Page 72 of Surface Pressure

“You came back.” Autumn stood at attention as Soulara walked toward her through the waves. Her entire body had tensed when she saw Soulara’s head pop up in the water, and she’d held her breath most of the way as Soulara swam closer.

Soulara stopped short of touching her, probably sensing Autumn’s tension. “I did. So did you.”

“I’ve walked this beach so many times wanting to see you,” Autumn whispered. She sounded pathetic, but who else was she supposed to talk to? Marshall had all but shut off communication after the debacle. He looked at her with every suspicion in the book now.

“We shouldn’t talk in the open,” Soulara murmured, snagging Autumn’s hand and immediately walking into the small clearing where they’d first met.

Autumn followed dutifully, but something pulled at her heart, like this shouldn’t be happening. Soulara wasn’t really here. It was all a dream, a fantasy. Autumn was flat out losing her mind. No one had really confirmed the mermaids’ existence, so that could totally be the case. Maybe she’d swallowed too much of the sea water and it was making her crazy.

“What’s been happening?” Soulara turned on Autumn as soon as they were in a more secluded spot.

Autumn’s heart clenched. She really should have paid better attention, right? Because as much as she’d done with Soulara, wasn’t she the enemy at this point? Autumn rubbed her lips together, not sure what to say. Did she share more information or did she keep it all in?

“Autumn,” Soulara’s smooth tones reached her ears. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong,” Autumn said automatically.

“Forgive me for not believing you. You’re so tense.” Soulara slid a hand up Autumn’s shoulder to her neck, cupping the back of it. She dug her thumb into the tight muscles, and Autumn groaned at the instant relief she felt. “I’m here for you.”

Tears sprung up in Autumn’s eyes. How did she tell Soulara that she had a target on her back? That she’d managed to make even more enemies in the short time since they’d seen each other last? That the last week had been absolute hell while she tried to find someone who was safe or who knew something or who would even listen to her, and came up completely empty?

“Oh, Autumn.” Soulara reached in, wrapping her arms around Autumn’s shoulders and tugging her in for a hug.

Autumn’s face fell to Soulara’s shoulder, and she turned her nose into her neck, breathing in her pure, damp, salty scent. It was beyond comforting. Autumn relaxed, moving her arms around Soulara’s back and pulling Soulara to her. Hot tears spilled down her cheeks, wetting Soulara’s already damp skin.

This wasn’t right.

Was it?

The air was thick with tension, fraught with thoughts that spun through Autumn’s mind—thoughts she couldn’t control and thoughts she hated. Why couldn’t life ever be easy for her? She’d thought joining the military would be the easy out, but then all of this happened.

“Are you in my head?” Autumn murmured, the question clear.

Soulara tightened her grasp. “No. I wouldn’t do that unless I had to.”

Autumn nodded, keeping her eyes closed. Would that be easier? Or would it be harder on Soulara? Could Autumn dare herself to give Soulara such a full and complete understanding of the last week? Autumn tightened her grasp around Soulara’s waist and breathed her in again.

This was Soulara.

The mermaid who could walk and breathe air.

The mermaid who had shared so much with her.

Autumn pressed her lips in a kiss against Soulara’s cool skin and settled into the fact that this was going to happen. “Can you?”

“Can I what?” Soulara ran her hands up and down Autumn’s back.

“Read my mind.”

“Are you sure?” Soulara shifted as if she was trying to look into Autumn’s eyes, but Autumn refused to budge. If she kept her eyes closed, then maybe it would keep them connected. Maybe it would keep the real world from slamming into her.

“Yes.” Autumn tightened her grasp, awaiting the intrusion.

Soulara held her tightly. At first Autumn didn’t feel anything, and she couldn’t even tell if Soulara had started or not. Could Soulara read her mind without Autumn knowing?

“Bring forth what you want me to see,” Soulara murmured into Autumn’s hair. “I don’t want to see more than you want me to.”

That brought a wave of comfort to Autumn, and it wrapped her up and coiled around her. Soulara did care, and she just had to remember that. The first memory Autumn recalled was from the water collector, from her sabotaging her own machine to save Soulara, of pulling Soulara away from them.

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