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He squeezed my arm. “Every hue of blue in the ocean.”
I’ll admit, those colors were hard not to love.
“Had any boyfriends?” There was a distinct note of inquisitiveness in his voice. The same tone the nosey noble mermaids used when fishing for information.
“No,” I said. “Never had one stick around long enough. I tend to scare them off with the stupid things I do.”
Nemo slipped from my grasp and spun to face me. The intensity in his eyes had me under his spell. I wasn’t sure if he was mad or pleased.
Oh, well. I’d started now, so I might as well finish what I wanted to say while I had the chance.
“I still have feelings for you,” I said, glancing over my shoulder, checking on the soldiers. They hadn’t moved. Surely, they must be dead. “I’m sorry I hurt you. Please, forgive me.”
He slid his hands behind my back, pulling me into his embrace and holding me close in a way that told me I was his. The thought filled me with joy; I would be his if he’d have me. But there was the awkward whale in the room. My feelings Fin. I couldn’t deny I cared for both men. I didn’t want to pretend or hide my true emotions.
“I don’t like this situation between you, Fin, and me.” Nemo raised a finger to my lips before I could say anything. “But I’ll try to accept it if it gets me closer to you.”
I laughed and wove one arm around his neck. “Good. I want that, too.”
Our lips met, softly and sweetly, in the kind of kiss I never wanted to end. But I had to make sure none of the other soldiers crawled back into the water and escaped. Reluctantly, I pulled away to keep guard. Nemo released a frustrated groan. I patted his arm.
“We’ll pick this up again when we’re safe somewhere,” I told him.
***
Fin returned a short while later.
“Did you find them?” I asked, the moment his head breached the surface.
“No.” His eyes were dark and troubled. “Wait here while I tie these traitors to a tree and leave their corpses to rot in the sun.”
Soldiers scraped along the rocky cavern floor as he dragged them outside.
When he was finished, he collected his and Nemo’s tridents, entered the water, and floated beside Nemo and me.
“We mustn’t linger. We must leave,” Fin said.
“Why the rush?” I said. “The soldiers are dead, aren’t they? They’re not going anywhere.”
“Military protocol,” Fin explained, handing me the tridents and wrapping Nemo’s arm over his shoulder. “When a squadron does not return, more soldiers are dispatched to find them.” Fin hauled Nemo out of the lagoon.
But one had survived and had taken his commander’s possibly dead body back with him. Would my father send more soldiers to find us?
I hurried out after Fin and Nemo. “If the merarmy knew of Faraall’s plans to claim Tritonia, he’d have a rebellion on his hands.”
“We can’t be too careful, Princess,” Fin replied. “I won’t take any risks with either of you.”
Perhaps Fin was right. I did not pretend to know military affairs better than he did. But I still doubted that anyone besides the corrupt traitors who’d accompanying Faraall knew of his plans. Otherwise, he would never have given me to the pirates to keep his secret.
Sweat still covered Fin’s skin. He ran one broad forearm across his face and sighed. “Nemes, are you well enough to depart and help us find the dark pearl?”
“Yes,” Nemo growled.
Fine. I didn’t fully support this plan—not when Nemo remained unhealed—but still, now was our chance to save my father and be rid of that slimy slug for good.
CHAPTER 15
The horses’pace slowed as we emerged from the forest on the outskirts of the next town. After we’d left the cave, we’d ridden bareback for countless leagues—Nemo on one horse, and Fin and me on the other. That was a lot of weight to carry between the two of the poor steeds. Fin had ordered us to stay off the road to the Darkwoods to avoid being seen and to avoid leaving a trail in case more soldiers pursued us. If it weren’t for the tired horses in desperate need of a rest, or Nemo, looking pale and sweaty, we could have slipped right past this town. But Fin felt it best to stop, seek water, and find some medicine to help Nemo’s wound heal faster.
