Free Oceanborne by Katherine Irons

adorable. As was Orion.
    She dreamed as everyone dreamed, but she couldn’t remember such a vivid dream, and although she sometimes dreamed of diving, she’d never included Greek warriors in her fantasy. Because Orion wasn’t alone. Not far away, she could see other Greek or Macedonian infantrymen swimming on either side of them. The others were far enough away that she lost sight of them, and just when she’d decided that they were a figment of her imagination, another soldier would appear. And the one she saw over and over in the distance seemed to be Orion, so that he was both carrying her and in another place at the same time. Decidedly odd, even for a nightmare.
    The other Orion carried an Alexander the Great era sword and a round shield that she might have seen on display in a dozen museums around the world. This was definitely a better class of dream, and if she was permanently disabled by cracking her head on a rock, at least she wasn’t counting endless white sheep jumping over a white picket fence.
    Orion, the one with his arms around her, glanced down at her. “Elena. You’re awake.”
    â€œYou think so?” she managed. If she was, she was in worse condition than she’d thought. “Where are we?”
    â€œShh,” he said. “Close your eyes and sleep.”
    â€œSleep, hell. I want to see.” She struggled to break free of his embrace.
    â€œAll right.” He released her, and when she started to drift away, he caught her hand. “You’re safe with me,” he assured her. “Safe with us.”
    She didn’t answer. Coming toward them was the largest turtle that she’d ever seen. Moss and barnacles clung to his green shell and two black eyes stared from a massive head, eyes that seemed filled with both ancient knowledge and sorrow. Silently, the turtle glided by, so close that she could have reached out and touched him.
    Some divers claimed that the sea was silent, but Elena had never felt that way. She always heard an inner music, a majestic symphony interspersed with the click of dolphins, the poignant cry of whales, and the rhythm of the tides. She heard it now, and the sheer beauty made her feel small and humble.
    â€œCome,” Orion said. “Since you’re awake, swim with me.”
    â€œBut how? Have I drowned? I’m dead, aren’t I? Is this some sort of test before I get to the place with the white light and the angel trumpets?”
    He laughed.
    She looked at him more closely. He wore not only a Greek helmet but a cuirass and greaves, gold arm bands, and a great black sword with a silver hilt, a sword definitely not Greek. It must be a sci-fi movie because she could swear his exposed skin was covered in tiny bluish scales, not repulsive fish scales, but intriguing. She reached out to touch his cheek and found it not cold, but warm and alive.
    â€œAre you all extras in some sort of movie?” But she knew the moment it was out of her mouth that couldn’t be the answer. Most filming was done on solid land and that that wasn’t … Well, even extras needed to breathe. Which meant that this she was definitely dreaming.
    â€œI don’t understand,” she said to him. If this was a nightmare, it wasn’t a scary one, simply odd. She wasn’t frightened, and she didn’t want to wake up any time soon. There was too much to see.
    â€œYou don’t need to,” he said. “You’re safe. I promise.”
    Which was exactly what Howie McMann had said to her in the choir loft when he’d pulled out his teeny weenie and tried to persuade her that you couldn’t get pregnant your first time. She hadn’t believed it then, and she wasn’t sure that she believed Orion now.
    â€œCan you swim?” he asked. “I don’t have much time.”
    â€œYou mean that I have to wake up?”
    A dolphin came out of the darkness followed by a younger one. Elena had