Rain

Prologue

A widow stood along the cliffs above the ocean. The waves crashed below, spraying the rocks. She inched closer. She could join her husband. Her young love that was stolen from her by the sea. Why hadn't the great lord Merrik protected him? She had served the god all her life. The god had brought all the others back safely but her husband was dead.

The fire gods should be forced back to hell and end all of this. Maybe then the wind would settle and the fires would stop spreading.

She moved closer to the edge but lost her confidence. Dropping to her knees, she started to sob. She didn't want to die but had nothing to live for. Everything had been taken from her. The ocean had taken it all.

A cry billowed up from below with the crash of the sea. The voice rang throughout the cliffs. Raising her head, she looked out over the water. Something caught her eye, riding on the waves. Rising to her feet, she listened as the wind twirled her hair around her face. It was a baby, the cry of a baby. The woman hurried down the steep trail to the rocks that laid below. The sound grew louder as she clambered through the boulders. She leaped off one into a clearing with a shallow pool.

The waves pushed a bundle of seaweed further onto the shore. A small arm stuck out from it as the baby cried. She hurried over and dropped to her knees. Removing the seaweed from the child, she peered down at the little boy covered in sand. Thunder cracked in the distance. She needed to get home.

She picked him up and soothed him until he stopped crying. Where did he come from? The woman stood and scanned the area. She was alone. Everyone else had remained at the house after the funeral. There were no signs of a shipwreck, no signs of anyone at all.

Her foot hit something smooth and she looked down to see something gold sticking out of the sand. She picked it up and found it to be a pearl. She spun it in her hand and saw one side had a hole. It was completely hollow. Her mouth fell open. Looking to the sea, she found clear skies.

"Bless the gods," she breathed. "What have they given me?"

She cradled the child to her chest. The baby settled and slowly opened his eyes. Gold swirled in his irises. This child was of the sea and a treasure. She lifted the first layer of her dress and wrapped the child in the fabric. She smiled at the sweet little boy who grinned right back at her.

Facing the ocean, she stood up straight. "Thank you. My lord, thank you." She bowed her head before retreating up the beach and hurrying home to warm the baby up. He jabbered to her all the way along the path, laughing and making all sort of happy noises. He was perfect in the woman's eyes. He was a sweet angel given to her by the god of the sea.

"Caroline"—her sister ran toward her waving her arm through the air—"Caroline, bless the gods, where have you gone? People feared the worst."

The woman smiled and showed her sister the baby. "A gift, Chelsea. Our lord has blessed me with a son."

Chelsea clasped her chest and shook her head. "Caroline, a baby? How? Where did you find such it."

"The sea gave him to me." She showed her the pearl. "He washed ashore. The sea brought him to me."

"No"—Chelsea shook her head—"you have to take him back. The parents will come looking. They'll throw you in prison for this. You can't take another woman's baby."

She turned her body away from her sister. "He is mine. Merrik gave him to me. I will not abandon a gift from a god."

"Caroline, the grief is clouding your mind. This child belongs to someone else."

"With me," she said firmly. "That is where he belongs."

"Chelsea, Caroline, there you are. I've been looking everywhere for you." A man jogged toward the two women. "What is that you have?"

"She's has stolen another woman's child," said Chelsea. "I told her to put him back but she refuses."

"Caroline"—he shook his head at her—"this is not right. I'm sorry for your loss. Mazin was a dear friend of mine, but to kidnap a child."

"The sea gave him to me." She held the baby to her chest. "He belongs to me."

The man shook his head. "Give him here. I will find the parents."

"No!" She turned her body. "He's mine!"

He tried to wrestle the baby from her. The child started to cry. His tears started to fall as lightning cracked. The group froze as black clouds appeared just above their heads.

Caroline soothed the baby and eyed the other two. "As I said, he was given to me by the sea and I think Lord Merrik has made that clear." She walked passed them to her sister's house.

She went in through the backdoor and took the child to the guest room. Laying the baby on the bed, she retrieved a quilt and wrapped him up in it. The boy settled down and fell asleep. She took the pearl out of her pocket. Such a beautiful boy had been given to her. Leaning down, she kissed the child's forehead. "I will protect you."

Chelsea appeared in the doorway. "Are you really going to do this?"

"Would you rather I insult Merrik and threw his gift back into the sea. I'm sure he'll curse our city and send the fish so far away that not even your husband's boat will be able to catch them."

Chelsea sat down on the bed. "You're exaggerating slightly." She brushed her finger along the boy's arm. "How can we be sure, though?"

"If someone says they are missing a child, then, of course, I will give him back to his rightful mother." She peered down at the baby. "But something tells me, no one will come. He was meant to be mine. Lord Merrik chose me."

Her sister nodded. "Well then, what will we call him?"

Caroline smiled. "Mazin."