Mer Tales 01 - Everblue

smile gave away the truth, that she was right.
    “ I think it would have been super awesome if you’d just shown me. Like when we swam to Fannette Island.”
    “ You would have freaked out.” Which you did once.
    “ Never.” She cocked her head.
    I chuckled, biting my tongue.
    Her eyes sparkled. “I’ve always known you were special.”
    “ Or genetically mutated.”
    “ In the most adorable way.” She mussed up my hair and planted a kiss on my nose.
    “ But what about that guy?”
    She pursed her lips. “What guy?”
    “ I saw you k—” It hurt to form the word let alone say it. Everything inside me wanted to punch his lights out. “—with him on your porch. You were all dressed up.”
    She sat back, her eyes darting back and forth as if trying to remember. “Was that you?” She gasped. “It was you!” She busted into peals of laughter. “Oh, my gosh. You were spying on me!”
    “ Was not.”
    “ Then what were you doing in the water?”
    I shifted in my seat. “I was just visiting. I couldn’t stand being trapped underwater for so long. And then I saw you with him and he had his hands all over you.”
    “ You’re jealous.” She crawled into my lap with a huge smile and I melted. “There’s no him , so don’t worry. I’m all yours now, apparently until death. So don’t get all green merman on me.”
    “ Good. One less guy I have to—” I caught myself before saying kill “—take out.”
    “ So dramatic. Are you purposely trying to avoid telling me about what happened to Tatchi?”
    “ No,” I said and hugged her tight. “After they took us back, she ended up getting forced into a promising and—” I cringed “—that really left her no choice. She had to stay. We don’t know what we’re going to do now. We can’t force her to come home. She’ll suffer without him.”
    “ Who’s she promised to?” she asked.
    “ The King’s son. He’s the reason she didn’t want to go to Natatoria in the first place. He’s had a crush on her forever. The day I came to the beach to get Tatchi, it was for a family meeting with him. She knew we wouldn’t return. I didn’t listen.”
    “ I don’t think it’s your fault, Fin. From what you said, the King manipulated the situation.”
    “ Yes, but—I don’t know anymore—it’s become so confusing. Before the promising, Tatch wanted nothing to do with the King’s son, and after, we couldn’t pry her away from him. Without knowing what she really wants now, I don’t know what to do. Should I try to bring her home? Only death will set her free.”
    She gasped. “Her death?”
    “ No! His. Only after his death does her soul become free again.”
    She grabbed her chest at heart level and sucked in air. “Don’t do that to me.”
    “ Sorry,” I said, admiring her theatrics. “You’re stuck with me.”
    “ I guess I am.” She wrapped her arms around my neck. “And you with me.”
    “ I’m glad no one is at this park.”
    “ Me, too.”
    We finished the rest of the conversation wordlessly with only our lips doing the communicating.

56
ASH

    After more people showed up at the park and we caught a few glares from moms at our display of affection, we high-tailed it back home.
    “ I think you should meet my parents officially,” Fin said out of nowhere as he turned the corner, our houses in view.
    I swallowed hard. “Meet your parents? Now?”
    Somehow I’d assumed they’d be reopening their shop for business today.
    “ Heck, yeah. We’re practically married now in mer standards. They know everything.”
    I tried to speak but stuttered something incoherent and couldn’t finish. Did he say we were practically married?
    “ Look,” he said, taking my frozen nervous hand into his burning hot one. “This is cause for a party. You’re family now. They’re your in-laws.”
    “ Not in my world they aren’t. If my parents even knew what happened—my dad would flip and he’s the most understanding of the two. I can’t even imagine my mom’s reaction. She might just keel over with a coronary.”
    He tilted his head and looked at me over the top of his sunglasses. “Am I scaring you?”
    “ No,” I said. “This is all a little fast. You just came home. We just got together.”
    “ It’s eternal. You can’t fight it. We can’t be apart. We’re a match made in water.”
    The lump in my throat made talking difficult. “Hardly. I can swim like a fish, but my talents are limited. I doubt I could keep up,