My insides flip. I’m used to seeing seals around the harbour, but always just as faraway shapes. And this one doesn’t look like the other seals I’ve seen, with their splotchy grey fur. This seal has jet-black fur, the same colour as my hair. She has more whiskers than I can count and a long nose. And she’s looking at me like a story come to life.

‘Hello, seal,’ I gasp.

The seal does a little twirl in the water, like she’s saying ‘hello’ back.

My heart is hammering now and I want to shout out – because maybe I called the seal to me. Maybe my family really do have Selkie blood and the stories are real and the whole world really is magic.

But also, I know I’m not supposed to be this close to seals. I won’t hurt them, but some other humans might. They are wild creatures with sharp teeth and this is their home – even more than it is mine.

‘I’m Martha,’ I whisper. ‘The stories say we’re family, but… the real world won’t let us be.’

The seal looks at me with her deep, dark eyes – so big and round, they seem to contain galaxies. And I feel a pull right in the middle of my chest, like my heart and the seal’s are one. This seal knows me.

And I know this seal.

‘Liquorice,’ I say – the name appearing inside my head like it’s always been there.

I feel Nana kneel down next to me.

‘So, you’re what was causing all the fuss back there,’ Nana mutters to the seal, a smile on her face.

Liquorice blinks slowly, like she understands.

‘All we fishers do to protect you seals, and some out-of-towners come and throw chips at you.’ Nana shakes her head. ‘What seal have you heard of that eats chips, eh?’

Liquorice blows air from her nose like she’s laughing. Laughing with my nana – like they’re old friends. Family.

My heart is beating so fast, it feels like it’s humming.

‘Maybe she’s not a seal,’ I whisper. ‘Maybe she’s a Selkie.’

Nana nudges me, the twinkle back in her eye. ‘Maybe. Could be she’s come to help us find our skins, eh? I could do with a new one.’ She coughs. ‘This one – is – getting a – bit—’

Suddenly, she dissolves into a fit of coughing. But this doesn’t sound right. It seems to come from a place deep inside her, wracking her whole body and stopping her breaths short. It makes me take a step away and grip hold of the side of the boat, tightly. I look around for Old Phil and Fabrizio, but they’re still over near the harbour wall, fishing for more litter that’s choking the surface of the water.

Meanwhile, my nana’s choking too. She tries to turn away from me, pulling a tissue from her pocket, but I see her eyes are wide and scared and it makes my insides squeeze.

I don’t want to see, because I don’t know what to do, or how to help. I want to keep my eyes on Liquorice and my thoughts on the magic that – just a moment ago – seemed so close I could reach out and touch it. But I can’t seem to tear my eyes away.

Nana’s coughing finally slows enough for her to swallow. She stumbles, grabbing the side of the boat tightly with her spare hand like she might fall over otherwise. And together, we both look at the tissue in her hand.

And it’s strange, because the tissue is now the same colour as our boat.

‘Nana? Why is there red paint in your tissue?’ I ask, quietly.

Nana looks down at it. She looks across at me. And for a moment, the real world takes over completely.

Below, Liquorice huffs a spray of water from her whiskers, before sinking slowly back under the waves without us.