Chapter Ten
Cordelia Marin
W ater engulfs me as I dive into the abyss, shifting into my dolphin form. My sleek body cuts through the ocean, every muscle driven by the urgent need to save Basil. The siren’s song wraps around him, pulling him deeper into darkness.
Please be okay, Basil. I can’t lose you to them, not when I’ve just started to trust you.
The water around us shimmers with ethereal light, illuminating the path but also exposing us to other creatures. I spot Basil, his eyes glazed, entranced by the siren’s call. Small bubbles of air leak from his lips. My heart twists at the sight. I have to get him to the surface before he inhales water. I nudge him with my snout, breaking the spell momentarily. His eyes focus on me, confusion battling with enchantment.
For an instant, his eyes clear and he recognizes the danger he is in.
I wrap my body around his waist and feel him grasp my dorsal fin. I push upward with all my strength. The siren shrieks in fury. Her cold fingers graze my tail flukes.
Fear spikes through me—if she catches me, we’re both doomed.
We break the surface in a rush of bubbles and saltwater spray. Basil sputters and gasps for air, his limbs flailing weakly. I shift back to human form, clutching him tightly as we float. The ship looms above us, a towering silhouette against the night sky.
“Cordelia? How... what happened?” Basil’s voice is rough, disoriented.
“Shh, it’s okay. Just breathe.” My voice trembles despite my attempt at calm.
His eyes search mine, filled with questions I can’t answer here and now.
“No questions. We’re not safe yet. When I change, grab my dorsal fin again and do not let go for any reason. When we get close to the ship, I’ll shake my head. You must immediately take a deep breath and hold it. Close your eyes to protect them. Trust me, Basil.”
I shift into my dolphin form and angle my body in the water for him to grab hold. I swim with us through the water with as much speed as I can manage with him hanging on. The ship is moving, and we must catch up or he will die in this frigid water.
A light flashes from the stern of the ship and I say a prayer of thanks. My bio monitor has alerted the bridge, and the ship is slowing. There is a concealed port below the ship’s waterline designed for shifter access, and that’s where I’m headed.
Shaking my head to alert Basil, I dive deep and find the entrance, pulling both of us inside the port and pushing the button to close the gate with my snout. As the water drains, I transform back to human and haul Basil across the threshold drains onto and up the ramp to safety before punching the command code to close the port and refill the tunnel. I collapse beside him. We’re both of us drenched and exhausted. He is shaking; I think from cold, but could also be shock.
He looks at me with a mixture of awe and suspicion.
“That was... you?”
I nod slowly, feeling exposed and vulnerable under his gaze. “Yes.”
He struggles to sit up, wincing from an unseen pain. “You’re... you’re not human.”
I can’t deny it any longer. “I think of it more as human plus one.” My whisper is barely audible over the alarm pulsing loudly.
Silence stretches between us, thick with unspoken words and unasked questions.
Basil finally breaks it. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“It’s complicated.” I look away.
He reaches out, his hand warm on my arm despite our soaked clothes. His touch ignites a current that hums between us.
“Cordelia.”
I turn to face him, our eyes locking in the dim light. His expression is a mix of determination and confusion.
“You saved my life, Cordelia. I saw you... all of you. And it was beautiful.”
His words hang in the air, heavy with meaning. My heart aches with the weight of secrets I’ve kept for so long.
“I... I didn’t have a choice. You were in danger.”
He reaches out, his hand gently lifting my chin until our eyes meet again. “I’m not talking about saving me from drowning. I saw what you are, and it didn’t scare me.”
His acceptance is a lifeline in this storm of uncertainty. But can I trust it? Can I trust him?
“I want to tell you everything.” My voice trembles. “But can I risk it? Can I trust you?”
Basil’s gaze is steady, unwavering. “I’m here, Cordelia. Whatever this is—whatever you are—it doesn’t change how I feel.”
His words cut through my defenses like a knife through water. The urge to reveal everything battles with my instinct to protect him—and myself.
“I’m a shifter.” Searching his face for any sign of fear or doubt, I continue. “I transform into a dolphin... it’s part of who I am.”
He takes my hands in his, his touch grounding me. “And it’s extraordinary.” His simple words carry genuine wonder and resonate deep inside of me.
The tension between us transforms. Our faces draw close. Our lips touch in a kiss, a vow, a nascent trust, and the promise of more, taking us beyond secrets and fears.
The alarm cuts off suddenly as the door flies open and Zara bursts in, followed immediately by Baby Doc and the duty nurse, carrying thermal blankets and towels.
I pull back reluctantly, our foreheads touching as we catch our breath.
“We’ll finish this conversation later.” Basil whispers, his grip on my hands tightens briefly before letting go.
“Promise.” My reply is barely a whisper as I turn and greet the rescue team, alerted by the watch crew on the bridge to respond to a man overboard call.
I stand as Zara reaches for me, embracing me in a spontaneous hug.
As we stand for a moment, I whisper my thanks to the brilliant engineer, my friend, who saved us. “Zara, you have no idea how grateful I am at this moment for your ingenious redesign of the Mystic Princess. The shifter port worked perfectly. Basil would have died without it.”