Page 14 of Battle Fluke

Was that tinged with sadness?

Kyree turned and looked over her shoulder. She wanted to see Hudson’s face, to know if that sadness she’d detected was really there or not. But it was gone in a flash, as though Hudson hadn’t managed to feel anything through the entire conversation.

“I won’t take away your hope of returning home. It’s what we all want, isn’t it?” Hudson slid away from Kyree and toward Honour, whose eyes had cracked open slightly.

She was watching the entire exchange.

How long had she been awake?

What exactly had she heard?

“We’re not all that different from each other. Each trying to find our own way in this deep blue sea, trying to make our places viable and visible in this dark world.” Hudson ran her fingers along Honour’s body, as if she was checking for injuries, but she wasn’t.

Kyree knew better than that by now.

Hudson needed the touch to connect, to feel something, and Kyree had allowed it to happen because she wanted more insight into who this mer was. Who she could potentially be.

“What do you think, Honour?” Hudson slid down, her body hovering over Honour’s.

Kyree moved to the side, settling onto the floor of the cave. She kept her gaze on Hudson and Honour, not wanting to miss anything that happened between them. She needed to keep them in her sights, know what was happening. Be involved in it somehow.

“I think Kyree will make her own choices.”

“You want her, don’t you?” Hudson moved the tip of her tongue across Honour’s lips. “I can see it in your eyes, in the way you watch her, in the speed of your heart—” Hudson pressed her palm against Honour’s chest, covering her small breast and her heart in one swift move “—whenever you look at her and she looks at you. Why do you refuse to admit it?”

“I don’t,” Honour mumbled. Her cheeks rushed with a pink that Kyree had never seen before. It was adorable. Kyree wanted to know more about what was causing it.

“Oh, so no one’s ever asked before.” Hudson laughed lightly. “Then I’ll ask Kyree.” Hudson turned to Kyree. “Since you refuse to participate just yet, would you prefer to watch?”

“Watch what?” Honour asked, a bite in her tone.

“Exactly what each of us wants,” Hudson answered.

Kyree shook her head. “Permission is required.” It was the only thing she could think of to convince Hudson to stop. Sheseemed to push boundaries to the point of bending them, but not crossing them completely. She was someone who walked on that line—no, she danced on it, willingly.

“I think I have permission.” Hudson looked directly at Kyree before she faced Honour again. “What do you say? A kiss for your freedom.”

“Both of us,” Honour clarified.

“Both of you.” Hudson’s lips curled up, her eyes alight with excitement.

“There’s no guarantee that you’ll follow through with your end of the bargain.” Honour didn’t move. She continued to keep her body rigid as she stared up into Hudson’s face.

“What do you have to lose if I do? It’s a simple kiss.”

“It’s more than a kiss,” Honour answered.

“She’s not wrong,” Hudson said to Kyree. Turning back to Honour, Hudson winked. “But I want to know if Kyree is as intrigued by me as I am by her. And I know her people move slowly.”

Honour flicked her gaze to Kyree’s, locking their eyes together. It was as if she was trying to say something through one simple look, but Kyree couldn’t understand what it was. She didn’t know what to say or do. She sat there, filled with fear and confusion and frozen to the spot. How could she stop this?

This wasn’t the way it was supposed to be.

“So you want her to watch?” Honour asked. “That’s the purpose of this?”

“It’s more than a kiss,” Hudson mimicked Honour. “Deal or no deal?”

“Promise you’ll let us go,” Kyree begged, swimming even closer. She put her hand on Honour’s arm and wrapped her fingers tightly. She wanted to stop this all from happening.

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