Seaweed by Elle Strauss Page B

downward. I thought he knew me well enough to know I could be pretty stubborn. He handed me his cell phone.
    “Call your mother,” he said.
    I took the phone but didn’t dial. Instead I noticed for the first time how sparse the room was.
    “We have to leave,” Tor said, seeing my eyes scan the place. “At least for a while.”
    “Where to?”
    Tor and Dex exchanged a look before Dex answered. “The world’s oceans are vast. Even though humans have managed to map large portions, they haven’t found everything there is to find.”
    “And?” I prompted.
    Tor jumped in. “Just like on earth, there are mountain ranges under the sea. Caves and cliffs. We’re transient sea dwellers; we’re always moving around, from place to place.”
    I smiled. “Ah, like undersea gypsies. But I thought you had to stay coastal, to, you know, breathe air sometimes.”
    “Only the ones like Uncle Dex and me who want to live partially on land. The others never have to surface, so they can live anywhere there are caves and mountains to hide in. Even so, we can stay underwater for weeks at a time.”
    Up to now, I’d only envisioned Dex and Tor and a nuclear family. “How many of you are there, exactly?”
    “More than you’d think. There are two main clans, but each clan has many pods.”
    I was dumbfounded. “Tell me about the clans.”
    Tor hesitated. “It’s a long story. We don’t really have time to get into it now.” He nodded to the phone. “Call your mother, and then I’ll walk you home.”
    I walked up the rock steps to the outdoors, Tor on my heels. I called my mother, but I didn’t tell her about destroying the boat, or that I was on my way home. I told her I was spending the weekend with Becca on her farm after work.
    Tor’s expression was grim. “What are you doing?”
    “I’m going with you. I’m a mermaid now, and I want to go meet the clan.”
    “Dori.” Tor grimaced. “That’s a dumb idea.”
    “Why? It’s not like I’d be gone forever. You said so yourself.”
    I followed Tor back into the cave. He told Dex what I’d done.
    Dex cleared his throat. “It’s dangerous, Dori. Tor’s right, you should stay here and wait for us to come back.”
    “What’s so dangerous about it?”
    Tor and Dex stared each other down.
    She’s exactly what they want. Once their spies spot her, it’ll be trouble. Dex said.
    I don’t think we can stop her. And you can’t blame her for being curious. Let’s just show her around the pod, and then I’ll bring her back myself.
    I didn’t know if they’d forgotten that I could hear them, but I didn’t let on. I registered Dex’s concern and made a mental note to ask Tor later on about who they were and why they had spies.
    One day, then you bring her back.
    One day.
    One day—I scoffed with my inside voice, but I’d let them think what they want for now. I smiled at my victory.
    “Okay.” Tor stood and I stood, too.
    Dex waved us off. “I’ll deal with the rest of this stuff and join you later.”
    “What are you doing with it?” I asked.
    “Uncle Dex rented a storage unit.” Tor tilted his head. “Let’s go.”
    Let’s go . This was it. Little tingling shivers shot throughout my body. I was going to some foreign place under the sea. With Tor.
    All my fears melted away when Tor took my hand. Suddenly, irrationally, all was right with the world.
    Down at the rocks, Tor paused. “Are you sure you’re ready for this?”
    That was when I clued in that we were going to become merpeople—a mercouple—for the first time.
    I nodded. Tor took off his shirt and my innards quaked.
    “I don’t like to swim with clothes on,” he explained at my startled look. “It’s just not a natural feeling.”
    “Well, um, I’m keeping my shirt, well, your shirt on, if you don’t mind.”
    He smirked. “I can go either way. But I’ll warn you, it’s way more comfortable to transition without pants on.”
    I could feel my eyes blinking madly.
    “I’m taking