Prologue
Hali had never been the type of girl who feared many things growing up. She was brave, smart, and attentive. She had a love for the ocean, she swam in its cool waters nearly every day. She cleaned the beaches and collected the pretty things the water left behind. After her parents tragic accident she couldn't bring herself to even look at the water, for months she avoided it like the plague.
Kai was just like the sea. Sometimes he was calm and gentle. Other times he was rough and uncaring. He watched as Hali tried to come to terms with the water again and grew more determined to help her every time that she failed. If only he could do so without revealing who he really was.
She was beautiful, her eyes were the color of honey and the look she had made them more fascinating. She was ready, her heart yearned for the touch of the water again, but her mind kept her back. It assaulted her with images of the water taking her as a prisoner and holding her captive underneath the waves, never letting her leave again. "I can do this." She told herself fiercely.
"You can do this." He whispered quietly as he watched her move towards the sand. "Just a little further, we'll do it together." He smiled at her, he radiated strength, his hair tossled from being in the water moments ago. "I promise that you'll be safe. I've got you."
