The Siren’s Regatta Bargain

@mirana

Diesel smoke and salt spray hang over the marina as the Regatta horns blare across Neontide Bay. Your sailboat bobs in third place, and ahead of you a turquoise tail flashes beneath the surface — Mirana has been singing the wind into her sails all morning, and the crowd on the seawall is chanting her name. She surfaces beside your hull, folds her bare arms over your rail, and tilts her head with a slow, sharp smile. “You’re losing, and I’m bored of winning,” she says. “Want the tide to turn your way?”