Tomorrow is a big day! Book 1, Mist at the Beach House, in the Beach House Mysteries is being launched. You can still preorder today. I am in love with this new series and I can’t wait to share it with you.
But before the mysteries and murders begin I thought you might want to explore the legend behind Pearl Island and the Seaver Family.
The Legend of the Mist
(The story for the Beach House Mystery Series)
By Victoria LK Williams
Long ago, when the sea and the shore were more connected, there were two beautiful women. They were of the same family, cousins, in fact. But they were as different as night and day. Their mothers were the opposite. They had been so closer than most sisters of the sea or earth, and it saddened both of them to see their daughters not get along as they wished. No matter what the mothers did, no matter how hard they tried, there was a rift between the cousins.
But there was one thing the cousins had in common; the love for anything human. One was obsessed about it the other merely fascinated. As children, they played on the shores with the human children, disappearing into the sea when it was time for them to return to their home. As mermaid children, they could only stay for short periods on the shores, but as they grew older, they could stay longer. But eventually their allotted time on the surface would end, and they would have to return to the sea.
Kenya was easy-going, fascinated by earthly things but never losing her love of sea life. She would happily play with the dolphins or collect shells with human children. She had no desire to control above or below the sea, content to be friends and get along with those around her from both worlds.
But Cora Lee was not so content in life. She was resentful of the fact that Kenya’s father was in control of the sea. Cora Lee would never hold the same power that Kenya would as an adult, and it turned her bitter and devious. Cora Lee longed to rule over anything. Since she couldn’t have the sea, she would take second best, and she set her sights on the island where they played as children. Her mother tried to tell her that that was not the way things worked, but her daughter wanted to hear nothing of it. As the two mermaids grew older, they became more distant, and when they got together, there was constant friction between them.
The day finally came when the mermaids became adults, and there was a grand celebration for the two girls shared the same birthday. Cora Lee was even resentful of having to share her birthday with Kenya. On this birthday she decided that she would take over anything and everything the Kenyan loved. And she would start with her love of humans.
Both women would spend many days in their human form walking the shores. Kenya was content to observe humans. Because she was shy, Kenya would often use the mist as a buffer to hide from sight. She would make the mist dance around her, sometimes thick and concealing, other times wispy and playful. But that all changed on the day she saw the young sailor, John Seaver.
The young man was home between voyages, visiting his family, and he was wandering the shore enjoying all the beauty it offered. He came across Kenya sitting on a large rock outcropping along the shoreline; the mist swirling around her feet. He was stunned with her beauty. She was in her human form at that point, and her shyness bewitched him. Over time, he got to know Kenya and grew to love her. She always seems to disappear just when he was ready to go to sea on the next voyage, but she was always there at the rock outcropping when he returned. What he didn’t know was she followed his ship to make sure he was safe, always watching out for him, falling in love with him.
The two became best friends, inseparable when they were together. The kind of friends that finished each other’s sentences, enjoy the same things and appreciated the simple things life offered. They would spend their days talking and singing, often joined by the man’s best friend who would accompany them with musical instruments. They were becoming an intricate part of the island life, and John’s family and friends accepted Kenya.
Finally, there came a day when Kenya knew she had to tell the man her secret, and she was fearful she would lose him forever. But John Seaver was made of sterner stuff than she thought. He’d always known there was something mystical about her, something otherworldly and it delighted him when he found out she had a calling for the sea.
Their friendship and love drew the attention of Cora Lee, and she was overcome with jealousy. Once again, Kenya was getting something that she wanted. But Cora Lee didn’t want John because she loved him. She wanted John because he loved Kenya, and she wanted to control him. She wanted to possess him.
Cora Lee began to plot how she could take John away from Kenya. She used the power she had as part siren and tried to entice the young man away from his true love. But their love was stronger than anything Cora Lee had encountered before, and she failed. Now Cora Lee was angrier than she’d ever been, and she plotted revenge against her cousin for something the other girl had not even done. But this didn’t matter to Cora Lee, she had found a way to hurt her cousin and take something from her she truly treasured.
Cora Lee began to intercept John whenever she could, trying to bewitch him with her powers. The poor man was fighting her hold constantly, but his love for Kenya was stronger than any power the other mermaid held. Time after time she watched John Seaver walk away from her; Cora Lee knew she had failed to win John over.
Then she found the weakness the young man had. John loved Kenya with all his heart, but he also loved his family and would do about anything to protect them. Cora Lee knew she could use this against him.
