Page 65 of Ballad of Sea and Sky

I continued walking, Ran swimming beside me as Caspian followed warily.

Ran shook, his watery mane flinging droplets as he emerged from the stream, which curved away from us and the lake. He shuddered, his serpentine tail morphing into horse-like legs as he stepped onto the land.

“You can shapeshift?” I asked, trying to remember if I had read about this particular part of kelpie lore. Caspian narrowed his eyes, and I suddenly knew how the kelpie had dragged him into the stream.

What is water if not an ever-changing vessel?Ran replied, transforming himself into the shape of a winged male as if to prove his point. Caspian growled, and Rannoch transformed back into a four-legged horse. I could swear he was giving me the horse equivalent of a smirk.I prefer to be a horse, and I prefer the tail for swimming, but legs will do to reach the lake. We cannot enter it through groundwater because of Morar.

“What’s a Morar?” I asked, not recognizing it as the name of any water spirit I knew of. I also filed away the piece of knowledge about kelpies moving through groundwater for later. Perhaps I could write a book about my findings someday.

Morar was our king,Ran replied, his voice in my head both angry and sad.Years ago, he drowned a selkie in our lake who was trying to capture one of our young. But the male’s heart was wicked, and his soul poisoned Morar.

I quickly relayed all of this for Caspian, then asked, “The souls of a victim can do that?”

It is rare, but yes,Ran replied, shaking his head in disapproval.We are ancient creatures. Morar was the oldest of us. He should have passed on to the Great Lake long before, but he refused. He was easily corrupted.

This was a confusing bit of kelpie theology, and I did my best to try to explain it to Caspian. Ran communicated with feelings as well as words, and it was difficult to convey his full meaning accurately.

“And why does this mean you cannot enter the lake?” Caspian asked, clearly trying to get along with the kelpie. “And how can Marina help?”

Your mate asks wise questions,Ran commented, conveying humor with the thought.Maybe I shall not drown him.

“Just answer the questions,” I sighed, fighting back the smile. Ran was teasing me. I knew we would be friends.

His soul is pure, in case you wondered, the water horse replied with a pointed look at Caspian.He is an adequate choice.

“I didn’t realize kelpies were such meddlesome busybodies,” I quipped, my stomach twisting at the horse’s suggestion and revelation. Regardless of what Ran said, Caspian could never be my mate. I glanced at Caspian, who was waiting for an explanation with a bemused look on his face, before turning back to Ran. “The lake?”

Morar is like a poison now,Ran explained.Those who enter the lake become tainted with his darkness. We have managed to bind him so he cannot destroy the island, but while he remains, we are lost.

“Why don’t you move elsewhere then?” I asked after explaining this to Caspian. “You seem to be fine outside the lake.”

Ran tossed his head angrily, but it was Caspian who replied. “Because their home is the only place they can truly thrive, and not just survive.”

I swallowed, thinking of Caspian’s exiled people as I met his golden eyes. He held mine, a pulse of understanding passing between us.

Your mate speaks true, Ran whinnied. A wet nose prodded my shoulder, breaking me out from the spell of Caspian’s eyes.We need our lake to bear and raise young. There have been none since we were banished.

“Is that true for the sirens?” I asked Caspian, realizing I had no idea how old he truly was. “Can your people not have children without your home?”

“We can,” he replied, and something tight eased in my chest. “Sirens are not tied to the land in the same way kelpies must be tied to their lakes. But we are weaker—both our magic and our peoples. And it has been getting worse.”

“Your magic is weak?” I asked. Caspian had used air magic around me many times now, and it seemed to be as easy for him as breathing.

“I’m the king, Urchin,” he said, his tone serious despite the nickname. “I have the strongest magic, but it is still a shadow of what it should be. Something about the islands magnifies our gifts.”

I pondered this, wondering if the selkies who lived in Nordhavn experienced the same loss of power. I had always taken my magic for granted, both because it wasn’t very useful and because it was always there, lurking beneath my skin. The thought of losing my connection to the sea filled me with dread.

I felt the sea at the corner of my awareness crashing unhappily at this same thought, and I sent her a soothing image of gentle waves.

You speak to the Great Mother, Ran said, his tone slightly awed.She brought you here to help us.

“The sea?” I asked, startled out of my own magical water sense. I realized a little worriedly that the sea could pull me under as easily on land as she could with currents and tides. I’d have to work on my mental fortitude if I was going to be diving into my water sense more often.

The Great Mother,Ran confirmed.I suspected that you were a gift from her.

“You might be putting a bit too much faith in me, Ran,” I said, quickly explaining what he had said to Caspian. “How can I possibly heal an angry water spirit who taints everything he touches?”

With your will, Little Goddess,Ran replied devoutly.