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I nod.
“I knew that Genevieve was sneaking up behind me, and I couldn’t allow myself to be attacked on both sides.”
“We weren’t going to hurt you…” Genevieve says, her voice betraying her fear.
Pink’s eyes soften at the sound, and she dips her chin in agreement.
“We weren’t.”
“Then why sneak up behind me?”
She hesitates, and I squeeze my arm a little tighter around Genevieve’s neck. I try to channel Rayne again. I feel terrible about threatening this girl, but I need answers.
“I can keep this up all night, but I’m not sure about Genevieve here.”
Pink pauses a moment longer before she answers.
“We were suspicious of you because we’re being hunted.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s not my place to tell you.”
“Then whose place is it?” I ask.
“Narissa. Our pod mother. We can take you to her, but you need to let Gen go.”
I watch her, searching for signs of deception.
“I’m Pearl,” I say, still keeping my hold on Genevieve.
“Kristle.”
“Well, Kristle. If I let Gen go, are you going to attack me?” I ask. She shakes her head. “Okay, then.”
Slowly, I release Genevieve’s neck, and she swims to safety behind Kristle. Once I finally get a good look at her, a pang of regret flows through me.
She’s young. Maybe only seventeen, with long navy hair, a round face, and big dark blue eyes. Her tail does not yet have full coloring, evidence that she hasn’t yet grown out of the near-translucent hues of youth. Her tail starts a bright sky blue by her waist and grows darker as it nears the fins.
Kristle checks Genevieve over quickly before turning back to me.
“This way,” she commands.
Without waiting for me to answer, they turn and swim back toward the shore. Genevieve pokes her head out of the water first to make sure the coast is clear before she sprints toward land.
“You need to make sure there’s no one out there before you step out,” Kristle warns me.
“Why? Won’t they just think we’re skinny dipping?” I ask. It is the excuse I’ve always used when caught by humans, and it has always worked.
She shakes her head, a sullen look overtaking her fierce face.
“Not here.”
Without another word, she raises just her eyes above the water before racing to the sand.
There’s something I don’t understand going on here, so I follow their lead. I check above water, unsure what I am searching for, before I join them. There must be a reason they’re so cautious.
Kristle is still slipping her long dress over her head when I arrive, so Gen hands me another. I thank her and step into it. When she hands me a pair of flip-flops, I must look at her like she grew two heads. Wearing clothes, I understand. But shoes…
