Chapter 18

Rose

T he only sound between Milo and I was the purr of his boat's engine and the splash of water as the bow cut through it. Neither of us had spoken a word since Selena all but banned me from Alexander.

I went over the whole situation again and again in my mind, trying to find where I'd gone wrong but finding nothing. Well, nothing aside from prejudice against merfolk and an underestimation of Joseph. Was she truly so confident that he wouldn't come for her island? Why wasn't she afraid of what he could do?

I would've understood her fear. Hell, even now, a large part of me wasn't sure whether I should've left Mariana with Milo to begin with. Joseph could come out of nowhere and decide to further ruin my freaking day, just as he'd done a million times before. And with Will out there, spying on the monster himself, I couldn't relax even if I wanted to.

So, yes. I would've understood the terror that man so easily wrought.

Yet she wasn't afraid. She was confident in her estimation of what she could do to protect her island from the man who'd taken mine. But how? What did she know that I didn't? Or was there something else at play here? Once again, like always, I had no answers.

After a particularly aggressive sigh, Milo let out a short purr and said, "Don't worry about her, sweetheart. She's always been stubborn as a mule."

It was clear he was trying to reassure me, but the intense dread in my belly wouldn't cease. "I suppose?" I replied, my voice limp. "I'm terrified for them. They shouldn't underestimate what he can do."

"She might be banking on the fact that that's not how we Otherkind treat each other. Or, rather, it's not how we used to."

The sadness in his words made my heart ache for him and the Golden Isles. "Maybe one day we'll be a community again."

"I hope so."

Silence lapsed between us once again. I'd never known a Golden Isles not cleaved into pieces. But I'd always wondered what it had been like when the Otherkind who lived here were allies and not potential enemies. I truly do hope I can see that happen for all of us again. We need it so bad—

The boat jerked, and I twisted in my seat with a gasp to see what had happened. At first, I saw nothing. My heart pounded in my chest as I thought of myriad, progressively worse, reasons for the sudden moment, most of which centered on Joseph and his ability to ruin everything he touched. Just as I was about to crawl out of my own skin with worry, my fears were allayed when a very naked Will popped into view, fingers pressed to the pearls around his neck to make him visible.

Breath whooshed from my lungs, my eyes eating up the bare expanse of his beautifully muscled body and trying to find any injury. Nothing was out of place; his eyes still had light and fire behind them. Utter relief that he was in one piece and in possession of his mind chased away the anxiety and terror that had been riding me all morning, almost enough to make me cry… if my attention hadn't slipped lower to his cock.

I knew I shouldn't look; he wasn't for me to ogle. Yet I couldn't take my eyes off him, not when I was fighting the urge to run over and yank him into my arms, nakedness be damned.

Eli, grant me strength in the face of such temptation.

I forced myself to suck in a lungful of air and straighten out before either Milo or Will caught my slip up. It was supremely unfair to have not one but two extremely good looking—fucking hot, if I allowed myself to be honest—men in my vicinity while only one of them was available to me. It wasn't fair that I still was so affected by Will, or that he inspired such longing in me that I felt I might die when he left.

Ugh!

I was selfish to even allow myself to dwell on these feelings. I had a mate, after all. But the culmination of the morning's stress and the subsequent slap in the face that was being booted from Alexander knocked my guard down, leaving me vulnerable to the gorgeous merman striding toward the bridge.

Will's gaze met mine and held it as his steps ate up the distance between us. I couldn't read his expression, not when it was a mask of indifference. A whole new set of anxieties flared up. Had he heard something bad? Was Joseph doing something even more egregious? Was he nearly—

My thoughts were summarily cut off when Will knelt before me and took my tightly fisted hands into his. He uncurled my fingers before releasing them again. The indifference on his face melted away as a half-smile softened the corners of his mouth, and I swear my heart was trying to crack open my ribs and flop down at his feet with how hard it lurched within my chest.

"I have arrived back in one piece, your highness," he said, his tone light. "Is my condition to your standards or shall I prepare for the beatdown of the century?"

Oh, the cheek on him!

The urge to whack him on the shoulder was nigh undeniable, but by some miracle, I kept my hands to myself. "You're a jerk, you know that?" I asked with a huff to hide my smile. "Making fun of a girl's anxiety without even the courtesy of wearing pants. Rude boy!"

"Were you staring?" he asked in return, his voice going low as he quirked an eyebrow. "Don't you know that's rude to do even in a nudist culture?"

My brain stalled seeing the heat in his expression. I gasped, my eyes going wide and my mouth flapping open and closed like a fish, trying to find a retort, a denial, anything to refute what he was saying. But the words wouldn't come.

