Page 84 of Forbidden Magic
I squeeze my eyes shut, my heart beating in my throat, my bottoms soaked through.
I can’t let these fantasies derail my mission.
I sleep with him, and he’ll be the one hailed as a hero.
I’ll be squashed like a bug and lose the respect of my friends. No guy—no silly fantasy—is worth that.
Cole gives me a head start, and I return to my friends empty handed. Lydia squeezes my shoulders and Allie eyes me suspiciously. I avoid her inquisitive gaze.
Brie is celebrating her win with her crew, the jeweled crown resting on her head. She wiggles her brows at me and starts to sing, an old mermaid song I’ve heard the beat to before, but I can’t quite place the lyrics.
Trent, Lydia and Olson mutter along.
A lovely, lovely boy came to the sea.
He was cold and lonely.
He wanted more than the sea could give.
So, he asked for oblivion instead.
A lovely, lovely girl came after him.
She pulled him out of the waves.
She wanted his love for herself.
So, she stole from the dead.
When the sea came to collect its due,
The girl was alone in their bed.
Gone was her lover; gone was her head.
For when a boy and a girl drown together.
One corpse always sinks deeper.
Come to the sea with no demands.
Prepare yourself to make amends.
Bring your lover if you wish.
And watch him laugh while you perish.
“Wow, that shit is depressing,” Trent chuckles, wrapping an arm around my shoulders.
“Life is depressingly funny. We all want what we can’t have,” Brie chimes. She stretches both arms above her head and winks at me on her way to the beer kegs. “Especially Julia.” Her hand skims the crown, but I’m not fooled. She’s not talking about me losing the challenge.
My cheeks burn, my chest constricted, my pride sinking like a stone past my feet.
She saw.
She saw it all.
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