They looped through a smoothie store on the way down to the beach. They then began to descend the million stairs carved into the cliff-side and followed the call of the Ocean. Adeline regretted the grainy protein powder she impulsively added to her smoothie. She had chosen the Spirulina Ginger Goddess something or other which simply tasted of the color green. Will caught her grimace.

“Here, try mine.”

She sipped on his sunset colored smoothie. A sweet, berry taste with a hint of pineapple covered her tongue.

“Oh my goodness, what is this one?

“The Honey Bear Beach Breeze. Your choice is notoriously the worst. For the uber-healthy green freaks. You should’ve listened to me.” He laughed and then grabbed her revolting drink away from her. “But, luckily for you, coach makes us drink stuff even more vile than this.”

Simon gulped a stream from his enormous, dented and sticker-covered thermos. He rolled his brown eyes.

“You know what’s always a safe bet? Water.”

“Sure, but no fun.” Gabrielle teased, between sips of her neon pink monstrosity which had boasted 5g of natural caffeine, whatever that meant.

Sy didn’t only drink water for the simplicity and neutrality, although that was definitely a plus. He chose water because the smoothies were ten bucks a pop and that was five bucks he didn’t have. Adeline would’ve drank from his thermos, germs and all, if Will hadn’t offered to grab her a smoothie. The Gulf kids weren’t exactly flush with cash.

Gabrielle and Will were Sounds. Their parents owned the art gallery as a side hustle and didn’t care much for profits, hence the addition of the adjoining tea room. Their real business was in transport. Gulfs and Sounds were similar at a surface level. But while Gulfs were deep and large and private, Sounds could be shallow and narrow and open. Gulfs had larger populations which only meant the Elders had more mouths to feed and families to prop up.

Especially during the Tide Wars when many had become stuck in their boundless bodies of water, trapped by land, forced in by the Sirens. Over time, the decedents had watched any possible opportunities dwindle away. Sounds were longer, less enclosed, and shallower. Less of a focus for any war, easier to transition to land. The Sounds on Glacier Isle were a relaxed group who lived off the skimmed profits from swollen bank accounts. Gulfs were scraping by. And bookstores were hardly making a killing these days.

Adeline never knew why Virtue wouldn’t just help Virtue. Why the Gulfs wore hand me downs and applied for scholarships while the Sounds sipped $10 smoothies and drove sleek cars around the island’s winding roads. Gulfs and Sounds were barely any different culturally, anyway. Fjords were enclosed by glaciers and they had a tendency to be independent, stronger, and a little frightening. Estuaries, living in the mouths of rivers, were fresh water Virtues and a rushing, enveloping sort. Straits were diplomats. Harbors were business-minded. Wetlanders— Adeline shivered. Those were the rulers of where land met sea. It made sense there was distance between all those Clans. But Gulfs and Sounds should have been as tight as Bays and Coves.

The steps grew sandy beneath her flip flops. They were close to the water now. She could feel the hum of energy over her skin. The sound of waves crashed over her ringing ears. She hadn’t realized how tense she had been holding herself. Her shoulder blades lowered and relaxed. Her hips loosened as she took each step. The ocean’s call grew louder.

Adeline couldn’t understand why the Sounds let the Gulfs flounder and watched their children struggle. She sipped the Honey Bear smoothie and shook her head. Will was generous. It wasn’t the Sound’s fault that the Sirens had decimated the oceans and split the Virtues. And the Gulfs kept accepting orphans into their fold even when they couldn’t support them. Not that Adeline judged them for that. After all, she was one of those orphans.

Before she knew it they had finished walking down the steps. No one had interrupted her thoughts. That was the nice thing about both the Gulfs and Sounds. They were peaceful. Quiet.

Not like the Waterfall rushing toward her now.

“Oh. My. Goddess!” Amanda sprinted across the warm sand with an even warmer grin. “You’re here! You made it! Oh my goddess!”

Adeline was enveloped in a crush. Amanda’s curly hair was expertly woven into a million sky blue braids. She flicked them over her shoulder after releasing Adeline.

“Becks is here somewhere. She’s out swimming. This beach gets pretty busy once classes start but, for now, the long way down stops most students. Lazy bones they are!”

We’re safe here, Amanda’s illuminated eyes said. We can be ourselves.

“Well, let’s join her!” Gabrielle said with a grin of her own.

Amanda and Gabrielle were like two sides of the same coin. Where Gabrielle was a bit more reserved with her joy, more contained, Amanda was a riot of blissful energy. If Gabrielle was a warm candle, Amanda was a crackling fireplace. Both made Adeline feel full with peace and warmth.

Simon and Will were already racing across the shifting sand to the ocean’s edge.

“Hey!” Amanda cried after them but there was only playfulness in her voice. “No fair. You cheats!”

Adeline took after them. She was faster than them both. If she had been interested in sports, she probably could make a team. But for now, she running for the fun of it was enough. She beat the boys to the edge, despite their head start, kicked her flip flops away, pulled her top and shorts off, and raced into the water.

It takes a Virtue a full minute before the transformation begins. A minute of full submersion in the cool waves. Sirens have them beat in that regard. They could transform in seconds. But, when the magic takes hold, Adeline was sure it must feel the same. Her bones, her fingernails, the hair on her arms. All were enveloped by the water. All hummed with power.

The ocean was no longer calling. Adeline had arrived. The ocean’s voice filled Adeline’s ears, her nose, her mouth. Her true name rang like bells. Screamed like the seagulls littering the shore. Sang like orca and dolphins. It filled her stomach and her knees and her hands.

Ever.

And she was one with the water. And she was transformed.

She was alive.