AUTHOR'S POV
Aalto approached the object and squinted, crouching beside it in the sand, his brows furrowed as recognition dawned on him. He had seen humans riding these before—wave boards. He thought they were called.
Humans would run toward the water, leap onto them, and glide across the waves with the sort of clumsy, reckless abandon that fascinated and annoyed him in equal measure.
What happened next wasn’t planned; it was pure childlike curiosity as he picked up the board, brushing off the sand. It was lighter than he expected, its shape almost elegant.
Carrying it toward the water, he knelt to tie the ankle strap just as he’d seen humans do. It was awkward, but he managed. There was a problem, though—there were no waves. It was nighttime, and the sea had drawn back into itself, c
