with the smile, with the casual friendliness of Catarina’s tone? “I came to see how you’re doing.
How does swimming feel now?”
In fact, Luce felt much better, but she wasn’t ready to talk yet. Her voice only wanted to leap out in wild notes, and she almost couldn’t stand the thought of limiting it to dull, small words.
“There’s a Coast Guard boat a few miles off,” Catarina continued, and Luce began to focus more. “We could take it without you, but if you’re well enough we’d certainly appreciate your help.”
Luce had known this might happen sometime, but she wasn’t ready to hear it now. Her body dropped into the water and eddied there in confusion, and she couldn’t meet Catarina’s eyes.
Catarina didn’t understand. “Your bruises look almost healed,” Catarina said, and there was a harsh edge to her voice, “but if it still hurts you that much to swim . . .” Luce was still emerging from the dream of her own singing, but she clearly recognized the quickening eagerness in Catarina’s eyes, the impatient swishing of her movements. It was so confusing; Luce had imagined that Catarina resented her singing, but now her friend’s long golden body rippled with terrible desire. No matter what she claimed, she’d be furious if Luce refused to come with her. And in spite of herself, Luce felt a surge of the same shivering desire: to be out in that wild sea, devoured by her own much wilder song.
i 87
“I’m ready to swim,” Luce stammered. “I just I’m so new I don’t think I’m ready to sing to anyone.” Catarina’s tail flipped up behind her and lashed the water into a nervous froth.
Her eyes flared.
“You think I didn’t hear you just now? Luce, you’re second in command! I’ll lead the ship in, and you cover from behind.
You have to watch out if they try to lower the lifeboats . . .” Luce was wide- eyed with dismay, and Catarina finally checked herself. “Just swim out with us, then.” She gave Luce a long, uncomfortable stare, examining something in her face, and her mouth twisted into a wicked smile. “You don’t have to sing if you don’t feel like it. I promise. All right?” And without waiting for an answer, she caught Luce’s hand and dove.
Luce went with her. The mouth of the cave opened onto a glorious view. The ocean was stained green and golden, laced with writhing threads of light, and Luce realized it was the first time she’d swum through sunlit water. She’d been inside the dark cave for so long that she now swept her tail in excitement and raced through the delirium of sun, Catarina still holding her hand. Shine streaked over Catarina’s flying hair and lit the bubbles churned up by their swimming. Luce’s happiness was so bright and brash that she could almost forget her anxiety about what they were going to do.
She wasn’t going to do it, Luce corrected herself. Catarina had promised that she wouldn’t have to sing. Luce would keep her voice shut deep in her chest, where it couldn’t hurt anyone.
It wasn’t like she could have done anything to stop Catarina either; Luce had seen the ravenous eagerness in her friend’s face.
Nothing would have held her back.
88 i LOST VOICES
Then the shoreline was just a low gray band wrapping the horizon on one side, and the tall white Coast Guard boat skimmed along in front of them. Behind it drifted a pack of mermaids, all waiting for Catarina. As long as they kept their bodies vertical in the water, with their tails pointing straight down and their chins tucked against their chests, they were almost indistinguish-able from seals. Luce knew the sailors could look directly at them and never suspect a thing. Only Catarina’s fiery hair might cause some concern, and she stayed just below the surface until she’d made sure everyone was ready. Then her pale face rose in the center of a green glass wave.
“Fan out,” Catarina commanded, and Luce could see how the mermaids all thrilled to the order.
How does swimming feel now?”
In fact, Luce felt much better, but she wasn’t ready to talk yet. Her voice only wanted to leap out in wild notes, and she almost couldn’t stand the thought of limiting it to dull, small words.
“There’s a Coast Guard boat a few miles off,” Catarina continued, and Luce began to focus more. “We could take it without you, but if you’re well enough we’d certainly appreciate your help.”
Luce had known this might happen sometime, but she wasn’t ready to hear it now. Her body dropped into the water and eddied there in confusion, and she couldn’t meet Catarina’s eyes.
Catarina didn’t understand. “Your bruises look almost healed,” Catarina said, and there was a harsh edge to her voice, “but if it still hurts you that much to swim . . .” Luce was still emerging from the dream of her own singing, but she clearly recognized the quickening eagerness in Catarina’s eyes, the impatient swishing of her movements. It was so confusing; Luce had imagined that Catarina resented her singing, but now her friend’s long golden body rippled with terrible desire. No matter what she claimed, she’d be furious if Luce refused to come with her. And in spite of herself, Luce felt a surge of the same shivering desire: to be out in that wild sea, devoured by her own much wilder song.
i 87
“I’m ready to swim,” Luce stammered. “I just I’m so new I don’t think I’m ready to sing to anyone.” Catarina’s tail flipped up behind her and lashed the water into a nervous froth.
Her eyes flared.
“You think I didn’t hear you just now? Luce, you’re second in command! I’ll lead the ship in, and you cover from behind.
You have to watch out if they try to lower the lifeboats . . .” Luce was wide- eyed with dismay, and Catarina finally checked herself. “Just swim out with us, then.” She gave Luce a long, uncomfortable stare, examining something in her face, and her mouth twisted into a wicked smile. “You don’t have to sing if you don’t feel like it. I promise. All right?” And without waiting for an answer, she caught Luce’s hand and dove.
Luce went with her. The mouth of the cave opened onto a glorious view. The ocean was stained green and golden, laced with writhing threads of light, and Luce realized it was the first time she’d swum through sunlit water. She’d been inside the dark cave for so long that she now swept her tail in excitement and raced through the delirium of sun, Catarina still holding her hand. Shine streaked over Catarina’s flying hair and lit the bubbles churned up by their swimming. Luce’s happiness was so bright and brash that she could almost forget her anxiety about what they were going to do.
She wasn’t going to do it, Luce corrected herself. Catarina had promised that she wouldn’t have to sing. Luce would keep her voice shut deep in her chest, where it couldn’t hurt anyone.
It wasn’t like she could have done anything to stop Catarina either; Luce had seen the ravenous eagerness in her friend’s face.
Nothing would have held her back.
88 i LOST VOICES
Then the shoreline was just a low gray band wrapping the horizon on one side, and the tall white Coast Guard boat skimmed along in front of them. Behind it drifted a pack of mermaids, all waiting for Catarina. As long as they kept their bodies vertical in the water, with their tails pointing straight down and their chins tucked against their chests, they were almost indistinguish-able from seals. Luce knew the sailors could look directly at them and never suspect a thing. Only Catarina’s fiery hair might cause some concern, and she stayed just below the surface until she’d made sure everyone was ready. Then her pale face rose in the center of a green glass wave.
“Fan out,” Catarina commanded, and Luce could see how the mermaids all thrilled to the order.
Similar Books
