Page 61 of Krammin’ With A Kraken

I sped up.

“Seta,stop.” Deus’ legs were a lot longer than mine, and he’d been on land his whole life. He caught up to me easily.

I jerked away from him, using my hair as a curtain to hide.

“Monster? How can you say that about yourself?”

“Me?” I spun to face him, and despite my best efforts, my tears began to fall. “Ezricsaid them first. Back inSpellcaster’s.It’s okay for him to say it, but not for me?”

Deus reached to brush the tears from my cheeks, then pulled back. “Of course it was wrong for Ezric to say it. But is it right for me to lose a friendship for a girlfriend I don’t even have?”

My stomach twisted. “What does that mean?”

Deus snorted and ran a hand through his curls. His smile lacked humor and warmth. “Come on, Seta. You never wanted to be mine, and you never let me forget it.”

I opened my mouth to fling back a reply. But nothing came. Deus was right. There’d been signs he’d wanted more, but I’d never allowed him to be my boyfriend.

I’d never allowedmyselfto be his girlfriend. I’d been blinded by my own goals and my determination not to fall into the role my parents wanted by finding a mate.

Why hadn’t I put the same amount of effort into building a relationship with Deus as I had in fighting against that happening? Goddess, I was so stupid.

“Ezric has been dealt a rough hand and I’m not going to trade a real friendship for a relationship I’m never going to get. I’m sorry if that bothers you.” Deus’s glow was gone, and sadness was the only thing that radiated from him. “Maybe we can work something else out.”

I hugged my bag tighter to my chest, clinging to it as though it were a life-preserver in the middle of a tumultuous sea. “Not everything works out, Deus. Because you can’t make everyone happy all the time, especially with Ezric lurking around. You know Ezric’s a jerk, but you’re too busy trying to help him be happy to think about what it’s going to cost you.”

“Yeah. The woman who only wants me for sex.” Deus’ eyes widened and his hand went up to his mouth.

His words pierced my heart like an arrow, and I swallowed hard to clear the lump from my throat. “I’m talking about your other friends, Deus. All of them. Jenny, Bianca, and Moirus—everyone who likes hanging out with you! None of them like him. And one day, they’ll decide that as much as they enjoy hanging out with you, it isn’t worth spending their time tolerating him.”

“You know he has issues—”

“We all do. Maybeheshould spend some time actually working on them,” I snapped.

A couple of passing students craned their heads, but I was past caring. “Maybe he was worth being friends with once. Maybe there was a time when he could have turned away from his family. But no matter how nice you are to him, you can’t change his opinions if he doesn’t want to change. I hope you figure that out before you lose everything.”

Deus’ mouth moved like a fish. From across the lawn, Ezric yelled, “Leave it, man! She’s not worth it.”

I blinked furiously, my tears streaming down to my chin.

“He’s right. I’m not worth it. Just leave me alone, Deus,” I said softly, and left before I could embarrass either of us any further.

I didn’t stop until I got back to my dorm room. Then I flung myself down on my bed, curled into a ball, and let my emotions loose for the first time in years.

“He’s right. I’m not worth it. Just leave me alone, Deus.” She turned and hurried away before I could speak.

My world began to crumble around me as I watched her hurrying across the lawn. I couldn’t let her go. It was time to lay everything on the line.

As I moved to follow her, a heavy hand landed on my shoulder. “Come on, bro. Let’s get you a drink.”

I shrugged his hand off my shoulder. “This isn’t the time.”

“I know it doesn’t seem like it, but this is a good thing. She’s not what she seems.” Ezric’s voice was too loud, and the students scattered around the lawn were still watching the unfolding drama with interest.

My soul screamed for me to chase after Seta, but I needed to take care of something first… and out in the open wasn’t the place to do it. Turning on my heel, I strode off toward my dorm room with Ezric jogging to keep up.

Neither of us spoke until I unlocked the door to my room. Then Ezric wasted no time.

“Deus, surely you aren’t mad over being dumped by that loser? She’s not a mermaid, she’s a freaking monster—”

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