiful smile that made my knees weak.

“Good morning!” He took my hand. “Would you like to go for a swim with me?”

“That’d be great,” I said and looked toward Mom and Tammer for their approval.

“Don’t stay out too long,” Mom fussed, “and stay away from you know where.” She picked up her glass of water. “Take care of her, Thayde.”

“I promise,” he said and led me toward the steps.

“You ready for this?” He asked, backing down the steps.

I stepped into the water and was surprised it didn’t feel as cold as it had the first time I went in. I must be getting used to it.

“Where are we going?” I asked, watching him get deeper and deeper with each step.