Marina Hayes, half-mermaid

Marina Hayes is the half mermaid daughter of Mulch Hayes. Despite being a half-breed, she is powerful. She grew up in the coastal creeks and rivers of the Eastern Shore and had limited human contact save for the Hayes family, which includes Maria and Mr. Bill, non-relatives who live and work for the family. Her cognitive abilities are not human, and Marina appears distant, aloof, and sometimes innocent to humans who do not and cannot pick up on her telepathic and empathic communication. Of the humans, only Mr. Bill, Sea Hag, and Marcos can come close to communicating with her in the way another mermaid could. She is other.

When she is kidnapped and is being transported up the coast to be given to Cilia Van Hazen, she takes possession of Nick Adams in his sleep and uses his body to paint messages that she hopes will save her.