Chapter 3
Chapter
Three
Phineas emerged where Finn kept his houseboat moored. Finn was waiting on the dock as Phineas climbed out of the lake. Finn had a towel ready for him and clothes so that Phineas could navigate through town.
Not that anyone cared if Phineas wore clothes or not.
Most in Harmony Glen knew he could wander around and not be obscene. It was the beauty of having a cloaca.
“How was the swim this morning?” Finn asked as Phineas took the towel from him.
“Fine. I’m glad the ice is off the lake.”
“I think it’s chilly still,” Finn remarked.
Phineas cocked his head. “I think you’re getting soft, old man.”
Finn’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean ‘soft,’ and what do you mean by old man?”
Phineas chuckled under his breath as he grabbed the shirt that Finn had brought for him and pulled it on. “It’s all subjective.”
Finn snorted. “Subjective? I’m only seven years older than you.”
“That’s ancient to a twenty-four-year-old like me.”
“You’ve gotten a little more feisty since the fall. I’m not sure if it’s a good thing or a bad thing.”
“Good thing,” Phineas teased. He pulled on the pants and then slipped on the slide sandals. “Besides, you’re a glashtyn. You shouldn’t be complaining about the temperature of the water.”
Finn rolled his eyes. “I’m not a kelpie. Glashtyns are different. I’m a water horse, but also not. I don’t have an underwater kingdom.”
“That still doesn’t explain much. Well, at least kelpies aren’t afraid of cocks.” Phineas tried not to laugh, pleased he got that zinger of a running joke in.
Finn’s mouth dropped open. “Smart ass. Fine. You’re right, I’ve gotten soft and set myself up for that particular pun.”
Phineas chuckled. It was a well-known joke that Finbar “Finn” Clague, glashtyn and owner of Monster Catch Bait and Tackle, not only resembled a horse but that he was notoriously afraid of chickens.
Roosters in particular.
Everyone who knew Finn Clague teased him about it.
The only quirk Phineas had was in the winter, he moved slower and really didn’t like the snow and ice at all, but that wasn’t something to make fun of. Gill men usually didn’t frequent northern areas, which is why he was the only one in town.
“Who’s watching the shop?” Phineas asked.
“My mom. Margaid’s in the city.”
Phineas could see Finn’s mother Hetty puttering around inside Monster Catch through the window and couldn’t help but wonder if Pearl was in there.
He knew she’d come back for the summer and he desperately wanted to see her.
Then go visit her.
His stomach knotted thinking about her, because yes, he did want to listen to that voice inside his head, but another part of him was constantly telling him he didn’t have anything to offer her.
All he had was a swamp and the money he earned from selling peat moss and doing occasional aquatic jobs for people around Harmony Glen, and that was, as far as he was concerned, not enough to support a family.
There was also the haunting reminder that maybe he couldn’t protect his family. His father had tried and failed.
He knew that Pearl was a target every full moon when she transformed into a unicorn. She was rare, female glashtyn with unicorn properties, which meant unsavory magical individuals wanted to harm her.
And had tried to harm her in the past.
Yes, but I can protect her.
Phineas’ stomach clenched again and he rubbed his belly absentmindedly.
“You okay?” Finn asked, cocking his eyebrow.
“Why?”
“You keep wincing and now you’re clutching your stomach. You feel okay?”
“Some bad tofu,” Phineas explained. “It’ll pass.”
“Well, as long as you don’t pass it in front of me, we won’t have problems.”
Phineas rolled his eyes. “Ha ha.”
“I’ll need you around three today. Think you can meet me at Sandbar Island to help with some sportfishing? Tips will be good.”
Phineas nodded. “Sure thing.”
“Good. I’ll see you there.”
Phineas waved over his shoulder and headed toward town. It was his favorite time of year, summer. All the other seasons were a bit too chilly for him. There was another reason to love the summer now: Pearl was home.
It was autumn when she left and that felt like a lifetime ago.
What does it matter when you won’t even go and talk to her?
Phineas ignored that thought, or he tried to ignore the voices in his head berating him. All he had to do now was focus on running his errands, walk back to his swamp, and then go meet Finn later at Sandbar Island.
That was his agenda for today.
It’s a pretty boring and shitty agenda compared to, you know, talking to Pearl.
He really hated this inner dialogue he’d been having since Pearl’s going-away party at the end of last summer. As he walked toward town, he wasn’t paying attention to much. A few people called out to him and he waved absently, but he was lost in his own thoughts.
