Page 23 of Marked By the Sea

“No. Even if what you say is true, it would only give me that much more reason not to keep her,” I admitted. Rowan spoke of the legend, myth more like. Once upon a time, a mermaid fell for a man. She dragged him beneath, and somehow, a kiss gave him the ability to breathe like we could. That was one retelling. In the other version, the human drowned to death.

“It can be done. We can try it,” Rowan tried again.

“I agreed she stayed. I never agreed to drowning her,” Hexon growled. His emotion shook the waters.

“No one wants to drown her. We’ll figure it out.” Rowan soothed the giant.

“How? How are two kings from different kingdoms supposed to take the same human? Is she to stay with me for half of the year and then come to your kingdom for the other? It wouldn’t work. It’s foolish to wish for things that cannot be.” I was the only one thinking rationally. I could not allow myself to be ruled by my emotions. Tentacles reached out for me. I wanted to bat them away, but Hexon was softer than he looked. They suctioned onto my back as they inched closer. Rowan moved to leave the bundle of tentacles holding him close. Hexon grumbled but released him. Rowan closed the distance and touched my arm.

“She’s not our mate.” I didn’t believe the words that just left my lips.

“It’s okay to want her.”

“Don’t you think I would take her if I could?” I muttered.

“You can! You’re going to be king of the sea! You can do whatever you want.” Rowan couldn’t understand. He neverwould. “Take her, claim her as yours. You don’t have to make her your queen.” Bioluminescent fluids rolled down his cheeks.

Even as he tried to find a way, I knew that even in this hypothetical world where I gave in to my desires, she would be my queen. She was second to no one. Hexon’s tentacles rubbed circles in my back as if he were trying to calm a skittish seal pup.

“Please… I can’t… I like her. She wasmadefor us. I don’t want to lose her, Rift,” Rowan’s voice cracked as he tried to reason with me. Tentacles wrapped around his waist.

“I don’t have time to argue about things that’ll never come to pass. Let me have what time I have left. I’m grateful for the time I had. I’m not foolish enough to wish for more.” Moving from Hexon’s kindness and Rowan’s desperation, I cut through the water at full speed. My brothers were not far behind.

It wasn’t long before we could make out the outline of the cave in the distance. I could feel the weight drop from my shoulders. The closer I got, the more relieved I was. Without waiting for my brothers, I propelled myself from the water and onto the familiar stone. I knew she’d be excited to see me. I noticed it when she saw me earlier. Rowan’s words rang true.

She’s our mate.

Our mate.

Our mate.

Mate.

Mate.

Mate.

I can’t wait to see her.

A sound caused me to freeze in my tracks. My godfather’s voice.

Chapter 15

Amora

Earlier

You never truly knew boredom until you were trapped on a rock in the middle of the sea. I couldn’t name the amount of times in my life that I had said I was bored. But now, as I looked around, without electronics, a book, or people, I knew I never knew the meaning of the word. Since Riftan left me in a puddle, I had been alone. I was left to my own devices, and there were only so many times a girl could bathe in a day. I couldn’t even run to the corner store and grab snacks. I had done everything I could think of, but I couldn’t even count the number of hours that had passed. Sighing, I lifted my arms and put my hands behind my head as I stared up at the ceiling.

Where do the guys go when they leave here?

Do they have their own homes?

Or do they live together?

Sharing an underwater apartment penthouse?

My shoulders bounced as I giggled. I couldn’t imagine the three of them getting anything done if they lived together. Hexon was constantly fucking or using his tentacles to touch Rowan. I had never seen Riftan with Rowan sexually, but I had seen him watch them together. There was something about the way the kraken used the slender faerie that was mesmerizing. Everything about Hexon was big.

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