"Now, now," Milo interjected without even looking at us. "It's not her fault she's lusty. It's not every day she gets to see hot, naked men strutting around without a care in the world as to who sees them."

Will laughed, and my selkie joined him, which only served to confuse me.

He… he wasn't mad? Like, I knew he was piloting his boat toward Charlotte and all that, but there was not even a hint of negative emotion on his face despite the saucy—albeit true—insinuation that I'd been staring at his naked body. My mate wasn't even flustered! Was that right? What was going on?

"Seems you should put some clothes on to remove the temptation to gawk," Milo continued despite my bewilderment. "There are some extras in the usual place."

Will chuckled and patted my knee before sauntering off, and I could have sworn he walked much slower than was normal just to give me more time to look at his ass.

The usual place?

I turned my attention to Milo, who was still smiling, so pleased with himself about something I couldn't even navigate. Had the three months I'd been gone really brought them this much closer that there was a "usual place" Will knew of? I wasn't upset about this—in fact, it pleased something deep within me, just as much as it confused me. But holy cow, did I not know how to navigate this.

Will came back up to the bridge fully dressed in some of Milo's clothes and, before I could untangle my thoughts, plopped down on the bench next to me. There was an appropriate amount of distance between us, being on opposite sides of the cushioned seat. That did little, however, to stop my body lighting up in awareness of him, of his closeness to me. Gods, what is wrong with me?

"What did you find out?" Milo asked casually, completely unaware of my crisis of conscience.

Will groaned. "Well, it's clear he knows where she is. He was prowling like a madman and muttering to himself about being thwarted in his attempt to get to her."

"What exactly does he want her for?" Milo asked, though I think he already knew. Just like I already knew.

"He wants the talisman, and he rightly assumes she knows where it is." Will scrubbed his free hand over his face. "He hasn't shared the existence of the talisman with any of his people, but considering he's a power-hungry bastard, I expect he never will."

"No surprise there," I grumbled, my shoulders falling.

"As long as he doesn't get his hands on you and never figures out that you are the talisman now, I think we will be fine," said Will, giving me a gentle look.

I couldn't help but think of my dream, of all the carnage Joseph would bring to my home. It dawned on me, though, that death would be the kindest option. Should he find out that I was the talisman, there was no doubt in my mind that he would allow me to die. He'd make me his permanent living puppet, trapped in my own body without the ability to do anything but waste away in my own head, watching as he forced me to do his will. Through me, he would be an unstoppable force capable of more than taking down the Golden Isles. I shuddered.

"It's going to be okay, Rose. We're not going to let anything happen to you," Milo vowed, flicking his gaze toward me for a moment before maneuvering his boat up to the dock.

I wanted to believe him. I really did. But there was a voice in my head that whispered louder than his reassurances, reminding me exactly what Joseph was capable of. Of all he'd already taken from me. And of everything he still wanted to take.

"In any case, we're going to put him out of our minds for the moment and enjoy some excellent pasta and excellent company," said Milo, with a tone of finality that made me wish I could do just that.

My gorgeous selkie docked his ship, and the three of us left the bridge. The guys moved forward almost in tandem to grab the ropes to secure Poseidon's Glory . It was fascinating watching them work together, even on something as simple as this, considering it wasn't all that long ago that they were at each other's throats. The change was a welcome one, even if I didn't understand it. In the end, I simply had to shrug and accept it as it was.

Stepping onto the dock, I strained to listen for the Heart of Charlotte, needing the comfort of its presence… but only silence greeted me. I furrowed my brow. There was no song, no brush along my senses. Nothing at all.

When we were on dry land, I stopped in my tracks and pushed my aura into the earth to find the Heart. No matter how far I spread my awareness, I could not feel the Heart at all. Alarm bells rang in my head, blaring loudly at its absence.

"Is everything alright?" asked Milo as I pulled my aura back to me.

"Yeah," I lied with a forced smile. "Just fixing my shoe."

Neither he nor Will looked even the smallest bit convinced, but they didn't question me further when I hurried to catch up with them.

The Noodle Baron was situated along the water close to the port, in a building that used to be an old fisherman's shack. The exterior was made of dark, rickety looking boards that gave it an old-world kind of charm. We stepped onto the porch, our weight making the wood creak in protest, and past the rocking chairs and swing to head inside.

The interior had the same sort of rustic vibes as the outside, with its dark exposed beams, whitewashed walls, and large stone fireplace. The sun was bright enough that there was no need for the candles on each of the tables to be lit, which was a shame because they were so cute and romantic. Though, I thought as I snuck a look over my shoulder at Will, perhaps that was for the best.

