Book Seven: Chapter 71

“Of course.” He started swimming toward the shore and Beth used her magic to follow, no longer bothering to hold Ano’s hand. Cursing inwardly at herself, she made the return trip in silence. Once the dock was in sight, she bid Ano a proper farewell and swam the remaining twenty feet to the structure.

Beth dangled her body in the water for a moment, then sighed and pulled herself up and onto the dock, sliding forward on her belly. She rolled over and contemplated the cotton-candy clouds above for a few minutes, her hair drying in the sun.

What a fucking waste. Not only had Zel’s sunblock made her a pariah among the merfolk, but her attempted hookup with Ano had ended prematurely.

“Never fuck your heroes, I guess,” she muttered, then flopped onto her stomach and got to her feet. Tomorrow she would forgo Zel’s sunscreen in favor of something better that wouldn’t drive the other merfolk away; maybe Aurora could recommend something. She definitely wouldn’t bother with m