Read Online Submerging (Swans Landing) by Shana Norris - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Shana Norris
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eyes south of Rousay. But Hether Blether remains hidden, vanishing within the fog and relocating itself whenever anyone tries to find it.”
I looked over the pieces in the display case, but nothing looked authentic to me. “What are those?” I asked, pointing at the fish scales.
“Scales taken from a finfolk,” she said, her eyes wide.
They looked more like scales taken from a sea bass to me, but I didn’t say this aloud.
“These drawings are from witnesses who have seen finfolk over the years,” she went on. “They don’t come to our island like they used to. Most of the drawings are very old. That is why we protect them in the glass.”
I suppressed a sigh. What had I expected to find in a tiny fairy museum, anyway? It was a dead end run by a woman who didn’t seem to have all of her marbles in place.
“I really should go,” I said. “Thanks for the tour.”
She kept her smile, but I could see the disappointment in her eyes. “Aye okay. Do come back whenever you’d like. And bring your brother. I’m certain he’d love to see our collection.”
Somehow, I couldn’t imagine Josh pouring over the fairy “artifacts.” But I nodded and said, “Sure.” Then I escaped into the sunshine, blinking at its sudden brightness.
Well, it was official. Every path in Pierowall had come to a dead end and I wasn’t any closer to finding the way to my mother than I had been before.
Chapter Ten
I needed chocolate, preferably the kind full of fat and sugar.
After another long day of pointless searching—this time we’d roamed around hills and farmlands toward the middle of the island—I stepped into the shop across from the hostel, entering into a world of closely packed shelves and soft music. Thunder rumbled outside as the door closed behind me.
The store was empty. My skin prickled at the coldness inside the shop, and I paused, looking around for a moment.
“May I help you?” a voice asked, followed by the appearance of a familiar face coming around one of the aisles.
Callum stopped when he saw me. “Oh,” he said.
I couldn’t tell if that “oh” was good or bad.
He wore a green apron over his clothes and he bent to pick up a box of canned beans, which he carried past me to the next aisle.
“You work here?” I asked as I followed him.
“Five days a week,” he answered.
“But you’re—” I paused, searching for the right word.
Callum’s eyebrows knit together. “Disabled?” he asked.
I had forgotten about his prosthetic leg. I couldn’t even tell a difference through his jeans.
I shook my head. “That wasn’t what I was going to say.”
“Aye?” Callum set the box on the floor and began setting cans on a shelf. “What then?”
I glanced around, making sure no one was nearby, and then lowered my voice. “Finfolk.”
Callum squatted next to the box. “Finfolk don’t have jobs where you’re from?”
Heat flooded up my neck. Why was it he could never make a conversation easy?
“Of course they do,” I said. “I didn’t think...I mean, you live here and—”
“And I still require money in order to live among the humans,” Callum finished. He turned away from me, smirking as he continued to stock the shelf.
I sighed, feeling a bit frustrated. I wanted to get what I came for and then leave. “Do you have chocolate?” I asked. “Snickers. M&Ms. Butterfinger. Even an Almond Joy will work, and I hate almonds.”
“Hates almonds,” Callum said, nodding. “I’ll file that away for future reference.” He jerked his head toward the right. “Two aisles over. You should find what you want there.”
I followed his directions and found a selection of various chocolates and candies. It was much smaller than I was hoping for, but it would do. I grabbed several bars of various kinds.
When I made my way to the counter, Callum was already there, waiting for me. Outside, a crack of thunder sounded, followed by a hard, pelting rain on the
I looked over the pieces in the display case, but nothing looked authentic to me. “What are those?” I asked, pointing at the fish scales.
“Scales taken from a finfolk,” she said, her eyes wide.
They looked more like scales taken from a sea bass to me, but I didn’t say this aloud.
“These drawings are from witnesses who have seen finfolk over the years,” she went on. “They don’t come to our island like they used to. Most of the drawings are very old. That is why we protect them in the glass.”
I suppressed a sigh. What had I expected to find in a tiny fairy museum, anyway? It was a dead end run by a woman who didn’t seem to have all of her marbles in place.
“I really should go,” I said. “Thanks for the tour.”
She kept her smile, but I could see the disappointment in her eyes. “Aye okay. Do come back whenever you’d like. And bring your brother. I’m certain he’d love to see our collection.”
Somehow, I couldn’t imagine Josh pouring over the fairy “artifacts.” But I nodded and said, “Sure.” Then I escaped into the sunshine, blinking at its sudden brightness.
Well, it was official. Every path in Pierowall had come to a dead end and I wasn’t any closer to finding the way to my mother than I had been before.
Chapter Ten
I needed chocolate, preferably the kind full of fat and sugar.
After another long day of pointless searching—this time we’d roamed around hills and farmlands toward the middle of the island—I stepped into the shop across from the hostel, entering into a world of closely packed shelves and soft music. Thunder rumbled outside as the door closed behind me.
The store was empty. My skin prickled at the coldness inside the shop, and I paused, looking around for a moment.
“May I help you?” a voice asked, followed by the appearance of a familiar face coming around one of the aisles.
Callum stopped when he saw me. “Oh,” he said.
I couldn’t tell if that “oh” was good or bad.
He wore a green apron over his clothes and he bent to pick up a box of canned beans, which he carried past me to the next aisle.
“You work here?” I asked as I followed him.
“Five days a week,” he answered.
“But you’re—” I paused, searching for the right word.
Callum’s eyebrows knit together. “Disabled?” he asked.
I had forgotten about his prosthetic leg. I couldn’t even tell a difference through his jeans.
I shook my head. “That wasn’t what I was going to say.”
“Aye?” Callum set the box on the floor and began setting cans on a shelf. “What then?”
I glanced around, making sure no one was nearby, and then lowered my voice. “Finfolk.”
Callum squatted next to the box. “Finfolk don’t have jobs where you’re from?”
Heat flooded up my neck. Why was it he could never make a conversation easy?
“Of course they do,” I said. “I didn’t think...I mean, you live here and—”
“And I still require money in order to live among the humans,” Callum finished. He turned away from me, smirking as he continued to stock the shelf.
I sighed, feeling a bit frustrated. I wanted to get what I came for and then leave. “Do you have chocolate?” I asked. “Snickers. M&Ms. Butterfinger. Even an Almond Joy will work, and I hate almonds.”
“Hates almonds,” Callum said, nodding. “I’ll file that away for future reference.” He jerked his head toward the right. “Two aisles over. You should find what you want there.”
I followed his directions and found a selection of various chocolates and candies. It was much smaller than I was hoping for, but it would do. I grabbed several bars of various kinds.
When I made my way to the counter, Callum was already there, waiting for me. Outside, a crack of thunder sounded, followed by a hard, pelting rain on the
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