title: The Known Stranger
author: Rachelle Guillory
description: Rachelle Guillory attended California State University, Dominguez Hills and resides in California. Look for her second novel, Lord I Want A Man . . . Can I Get An Amen?, a story of six friends in search of a good man. Visit Rachelle's inspirational web-site, REOS World, at www.jps.net/jazzyd2.
zlib_text: # The Stranger
  
    1. [](text/ch001.xhtml#section)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
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  [Cover](text/cover.xhtml)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![cover image](../media/epub-to-image.jpg)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  #
  
  
  _The Syrena don’t trust many humans. Rachel is one of them. The story of how
  Galen met her—and how they bonded—is both exciting and heartbreaking._
  
  
  _This novelette was acquired and edited for Tor.com by Feiwel & Friends editor
  [Elizabeth
  Szabla](https://www.tor.com/tags/edited%20by%20Elizabeth%20Szabla)._
  
  
  Galen dangles the necklace in front of his sister, swirling tidbits of seaweed
  in the water around them. “This is mine,” he tells her, shaking it closer to
  Rayna’s face. “If you take it again, I’ll tell Father about all your human
  treasures.”
  
  
  Rayna crosses her arms, her sleek silver fin twitching in irritation—the brunt
  of which she turns on Toraf, their best friend. “What kind of Tracker pupil
  are you?” she demands. “You didn’t sense that he was in _my_ cave? Stealing
  _my_ things?”
  
  
  Galen is careful to hide his grin