Page 99 of Caged By the Ruthless Thief

I’ve been wearing gloves or hiding my hand inside a pocket ever since we went to buy theomada. Somehow, this is personal. I know showing my mark off to the city will validate me as a mermaid. But I don’t care. I want this time with my guys. Holter has assured me that the mark will not become complete until I find a fourth mate. And seeing that there’s only one male that I’m remotely interested in... a male who is off-limits and who has said as much to me... yeah, it’s going to remain an incomplete mark for a while.

I plunge my hand into my pocket as the door opens.

Muster stands before us, clothed. “Podlets, Annabelle.” His voice is gravelly, like they’re the first words he’s spoken today. I hold back my smile at my two big mates being called podlets.

“Father.” Holter shakes his hand and Nico inclines his head before the two of them move to the sofa, each heading to what I’m imagining were their childhood seats. Nico grabs my hand and pulls me down next to him.

Muster takes a big whiff and looks between me and Holter. As yet, very few people know I’ve mated Holter. He’s still wearing the blocking spray.

A wiry smile cracks on Muster’s face. “That’s good. Alder wasn’t lying.” He slaps Holter on the back. “My sons make their own rules.”

Neither Nico nor Holter comment.

“What are you doing here?” Muster continues. “Did you come to watch us turn into sand?”

“Father.” Holter’s tone is low, a warning. For what, I’m not sure. To be more respectful to me? To be more respectful of his own life?

“Holter, I asked you a question.” Father raises one eyebrow.

“We’ve come to say hello,” Annabelle adds.

“Hello.” Muster puts his hands on either hip. And no one says anything for five minutes.

It’s the longest five minutes of my life. Longer than when I was doing practice critiques with my advisor and a panel, practicing defending my dissertation that is still a work in progress. Longer than the minutes I spent hiding in the old outhouse or the hay loft, waiting for my uncle to get on board and stop looking for me. Longer than, well, anything. We need to ask about the books, but Holter was adamant we take our time before doing it.

Finally, Muster pulls out his block and my mates do the same. Quality family bonding time. Watching them, they look like humans with their phones. Are neither of them going to mention the book to Muster? I know plenty of old farmers. They are all skittish calves. You need to come at them just the right way. Neither Nico nor Holter are males who like to waste time, so I’m going to have to assume that either this is a rite of passage with Muster, sitting in silence, or two of my mates have turned into the podlet teenagers they once were.

But nothing happens, so a minute later, I pull out my block. There’s little for me to do on it. It’s so locked down that it’s only really the text messages from my old phone. I read them all again. I send another plea to Marlee. She’s not answering. I didn’t think she would.

And I do the other thing I’ve been thinking about but not acting on. I text Castor. Because as much as Eros and Nico might not like it, he can help. And I miss him.

43

NICO

Sitting in silence is the way to get Father to loosen up. Holter’s the one who taught me this. As a university student, I would rush home and launch into a conversation with him. Always, the answer was no. Holter, however? The answer was always yes to Holter. Didn’t matter what the question was.

One day I was home for a holiday and I complained that I wanted to change tracks from science to leadership at the university. But I knew Father wouldn’t have it. I complained to Holter that Father never gave me a yes. And that’s when Holter taught me more than I’d learned in a year of leadership classes. That people are all different. That Alder likes the straightforward approach but Muster needs to be warmed up like an oldsolowhose engine isn’t working well anymore. That he needs time to be in a space with you. Then, when he looks up, you can mention it. I’m regretting not telling Little Krill this before we came charging upstairs. I know Holter said we would take our time. But I’m sure she’s getting antsy.

Another five minutes and I’ll place the book on the table. A few minutes after that, I’ll... Who is she contacting? I lean over to look at her block, but she hits the button at the same time and the screen goes black.

“What’s that on your hand?” Father says.

“My hand?” I hold my hand up at the same time that Annabelle pushes her hand back into her pocket.

“Not you. Are you daft? Annabelle?” Father stands and puts his hand out to her like he’s expecting her to place her hand in it.

She swallows. “How is Alder?”

He glares and pushes his palm closer to her. “Alive.” He grunts out the word.

“That’s good. Alive is good.”

“Is it, though? Your hand, young one.” His palm is steady, waiting for Annabelle’s own.

She flicks her blue eyes from Holter to me and then places her hand on his. Muster’s lips tip up into something I don’t recognize. Is that... He’s smiling. I honestly can’t remember the last time I saw him smile. Not even when he saw Alder was alive—or myself, for that matter.

“You’ve got the mark. Even without a fourth mate.” He traces the incomplete circle with his finger. “This is good. You should tell Alder. He’ll be happy.” He steps away from Annabelle.

---