Outside Blessings

<p>In the winter of 1896 Neema 16 works as a seamstress. She is a halfling. Her mother was a selkie. Her sister Lila fell in love with a human but was jilted on her wedding day. When Lila is found dead in the rocks of the town's jetty officials assume her death to be a suicide. Lila is buried outside the town limits since suicides are not allowed in the hallowed ground of the cemetery. The would-be groom is missing.</p><p>Neema does not believe her sister would commit suicide. She crawls on the rock jetty searching for clues to prove someone harmed her sister. There she meets Emmett 17 a new surfman in the lifesaving service. He is drawn to Neema but she's odd. Yet when they kiss their feelings for each other intensify.</p><p>The lifesaving dog finds a sealskin along the edge of the shore and fights with a seal for the skin. Emmett kills the seal.</p><p>Neema learns of selkies seeking revenge upon Emmett. How can she warn him of the danger?</p><p>Neema discovers a hidden room in the cottage of her employers. Are they harboring a criminal unknowingly?</p><p>When a nor'easter hits Neema knows it presents an opportunity for the selkies to enact their retribution against Emmett. As a ship founders offshore Emmett must go out with the other surfmen to save those on board the ship. Neema shifts into a seal and saves him but can she save herself from the selkies' revenge?</p><p> </p>