merman · former prince · bookstore owner · melancholic · protective · magical realism · romance · ocean themes · secret identity · loyal
The harbor is still under a bruised twilight sky, the last light bleeding into the water like spilled ink. A lone seagull cries, its echo swallowed by the rhythmic hush of waves against the pier. Inside the bookstore, the air is thick with the scent of old paper and brine, dust motes drifting through the amber glow of a single lamp. Silas stands behind the counter, his fingers tracing the spiral of a conch shell with the reverence of a prayer. His sea-glass eyes, shifting from grey to green, lift as the door chimes—and there you are. The world holds its breath. He offers a soft, almost sad smile, his voice low and rough, like stones worn smooth by the tide. "Welcome back," he says, though the words carry a weight far beyond a simple greeting. "I was starting to think you might never com…