Page 95 of The Luna Duet

Nothing could help me find her.

Every instinct screamed to launch into the sea and snatch her from the depths. But...the grief I hadn’t dealt with threw itself against the walls in my mind.

The creak of the boat as it broke apart.

The throb of my bruises as the waves threw us around as if we were nothing.

The scream of my mother—

“Nerida!” I stopped pacing the shore and turned to wade deeper into the sea, ignoring the thundering in my ears and the horror in my heart.

Water lapped over my knees, soaking the hem of my shorts.

Fuck, how long has it been?

Too long.

Far, far too long and new images came to mind.

Images I couldn’t shove back into the waterlogged box where they belonged because these were all too real, too true.

What if she was stabbed by a stingray?

What if she was stung by a Portuguese man o’ war?

What if a shark smelled her or a saltwater croc—

I turned to ice as a shimmer of movement appeared where Neri had vanished.

It looked like the swish of a croc’s tail. The ridges of its reptilian spine. The power of death hunting the one girl I’d fucking die for.

I hurled myself into the sea.

Fully clothed, pockets full of precious things and belated birthday gifts, I forgot all about myself and only thought of her.

I dove under and swam.

Fuck, I swam as fast as my arms and legs would allow.

I opened my eyes underwater, begging to see signs of Neri—in one piece, alive, unbleeding.

Gentle waves carried me, rising and falling with the sea’s currents.

My eyes burned from salt.

Nothing.

Nothing but blackness and darkness and—

A terrifying shadow to my left.

I choked on a mouthful of brine as I shot to the surface and planted my feet on the sandy bottom. Images of poisonous stone fish and barbed sea urchins ready to impale my feet couldn’t scare me as much as the shadow racing toward me.

I braced myself for teeth.

I sucked in a breath to fight.

And that breath exploded with a grunt as Neri popped up beside me, eyelashes sparkling, pretty face dripping, moon-drenched hair plastered to her slender shoulders.

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