Book Seven: Chapter 88

Sadness and anger flooded him at the realization that he had let everybody down. Even worse, his children were now without a father, and they would experience the pain of losing a parent early just as he had. Tormented by this realization, he cried out in agony.

Upon opening his mouth, water flooded in. The void latched back onto him, pressing against his lips. Startled, he coughed as the liquid was sucked from his mouth, realizing that the void also had a tongue. He was being held in place. Puzzled, he went still to assess his surroundings. Up above, flickering lights came into view and then vanished. Their light wasn’t enough to pierce the darkness around them, but it did illuminate the scales along Leilani’s neck and shoulders as the mermaid held him close.

“Mmph?” he asked, realizing that it was her mouth pressed against his. She dropped her hand along his arm until she found his hand, then gave it a squeeze.

“Mmph,” she replied, then blew a puff of air from he