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"I—" She faltered.

They waited.

"I ... think you are all beautiful," blurted Lena.

The mer-folk circled in very close, and many hands reached out to caress her. Three or four of the mer-folk merely bowed to her before swimming away, while others stroked her arms or hair. The little mermaids and merboys were fascinated with her legs, and took cautious pokes at them.

Instead of feeling afraid of so many strange creatures crowding near her, Lena felt the gentleness of their hands, so fleeting and light. Each touch was like a blessing. They were careful not to dislodge her sealskin cloak.

"Oh, here are my sisters," said Melusina, holding out her hand to two mermaids, both with white-blond hair and dark blue eyes, their upper bodies wreathed in identical sparkling sapphire necklaces. "Metis and Thetis. Twins, as you can see!"

The mermaids swept forward and brushed light kisses on Lena's cheeks.

Melusina continued the introductions: the husbands of her sisters, and all of the young cousins. "And this is young Amphitrite ... named, of course, after your grandmother. And this is Piskaret ... this is Fossegrim ... and Calypso..."

Lena nodded and smiled, although the mer-folk were beginning to blur together in her mind.

Then she saw a broad-shouldered young merman lagging behind the rest of the group. He waited until there was no one left to greet her, then he approached.

As he drew near, Lena admired his chin-length green and brown hair, which radiated out from his head like a cloud. When he got close enough, she could see his dark, almond-shaped eyes and his full lips. The sight of his exotic beauty made her nervous.

Gazing at Lena with a rapt expression, the merman touched her arm.

The brush of his fingers across her skin caused Lena's heart to flutter.

Instead of bowing and leaving, as all the others had done, he backed slowly away, still gazing at her.

Lena discovered that it was possible to blush under water. The merman's lips were slightly parted, as if he might speak to her, and Lena longed to hear her name in his voice.

"Nix is handsome, isn't he?" said her mother with a smile.

Instead of answering, Lena looked down at her cloak, fussing with the way it rested on her shoulders. Nix.

***

"Melusina," called Lena's grandfather. "The child must be sinking, after that long journey. She needs food and rest."

"Yes," agreed Amphitrite. "The welcome circle is complete, and the vote has been cast. She should join us for nourishment. What does she eat?"

Melusina smiled. "My daughter loves the eggs of the salmon! She shall have as many as she likes."

Vote? thought Lena.

"The kelp juice is excellent for regaining one's strength," said Merrow.

Following Amphitrite and Merrow, she swam with her mother to the large stone table. Mer-folk were now bustling around it, heaping the bowls and plates with food. Goblets filled with some kind of liquid, heavier than the seawater, rested on the table.

Nereus swam up with a primitive-looking chair. "Please," he said. "You are family. But today you are also an honored guest." He put the chair down by the table and bowed, indicating that she should sit.

"Oh," said Lena. "Thank you." She settled into the chair, which was hard and bone-colored. As she looked more closely at it, she realized it was made of actual bones. Some of them were clearly whale bones, but some looked decidedly human. She suppressed a shudder.

"You may try any of these foods, and decide which you like," offe red Amphitrite.

Merrow held out a goblet, and Lena nodded her thanks, taking a tiny sip. It felt strange to be drinking under water. Her grandfather was right; the kelp juice was good, and she felt stronger already.

Amphitrite presided over the head of the table, passing Lena the gleaming plates with different foods on them: mussels and clams, shrimps and crabs, strands of seaweed and slices of sea slug.

"Try the periwinkle soup," said Merrow. "It has bits of rockfish in it."

"Oh. Thank you." Lena politely tried as many of the delicacies as possible. She