One stormy night John was to meet Kenya along the shore. But Cora Lee also showed up. And with her, she had John’s young cousin. John also had a companion; a friend of both his and Kenya, who knew of their secret love and had helped to clear the path for the two of them to be together.
That stormy night there was a standoff on the shore. On one side stood John and his friend, David Holleran, on the other side was Cora Lee and her hostage, the young Sadie Colbright. Between the two stood Kenya.
Cora Lee gave Kenya a choice. The young child could die, or she would give up her love. The two lovers had a decision to make, and it was a clear choice, even though it meant the destruction of their future together. Kenya walked into the sea, turning back into the mermaid she was. Cora Lee, laughing hysterically, push the young girl she had in her arms to the shore and dove into the white waves swimming out past her cousin, rising on the next wave laughing because she had won.
But Kenya had no intention of giving up. Her love for John was too strong. With tears forming in her eyes, she turned to the two other humans casting their destiny.
“You, Sadie Colbright, you and your families will forever hold and record the history of this island and all that happened here. This will be your destiny. Do not let anyone forget the love I have for John or the love that he has for me. Always remember what we have given up to protect you.”
Then she turned to John’s friend and with a sad smile continued.
“And you, David Holleran, you and your family will forever protect John’s family. The Seaver family will always have someone looking out for them. You will be my connection to the generations that come after you.”
Then the tears came harder, and Kenya rubbed one from her eyes, watching it form into a magnificent pearl. By now, John had taken the first step into the ocean to join her. But Kenya stopped him; coming forward, meeting him halfway. As she floated in front of him, she pressed the pearl into his hands. Giving him a tearful kiss, she promised him the pearl would always protect him and his family. Then she started to leave, but before she did, she turned back to her love.
“One day, we will reunite. But until then, Cora Lee will try to destroy your family. And all the island. It will be your destiny to protect the island, you will look out for those that live on the island, keeping them safe from Cora Lee’s wrath. Someday there will be a Seaver strong enough to fight Cora Lee and win. But it will take more than your descendant, my love. It will take all of us.”
Cora Lee was ready to attack the humans on the shore. But Kenya blew softly against the sea and in the mist began to form. Then she kissed her love, letting the mist still in her mouth engulf him. As the mermaid pulled away, she whispered to him, promising him her ending love. Before she dove back into the sea, she called out to John.
“I’ve given you the power of the mist. As long as you or your descendants are on the island, the mist will protect you.”
But Cora Lee wasn’t finished, she wanted to destroy her cousin. Kenya had outsmarted her, causing her to lose her control over the humans. With all of her powers, she raised the surrounding waves, causing them to crash on the shore, pushing the humans back far up to the dunes while they watched in horror at the fight going on offshore. Wave after wave descended fiercely on Kenya until finally, she was nowhere to be seen. Cora Lee laughed evilly; she had destroyed her cousin. Yet she also knew she could not take away the protection her cousin had given the Seaver family and the island occupants. Cora Lee not going to be outdone, she would have the last word. Anger and hatred filled her voice as she called up to the humans standing at the dune.
“Kenya’s words may protect you and your descendants while you’re on the island. But you won’t go unscathed. And you may wander, but you will always return to the island. My descendants will continue what I have started. And there will come a day when our descendants will meet again here on this beach, and everyone’s destiny will be determined.”
With one final overpowering wave, Cora Lee disappeared. The wave was powerful enough that it should have destroyed much of the coastline. But the two mothers had watched the fight between their daughters and they quickly intervened. Working together they cast a spell protecting the shoreline and the island. Their protection was strong and encompassed the entire island, protecting it from weather and waves for as long as their descendants returned to the island.
Now the hands of time moved slowly as each generation repeats the curses and the blessings that came from two mermaids who fought over one man…
Murder, Mermaid Legends, and a Kitten from the Mist.
Morgan Seaver returns to her family home on Pearl Island, expecting a warm welcome. Instead, she finds her aunt has been murdered, and accusing fingers are pointing her way.
Soon she finds more than a murder needs to be solved. Her family has a history with the island, one that she is finding brings the legends of mermaids and her ancestors to the present. She must solve the murder to clear herself and come to terms with a past that has a hold of her future.
I hope you enjoyed the Seaver Legend. Next blog we will visit with another author and find out more about them.
meet Diane…
Pen In Hand, Words on Page 