The Tide Between Us Novels & Stories

QUEEN OF TIDES. The ocean opened in a straight line toward the east. At the far end, beneath a stormless sky, Tsukishima rose from the water. And on its shore stood an army wearing my face.

But the distance between us… it stays. The End.

Tideborn The sun rose slow and low over the water, like it wasn’t sure it was welcome. Mireya stood at the river’s edge, barefoot, salt-washed, arms crossed as she stared across the endless current. The river looked different now—brighter, clearer. But it also watched her. She could feel it—not as a threat anymore, but as a twin. It knew her now.

They embraced accompanied by waves and a sprinkling of stars. _______________

This is the end of us both. ******

“Don’t make me chase you into hell again.” He leaned in, close enough that his breath brushed her ear. “Then stay close enough I never have to.” Upstairs, Wren whispered the mantra again. “In… like the tide. Out… like the tide.” Miss Pei smiled. “Good. The world cannot break what moves with the sea.” Wren tilted her head. “Will Mama be okay?” “She will,” Miss Pei said. “Because she learned the same tide long ago.” By nightfall, Dockside’s lights glimmered weakly through the fog. Inside the safehouse, strategy boards shifted to blue—holding pattern. A rare stillness fell.

At high tide, this whole area would be under water, but right now you could see the expansive reef and colorful fish that swam about, their scales reflecting off the sun. However long we'd be here, we'd be able to eat at least, I thought, watching a very large crab scurry across the sand and disappear back into the water. "Hey!" I called out to Troy, breaking into a jog to catch up to him. Troy quickened his pace, turning sharply away from camp as he continued along the sandbar. "I command you to stop!" I said sharply, breaking into a run. But as I caught up to him, he turned around, his fists clenched into fists, "Go away, Keaton!"

“Yeah, it’s beautiful. Peaceful.” “Not exactly peaceful,” Austin muttered, eyeing the small crowd gathered a few feet away. “It’s peaceful if you tune everyone else out,” she shot back with a small grin. “That’s fair,” I said, surprising her. Her eyes widened slightly, as though she hadn’t expected me to agree with her. “Sometimes, you’ve got to block out the noise.” Her lips quirked up Into a small smile, and for a moment, it felt like there were no other people on the beach. Just us.

Then he whispered, almost too softly to hear, “I was lost… but I’m not anymore. This is where I belong.” Tears slid down my cheeks, but I didn’t wipe them away. I reached for his hand, squeezing it gently. “And this is where you’ll always belong.” The tide whispered against the shore, carrying our words away, sealing them into something eternal. --- The next day, we walked along the beach—Damian holding one twin, me holding the other, Jaden walking between us. The waves crashed against our feet, cool and foamy, but all I felt was warmth.

⸻ That Night In bed, wrapped in soft sheets and half-asleep limbs, Elena whispered into the dark: “I submitted a new series to the gallery.” Adrian’s voice was low. “Yeah?” “They want to feature it. In a permanent collection.” He smiled in the dark. “Proud of you.” “There’s more.” She hesitated. Then: “I named the series Falling Between Us.” Adrian turned toward her, fully awake now. “And why that?” “Because everything we thought was a fall…” she whispered, “turned out to be a way forward.” He kissed her forehead.