Chapter 19
Maelis
I’d lost track of time in Cerban’s room. Days passed in a flash.
We talked for hours, about everything and nothing.
About diving, about the places I'd lived and travelled to, about his childhood in the kelp gardens of Finfolkaheem, growing up with Fionn and Rainse.
We listened to music, switching between my old playlists and Cerban's favourites that reminded me of whale song mixed with techno beats.
At some point, I’d played Stand Up again, the way I had the day everything changed. The moment the first chords filled the air, Cerban froze. Then he reached for my hand.
“Your song,” he murmured. “The one that called to me.”
We didn’t speak for the rest of it – we just listened. And when the final notes faded, he kissed me so tenderly it made my ribs ache.
There had been a lot of kissing after that. And more. A whole lot more.
We didn’t leave the room except to grab food or take hurried showers. The staff turned a blind eye. Rainse checked on us under the pretence of bringing us snacks. Tyrone winked the one time we passed him in the corridor.
I didn’t care. Let them gossip. Let them speculate. I’d almost drowned. I’d touched an ancient memory orb at the bottom of the sea. I was sleeping with a green-skinned alien who smelled faintly of the tide and kissed like he was made for me.
The world could wait.
But eventually, reality caught up.
Paul came to our door, looking relaxed for the first time in a while.
He announced that Finn and Elise had returned on the Tidebound, and they hadn't come alone.
Pam was with them. Neither Cerban nor me had ever met her in person before.
That had to mean that our test results were back.
He left us to get ready, smirking at that as if it was a joke.
And maybe it was. We both needed a shower.
Cerban was pacing, his long strides eating up the room. “They would have said something if it was bad,” I said, watching him from the bed while brushing my hair. “Right?”
“I do not know how your people operate,” he muttered. “Sometimes you like to be cruel in person.”
I snorted. “That’s fair.”
He stopped and turned toward me, his expression serious. “What if it says we’re not matched?”
My stomach dipped. We hadn’t talked about that. Not properly.
I slid off the bed and crossed to him, wrapping my arms around his waist. “Then we tell them the test is wrong,” I said into his chest. “Because I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. Not even close.”
He lowered his head, his mouth brushing my hair. “Nor have I.”
A soft knock at the door made us both jump.
“Time to go,” Rainse called. “The others are waiting in the conference room.”
Cerban sighed, then looked down at me. “Ready, little fish?”
I reached up and kissed him, slow and deliberate. “Let’s find out what fate has to say about us.”
Fionn and Elise were already seated. She smiled when she saw me, warm and familiar, her hand resting lightly over his. I remembered briefly meeting her weeks ago, back when I still thought aliens were something to be endured, not trusted.
Now I was walking into a room with a finman’s hand tightly curled around mine.
Pam sat at the head of the table, tablet in hand. Her expression was unreadable – that calm, efficient mask she wore when things were about to get serious. Paul stood beside her, arms folded.
“Take a seat,” Pam said, gesturing to the two empty chairs across from her.
Cerban and I sat down. Our fingers remained laced together beneath the table.
Pam didn’t waste time. “Three days ago, I received a call informing me that a certain finman had broken confinement and a human diver had disappeared again. I was fully prepared to authorise a full withdrawal of the finfolk delegation. It was all becoming too unpredictable and risky.”
Cerban stiffened beside me. I squeezed his hand.
"But," Pam continued, "sometimes things are a little different than I first thought. After years of working with alien species, I shouldn't be surprised any more, really, but... well, I suppose it's a good thing that life is full of surprises. It keeps me young."
"I wish," Paul muttered. "I think I've aged by ten years this week."
"Don't be silly, you're still gorgeous as ever," Pam chuckled. For a moment, I wondered if the two of them had something going on. But no, Pam would be on the island much more often if that was the case.
Pam focused back on Cerban and me. "Anyway, I fast tracked your DNA sample, and it has been added to the Hot Tatties database. I'm pleased to say there has been a match."
I knew the match was to Cerban. There was no doubt in my mind about it. But then why was my heart beating fast and my breathing shallow?
