Page 132 of Cruel Tides

“Barren, look at me.” Although his eyes initially averted, they slowly found their way to mine. “Lee says you’re good at reading people,” I started to say, but the words crumbled away in my mouth as Barren turned.

“I can’t,” he called over his shoulder. Two gruff syllables that impaled deep into my heart. He stalked through the doors with the same speed as when he’d first brought us to the casino, leaving Leander and Kai as the only two by my side.

Kai rubbed across the back of my shoulder. “Sorry, Claira. He was really upset. We thought someone had taken you.”

Magic buzzed in the back of my throat. A tingling over my tongue tempted me to speak my thoughts aloud just so it could silence me again.

“We’re losing Barren,” was all I could manage to say. Leander nodded, wrapping an arm around me to lead me out of the casino.

“Yeah, we better catch up. We’ll talk more after we’re sure you’re somewhere safe,” he said, and although he kept his voice casual, I knew he would expect answers. Answers I couldn’t give. I really hated magic.

“Harlot.”Laverne slung the insult my way as she followed beside us.“I can’t believe I was going to save you.”

If only she knew the tank wasn’t what I needed saving from.

It was this.

* * *

It tooka shower and a fresh change of clothes for me to stop obsessing over how the trip back to Barren’s place had gone. I’d gagged so much during the drive that Kai thought I had water trapped in my lungs from my swim at the casino.

But no. Water wasn’t the problem. The magical hairball preventing me from answering any of Leander’s persistent questions was.

He’d followed me right into the shower, and if it weren’t for Barren dragging him out, he’d still be in here now. Pressing me for answers I would have loved to give but couldn’t.

And Barren… He wouldn’t even look at me. Although he’d helped get Leander off my back, he kept shutting down, closing himself off from the rest of us.

Frowning, I attempted to comb the tangles from my damp hair. Okay—maybe I was still obsessing.

Magic had to fade eventually, though, right? And then one day, when we were all in our eighties, I could clear this whole mess up.

Setting the comb down on the dresser, I huffed.

No. I couldn’t let this damned spell win. I’d get my point across somehow—even if I had to resort to heavy hinting or playing charades to do it. Between three mermen and a sea lion, someone was bound to pick up on something, right?

I gave my cheeks a firm slap to psych myself up before heading for the door. As I reached it, the conversation from the living room seeped through.

“She’ll stay with me half the time.” It was Leander’s voice, his words spoken as casually as if they were a fact.

Huh?I paused, doorknob in hand, my head tilting as Kai chimed in.

“Do you think she’d like that? I could probably stay in the Atlantic if that would be easier.” Kai gave a weak laugh. “My father wouldn’t notice. The Pacific… doesn’t really need me.”

There was a loud scoff. “Fucking King Darias. After I’m done with you, he’ll be begging us to give you back to the Pacific.”

“Pssh. Yeah, right,” Kai said, and although he was denying it, his voice sounded lighter. The lull in the conversation that followed gave me the perfect opportunity to come into the living room.

But as soon as I was through the door, the conversation picked up again.

“Are you sure she’ll even want to live in the, uh…” Kai’s voice trailed when Leander cleared his throat, acknowledging me with a jerk of his chin.

Kai’s mouth snapped shut.

“Don’t mind me,” I said, choosing to lean against the kitchen counter instead of joining them in the living room. After the things we’d done on that couch earlier, looking at them sitting there was difficult enough without my mind wandering to inappropriate places. “Please, go on. What were we talking about?”

“Claira.” Kai’s face pinked as if he were having a similar inappropriate thought. “Hey.”

“Hey,” I returned, my lips curling. I was ready to tease him some more when a knock from inside the bathroom distracted me. “Is that Barren?” I asked, and Kai shook his head.

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