Then he caught sight of Pearl leaving Room with a Tomb and his heart skipped a beat, like it always did when he saw her.
Phineas stood back, just watching her walk along the tree-lined street.
He’d heard through the rumor mill she was going to the hospital to start a summer placement, which made complete sense as she was studying to be a nurse.
It was the perfect job for someone who was caring, gentle, and empathetic.
It was also one of the many reasons he was so in love with her.
“Hello, Phineas.”
Phineas startled, turning to see Flo and Mercedes standing behind him. They both had reusable grocery bags full of veggies.
“Hi,” he said. “I’d ask what you were up to, but it’s clear you’ve been to Ogram’s.”
“Yes,” Flo said. “Getting some fresh produce. We drive out there, then Magnus’ truck broke down.”
“Again,” Mercedes stated. “Thankfully, the farm market isn’t that far out of town, and we got the truck towed to the shop.”
“Magnus needs to upgrade his vehicle,” Phineas remarked. “Especially now that he can pretty much go wherever he wants.”
“I agree,” Mercedes said emphatically. “Where are you off to?”
“Nowhere.” Which was true. He didn’t have a set place to go, other than walk around town and see if there was any work he could do, at least until three when he had to swim out to Sandbar Island to assist Finn with his fishing clients.
“Oh, well come by the dead-and-breakfast when you can. I think the pump in the koi pond is acting up again,” Mercedes said, switching her heavily laden bag from one hand to the other.
“Yes, I believe so,” Flo agreed. “I really like the fish and I would hate for them to get sick.”
“Or die and haunt your dead-and-breakfast?” Phineas stated in a half tease.
“Yeah, we don’t need ghost fish,” Mercedes said.
“Okay. I’ll stop by in an hour. I’m going to check in with Mona at The Clothes Spin and then I’ll head over your way.”
“Good. We’ll see you later,” Flo said brightly.
Phineas stepped aside and watched as Flo and Mercedes continued on their walk to Room with a Tomb.
It was a complete lie that he was heading to Mona’s, because he didn’t have a destination in mind, but he might as well start there and see if she had anything she needed him to do. Gabe, a fox man, did a lot of odd jobs in town, and Phineas filled in the gaps where he could.
There was only so much peat moss and other aquatic plants he could harvest. It never really bothered him before about how he barely scraped by, but lately it seemed important.
It’s because of Pearl.
His father had always told him the importance of taking care of your family.
“Phineas, bring me that moss,” his father called out.
“Sure, Dad.” Phineas scooped up the moss and carried it over to his dad, who was working on their house. Phineas loved working with his dad. They’d always laugh and joke, and it was the best day, spending it outside.
As his dad layered the moss on thickly, Phineas cocked his head, watching.
“Dad, why do we need this much moss on the house?”
“To keep our home hidden and safe.”
“Why?” Phineas asked, handing his dad the moss.
His dad smiled sadly. “It’s my job to protect you and your mother. I won’t…”
“Won’t what?”
His father sighed and smiled at him. “It’s cold this far north. Moss will keep us warm, so we won’t freeze. I won’t let you and your mother be cold.”
“Oh. I see.”
“One day you’ll understand, but it’s important to protect your family. At all costs.”
It wasn’t just his late father who had taught him that lesson, but also Mr. Clague, Finn’s father. He watched how hard he worked to take care of his family and then take Phineas, who had lost his family, under his wing.
So he knew firsthand how important it was to take care of those you cherish. And he wanted to give Pearl the world.
It was just a matter of figuring out how to do it, because she was all he wanted.
“Hi.”
Phineas spun around and his heart did a jump seeing Pearl standing in front of him. He was distracted today. Everyone was sneaking up on him. Hands clasped in front of her, she smiled up at him tenderly.
“Hi,” he said. “I didn’t expect to run into you here.”
Great conversation starter.
“Clearly, but I remembered that my appointment with the hospital human resources department isn’t quite yet, so I thought I would pick up a coffee at Cool Beans. I saw you talking to Flo and Mercedes, and I thought I would come over and ask if you’d like to join me?”
He did and he didn’t, but he also could never resist her.
“Sure.”
“Good.” She tucked a strand of her shimmering hair behind her ear as she fell into step beside him. “How have you been?”
“Good.”
Pearl shot him a look of disbelief. “Really?”