Pam smiled widely. "Don't worry. I won't prolong this any further.
The two of you are a match. With all the accuracy that the Hot Tatties algorithm allows - and I'd like to point out that it has never failed - I can announce that Cerban Arken-Clutch of Eynhallow and Maelis Jane Prescod have officially been matched. "
I felt like this was a moment to applaud, but I kept my hands steady.
"That means that we now have four official matches between humans and finfolk," Pam continued.
"Fionn, Pli'th, Hournn and Cerban. Considering barely more than twenty finmen came to Earth, that is a very good ratio in my opinion.
I have to admit, I was a bit sceptical in the beginning whether we'd be able to find any matches for you.
It's the same every time a new alien species contacts me.
They are always full of hope, but it doesn't always work out in the end. "
"During our most recent excursion to the underwater cave-" Cerban began, but Paul interrupted him, his eyebrows drawn up.
"Unsanctioned excursion."
I rolled my eyes, but Cerban stayed polite and simply smiled.
"Yes. During our unsanctioned excursion, we found further evidence that humans and finfolk have lived together in the past. The stories we heard of Ma'vel and Jonet were not an isolated relationship.
Generations ago, when finfolk swam in this planet's oceans, we did more than just inspire legends and tales.
We found mates among humans. We even had offspring. "
"Cerban is right," I added. "We saw a recording of a girl who looked like a human-finfolk hybrid. I would like to return to the cave to see what other mysteries that alien tech contains. I think we will be able to learn much from it. About ourselves. Our past. And maybe our future."
Pam studied me closely. "Could you bring this alien artefact to the surface?"
Cerban shook his head. "I don't think so. It is part of the cave, an organic mix between technology and nature. I imagine it may have been a sacred place of our ancestors, where they went to retrieve or record memories of their lives."
"It would be curious to know what knowledge is contained in there.
Maybe it will help us find more matches for your kind.
" Pam pursed her lips. "Alright. I'm putting the two of you in charge of that project.
You will have to record everything you see and find down there.
And I need you to make it safe. No more near misses.
No more cave collapses. And if a finman even so much thinks that there may be a storm coming, it is his responsibility to tell the humans on this island. "
"I will make sure of that personally," Fionn said, speaking for the first time.
"The Tidebound's systems have advanced weather detection features.
Whenever the ship is on the island, we will pass on anything of interest to Paul and the other resort staff.
I feel like we have been guests here so far.
I would love to be able to say that we are more than that - in future. "
Pam smiled. "We will discuss that further in private. The agency is planning to use this island for future alien-human introductions, but there is another large private island up for sale not far from here. Maybe that could become a home for the finmen who want to stay."
"And their mates," Elise said. "Fionn and I realised during our trip to Scotland that it would be impossible for us to live in a normal town or city, even a village.
Fionn can't stay at home permanently, hiding from everyone.
We have talked about moving to Finfolkaheem, but as much as I love swimming, I'm not sure I could handle living underwater for such prolonged periods of time. We need an alternative."
I listened with interest. Cerban and I hadn't really talked about our future much, at least not the practical aspects.
I would love to see his planet, see the world that he'd described to me, dive in its waters - but living there?
I wasn't so sure about that. An island where humans and finfolk could live together, close to the sea yet with buildings on land, sounded perfect.
After the meeting, Fionn and Elise waited for us outside the room. Elise and I hugged, and I remembered how I'd taken her on that fateful dive during which Kelon had abducted her. Both of us had experienced much in the depths beneath the island - and both had found our mates down there.
"Congratulations," Elise cheered. "I know there are two other finmen with human mates, but they haven't met their matches yet. You two are therefore the second official couple. I'm glad Fionn and I are no longer alone."
Fionn extended a hand to me and I shook it. He'd clearly taken lessons in human behaviour. "Welcome to the family, Maelis. I'm sorry we weren't there during these tumultuous days. It seems my brother has drawn the ire of the entire island."
I laughed. "He also saved my life. And he showed me that aliens aren't all that bad after all."
Elise rolled her shoulders. "It's been a long day. How about a swim?"