Ash’s sister’s name. She of all her sisters couldn’t have been born with a heart.
She paused, looking left then right. “Colin.”
Ash’s mouth dropped open just as my blood froze.
“Yeah, tell me about it.” Galadriel returned to stabbing her salad. “I guess they hit it off after all the rules changed.”
“And Alaster?” I asked, unable to hide the vitriol in my voice.
“Dead.” She speared a tomato on her fork.
Ash’s muscles tensed under my palm. I gently squeezed her tight to reassure her.
“How do we know he’s telling the truth?” I asked.
“We don’t, but no one’s seen Alaster, the son of a bass, excuse my language.” She glanced at Jax’s plate. “You going to eat that?” She stole a strawberry and popped it in her mouth before he could object.
“If he shows his mangy arse around these parts—” Badger started.
“He’ll have more than his clock cleaned,” Jax finished. “There’s a line of guys who want at him, including me.”
Not before I get a shot.
“But who would ever think Garnet would go for Colin, of all the mermen in the sea?” Galadriel asked. “He’s just… gamey.”
Ash stiffened at her mer reference and leaned forward. “Galadriel.”
“Oh… oopsie,” she said with a chuckle.
I glanced down the table to see if any of the humans noticed.
“You promised,” I bit.
“Sorry. Sorry,” she said quickly. “You know you can just sing.”
I deadpanned, reminded of all the times in Florida where she’d tested me. “No. We are trying to avoid doing that.”
Jax put his arm around his mate. “Awe, Gladdy. I’ll sing away anything you want me to.”
My internal heat began to rise.
“Do you think Colin is lying?” Ash’s expression turned fearful.
I put my arm around her shoulder and drew her into me. “I don’t know, but I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Her body trembled as she nestled against my chest. I hugged her, trying to reassure her. But the truth of the matter was, I couldn’t be with her 24/7 and still get everything done. He’d be crazy to show his fin here. This was enemy territory.
~|~
After we’d sat around talking and drinking way too late, the mers filed off to my parents’ nearly finished house to the hatch in the basement — a more discrete exit than the shore.
“I have to go with them,” Ash nudged her head toward her parents as they walked home with Gran. “I’ll meet you in a few.”
Her eyes twinkled, something I hadn’t seen in a long time. I grabbed her and planted a kiss on her lips.
“Don’t make me wait long, my Ginger Girl,” I purred.
Clearly, I’d had too much to drink.
She giggled nonetheless, then ran off, sliding in under her father’s arm and taking her mother’s hand. Seeing her with her human family pleased me.
I trudged past all the construction into the house. Since I’d been working on mine, I hadn’t seen the latest progress. The wonderful smell of fresh paint on the newly finished walls filled my lungs. The hardwood floor had almost been completely installed. The charred rocks on the fireplace, evidence of the fire, rubbed me wrong, and made me wonder if in fact Alaster was really dead.
“Looks good, doesn’t it?” Dad asked while putting his arm around my shoulders.
“Yeah.” I nodded. “Colin’s back. Did you hear?”
“I did. That means my brother is around, too.”
I stiffened and stepped away from my dad. “Rumor is he’s dead.”
Dad guffawed, shaking his head. “Unlikely. Even still, he’s not welcome here or in Natatoria. Desirée has made that abundantly clear.”
“You act like she’s still in charge.”
“She’s not.” He shrugged. “But the mers like her and seem to need a Regent, and since the Council is keeping the peace, it works for now. After the wedding, we’ll make greater strides at helping the people acclimate, and Chancellor Merric has also requested to retire.”
“And you want me to consider the vacancy?” I
She paused, looking left then right. “Colin.”
Ash’s mouth dropped open just as my blood froze.
“Yeah, tell me about it.” Galadriel returned to stabbing her salad. “I guess they hit it off after all the rules changed.”
“And Alaster?” I asked, unable to hide the vitriol in my voice.
“Dead.” She speared a tomato on her fork.
Ash’s muscles tensed under my palm. I gently squeezed her tight to reassure her.
“How do we know he’s telling the truth?” I asked.
“We don’t, but no one’s seen Alaster, the son of a bass, excuse my language.” She glanced at Jax’s plate. “You going to eat that?” She stole a strawberry and popped it in her mouth before he could object.
“If he shows his mangy arse around these parts—” Badger started.
“He’ll have more than his clock cleaned,” Jax finished. “There’s a line of guys who want at him, including me.”
Not before I get a shot.
“But who would ever think Garnet would go for Colin, of all the mermen in the sea?” Galadriel asked. “He’s just… gamey.”
Ash stiffened at her mer reference and leaned forward. “Galadriel.”
“Oh… oopsie,” she said with a chuckle.
I glanced down the table to see if any of the humans noticed.
“You promised,” I bit.
“Sorry. Sorry,” she said quickly. “You know you can just sing.”
I deadpanned, reminded of all the times in Florida where she’d tested me. “No. We are trying to avoid doing that.”
Jax put his arm around his mate. “Awe, Gladdy. I’ll sing away anything you want me to.”
My internal heat began to rise.
“Do you think Colin is lying?” Ash’s expression turned fearful.
I put my arm around her shoulder and drew her into me. “I don’t know, but I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Her body trembled as she nestled against my chest. I hugged her, trying to reassure her. But the truth of the matter was, I couldn’t be with her 24/7 and still get everything done. He’d be crazy to show his fin here. This was enemy territory.
~|~
After we’d sat around talking and drinking way too late, the mers filed off to my parents’ nearly finished house to the hatch in the basement — a more discrete exit than the shore.
“I have to go with them,” Ash nudged her head toward her parents as they walked home with Gran. “I’ll meet you in a few.”
Her eyes twinkled, something I hadn’t seen in a long time. I grabbed her and planted a kiss on her lips.
“Don’t make me wait long, my Ginger Girl,” I purred.
Clearly, I’d had too much to drink.
She giggled nonetheless, then ran off, sliding in under her father’s arm and taking her mother’s hand. Seeing her with her human family pleased me.
I trudged past all the construction into the house. Since I’d been working on mine, I hadn’t seen the latest progress. The wonderful smell of fresh paint on the newly finished walls filled my lungs. The hardwood floor had almost been completely installed. The charred rocks on the fireplace, evidence of the fire, rubbed me wrong, and made me wonder if in fact Alaster was really dead.
“Looks good, doesn’t it?” Dad asked while putting his arm around my shoulders.
“Yeah.” I nodded. “Colin’s back. Did you hear?”
“I did. That means my brother is around, too.”
I stiffened and stepped away from my dad. “Rumor is he’s dead.”
Dad guffawed, shaking his head. “Unlikely. Even still, he’s not welcome here or in Natatoria. Desirée has made that abundantly clear.”
“You act like she’s still in charge.”
“She’s not.” He shrugged. “But the mers like her and seem to need a Regent, and since the Council is keeping the peace, it works for now. After the wedding, we’ll make greater strides at helping the people acclimate, and Chancellor Merric has also requested to retire.”
“And you want me to consider the vacancy?” I
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