The hostess was about to greet us when a loud voice boomed over the din of lunchtime patrons. One Tomas Marin was coming our way, a huge smile plastered across his face. Milo walked forward to wrap his friend in a hug, dwarfed by the much larger man, and I had to wonder once again if the hard thumps the salt-and-pepper haired man gave to my selkie were enough to bruise him. It sounded like they might be, if the wheezing was anything to go by.

Tomas pulled away from Milo before he did any lasting damage, and his eyes went straight to me, his expression of happiness slipping just a little bit.

Tomas strode forward to cup my face, his gaze going from one of my eyes to the other, taking in their sparkling, midnight blue depths. Concern and sorrow shadowed his face, his heavily accented voice coming out not much more than a whisper. "Oh, querida. I'm so sorry."

Reaching up, I gripped his wrists and gave them a little squeeze. "It was inevitable," I replied as his hands fell away. "We knew this was the only outcome."

"Yes, but…" He paused, trying to find the right words for his thoughts. "In all my long years, I never knew someone before their change. It's somewhat of a shock."

"I hope my new state doesn't change our friendship," I ventured, keenly reminded of what had happened on Alexander once again.

"Of course not. But I have one condition now that you count among friends," he said. The sorrow on his face transformed into something more mischievous.

"Oh?" I asked, tilting my head.

"That you never pay for a single plate of pasta while in my restaurant."

I laughed. I couldn't help it. "I'm sure, between you and the hooligans over here, that I'll never have to carry a purse or wallet ever again."

"As it should be," declared Tomas, looking over my shoulder to give my companions a look. "Let's get you settled so we can get you fed. I can practically hear your stomach eating itself."

I laughed and let him lead me to a table close to the warmth of the crackling fire. Tomas, like a gentleman, pulled my chair out for me then pushed it in before giving Will a few solid thumps on the back in greeting. Once we were all sitting, he placed menus in our hands.

"I'll have Paloma take care of your table," he said with a bright smile. "We gotta make today special for the three of you."

I blinked up at him, confused. In fact, it threw me off so much that I nearly forgot to ask one of the reasons we came here in the first place. When I remembered, he was just about to step away, and my hand shot out to grab his arm. He startled.

"Sorry." I pulled my hand back, my cheeks heating.

"It's quite alright. I just didn't see you move," he replied, brushing off his surprise. "Do you need something?"

"Yes, actually." I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. "Do you have some time to talk? I have some questions I think you might be able to answer."

"Of course. I have to help in the kitchen, but when it's time for desserts, I'll be able to sit down for a chat."

"Thank you, Tomas. I really appreciate that."

He patted my shoulder. "Your waitress will be around soon for your drink order."

Paloma did indeed come around for our beverages, and by the time we got them, she took down our food order as well. Crab tortellini with red sauce for me, farfalle with beef and arrabbiata sauce for Will, and chicken with egg noodles for Milo. Of course, we all ordered salads and cheesy breadsticks with dipping sauces simply because we could. When those came, we all happily dug into our oversized portions, which our waitress called "Otherkind sized" in a low whisper.

Despite my inner turmoil, the energy between Milo, Will, and I was relaxed and comfortable. Having both of them there, having them so close, calmed the perpetual and never-ending knot in my stomach until it was manageable. Gods, it was so nice to not have to worry about at least one thing in my life.

"So, did you get to talk to Selena about finding a teacher?" Will asked after chewing a bite of food. I winced. I didn't mean to, but I did, and those vivid eyes of his missed nothing. "That bad, huh?"

"She was pissed I was on her island. I was literally just taking in the view of the lake when she marched right on over and told me to skedaddle."

"Why the fuck did she do that?" he asked, as if he were ready to throw hands at the very prospect.

"It's because of what I am now. She wanted nothing to do with our kind at all, while in the same breath saying Joseph wasn't a threat." I couldn't even meet his gaze as I said this. For some reason, I felt guilty, though I wasn't exactly sure why. Was it guilt over what I'd been changed into? It wasn't like I had any choice in that matter, just like they hadn't asked to be born kelpies. "It doesn't really matter, anyway. It's not like I can really change what I am or prove Joseph is a threat."

"Are you serious? Did she even hear you out?" he asked, nearly a demand.

"All she would say is that there were no teachers there for Rose even if she did allow her to come back," Milo replied for me since my mouth was currently full of delicious crab tortellini.

"Did she let you go to the Heart at least?"

I shook my head.

"That's super shitty," said Will, falling back against the back of his chair dejectedly.

