Part One- The Siren's Trade

Ice floated past me, bumping gently into the sides of my boat. My shivering did nothing to slow the rocking that the frozen chunks encouraged, and water sloshed over the sides to pool around my leather-clad feet. In my lap, I held a covered basket that was damp despite my best efforts to the otherwise and adjusted my earplugs impatiently. 

Suddenly, the rocking slowed and a face appeared above the side of the boat. It was framed by flowing ghostly blue hair that hung from their head like icicles. 

"T-took you long enough." I shivered and handed the basket to the mermaid, who narrowed their large, pale eyes and snapped their pointed teeth in response to my rudeness. 

"You'll be rid of me soon. I'm getting a job inland next month." I retorted. 

They grinned.

"No need to be happy about it," I grumbled.

They laughed, a sound that resonated in my ears as a quiet buzzing noise when my earplugs took over, having detected hints of magic in the siren's voice. I scowled at them, but they just pried the cover off the container and gestured to the items inside.

"Twelve bunches of luminous fungus, a packet of dried rat meat, and the pearl-encrusted knife you asked us to make for you last week. Ona said she wants another sea lamp for her forge because she's running low on her supply and she's expecting a big order next week." I said, pointing to each thing as I spoke.

The mermaid clicked their teeth and set the basket on the edge of my boat before diving underwater. They surfaced a chilly moment later with a ball of twine and a glowing seashell. I extracted the goods from the basket and let them dump their trade into the basket. I extracted the twine and handed it to them, along with the mushrooms and meat. The knife they took gently and tucked it into a pouch at their side. 

My foot kicked against something in the bottom of the boat; a slightly glowing mushroom, fallen out of the bundle. I picked it up and showed it to them. 

"What do you even use these for anyway?" I asked as they snatched it out of my hand. "Do you eat them or something?"

They gave me an appalled look, then mimed choking and flopped back in the water, splashing me.

"Ugh! There's no need to be dramatic." I squeezed the water out of my fur-lined jacket. "I didn't know if they were poisonous to you, and I was just asking."

The siren shook their head and held up the mushroom, peeling the outer layer off. The mushroom shone brightly now that the dark skin was gone. 

"Light?" I guessed. They nodded. "But what about the sea lamps?" They shrugged and grabbed the lamp from inside my boat, holding the glowing opening close to my hand. After a couple of seconds, my palm started warming up and the freezing numbness started to dissipate. 

"Too hot. I should've guessed." I grabbed the shell part and warmed my other hand up. “Look, now I can move my fingers again!” 

The mermaid rolled their eyes and slid silently underwater, clutching their possessions close to their chest. I quickly grabbed the oars before my hands could stiffen up again and started to row back home. 

I maneuvered around the chunks of ice that bobbed in the frigid waters. The group of mermaids that lived up here in the north had taken decades to adjust to the freezing temperatures, ever since the drought down south had caused territorial fights among the tribes and the weaker ones had been pushed out into Lumi Bay. There certainly were much fewer now, but those who had survived had adapted and were thriving. They were still having trouble finding food; but in exchange for the long trip down with dried jerky for them to eat, they brought up sea lamps for our forges and refrained from capsizing our boats when we went on the water.

Finally, my boat gently rocked to a stop by the wooden dock that led to a rocky shore. I hoisted myself up- a tricky challenge due to the icy boards. I nearly fell back into the rowboat but managed to grab a hold of a protruding nail. I took a step- then stopped dead. Slowly I turned around to see the basket sitting at the bottom of the boat. I growled and lowered myself back down, bruising my shin in my anger.

I limped into the small cabin that was only marginally warmer than the outside air, my toes painfully numb and my fingers nearly there. Maiya grimaced in sympathy and took the basket from me, guiding me to the cackling fire that the rest of our small family was huddled around. Tami moved over fractionally when she saw me, and with a groan, I settled down in the small space she left. Caulin brought me some stew and Ona draped a blanket around my shoulders. I shoveled the burning broth into my mouth and sighed with relief. 

“How was it?” Caulin asked. 

“Terrific,” I said sarcastically between spoonfuls. 

“At least you won’t have to do it next month!” Maiya exclaimed.

“Yeah, I’m going to have to take an extra turn,” Tami muttered. 

“We’re all going to have to do an extra turn.” Caulin rolled her eyes. 

The feeling gradually seeped back into my limbs, and the spoon clattered against the empty wooden bowl. 

I sat back, content and full, contemplating the job I was leaving for tomorrow. I had accepted a maid position for a wealthy family, a post I had been chasing after ever since I heard that their old maid had gotten married and left. It took several hours of traveling back and forth between my village and their manor, but I had managed to impress them enough that they chose me. It was an incredibly high-paying job- seven soluni per day, a furnished room, and four meals a day. Tami had been trying for it too, which explained her frostiness towards me. Not that she ever had a particular affinity for me anyway; I had taken her position as youngest when I moved in with her mother, my aunt, Caulin, at twelve. Tami believed that she, Caulin, and Ona had been just fine without me. Strangely, she took to Maiya right away when she was adopted, although I had to admit it was hard not to enjoy Maiya’s sunshine personality. Speaking of which…

“Hey, Maiya.”

“Yeah?” She yawned, turning from the fire sleepily to look at me.

“Do you want one last bedtime story before I go?”

Maiya beamed. “Yeah!”

“Hold on just a second.” Caulin interrupted. “Are you all packed, Huntir?”

“‘Cept for the stuff I need for tonight and tomorrow morning,” I answered. 

“And you’ll go right to sleep after? I don’t want you to be tired in the morning.”

“Yeah, auntie.” I smiled at her.

“I don’t believe you.” Caulin laughed. “Something about that smile…”

“I will!” I insisted.

“Alright, one story.”

Maiya pouted but held her hand out. I took it and led her upstairs. After she had gotten in bed, I sat on the end and lowered the lamp.

“Which story do you want tonight?”

“The one about the Ionant!” She replied enthusiastically. 

I took a deep breath and began as the shadows from the lamp flickered in Maiya’s eyes.