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Chapter 13
Istill felt Fin’s tongue on my lips, and I couldn’t stop touching them as we stood on the grassy knoll behind the cave.
“What do we need to make a fire?” I said, unable to remember what Fin had told me earlier.
“Kindling,” replied Fin, picking up long, thin twigs from the scrubland. “We’ll light this, and then we can add the larger logs.”
My stomach twirled with excitement. I’d seen fires from afar. People on the beach had bonfires to celebrate special occasions. Merfolk lucky enough to sit beside one spoke of their intense heat and the way the burning logs spewed sparks into the air like an angry sea monster. Human culture fascinated me, and I burned with curiosity to learn new things about it.
“Then we shall use this to stoke the fire.” Fin showed me a branch that had broken off a nearby tree.
I picked my way through the shrubs, hunting for twigs and grabbing as many as I could. Ahead of me in the scrubby forest, Fin collected thicker branches and a few logs. Once we had amassed a reasonable pile, we dumped them near the lagoon inside the cave. Then we returned to collect some rocks from the entrance.
A flock of seagulls flew overhead, as if they retreated to their nests for the night. The air carried the sweet song of crickets, and it enveloped me in its embrace. Cottony clouds streaked the peach sky above. It wouldn’t be long before the sun disappeared below the horizon, and the stars danced above us. I loved watching them, especially shooting stars, and any time I breached the water’s surface at night I would stay to watch them. We didn’t have a night or day sky in the depths of the ocean. Our light was artificially made with glowing crystals and neon sea anemones.
These thoughts led me to wonder where Gill was and if he slept under the stars or if he had taken cover in accommodations somewhere. I prayed to the sea god that he found and returned with his sister safely.
“You’re beautiful when you smile,” Fin said, his arms full of stones.
My heart did a flip. He gave me a quick kiss and waited for me to enter the cave first.
Inside was breathtaking. Sunlight streamed through an opening in the cave’s roof. Crystal blue waters within the lagoon beckoned for me to join it. The walls shimmered from the light reflecting off the water. Green mossy growth crawled up the wall. I couldn’t stop looking at it all as Fin and I built the stone circle for the fire.
By the time we finished, Nemo emerged from the water, his skin flushed pink from the swim.
“Anyone hungry?” he asked, his voice full of his usual cheer, as if our earlier encounter had floated away like bubbles drifting with the tide. Nothing seemed to bother him, and I liked that about him.
A seaweed basket was strapped across his chest. Every merchild was taught to weave a basket when they were young. I hadn't made one in over ten years, but I still remembered how. Memories of my grandmother teaching me the technique flooded back. Poseidon, rest her soul. Nemo must have made his while hunting. He removed it and handed it to Fin.
“Just in time.” Fin slapped a hand on Nemo’s back and rummaged through the basket, removing an oyster and downing it. “I was just about to start a fire to cook the fish.”
Nemo clutched his stomach. “Roast crab and salmon.” He clasped his fingers and thumb together, kissing them and making anmmmsound.
I wasn’t watching what delicious treats were on offer. My gaze trailed the beads of water rolling down Nemo’s perfect barrel chest.Then my gut pinched as I thought about what had happened between us earlier—and then I’d turned into a trollop and slept with Fin right afterward. I couldn’t deny that my heart had fallen for both of them. But Nemo was the jealous kind. What would he think of me if he found out about Fin and me? My heart would break if I hurt him.
Nemo took my hand. “Come. Light the fire with me, Princess.”
“Watch out,” Fin warned. “The princess might set your eyebrows alight.”
“Hey!” I slapped Fin on the arm. “That’s enough of your cheekiness.”
Fin cackled as I sat beside Nemo on the rocky floor.
Nemo leaned on his knees behind me. “Hold these.”
My skin electrified as he reached around my sides and placed two small rocks in my palms. His arms brushed my waist as he held my wrists. A tremble ran through me. Poseidon, I hoped he didn’t notice how nervous and crazy I turned in his presence.Please, sea god, don’t let me hurt him with these rocks.
Nemo’s breath tickled my neck. My skin was on fire, being so close to him.
“Scrape the rocks together like this.” He moved my arms in opposite directions.
Sparks flew off the rocks and into the wood. They flared inside me, too. It took me a few moments to gather myself. I could barely concentrate with his fresh seaweed smell clouding my mind.
“Amazing!” I’d never seen anything so magical before.
“You try it,” he said, releasing my wrists.
But I didn’t want to. I didn’t want him to stop touching me. I wanted his hands on me. Our bodies close. For him to hold me and me to lean into him and breathe him in.
