*PLEASE READ*

Hello and welcome to my story!! Before you continue, there are a few things I want to point out:

- This story and myself are based in the U.K. which means it will have British spelling and British education systems etc. If you think I've spelt something wrong, do your research to definitely make sure! :)

- This is ORIGINAL fiction and NO COPYING !!

Be sure to leave comments or constructive criticism if there's anything I need to improve on and feel free to point out my spelling/grammar mistakes, so I can correct any I've missed.

Thank you for clicking on my story and I really hope you enjoy this new adventure! :D

- Sian

When Rowan was young, he once asked his mother if humans had a weakness. She had turned to him with her hard expression and said that sleep was the greatest burden on humanity. That was the day Rowan learned about the supernatural; not just the myths and the stereotypes, but the real truth.

Eighteen-year-old Rowan thought about that day as he stood in the hallway with a bowl of cereal, waiting for his mother to enter. He could hear her truck. The old roar of the engine was the first sign that his mother was still alive. The second sign would be to see her with his own eyes, but that still wasn't enough proof.

As soon as the door unlocked, Rowan put his cereal on the floor by his feet and lifted the bucket of salt water. When the door opened, Rowan jolted the bucket forwards and drenched the person who stepped into the hallway. The woman froze and gasped at the air like the water had taken her breath away.

"I see you made the water extra cold today," Mandy, Rowan's mother, complained. She dropped her duffel bag and ran a hand up her face to sweep back dark blonde hair. Her blue eyes were as dark as the deep ocean, and as dangerous. She was exhausted with dim circles sitting at the top of her cheeks. Each time she came home after a big hunt, Rowan always thought she looked much older.

"You made me late for my lecture," Rowan replied and picked up his bag, leaving his cereal on the floor. He took one last look at his mother, narrowing his eyes to make sure, then nodded to himself. "Okay, you're still you." He towered over his mum as she scraped her hair into a ponytail and kissed her cheek. "I gotta go. I can't be late on the first day."

"I still don't get why you're even going. Your destiny is to hunt with me. You don't need a degree for that."

Rowan sighed and stepped into the sunshine. "Bye mum."

"Stay observant," Mandy yelled quickly before he shut the door, trapping his weird life away. Rowan breathed in the fresh air and set off, walking down the drive, over the dusty road and into the long grass on the other side. He weaved through the mud path until he reached the sand and took his sandals off, so he could feel the warmth underneath his feet. The sound of waves in the distance made him smile as he climbed down the steep sand dune until he reached a flat surface.

The sand stretched for twenty metres until the sea swallowed it up, and the beach ran for as far as the eyes could see, curving round in the distance to reveal beautiful white cliff faces. Rowan knew how lucky he was to have such a wonderful view on his way to his first lecture, but what lurked beneath the surface of the waves was a secret only a small number of humans knew, including himself.

Rowan forced those thoughts to the back of his head and focused on being normal. University was a social place, and he had a chance to make friends, despite his mother telling him it was always safer to be alone, that way he could only hurt himself, and it felt a lot less guilty than hurting others. Rowan was into his early teens when he realised that his mother had a hard heart, but it only softened for him. Though her advice wasn't like the other parents, and he wasn't like the other kids.

It took Rowan twenty minutes to reach the university grounds. the building sat on the beachfront with tall modern walls staring into the ocean. Rowan had to look at his map to find the lecture hall. It was in a building with a strange name. Luckily, it was one of the buildings at the front of the entrance. Rowan only had a few minutes to spare, but he wasn't the only one rushing into the theatre with limited time.

When he entered, he stopped to take in the huge size of the hall. Rows of long wooden tables and benches stretched out along the size of the theatre, rising a foot each time until the rows at the back offered an entire view of the room. One row could seat around twenty students, and Rowan aimed for the first row because there was only one more person sitting on it; a guy at the other end. Rowan didn't have to make friends on the first day. He knew he had three years to say hello to people.

