Adrian nodded. "Yes. Moona brought me to shore. She savedmylife."
"Who..." Isa hesitated. "Who did you make a deal with? Was it that person I saw in the watertoday?"
"Never mind," Adrian said. "They're far away fromusnow."
Isa seemed very wary. "Adrian..." she said slowly. "What did you have to give up to bewithme?"
"It's not important," he said quietly. "I couldn't tell you even if I wanted to. But just trust me that I did it for you. You know the stories of Poseidon, the god ofthesea?"
"I'm not familiar with much Greek mythology," she said. "But,yeah."
"I'mhisson."
Her mouth dropped open. "Noway."
"I swear that it's true. And I know this sounds insane right now, but you have tobelieveme."
Isa stared at him with big, green eyes. Adrian was certain she was about to slap him across the face, call him a liar and leave him stranded on the beach, but all she said was, "Okay. Ibelieveyou."
It was like a harpoon had been ripped out of his chest. "Thank you." The words came out in a whoosh ofbreath.
Isa stared at him. "Did you really want to be on land thatbadly?"
"I wanted to be with you more than anything," Adrian confessed. “I couldn't do that without making asacrifice."
"I'm sorry you miss the ocean. Is itpermanent?"
"I don't know." Adrian hoped she wouldn't press for more. "I guesswe'llsee."
Isa was silent for a moment. She stared out at the water. Adrian thought that she was imagining him with a tail, swimming among thewaves.
“You have powers. You made the people at the party forget what you did that day, and you can communicatewithfish.”
“Yes,” he admitted. “But I find my powers are getting weaker the longer I stay on land. It’s hard for me to even talk toMoonanow.”
The statement gutted him. Isa looked at him like she was sorryforhim.
"Do mermaids get married?" Isa wonderedaloud.
"We have mates,"Adriansaid.
"I bet your dad isn't too happy you picked a human," she mumbledglumly.
"I don't care what my dad thinks." He grabbed her chin. "I just care about us. I came on land to be with you. That's all thatmatters."
"How could you give up the entire ocean to be with me? I don't get it," Isa said. She lookedfrustrated.
"One day, you will." Adrian kissed her. "Can we stop talking about this? I don't want to mull over the past. That's behind me. I want to talk about what'sahead."
Isa still seemed hesitant, but shesaid, "Okay."
The rest of the night was spent pointing out constellations, and Isa unsuccessfully trying to teach Adrian how to cook after both of them grew hungry for a late-night snack. Although he was relieved to get all that off his chest. Adrian felt like the pit of nervousness in his gut had grown larger than before rather thanshrunk.
There was only one more day left. If Isa didn't tell him that she loved him by midnight tomorrow, he'dloseher.
This was his lastchance.
ChapterFourteen
