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For days afterwards, Ronan’s words echoed through Myna’s thoughts.
Not even Ebba screaming in your arms was enough to make you to turn around.
He was right. She’d been so enamoured by the sea, so desperate to be immersed in the water, she hadn’t been aware of Ebba’s distress.
Her thoughts circled back to the only other memory she had of swimming in the ocean. It had been the same back then, hadn’t it? And she didn’t even have her skin with her. What if she’d given in to that impulse to dive down deep? Would she have drowned? Or would her seal family know, and come to help her?
I have to stay away from the water.
Myna stood outside Ronan’s shed. She sighed, lifted the latch and stepped inside.
The skin was still stretched out, nailed to a rough wooden frame with a hundred tiny nails. She ran her fingers along the skin, fought the urge to tear it free and wrap it around her shoulders.
She took a deep breath, just as a shadow blocked the light. Ronan stood in the doorway, little Ebba in his arms.
‘What are you doing?’ His voice cracked.
‘I need you to hide this.’
‘Sorry?’
‘I need you to roll it up and store it somewhere I will never find it.’ It took Myna a moment to realise the wet on her face was her own tears.
Ronan reached out his spare arm and Myna fell into it.
‘Are you sure?’ His voice was subdued.
Myna ignored the growing heaviness in her heart and nodded. ‘I’m certain.’
