Calliope floats on a piece of driftwood in an endless sea. Visions blur in front of her with Adrielle's haunting eyes staring through her soul. The vision shifts and Augie appear with a kind smile and an outstretched hand. She feels herself smiling back before reality sets in and her face fade into a grim look. The smell of salt rouses her out of her daydream, and the roughness of the wood settles into her callouses. She has been drifting for hours desperate to leave Orphelin Bay, if only for a few days, however after a good while of swimming she had grown weary and latched onto the wood.
Reality was waiting for her back home, but for now, she was content to rock with the gentle waves. Ages away from the land she feels the weariness start to fade as the rays of the sun tickles her body, weaving their way into her blood and skin. Cal closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. A curious sensation enters her as her hand lays limply in the deep waters. She pulls the hand out and observes it and wonders just how far her powers reach. Cal had always felt at home with water, however lately it felt like it had been strangling her, the realization of what she now is crashing down. «Tidelander,» a voice in the back of her mind whispers, slithering its way out of the carefully constructed mental box she had created. Once the single word was out a whole flood of concerns washes over her. She doesn't belong anywhere anymore — she's not human, and the Tidelanders don't want her. «Dylan wants you,» the voice whispers again, and she splashes water in her face to chase the thought. Dylan wanted only Adrielle, his queen. Whenever she called he came running. «He comes for you when you call,» the traitorous voice seduces. She flinches and notices blood running from her hand where her fingernails have created little scythe moons. It is so quiet out there that when the drops of blood hit the water it creates ripples, and another vision hits her.
Corey's face appears, alive and gentle. He asks her to run away with him, and she sees herself turning him down, and him accepting it with the tiniest frown. Stable and safe. Leandra appears and stabs him, and Cal's roused out of her memory again. Memories —not visions and she feels a sob rise before she quenches it and forbids it to escape. He is dead, and so is Augie and Adrielle. Memories never did her good; they were all twisted by someone she trusted betraying her. She forces them away and feels the sun enter her again.
The water on her hand surges and she feels a soft kiss on her injuries. Dylan's head rises from the water, and he admires her nude skin displayed for only the sky to see, and he kisses her hand again. «Come home,» he says, and a soft sigh escapes her. «Stay with me,» she says, and he chuckles. «I do not think this tiny piece of wood could fit the both of us,» and she pulls a lazy smile. «We'll never know unless we try,» she says, and silence falls over the blue sea. He reaches out a hand, and she grabs it and pulls him up onto her, the piece of wood complaining and threatening to give, but she focuses her attention to the water and holds them up. The scent of salt, and fresh and spice surrounds her.
«Stay with me?» she whispers and Dylan kisses her with the unspoken 'always' lingering around them, the waves gently rocking them; together.