Heat spread to my cheeks, ears, and neck, but I nodded.
“Oh, dear lord.” Skye sank back onto the bed beside me.
There was another rap on the door, and Edward entered. “What is it you’re discussing?” he asked, sliding onto the end of the spongy bed, his gold necklace glinting.
“Oh, you know.” Skye looked at her nails. “All the Mer pleasure Morgana’s been getting.”
“Skye!” I shoved her.
“You haven’t!” An angry breath shot out of Edward, and he folded his arms. “We can’t trust him.”
Skye giggled. “You don’t need to trust someone to ride their twelve-packed body like the world is ending.”
“Am I the only one here with a shred of sense remaining?” Edward’s brows lowered as he pursed his lips.
“You could use some Mer pleasure.” Skye stood and let a sultry hand glide through Edward’s copper hair.
He swatted her off. “I will never love again.”
“Sodramatic.” She stared at him, lips set in a teasing sulk.
“What’s so dramatic?” Edward exhaled sharply. “That I grew close to Donahue and Daniel, and now they’re both dead?”
“It was a coincidence.” I rubbed his knee, and he lifted his chin, not looking at me.
“Let’s have some fun tonight.” Skye twirled playfully and grabbed a carafe of wine from the stone table. She poured the crimson liquid intoconch shells and passed them around with a grin. “To sexual reawakening.” She held her drink up.
“I shan’t drink to that.” Edward’s cheeks flamed.
“I’ll drink to it.” I raised my conch and winked at Skye.
“As you wish.” Edward rolled his eyes and lifted his conch.
As I tipped my head back and let the scarlet liquid slide down my throat, it whisperedkillerwith every gulp. A desperate urge rose within me to drain the entire vat, to silence the whispers once and for all.
No expense had been spared getting the Thálassian gardens ready for the soirée. The coral glowed in deeper colors beneath moonlight that filtered down from the surface, casting silver shadows across the array of carefully curated plants.
“Wow,” Edward murmured as he, Skye, and I made our way down the steps leading from the palace between the pillars of the outdoor breakfast area into the gardens beyond.
My breath caught as I took in the beauty before me, and for a fleeting moment, all the turmoil within me fell silent. Coral clusters blossomed in hues of violet, soft pink, and jade. Anemones and iridescent seahorses flitted between them, and glowing orbs had been laid along the sandy tracks between the flowery beds, drawing guests toward a clearing.
In the central glade, revelry unfolded. Mer took partners to the dance floor, or lounged on decorative stone benches, sipping from conch shells. Laughter rang through the currents, mingling with the haunting tunes of the Mer minstrels in one corner.
Stone tables heaped with oceanic delicacies had been placed aroundthe space, and at the garden’s center, two thrones built from a collective of dried coral pieces housed King Proteus and Queen Peisinoe.
“It’s likeThe Little Mermaid. But in this one, there are sex scenes.” Skye exhaled as Alexandros approached, his muscled torso rippling with each swish of his tail.
“May I have this dance?” he asked, extending his arm toward her as we reached the entrance to the sandy glade. His violet hair was tied in a topknot, and a golden crown gleamed atop his head.
Skye nodded and offered him her dainty arm.
Damon drifted forward and held his arm out to Edward. A blush bloomed across my friend’s freckled skin, but he let the dark-haired, dark-scaled Siren lead him onto the dance floor.
Once they left me alone, awkwardness crept in, and I was about to make my way over to the king and queen when a familiar, deep voice caressed the back of my neck.
“Care to dance?”
I turned. Finn was floating behind me; he had golden cuffs on both wrists, and they glinted as he tucked a stray curl behind my ear.
