Page 59 of Make Out With A Merman

Most of it is gibberish. Runic phrasing, enchantment matrices, elemental focuses stuff way above my magic grade.

But some of it?

Some of it makessense.

Not enough todoanything with. I’m not a witch. I can’t cast this stuff. But Icanlearn.

I canprepare.

Because the rift’s not just rising, it’s thinking.

And if I’m gonna stand beside Ryder through this, I need to know more than just how to float.

I make notes. Sketch sigils. Dog-ear pages.

I don’t tell him.

Not yet.

Because if this goes bad,reallybad, I need something to fall back on.

Something even the lake won’t see coming.

CHAPTER 20

RYDER

The lake doesn’t pull tonight.

Itpresses.

The surface is smooth, too smooth. Like it’s waiting. Like it’sbracing.

I’m thigh-deep by the northern cove, checking the anchor markers on the float system. Callie rigged some extra solar lines through the mid-zone. Smart as hell. She's been a step ahead of me lately, and I hate how much I like it.

The air shifts. The water stills.

Then I feel it.

Not a breeze. Not a wave.

Apulse.

Like something exhaling beneath the lakebed.

The water slams against my ribs like a fist.

I stagger, one arm thrown out for balance, but another pulse hits, harder.

My head snaps back. A high-pitched hum screams in my ears.

The magic’s not just stirring anymore.

It’srupturing.

“Shit,” I choke, trying to retreat but the current turns sharp, fast, impossibly strong.

It yanks my legs from under me.

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