Four hours later and Rowan had gotten to know his tutors, was introduced to each module and was given the rundown of assignments. He had taken plenty of notes and left with a smile, though, he still hadn't talked to anyone. Having a huge secret was like walking around with a rain cloud above his head. Nobody knew Rowan's secret, but sometimes, he felt like it was obvious that he lived a weird life.

On his walk back, the sun shined higher in the sky. It felt hotter against Rowan skin and he took his t-shirt off as he travelled along the soft sand. The hot summer had tanned him, making his blond hair and light green eyes much more vibrant. Summer was his favourite season, but his mother's worst because the beach was always crowded. Even on a Monday afternoon, lots of people played in the sea and relaxed on the sand. Rowan didn't mind. He loved the happiness of those who visited the beach, and the buzzed atmosphere of those enjoying the sunshine.

When Rowan arrived home, his mother was sprawled across the couch, fast asleep. He decided to leave her there because she needed it. She hadn't slept in almost four days, but that was nothing out of the ordinary.

As Rowan climbed the stairs, his phone rang loud and he almost tripped trying to get it out of his shorts pocket. "Shut up!" he hissed before answering.

"Hey kid," his dad said in his ear.

"Hey," Rowan mumbled, hurrying to his room, so he didn't have to hush his words. "What's up?"

"I'm in Tesco. What do you want for dinner?"

"Oh, am I staying at yours tonight?" Rowan asked.

"No, I'm coming over; your mother and I have something to discuss with you."

Rowan paused. His parents hated each other's guts and had done for years. They would avoid being in the same room with each other at all costs. He knew there was something serious going on if they were putting their differences aside to talk. "Okay?" he said, making it known that he thought that was unusual.

"So... dinner. What do you want?" his dad asked, ignoring his son's clear interest in what he had to say to him later.

"Fish?"

"Alright. Anything with your fish?"

"Chips."

Rowan's dad sighed down the phone, followed with a light chuckle. "Alright," he said again, "and I'll bring the poison for your mother."

"Dad!" Rowan laughed, flopping onto his bed.

"Don't worry, I might be joking this time."

Rowan rolled his eyes and stared at the seashells glued around his ceiling light. "What time are you coming?"

"About six. Oh! How was your first day today?"

"Good."

"... Just good? What did you do?"

"I can tell you that over dinner," Rowan smiled, picturing his father rushing around Tesco. He wasn't someone who usually showed their stress, but grocery shopping was on another level.

"Yeah okay. I'll see you later then. Love ya kid."

"Love you too." Rowan hung up. He rested his phone on his chest, thinking about what to do with his time. He decided to type up his notes from the lectures, ignoring the big stack of papers on his desk that his mother left for him to look at. Rowan wanted a degree in something normal. He didn't want to waste his time sieving through creatures that most humans didn't know existed.

When six in the evening rolled around, Rowan was still slaving away at his desk when he heard the doorbell echoing from downstairs. He listened to the hurried footsteps of his mother and the creak of the front door. Rowan left his room when low voices travelled through the house. He recognised them as his parents, and it was a bizarre situation. Every time they spoke to each other, it wasn't indoor voices, it was screaming matches.

Rowan made his way down the stairs until he heard a part of his parents' conversation. He paused with a foot hovering above the last step.

"Are you sure you can keep Rowan safe on the hunt?" his dad questioned. Rowan leaned over the banister to hear better.

"Yes. Look who you're speaking to. I've been in this game much longer than you. It's in his blood to hunt with us," his mother replied in her impatient tone. "If he's with me, he'll be more than safe."

His dad sighed heavily like all of the air was forced out of his lungs. "He has never seen the Thalassic Mortals. Are you sure it's time? It's not too late for him to have a somewhat normal life."

"It's time."

Rowan's heart was pounding. He knew who the Thalassic Mortals were. They were the secrets of the ocean; the people who lived under the waves.