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12 Years Earlier
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Myna dreamed.
Stars spilled along the Milky Way and Myna nearly stumbled on the path for gazing at them instead of watching her feet.
Why am I out so late?
She stopped, brow furrowed as she fought to recall the reason for her night-time stroll, and then a soft swell of sound broke over the waves, a hum, a call, and she remembered that this was why she was out, to follow the song, to see who made it, and why.
The path led over the dunes, furrowed out by thousands of feet over thousands of years, and as Myna reached the crest the moon rose above the horizon, full and bright, lighting up the silvery-white curve of the beach below and leaving a path of dancing light across the ocean.
There was little to see from here. The sand reflected the moonlight, revealing no movement on the beach, but farther around the bay at the point all was in shadow.
Still the sound crescendoed, eerie and sweet over the gentle wash of the waves.
Myna followed the sound down the path and along the shore. As she approached the point, movement caught her eye, a tall shadow rising above the rocks that tumbled from the point into the sea.
Myna hesitated, suddenly aware of how clear she must be to whoever sang, her form stark against the white sand. But the shadow didn’t move, and as she crept nearer she realised the figure looked away, out over the ocean beyond the point.
Myna stepped up onto the rocks, drawn by the cover the dark rocks would give her, her eyes fixed on the shadow, only a few metres away now. A loose stone wobbled underfoot, knocking against the next in a moment of breath between verses, and Myna sucked in a breath.
The shadow turned.
‘Sorry.’ Myna spread her arms for balance, her gaze on her feet as she found a sturdier rock. ‘I didn’t mean to disturb you.’ What am I doing here?
The shadow took a step closer and Myna glanced up to see a girl of about sixteen, whose face she knew.
‘Mother!’ the young woman exclaimed. ‘You came. I knew you would come.’ She beamed, and Myna felt a rush of joy as the girl stepped down to embrace her.
‘Of course I came.’ She shook her head. How silly to forget her daughter liked to come to the shore to sing. ‘But it’s late. Time to come home now.’
‘Just a little longer, Mother. I do so love the sea air.’
Myna’s heart swelled as she watched her daughter turn and climb the rocks again, those eerie-sweet sounds filling the night with such precious music.
A golden light shone behind Myna, and she turned, opening her eyes. Sunlight filtering through the shutters blinded her for a moment and she blinked to clear her vision. Ronan, her husband, slept beside her, his mouth slightly agape with soft snores.
Myna wrapped her arms around her swelling stomach and smiled.
‘You’re a daughter, are you? With the most beautiful voice.’ Her stomach stretched, a lump pushing up underneath her arm and sliding across her belly to disappear again on the other side, and she rubbed the spot. ‘Was that a yes? Well then, we’ll have to think of a good name for you.’
