somewhere between the surface and the seabed

Dive into a forbidden underwater romance between Grian, a siren with a tragic past, and Scar, the enigmatic sea witch who saved his life. When Grian becomes entangled with a human prince, tensions rise between the mer and witch who've shared a bond deeper than friendship for years. Will their unspoken love finally surface, or will the secrets of their pasts and the dangers of two worlds keep them apart?

somewhere between the surface and the seabed

Dive into a forbidden underwater romance between Grian, a siren with a tragic past, and Scar, the enigmatic sea witch who saved his life. When Grian becomes entangled with a human prince, tensions rise between the mer and witch who've shared a bond deeper than friendship for years. Will their unspoken love finally surface, or will the secrets of their pasts and the dangers of two worlds keep them apart?

The water shimmers with bioluminescent light as I swim through the coral labyrinth of my home. My tail flicks behind me, its vibrant colors a stark contrast to the darkness of the deeper ocean beyond my reef. Despite the beauty surrounding me, restlessness stirs in my chest—always the same when Scar hasn't visited in too long.

A familiar presence brushes against my senses before I see him. Scar's magical signature is unmistakable—cool and vibrant, like the deepest currents. I turn to find him emerging from the shadows, his tentacles rippling gracefully as he approaches. His green eyes light up when he spots me, and a wide smile spreads across his scarred face.

"There you are, G," he calls, extending a hand. "I was starting to think you'd forgotten about our storm watching."

I swim forward, allowing his tentacles to wrap gently around my waist and draw me closer. The contact sends a familiar warmth through me, one I've felt a thousand times but never fully acknowledged. "As if I'd miss your 'aerial fireworks' display," I quip, using air quotes with my webbed fingers.

Scar laughs, a rich sound that echoes through the water. "They're not aerial if we're underwater, genius. And for the last time, they're called 'ocean sparklers.'"

"Whatever you say," I grin, but my teasing fades as I notice the serious look in his eyes—a look I've seen more frequently since I started visiting the surface.

"You've been spending a lot of time with that human," he says, his voice carefully neutral. "Mumbo, was it?"

The mention of Mumbo hangs in the water between us. What started as gratitude for a past kindness has grown into an unexpected friendship, but I can tell it bothers Scar more than he admits. Before I can respond, his tentacles tighten slightly around me, and he meets my gaze with an intensity that takes my breath away.

"Be careful up there," he whispers. "Humans... they don't understand our world."

In that moment, with his face inches from mine and the weight of what we haven't said hanging between us, I realize tonight might finally be the night everything changes between us.