Soul of the Deep

Chapter One


The bones are buried deep, white against the velvet of dark water. I shudder in the cold press of the sea as I swim beneath giant rib cages. The chill has burrowed into my core, where it nestles in the pit of my stomach, settling next to the promise I made to Olokun. The promise I must keep, even though it colors my days in shades of midnight, of misery. Sometimes I let myself think of the sun, the perfect pink-and-orange rise of it, the fire of the way it sets. But then my mind always goes to Kola and the heat of his skin, the slice of his smile, and the way one touch can make my chest tight.

My choice.

My sacrifice.

I blink away curls from my eyes, trying to rid myself of thoughts that only make the lightless water harder to bear. Release them, I tell myself. Release what you cannot have and accept the present.

I adjust my grip on the terra-cotta pot I found resting in the sand, an offering from above that made its way down to the deep. At least I will be able to bring evidence that someone still worships Olokun. Flicking my caudal fin, its blush-and-gold pleats barely visible, I pass slowly under the last of the skeletons, their ivory arcs protruding from the silt.

When I emerge from the bones, I pause for a moment in water that grows warmer. The heat is a balm, and I spin once in the hot silk of a current, almost smiling at the relief it brings. Almost.

Ahead, on either end of the coral reef, the earth is split, emitting searing gases that bubble into the sea. A blue glow spreads over my skin as I draw closer to a large carved opening lit up by firefly squid. Smaller seeps of gases cause the water to shimmer and glitter, feverish swirls that escape, framing the entrance in the coral. The squid illuminate an archway draped with glowing sea moss and studded with mollusks.

I swallow thickly. The soft light makes my heart ache with its gentle beauty, but it s only a pale imitation of what I crave. Six months without the

Natasha Bowen is a New York Times bestselling author, a teacher, and a mother of three children. She is of Nigerian and Welsh descent and lives in Cambridge, England, where she grew up. Natasha studied English and creative writing at Bath Spa University before moving to East London, where she taught for nearly ten years. She is obsessed with Japanese and German stationery and spends stupid amounts on notebooks, which she then features on her secret Instagram. When she's not writing, she's reading, watched over carefully by Milk and Honey, her cat and dog. Follow her on Twitter at @skinofthesea.

PRAISE FOR SOUL OF THE DEEP:

YALSA Amazing Audiobook for Young Adults
Bustle Most Anticipated Book September 2022

 "A deeply satisfying dive into magic and mystery." Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Readers will be pleased that this sequel is just as adventurous as the previous volume, rife with drama and West African mythology, from the epic scale of the setting to the clashes with terrifying beasts to the interference of scheming orisa." The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Bowen s lush fantasy is steeped in West African mythos, and this installment expands upon the worldbuilding with new villains and deeper characterizations . . . Interesting and inventive, this installment is worth purchasing for libraries that own the series opener." SLJ

PRAISE FOR SKIN OF THE SEA:

Instant New York Times Bestseller
NPR Best Book of the Year
PopSugar Best New Book November 2021
Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year
Children s Africana Book Awards 2022 Honor Book for Older Readers
Top 10 YALSA Amazing Audiobook for Young Adults

"Bowen has built an impressive mythology to buttress her fairy tale, and it's a pleasure to discover this world through Simi's eyes." The New York Times

"An evocative debut." Entertainment Weekly

"Riveting . . . I'm sure that Simi has many ardent fans to await her further adventures." NPR

"Remarkable." Buzzfeed

Skin of the Sea is one of the most epic and original fantasies I've read. . . . Simi's story will stay with me for a long time to come. Nicola Yoon, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Instructions for Dancing
 
The most engrossing, thought-provoking, beautiful novel I ve read in ages. Skin of the Sea knocks your socks off and leaves you wanting more."