Milo nodded. "Hopefully we'll have better luck here."

What I wanted to say was that I wasn't going to get my hopes up, but I kept my mouth shut. The mood was already sour. I didn't need to make it worse.

Of course, our food was gone too quickly, and my nervousness took root again. By the time Tomas walked out of the kitchen with a tray full of delicious cheesecake, I could barely hear anything past the buzzing of my heightened pulse in my ears. Milo gave my shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

Tomas set our respective plates in front of us then pulled up a seat next to me. "What can I help you with, Rose?"

As his earnest eyes met mine, my words dried up on my tongue. That ever-present-but-freshly-tweaked fear of rejection flared in my belly, screaming at me to not say anything at all, to spare myself the feeling altogether. But I couldn't just make a big production about this ask then do nothing with it.

Unfortunately, I had nothing left in me to protect myself if I was refused.

I took a deep breath, then forced the words past my lips in a hushed whisper so no humans would hear me. "I think I should preface this by saying that my last Mark is Joseph Kelley, but I cannot fulfill that obligation so long as he has the merfolk tied to him like he does. Do you know how to undo such magic? Or do you know someone who would know?"

Tomas hummed, rubbing his palm along his jaw. "Without knowing the nature of the bond, I'm not quite sure."

I looked to Will. He'd been spying on his father for a while now, so he had to have seen something or even poked at it… right?

Will smiled gently at me, understanding my silent question, before turning to Tomas. "I haven't gotten much of a chance to get a look at how they're bound to him, but it looks like he's literally sewn their souls to his. He can draw power from them, and whatever damage is done to him, they are hurt as well."

The Spaniard's eyebrows knit together, his expression clouding. His words were even more accented when he replied, "He's bound them to him? You're certain?"

"A thousand percent certain," Will answered, shuddering at the very thought. "He's taken their minds from them as well. Whether it's permanent or not, I'm not sure."

"That is dire indeed." Tomas went silent, his gaze cast to the table, deep in thought. When he spoke again, he sounded much more troubled. "My people do not have such power over souls or minds. The kelpies could help restore their minds to them, but I know of no creature off the top of my head who can manipulate souls the way the merfolk can."

My heart dropped into my stomach. No one can help us? Not a single creature aside from Will and I, the two people who should be as far away from Joseph as possible?

I despaired.

"Thank you," I said, as it was the first polite response I could think of.

"I'm sorry I cannot aid you further," Tomas replied. "There's little I can do in this matter, I fear, that would not cause an all-out war with those of your kind."

There it was again. Your kind . Though his words were soft, there was no mistaking the undercurrent of something less than friendly and welcoming there. It made me want to shrink into my seat and apologize for existing, as absurd as that was.

"I suppose, then," I ventured, barely able to push the words out, "that you likely aren't amenable to me coming to meet the Heart of Charlotte?"

He looked at me with pity in his expression. "I sealed the entrance to the Heart away the moment I heard of what Joseph had done to Nora. Now that no one can get to it, the threat he posed no longer exists, so I see no point in taking such a chance."

Suddenly, it made sense why I couldn't hear or sense Charlotte's Heart. Why the silence put me on edge. Could the Heart even feel me? Or was it screaming and not being heard?

My own memories of being trapped in the dark, unheard, flowed just beneath the surface. I didn't know if the Heart could feel fear or desolation, but just the idea that it could grated along my very soul with sharp, jagged teeth. I wanted to find it, to free it, to let it be heard like it should have been all along. Shut away in the dark… it didn't deserve that.

Beyond that, though… Tomas also didn't think Joseph was a threat? The man had taken Nora without the help of anyone else, not to mention taken the merfolk as his personal batteries. There was no way he didn't pose any danger to these people. Why couldn't they see that?

Looking into Tomas's eyes, however, I saw there was nothing I could say to change his mind. This was what he thought was best for the Heart, his people, and his island. Yet, when was imprisoning a sentient being ever the right choice, even for its own safety?

I nodded, feeling so small and useless that it was near impossible to speak past the lump in my throat. "Thank you for your candor and for protecting the Heart."

"I'm sorry I could not be of more help to you, querida. We're all stuck in this limbo together, with no good answers," he replied, then leaned over to pat my hand where it lay fisted on my lap. "I'll leave you to your dessert. Please tell Paloma if there's anything else you'd like. I'm more than happy to pack up some extra to send home with you."

Milo and Will thanked him, but I had no more words to say. I could muster only a wan smile at him before he walked back to the kitchen, leaving me and the guys to finish a dessert I no longer had the appetite for.