Moon Cursed (Book 2 in The Star and Her Moon Series)

Goodbye

Raff

Once again the selkie nation lined up on the beach, but this time there was no hate in their eyes. Only sadness and gratefulness as the one they called Blessed returned home. They believed her sacrifice had saved them from Nerida.

Raff wanted to tell them her sacrifice was pointless.

In the mass of fur and leather, he stood out in his jeans and Henley. It felt wrong for him to wear their clothes, but what he wore felt wrong too. His best bespoke suit would feel wrong. The only thing that felt right was fur covering his skin.

Thorne stood at his side. From time to time she crinkled a piece of paper she clutched in her hand, and he almost asked her to stop or throw it away. Before the ceremony, she told him she'd discovered important information, but he wouldn't let her explain. Today was about saying goodbye. No matter how angry he was, he wanted to be fully present.

Thorne accepted a dress from Addien. Its neckline went up to her chin, and the long sleeves came to a point over the back of her hand. Around her bare feet, the skirt billowed in the wind, the white hem turning black where it brushed against the sand. Gold and white were traditional colors of mourning among the selkies. Raff wore a gold rope around his forearm.

Dorea walked into the waves with Valencia. Her swollen stomach strained against the fabric of her attire, and she put one hand beneath it as she bent over to kiss the top of Meribella's head. The shroud he'd detested hid Meribella from view, and all over her body were flowers in every hue. At her feet, Aurora rested, refusing to be separated from her mistress, even in death.

"Are you really going to let them push her out there with Aurora on the barge?" Thorne asked.

"She bit the last three people who tried to remove her."

"I can sedate her with magic. This isn't right."

"You sedate her now and what then? She'll mourn herself to death. She won't eat." Raff explained. He knew his words to be as true as if Aurora had told him herself. Wolves were loyal beasts.

Dorea took her grandmother's hand, and together they walked back to the shore. Caspian and Addien were among those not present, the selkie's injuries too extensive to allow him to get out of bed yet.

All around Raff, the selkies began to slip out of their clothes and into their skins. Leopard, Ringed, Harpy, Elephant... all shapes and sizes of seals went into the sea, swimming after the raft carrying Meribella.

And then Valencia began to sing. Dorea joined in. The words were foreign, but the notes were high and clear and mirroring Raff's pain perfectly. It drew a ragged sob from him and turned his eyes wet again. How many times would he cry until he thought there was nothing left to cry?

Thorne raised her fingers to her lips and pressed a kiss against them before pointing her fingers to the heavens. A light pulsed from her ring, and a ring of light blossomed around Meribella's barge.

"What is that?" His voice was hoarse.

"Protection from the elements."

Raff wanted to mock her because what did protection mean to Meribella now, but he didn't. Whatever she needed to do to find some semblance of peace, he would accept. Lincoln pulled her close, and she turned her face into his shoulder and shook with the force of her tears.

As was the custom, they stayed on the shore until sunset lit the ocean on fire. Meribella was nothing but a black dot against the blue, and the selkies returned to shore one by one. And finally, only Raff remained behind with Lincoln and Thorne.