Chapter 251
The light in the infirmary is soft and sterile, the sort of still quiet that comes only after long nights and longer fights. I sit on the edge of Delphinium’s bed, the sheets tucked neatly around her pale form, and for the first time in what feels like forever, she looks like herself, not some broken thing trapped behind glass, but my great-aunt, vibrant and alive, watching me with open curiosity.
“So,” she says, her voice softer now, more grounded. “Tell me about your life, Phoebe.”
I blink, caught off guard. “My life?”
Delphinium nods, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. “Before all of this. Before me. Before the sea took you back.”
I glance over at Cora, who gives me a reassuring smile, then lean back slightly and let myself exhale the breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding.
“Well,” I begin, “I went to school. Studied marine biology. Not the most shocking path, I know.”
Delphinium grins. “The pull of the ocean runs strong in our blood.”
I nod slowly. “Yeah, maybe that’s it. Or maybe it was Wake all along. Maybe he was calling to me from the water, and I just didn’t know it. But either way… it was always going to end like this. I was always going to find my way back.”
There’s a silence, but it’s not awkward. It’s reflective. I think we’re all feeling it—a quiet acknowledgement of how deeply intertwined our stories have become.
Delphinium tilts her head, studying me. “You really did it. You turned yourself Enkian. I still can’t believe it.”
I shrug, then smile. “Couldn’t have done it without you.”
Her brow furrows slightly. “Me?”
“You saved Cora. You made it possible for her to live a life on land. That life gave me my mother, and eventually, me. You gave everything so we could have a chance. That chance turned into an idea. And that idea became everything. You’re the beginning of this whole thing.”
Delphinium goes very still. Her fingers twist in the hem of the hospital blanket.
Cora leans forward, concern in her voice. “Are you alright? Do you need a doctor?”
Delphinium shakes her head, smiling faintly. “No, no. I’m fine. Just… thinking.”
“What about?” I ask gently.
She sighs. “Just wondering if I’ll ever feel that connection again. To the sea. To our people. If I ever feel whole.” Her voice catches on the last word, and she lowers her gaze.
Cora reaches for her hand. “You’ve been gone a long time, Dee. But nothing is broken that can’t be fixed. I’m living proof of that. The magics our people once thought lost are waking up again. I believe that with time and care, we can find a way to make you feel whole again, too.”
Delphinium looks like she wants to believe it. But there’s still something guarded in her expression.
“At least on land,” she murmurs, “there’s…”
Her voice trails off, but I see the blush rise on her cheeks.
I grin. “Peter?”
Cora’s eyebrows lift slightly, and Delphinium turns the shade of soft coral.
“It’s not like that,” she says quickly. “He’s just… kind. Probably feels sorry for me. I’m like a baby deer trying to walk in this body. That can’t be attractive.”
I laugh, then shake my head. “Delphinium, trust me. Peter doesn’t pity you. He’s taken with you. The way he talks about you? The way he looks at you? It’s not pity. But if you’re worried about adjusting, we can help.”
Her eyes brighten. “Help how?”
“Well,” I say with a conspiratorial smile, “how do you feel about a few ‘human lessons?’”
Delphinium straightens in bed, a sparkle of excitement in her gaze. “You’d really do that?”
Cora chuckles. “We’ve got time. And I think it’s a wonderful idea. A way to ease into the world, and spend more time together.”
“I’d like that,” Delphinium says softly. “More than anything.”
I lean forward and press a gentle hand to her arm. “Then let’s do it. No time like the present, right? I know just where to start.”
Delphinium beams, and the sight of it is like the sun rising over calm waters. Even Cora looks visibly moved.
I find the nearest nurse and pray that the security staff's animosity toward us isn’t quite so widespread. “Excuse me,” I say. Would you ladies mind helping us with something?”
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