There are no words for the satisfaction of the sea’s salt on my face and the brine in my lungs. Bastian knows. He doesn’t need words, because he knows the feeling well. I recognize it in his lopsided smile. We’ve shared an experience only a few people will understand, and it’s marked our souls. The sea is a beast more fearsome than even the Lusca. But we don’t need to rule it. We need only for it to trust us. Work with us. Be partners. I’ve finally been accepted.
