Tobias walked through the empty streets of Gilroy in an attempt to clear his mind. The only thing he could think of, other than how he would survive the winter, was Ahearn’s cursed tale.

It was amazing how much people would believe, he scoffed to himself. He should’ve known better. Tobias shook his head and looked up at the darkened sky. The stars twinkled back at him, glinting through the thin layer of clouds. Tobias’ hands slid into his pockets and fixed his gaze on the small cottage on the hill. Squinting, he could barely make out the curls of smoke drifting from the chimney. At least Noah was awake.

Tobias followed the winding path through the cobblestone streets. “Ahearn was wrong…” He muttered softly, still thinking about the events at Carrick’s.

No, Tobias remembered that day as clearly as he remembered his own birthday. He remembered being sent to bed. His mother had kissed him on the cheek and finished telling him a bedtime story when three, thundering knocks sounded at their front door.

“Tobias, you stay put.” She told him. But as soon as she left him alone, Tobias peeked through the crack in his doorway. There was a tension in the air he couldn’t understand and a feeling he would never forget.

He remembered the hollowed look on his mother’s face when she opened the door. Tobias’ father stood there, covered in blood with a grim expression.

“It’s done.”

The words fell from his lips and shattered like broken glass. “But I couldn’t do it, love. I just couldn’t—“ He was interrupted by the screams of a child in the distance. “I couldn’t kill her too. She is a baby. Barely Tobias’ age. I couldn’t…”

That night was the last time Tobias had ever seen his father. A fearsome storm had dragged down his fishing boat the following morning and he was never seen again. It was rumored that the king of the seal people was so angered by the death of his wife and the betrayal of the people of Gilroy, that he raised a storm that devastated the entire town. Only three perished.

But Tobias never knew what became of the selkie baby—this princess of the seal people. While the townspeople of Gilroy thought she was dead, Tobias knew the truth. His mother took her whereabouts to the grave with her.

“Tobias?”

Tobias blinked twice and looked around. Somehow, he’d walked to his home, lost in the memories that pained him—plagued him still.

His brother, Noah, sat on the porch step with a rope in his hands. “Are you alright?” When Tobias didn’t reply, Noah gave him a smile. “Look, I know it’s been hard on us lately. We’re barely catching anything to eat let alone anything to make a living off of. But you’re the best fisherman in Gilroy. And if anyone can fill a net, it’s you.” He paused, making quick work of untying an unruly knot. “We’ll get by, don’t you worry.”

Despite his sour mood, Tobias cracked a smile and headed for the front door. “That is until you enlist with the Navy, am I right?”

Noah jumped to his feet in surprise. “Tobias, I wouldn’t go if you needed me here. I could stay for another year or t—“

“No.” Tobias said firmly. He closed the door behind them and went to warm his hands by the small fireplace.

“No?” Noah chuckled, copying Tobias. He shoved his hands in his coat pockets and sat on the chair he pulled over. “So you’re forcing me to go? Kicking your own brother out on the street, then? Or in this case, out on a ship?”

Tobias frowned at him. “Of course I’m forcing you to go. What would you do here?”

“Help you, of course.”

This time, Tobias wanted to laugh at him. Instead, he shrugged. “Help me and be miserable. Noah, you’ve been talking about adventure since—“

Noah hopped to his feet and drew an imaginary sword from his belt. “Since you and I used to play pirates on the shore. We were finding Blackbeard’s treasure and pillaging and looting right under his nose. Remember when we found the cave?”

Of course he did. Tobias remembered exploring the hideaway until the tide came in. They had nearly gotten swept out to sea, had Tobias not clung to the rock with Noah on his back. The pair of them showed up at the dinner table soaked to the bone. And not to their mother’s surprise, they became as sick as dogs after.

Tobias knew Noah’s adventurous side would take him far from Gilroy one day. There would be no sea captain better than him.

“I’m going to bed.” He announced, rubbing his warmed hands together. As soon as he turned away from the fireplace, a sudden chill rushed through him. Not only did he have to worry about fishing this winter, but how they would survive the cold as well.

“Tobias,” Noah called to him. The amusement was drained from his voice. When he turned to face him, he cracked a smile. “We’ll be okay.”

“I know.” Tobias did his best to return the smile before continuing down the creaky floorboards to his room.

If only fishing was all that was on his mind.

Once he lit an oil lamp and hung up his coat and hat, he sat on the edge of his bed with his face in his hands.

No, his mind was far from the day’s catch or tomorrow’s net. When he closed his eyes, Tobias was a child again, peeking through the doorway. If only he could go back and beg his father not to go out to sea the next morning. If only he knew.

Ignoring the sudden sinking pit in his stomach, he dropped to his knees. Underneath his bed was a box covered in a thin layer of dust—one he never dared to open. Tobias couldn’t understand what possessed him to reach for the cracked leather handle. Nothing inside of it could bring his father back. It couldn’t right the wrongs that had been done.

Taking a deep breath, Tobias lifted the lid of the box and peered inside.

There were old and yellowed letters written in his mother’s hand. Even the sight of her curled words made him smile. He sorted through these and glanced at a blurry photograph or two before he found it.

It was hidden away, underneath an old sailing cap with his father’s initials. Tobias’ hand brushed against the soft fur, freeing it from any remaining dust. Gently, he took the sealskin out and spread it on his bed. It was bigger than he remembered; almost as if it had grown in the years he had it hidden away.

Calloused fingers felt alien against the soft pelt. It was stormy gray and smooth, except for the darkened patterns of spots along the back. He marveled at the way the fur glistened silver in the light from the lamp as if it was made from moonlight. His palm glided along the length of it, going with the grain of the fur until he reached the face of the seal.

A memory surfaced from the depths of his subconscious. One he had hidden away for years.

His father talked to him on that last night after he returned. Tobias recalled staring at the ceiling and straining his ears for any kind of sounds. Instead, there was a soft knock at his bedroom door.

“Tobias, I have something for you.”

Tobias closed his eyes as he listened to this childhood memory. It was as if he was there, watching it unfold from a distance.

“This is something very important.” Tobias remembered the way his father held the pelt out to him, as if it was priceless. “I need you to take care of it for me. Can you do that?” He remembered nodding, never taking his eyes from the treasure. “Keep it a secret, Tobias. Don’t let anyone know about it. There is someone depending on you. If you keep this safe, you keep her safe. Do you understand me?” Again, he nodded, this time looking his father in the eyes.

That was the last time Tobias ever spoke to his father. Once he got word of his death, he hid the sealskin away in the bottom of his trunk and never thought of it since. It was a cursed thing, meant to kill those who stole it.

Still, he kept the promise to his father. Not a soul knew about the sealskin under his bed. Not a soul knew the child was still alive somewhere.

Tobias shook his head to dispel his own memories like dust in the air. Quickly, he rolled up the seal’s pelt and stuffed it back into the box and slid it under the bed, hoping he would forget it existed.