Page 29 of Kraken the Seal

“Remember that the next time I pick a strange hobby,” she said with a grin. “I’ve been thinking of trying out knife throwing.”

We were cresting the hill, and I saw the park Archer had talked about. We walked toward the benches at the edge of the park set up to face the ocean but also giving us a view of the main street and harbor. There was almost no activity going on in the streets below.

“I need to ask you a few questions first,” Archer said as we all sat.

“Ask, but I might not answer,” Nina warned.

“Are you being abused by your former colony?” he asked.

“I don't have a former colony,” Nina said with a little shake of her head. A cold ocean breeze started up, making her press against my side. I draped an arm over her shoulders and snuggled her close.

“You don't?” Archer asked, looking shocked. “Were your parents ostracized?"

“I guess the gossip mill is faulty in this town,” she said and looked up at me. “Could you explain this time?”

I nodded, and Archer met my gaze with no animosity or derision. It was a nice change from his father. I told him the story of finding the necklace, thinking it was a cursed object, my disastrous decision to bring it to the surface, and Nina touching it.

I ended the story with his father refusing to tell us what he knew and demanding we stay in town before he'd reveal anything.

“I'm sorry," Archer said. “If I knew anything, I'd tell you. Only colony leaders have access to the histories.”

“What are the histories?” Nina asked.

“Originally, there were oral laws, histories, traditions, and stories passed down from leader to leader,” Archer explained. “When the printing presses became widespread, they were made into books that were passed down instead. Only my father has access to them.”

Nina and I exchanged a look, and I knew exactly what she was thinking. If Norris didn’t tell us what we wanted to know, we’d find those books and look for ourselves.

“Your father…” Nina paused, then wrinkled her nose. “What’s your father’s first name?”

Archer’s frown became neutral. Was that his version of a smile? “Anthony. He hates to be called Andy.”

Nina smirked. “Good to know. Anyway, Andy said he’d tell me about the spell after I stayed for three days.”

“That sounds like my father,” Archer said with a sigh. “He’s desperate to bring more selkie women into the colony. I keep telling him that the best way to do that would be to give the women of the colony autonomy equal to the men, but he’s stubborn. Even though every negotiation with other colonies to exchange people has failed because of that, he refuses to listen to me.”

Nina’s eyes narrowed. “You definitely have an autonomy issue! Dale down at the docks said I couldn’t talk to your father myself because of my gender. No woman is going to willingly live in a place where she’s property again.”

“What if someone realizes they’re gay, bi, trans, or simply don’t want to fit into the gender norm?” I asked.

Archer looked uncomfortable. “They conform or they leave.”

Nina gasped. “That’s abominable."

Archer shrugged. “I don’t agree with it, but I’m not in charge. It might be hard on some people, but we’re the largest and most stable colony in the world right now.”

“I’m not sure that’s worth the price,” Nina murmured.

“Not for you,” he agreed. “You’re a confident female and probably successful out in the world. You also have this guy to protect you, so there isn’t much you need to worry about. Other selkies might struggle without a colony to protect them.”

Dale came rushing up to us while Archer was talking. He was flushed and sweating, probably both from running up the hill but also because he looked terrified.

“Um, Mayor Norris said I’m supposed to be your guide,” he said, trying to talk to Nina, but his eyes kept moving to me.

“You’re safe, Dale,” Archer assured him. “Delmar isn’t going to do anything to you.” He looked at us. “Can I assume you’re going to stay on your boat?”

“Yes,” Nina said.

Archer nodded and turned his gaze back to Dale. “Why don’t you take them to the grocery store so they can get some supplies for their stay?”