Ocean's Surrender Read Online Free PDF

area.”
    “What?” River asked, her voice edged with anger. For what Fen said made no sense. Those waters were far too cold to swim in, at any time of year, without a lot of protective gear. And right now the waters were still icy from winter, as they took far longer to warm during spring than the earth.
    “Oh, River, don’t be like that. I’ve already told you about Fen.”
    “No, you haven’t, Jason. I’d have remembered if you did. Who are you?” she challenged Fen.
    “He’s my friend,” Jason answered, before Fen had the chance. “He lives in the ocean, and he came out because he knew I was sad. But I told him you were sadder, so he wanted to meet you too.”
    River’s eyes narrowed and Fen sighed, internally. Jason was only trying to help, but the selkie could sense that Jason had punched about sixteen of his sister’s hot buttons in one sentence.
    “We don’t need help, first of all, and second of all, this is ridiculous. He can’t live in the sea, and we don’t need help. And what do you mean I’m sad…” River’s voice trailed off as comprehension dawned. “Wait, are you sad, Jason?”
    Fen liked River even more, seeing how swiftly her mind cleared of anything but care for her brother.
    “Sometimes I’m sad you’re sad,” her brother admitted, sheepishly. His quiet words hit River like a punch in the gut, causing Jason to change the subject by pointing at Fen. “But he’s going to help, because he’s magic, and he doesn’t even really look like he does now but I recognized him anyway.”
    Fen laughed, a sharp bark of a laugh, like that of a seal. When he spoke again, those traces of accent River had heard before were stronger.
    “That you did, mate. You are a clever lad. You do see more than most people, don’t you?”
    Jason nodded, grinning at the praise. “I can’t do some things real good, like math, but I see lots because I watch lots.”
    Fen nodded solemnly. “And that’s the practice of a wise man.”
    “Wait, stop,” River said. “What the hell is going on? What have you told my brother? And why are you fucking with my family?”
    “River,” Jason scolded, but Fen only smiled at her.
    “I’m not ‘fucking with your family’, River. I really am here to help, if you’ll let me. And all I’ve told your brother is the truth.”
    “That you’re magic?” River demanded, still furious. “And what does he mean that you don’t look the same? Are you in disguise or something? What kind of person runs around in disguise?”
    Fen let her ask her angry questions, emitting only calm and care. He spoke when she’d finished, and then his voice was as equable and reasonable as a professional newscaster.
    “One kind of person who needs a disguise is the kind who isn’t quite a person, in the sense that you mean, and doesn’t quite look human.”
    Before River could challenge Fen’s words, as she was clearly about to do, Fen dropped his human glamour.
    Suddenly there stood before River and Jason a man the same size and shape as the original, and yet somehow his presence was huge, filling the shop. The skin that had appeared tan before was now more golden, more exotic, and the blond hair was a darker, more metallic hue, like a golden crown, flowing up toward the ceiling.
    As if he’s underwater, even now , observed the part of River’s brain that hadn’t gone speechless.
    But it was Fen’s eyes that were most changed. From a stormy-grey, they’d become huge, liquid and black.
    Seal’s eyes, River realized.
    The smell of the ocean filled River’s small shop, and her ears caught the faraway sound of waves.
    “What are you?” she marveled, noting with an air of distraction that she felt only calm and peace, when she should have been freaking out.
    “I am of the sea, River,” Fen said, his voice resonant with a timbre that hadn’t been there before. “And I was drawn here, to you, for you. I do want to help. But you must be ready and willing.”
    For the first