“What?”
“Good is the only thing you’re going to say to me? We’ve barely spoken in a year and all I get is good?”
“Good is an apt update of my life. Good is…”
“Don’t say good!”
“It’s a fine word.”
“I can tell when someone is lying, remember?”
Phineas sighed, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “It’s better than telling you it’s been boring and uneventful. Unlike you going off to the city and learning.”
“I find it hard to believe nothing has happened to you this past year. So much has changed in Harmony Glen. Like my brother marrying Margaid. Magnus and Sven’s curses are broken. There are visible ghosts in Room with a Tomb.”
Phineas shuddered. “Don’t remind me.”
Pearl cocked an eyebrow. “You don’t like the ghosts. Okay, granted Mario’s nudity is a bit shocking but—”
“It’s not that I don’t like…oh, who am I kidding. Yeah, I’m not particularly fond of the spirits of the dearly departed.”
Or the fact that there was a portal to the other side in the basement of Room with a Tomb. It was a fact Magnus and Sven didn’t advertise, or they’d be constantly overrun by people looking for connection to the afterlife.
Too many strangers in town, which had him on edge.
His father always taught him to be wary of newcomers, and it was one thing being able to see ghosts, but it was another to mess with the veil between life and death.
Maybe you could see your parents? Phineas shook that thought away.
He hoped, wherever they were, they were at peace.
What he knew of their life before coming to Harmony Glen had been far from peaceful, and they hadn’t liked talking about it.
In fact, the only family photo he had of them from when he was an infant was torn and tattered.
His mother had said it got ruined when they were fleeing during a storm.
Still, he’d often catch her touching that torn edge, like she was grieving. There was something his parents had never told him, and now no one was left to explain why his parents were isolated and scared.
“You’ve gone somewhere else,” Pearl said softly.
“Pardon?” He blinked a couple of times to dispel the memories of his mother.
“You completely zoned out.”
“I’ve had a lot on my mind this year.” Which wasn’t a lie. He did.
“What’ve you been thinking about?”
You.
Only, he didn’t say that part out loud.
“Just things I can do to improve my business.” Which also wasn’t a lie, because he did think about ways to make a better living so that when he went to Pearl, he could offer her whatever she wanted and he could take care of her.
They stopped in front of the coffee shop and he looked down at her, her beautiful violet eyes, those luscious pink lips he longed to kiss, her soft skin he ached to touch. It was all he could do to hold back and not run his knuckles softly across her face like he wanted to do.
He still remembered how she felt in his arms at the wedding. He was a cold-blooded being, but thinking of her and how much he wanted her made his blood burn with need. His hidden gills up his spine vibrated in response to thinking about kissing her, touching her.
Tasting her.
She smiled up at him sweetly. “I wish you would talk to me.”
“I am talking to you.”
“Phineas,” she whispered. “There’s something—”
His pulse was racing and he inched closer to her, hopeful. The door of the coffee shop jingled and it whacked him in the back, causing him to stumble forward slightly. Pearl reached out to steady him, but he was much taller than her.
“Sorry,” Phineas mumbled. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Are you?”
“Sore.” He rubbed his shoulder and turned to look at who had whipped open the door of Cool Beans and hit him.
“Sac á maam!” the stranger exclaimed.
Phineas’ mouth dropped open as he stared at the gill man standing before him., still gripping the door. He blinked a couple of times, not sure what he was seeing.
Save for the scar and the discoloration on his pebbly skin, which was slightly darker green, Phineas would swear he was looking at a twin of his late father.
Pearl gasped slightly behind him. “Oh my. The resemblance…”
The other gill man was grinning. “Could it be?”
“I’m sorry, could what be?” Phineas asked. “You hit me with the door.”
“My apologies for my brigand behavior. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” The stranger’s accent was thick.
Phineas frowned. “No problem. Just be careful where you’re going.”
He was hoping the strange gill man would leave because he was sure that Pearl had been on the verge of telling him something important before they’d been interrupted.
Only, the other gill man didn’t leave. He just stared at him.
“Are you Phineas?” the gill man asked.
The fins on the back of his spine rippled with nervousness. His parents always told him to be wary of strangers, unless it was someone from Harmony Glen. “Maybe. Who are you?”
“My apologies.” The other gill man bowed slightly. “My name is Pierre Lafontaine, and if you’re Phineas, then I’m your older brother.”