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Now with Marina taken? Sure, I understood what a dangerous place this is. All the things I saw on the Centauri? Here too—the Maelstrom coming down. Marina taken by the Kraken. I’m spiraling out of control, and the darn numbness in my feet isn’t going away with the way I’m pushing.
“Augh,” I scream out. I’m so frustrated. I can’t make anything work. I have no idea what Richeal was trying to work on. It’s so far above me. A kindergartner reading my dissertation would have a better chance of understanding her work than I have do. I rip the sheet off my legs, trying to get a better grip on them.
“What is it?” Eros yells from down the hall, and heavy footsteps pound the marble tile floor. Castor’s and Nico’s shoulders collide as they come through the door, and I momentarily forget the numbness and tingling in my feet and laugh. They look like clowns coming through the door at the same time. They bounce off each other like billiard balls until they get through the door. Eros and Holter are right behind them.
“Belle?” Holter jumps on the bed. He moves my hand away from the bottom of my foot. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, my foot—no, both of them—fell asleep. It’s fine. This used to happen all the time as a kid.” I’m holding his eyes, but he doesn’t believe me. “Really, it’s no big deal. It’s nothing at all. This happened all the time as a kid.”
“You had scales pushing through your skin as a kid?”
My heart thuds, and I slowly turn to look at my own feet. There, under Holter’s thumb, is a patch of purple scales pushing through my skin. “Is that normal? I mean, I know it’s not normal. I’m not normal. I’m never going to be normal again.”
“Belle. You were never normal.”
I look at him. What the hell? And as much as I don’t want to, when his blue eyes hit me, I burst into tears.
“No, Belle, no. Don’t do that.” He pulls me into his arms. But when he does it, he stops rubbing my foot and a sharp pain rockets through my leg. It shoots up on its own accord. And I kick Eros in the chin. He grabs my leg, holding it. It pulls me out of whatever bag of hormones this is.
“Oh, no. Did I hurt you? I didn’t mean to do that; it just happened.” I wipe a tear from my cheek.
Eros’s smirk is back. “No, Sunshine, you didn’t hurt me. You’d have to try a little harder. You can later if you like.”
Nico groans. “Do you have to be such a cod fish, Zaffiro?”
“Our mate is smiling again. So yes, Poseidon, I do.” He laughs. “Does it hurt?”
“Yes, and no. It tingles, itches, and it’s numb.”
“So yes,” Castor says, sitting on the other side of me, taking my other foot in his hand. “Tell me if it hurts or if you want me to stop.”
“Never.” I lean back on Holter’s chest, and my eyes slowly close. It feels so much better when they are rubbing it. “What do you think this means? Am I going to get a tail?” I open my eyes. The four of them are talking without talking. “No, no secrets now. What do you think this means? Why now?”
Nico takes my hand in his and turns my palm up so I can see it. The marking is darker. The circle is more complete. “I don’t know what it means, Little Krill. But we can have the doctor come and take a look at you.”
“Are you sure? I thought we didn’t want anyone to know that I don’t have a fluke form?”
“I’d rather have you safe. Fuck the rest of the city. They’re nothing to us.” Nico kisses the middle of my palm and then turns it over and kisses each knuckle.
“But...” I don’t even know what the “but” is going to be. Because I’m not sure I care now either. “I want my family safe. Marlee, Aunt Blair, Marina, Michio. All of us. All of you. I don’t want to have to fight. I will, though. I will fight. We can do great things together.”
“We can do great things because of you. You and your extraordinariness have changed this city for good.” Holter presses a kiss on the top of my head.
“I know what you were trying to say before. I’m sorry for?—”
“You never have to be sorry for having emotions, Belle.” He presses another kiss on my forehead. “Now we’ll take turns massaging your legs until you fall asleep or don’t want it anymore. Get some more rest.” Holter looks at Nico. He gives a nod. “Tomorrow’s a big day. We have a plan to get both the translator from Zaffiro and get to the silo. But we need you to come with us. The four of us talked it through while you were asleep. The plan doesn’t work without you. Like we said before, taking you out isn’t safe. Hell, if we could come up with another idea, anything, it would be better. But we’ll only do it if you are feeling better. Are you okay with that?”
“Heck, yes.” They are going to let me go with them. That’s more than I ever hoped for. I figured when they went to find Michio, I’d be left behind with a babysitter or ten.
Nico growls, and I keep my eyes from flicking to him. No doubt he doesn’t want me to come.
“I’m sure I’ll feel better after a little more rest.”
“Say the word, and we’ll have the doctor down here. Fuck the curfew and lockdown.” Eros keeps rubbing my leg. “Nico isn’t the only one who thinks you should stay.”
“I don’t think I need the doctor. It’s just my skin, and I’m tired, but I know that happens after a mermaid hormonal need.”
Four sets of eyes don’t believe me.
