Chapter Eight
"Serena, wake up. Wake up!"
A rough shake at her shoulder draws Serena from her dreams. As she opens her eyes Ervin comes into focus.
"Don't you ever sleep?" Serena asks, rolling over and curling her arms into her chest.
He snorts. "Not nearly as much as you. But I guarantee no one else in your caste is sleeping right now."
"Hmm? Why?" Serena asks, pushing herself up as far as her small sleeping cove allows.
"The Choosing is today! Come on, you're going to be late."
Her eyes fly open, fully alert now. With all the absconding nonsense, she had completely forgotten about the ceremony. Once an Undine maiden reaches the age of eighteen, they are assigned a job within Society. The entire caste enters The Choosing together. Although Serena is the only one who hasn't turned eighteen, they lump her in with the caste. She wouldn't rate an entire Choosing ceremony by herself.
Serena jumps down splashing water over the recently dried walls. Ervin takes a step back.
"Are you still mad at me?" Serena asks.
Ervin shrugs. "Murphy assigned me extra rounds. I could use the extra swimming, anyway—
so we'll call it even." He glances at Serena, frowning. "You're not wearing that, are you?"
Serena looked down at her scales. They still cover her entire body, just below her neckline.
She mimics Ervin's frown. What more is there to do?
Serena recalls the last few Choosing ceremonies. Finally, she decides on an alteration to her scales. Dots of shiny pearl pop up, like diamonds scattered across a midnight blue sea. She lengthens the sleeves on her arms until they come to a sharp point at her middle knuckle.
Serena looks back up at Ervin with a tentative smile.
"No," he rolls his eyes. "I mean—like decorative pieces. Girls usually go all out for The Choosing."
Serena cocks her head. Hasn't he realized by now that she is unlike most girls?
Her eyes drift to her dry box. Ervin nods, encouraging her. Serena sighs and moves to the box. She opens it, rooting through her tools setting aside hammers, chisels, and screwdrivers. Next are CO2 canisters and notebooks with two years' worth of recorded experiments. Ervin lets out an exasperated sigh when she pulls out a microscope.
“This is completely necessary for observing minuscule fissures in shells,” she says. "Here," she finally announces, pulling out a small case. Two rows of white clam shells are cemented to the top. Ervin leans over her shoulder as she balances the case across her knees and releases the clasp. The contents lie flat, sliding from one side to the other.
Serena picks up the only clue to her past, her mother's bracelet and necklace, part of her personal belongings as long as she can remember. The jewelry box is far too empty for a maiden her age. Serena slips on the freshwater crystal bracelet and removes the necklace, placing the other items back in the dry box.
A large, circular jewel encased in stone hangs from a simple chain. Dark gray and black swirls make the piece appear as though it is churning in on itself—the coloring similar to Serena’s scales.
"Here, let me." Ervin takes the necklace from her.
Serena stands and twists her long, black locks of hair up and out of the way so he can fasten the hook. When he steps back she lets the large jewel fall to her chest. Serena retracts a few more scales so the charm rests on smooth skin. The jewel draws attention to the cleft between her breasts. Heat crawls up her cheeks and she considers concealing herself higher again. Perhaps for the first time ever, she is self-conscience in front of Ervin.
Fidgeting with the necklace, Serena's eyes dart from his, down to the cave floor, and back again. She can feel the algae in the crab trap brush her ankles.
Say something, she thinks.
"Don't worry," he says.
She furrows her eyebrows in confusion.
He puts a hand on her shoulder and squeezes. "I mean about being in The Dry for the Choosing Ceremony. King Merrick has ordered his whole guard on the beach for protection. I'll be watching your back."
"My back?" Serena looks down at her front. It is the most effort she has ever put into her appearance.
"Yeah." Ervin smiles. "Your back." He pats her shoulder twice, hard, then turns on his heels. Behind him, Serena follows, a few more scales crawling up her chest.