Page 24 of Song of the Sea King

Yes.

One word. No room for misinterpretation or argument. Well, damn.

Okay. Let me know when to expect you. Get better, okay?She typed, feeling like a dopey teenager who had no idea how to flirt. She wasn’t a teenager, but flirting wasn’t something she had a lot of practice with.

Tomorrow, Ella. I’ll be there tomorrow, so be ready for me when the tide is down.

Ella smiled so wide, her face hurt. She didn’t think she would be ready for Mananan even if she had a hundred years to wait.

15

True to his word, Mananan arrived with the tide. Warmth rushed over Ella’s skin, and she hurried to the window in time to see him appear in her front garden. He wasn’t alone. Bayn, Taranis, and Kian were with him.

Ella's heart kicked hard when Mananan looked up and saw her in the window. He seemed to be ignoring whatever the others were saying to him and strode for her door. She was there to open it before he hit the step.

“Hi,” she said, staring up at him. She wanted to hug him, and it felt like a mad and ridiculous response. “Are you feeling any better?”

“I am now,” he replied. His gaze roamed over her, and her insides heated. “And how are you?”

“Ready to do some magic, I hope.” Taranis had come up behind Mananan and stuck his head over his shoulder. “Hello again, Ella. Move, brother. I want to see her.”

Mananan reluctantly shifted. “I’m sorry about the intrusion, but Kian and Taran insisted on coming to witness your scrying. They are obsessed with magic.”

“And we wanted to make sure you didn’t get overwhelmed by your visions. We have ways of bringing you safely out of them,” Kian added with a kind smile.

“So did Mananan,” Ella replied, and Mananan grinned at her. The other fae males pretended not to notice.

“If you don’t want so many people around, I will get rid of them. It’s up to you,” Mananan said.

Ella straightened and reminded herself that she was a professional and that being alone with Mananan probably wasn’t the best idea when she was processing her crush on him.

“It will be fine. I just need them not to interrupt or ask me questions. I don’t know how to explain why my magic works, only that it does,” she said and pulled on her boots.

Mananan gave the other males a pointed look. “They will keep their mouths shut. I promise.” They all smirked identical smirks that Ella shook her head at. She wished they had brought one of their mates with them so that she didn’t feel so outnumbered.

Down on the beach, they kept their distance while Mananan and Ella walked along the shoreline.

“Tell me about the altar you found. Were there any other talismans there?” she prompted him. Mananan told her about the body being the spell and the monster that had awaited them. There had been no talismans mixed in with the rocks and bones, so Ella would have to use the one they had.

“I don’t like the idea of sending you to face down sea monsters,” she said, pausing on the sand.

“If I don’t kill them, who will? It’s more important to destroy the altars, especially if they are destroying portals by draining them.” Mananan frowned. “You’re not worried about me, are you?”

“Of course I am! You’re my…” Ella fumbled, not knowing the right word to use.

“I am,” Mananan replied without needing any further clarification. “I’m also the only one strong enough and experienced enough to take the creatures out before they breed. This task to build the connections between the worlds again is something that was given to my brothers and the rest of the Tuatha Dé Danann. We were made for this, Marella. That is why you shouldn’t worry.”

“That’s all well and good, but I still don’t want you getting hurt.” Ella huffed out a breath. “And whenever you call me Marella, I feel like I’m in trouble.”

Mananan leaned down and whispered by her ear. “Is that why you blush whenever I do it? Because you think you’re in trouble?”

Ella’s pelvic floor muscles clenched.Fuck.“Something like that. Quickly, give me that talisman so we can get started,” she said, trying to swallow down the nervous giggle that was threatening to escape her throat.

“That wasn’t a real answer to my question,” Mananan replied.

“And I’m not going to give you one while I have an audience of smug fae males watching us and magic to do. I need to focus, and you are making that hard.”

Mananan’s head tilted curiously. “How do I distract you?”

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