The Sister’s Secrets: Pearl. Katlyn Duncan

       Prologue

      The lapping waves flowed over Pearlina as she peered into the distance. The sliver of land stretched across the horizon as she waited. It was all she did lately. The last three sky light rises of the Drywalking ceremony both tortured and exhilarated her. In her short life, she had only seen one ceremony so far. At that time, coming to the surface had been a scary moment, and she had clung to her mother’s tail. All she knew was the ceremony gave one of the female members of the troop the opportunity to walk on the dry land and live among the humans to complete the most important task.

      The light from the sky glittered across the surface, resembling the bioluminescence of the scales cascading down her fin. Cool air clung to the droplets of water on her skin, forming tiny bumps across her flesh. It was an uncomfortable feeling she associated with the surface.

      Movement from below her signaled her sister, Syrene.

      Syrene’s hand touched Pearlina’s. Like most of her kind, Syrene preferred to stay under the water and hidden from the surface. The Drywalking ceremony was to test the boundaries of the females and show their commitment to the troop, in addition to getting the sacrifice needed for the bonding ceremony.

      Retrieving a human from land was the primary purpose, and Pearlina wanted to see a human up close. The only way she could do that was to catch a glimpse as a member of the troop brought one back from land. Tales of living outside of the water fascinated her. Frequently, the older generations of her troop had scolded her for thinking of humans as equals. Stories of how humans had decimated their numbers years ago during hunting trips floated through her mind. The top half of her body looked like them, but she wasn’t to trust them. Humans were bloodthirsty creatures who would kill one of her troop on sight. At least that was what her mother told her.

      The stories of their long-ago past were enough to keep her troop far from the surface and safe in their cove, deep under the water. Pearlina couldn’t resist the pull of the air, and the warmth of the sky light on her face. As far as she could remember, she had always wanted to know more about the forbidden place where humans ruled. She never dared to swim past the rock wall and go toward the land, but she imagined what it would be like to see one of them up close. Her Drywalking ceremony wouldn’t take place for a long time, but she wanted to prepare herself for it.

      Syrene’s voice entered Pearlina’s mind. What are you doing up here?

      It’s the third day. The chosen female from the troop had five sky light rises to complete the ceremony. Pearlina had visited the surface each day since the start.

       How do you know Daryah will come back now?

       I don’t.

      This is foolish. Syrene’s tone was tired, almost as weary as the tone the others used each time Pearlina had a question about humans.

      Syrene was the only one who knew the depth of Pearlina’s interest in the surface and humans. While her sister didn’t understand it, Pearlina didn’t fear any repercussions from talking about it to Syrene.

      A splash sounded in the distance and Pearlina flipped her hand over, digging her fingers into her sister’s palm.

       She’s coming.

      Syrene pushed through the surface, only revealing her nose and the top of her head. How do you know?

      A racing movement coursed through Pearlina’s body. She flicked her fin and started forward. I feel her.

      Syrene held tight and trailed behind her. Pearlina wished she didn’t have to drag her sister along. This moment was what she’d been waiting for. If only Syrene was as interested in sharing the experience with the one she loved most. Curiosity was enough to propel Pearlina closer to the rock wall.

      The vibrations of the water intensified as more of the troop arrived. They had sensed Daryah’s arrival. The vibrations were different for their kind. The troop could detect if humans traveled out as far as their cove, which made them easy to avoid since their floating crafts were much louder than most underwater creatures.

      Pearlina forced herself to the front. She wanted to see the human before they performed the final part of the ceremony.

      Her troop gathered behind the rock wall, but Pearlina couldn’t take her eyes off Daryah. Her head bobbed to the surface, and then under again as she dragged the human behind her.

      Drywalker tails split in two to resemble legs and feet to blend in among the humans. Without a tail, the swim home was another challenge. At the end, when Daryah bonded with her betrothed, her tail would return.

      Pearlina dipped under and thrust her hands out in front of her, feeling for the difference in vibration around the human. Daryah’s slow pace created a swirling sensation inside of her. As Daryah neared, a sinking sensation inside Pearlina cast darkness over her, dragging to the tip of her fin. Pearlina wasn’t the only one who experienced the wrongness spreading through the water.

      Daryah stopped by the rock wall, grabbing on to the sharp surface. Her breathing was labored. As she pulled herself up, her hands were empty. No human floated in the water beside her. She had come back without one.

      Pearlina pulled Syrene to her. Her fingers brushed over her sister’s neck, moving her dark hair from her shoulders. Why has she done this?

      I don’t know.

      Their mother and two others glided ahead of the troop, toward Daryah. Pearlina wanted to get closer, but she wasn’t going to get in the way of the ceremony. If Daryah didn’t bring back a human, it wasn’t her own life in danger.

      Pearlina searched the water for Daryah’s betrothed. The bumps on her flesh squeezed tighter, and she dipped below to warm herself.

      This will not end well for her. Mother’s voice appeared in her mind as her hands brushed against Pearlina.

      She has two more days, Pearlina sent to Syrene. Why return now without a human? Her earlier curiosity about the human disappeared, overtaken by fear for Daryah’s betrothed. If she didn’t go back to complete the ceremony, then her time on land was over. Her betrothed’s life would end if Daryah couldn’t convince the older generation of her commitment to fulfill her duty.

      Ambudhi, Daryah’s betrothed, appeared next to the rock wall. His eyes never left Daryah’s, yet hers were on the approaching three.

      Daryah let out a keening sound and moved up the side of the rock wall.

      Syrene squeezed Pearlina’s hand. Her sister’s wild thoughts raced through her, but she closed off her mind to dampen them. Whatever happened next, she couldn’t tear her attention away. All Daryah needed to do was go back to land and finish her duty. Instead, she froze on the rock wall as if time itself had stopped.

      Pearlina knew what was coming, yet she didn’t predict the glint of the sky light against the curved dagger made from sea glass rising above her mother’s head. Ambudhi didn’t see the tool, but he knew what was coming. His eyes never left Daryah.

      Sonata, the one in charge