Page 168 of Storm and Sea

“Am I missing something here?” Atreus asked, his eyes darting between the two of them. “Do you two know each other?”

“We’ve had the pleasure of an acquaintance,” the doctor replied, his tone effortlessly charming. “I am Doctor Romano, though you are welcome to call me Mattias. I don’t bother with formalities in my hospital.”

“So it’s you!” Marina blurted, her voice sharper now as realization dawned. Pieces of the puzzle slid into place—this was the infamous doctor all the women in town gossiped about. The smug, cryptic stranger she’d met at the festival. How had she not guessed?

He raised his arms again, flashing that infuriatingly white smile beneath his neatly trimmed beard.

“As we’ve established,” he said smoothly, “it is me.”

Marina bristled. “No, I mean you’re the one! The doctor—the one everyone won’t shut up about.”

Doctor Romano placed a hand over his chest, bowing slightly in mock humility. “I’m honored.”

“I never said I was one of them,” Marina shot back, crossing her arms. “As if.”

“Oh, your words cut so deeply, Marina,” he said, her name rolling off his tongue with practiced ease.

She narrowed her eyes. “Remembered my name this time, did you? Or did you have to look it up before walking in here?”

“I wouldn’t be much of a doctor if I didn’t know the names of the family of my hospital’s very first Mer patient.”

“Well, don’t let me stop you, Doctor Romano,” she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

“Please,” he said, his Cheshire smile widening, “call me Mattias.”

“No,” Marina snapped, crossing her arms tighter.

His smirk only grew, and she had to fight the urge to smack his stupid, handsome face. She didn’t miss the way his gaze lingered on her a moment too long before he turned his attention to Atreus.

“As I said, I am the attending physician, and I want to formally welcome you, Atreus. Even though we are not of the same species, I will do everything in my power to ensure your health and recovery.”

“Thanks,” Atreus said dryly.

Marina grinned. She wasn’t the only one Mattias had rubbed wrong.

“You have a hairline fracture in your forearm. I recommend that at least six hours of your day be spent in the sea to accelerate the healing. This will also close the wounds and dissolve all the stitches we put in. You should be back to normal in about two weeks. I’ll have my staff fit you with a water-safe sling in the meantime.”

Marina blanched. “How’d you know all that?”

Dr. Romano smirked. “Are you impressed?”

“As if! You wouldn’t impress me even if you had a massive⁠—”

“I’d like to hear the answer to that question too,” Nyel interjected.

Dr. Romano inclined his head to him. “Welcome, sireno; I am also glad to see you here. And I have a vast knowledge about many things.”

“That answers nothing,” Atreus snapped.

“And yet it answers everything. Do not worry about the charge for this visit, as this hospital’s first Mer patient, consider it a courtesy.”

He turned to leave, but not before winking at Marina. She pressed her lips together in a harsh line, knowing her face would quickly match her hair.

“What the hell just happened?” Atreus exclaimed the moment the door closed.

Marina couldn’t tear her gaze away from where Mattias’s— no, Doctor Romano’s white coat disappeared. Atreus snapped his fingers in front of her.

“Hey, eyes over here! Don’t you be gettin’ ideas.”