Page 70 of Ensnaring the Siren

“I know that better than you do,” Nireed signed gently. “And I’m not alone. Whatever happens between Reid and I, I still have a pod of my own there—Shorewalker, Cure Creator, and all their friends and family. I know you blame them for what happened to me, but it was beyond any of our control, and yet, I would do it all again without question if it meant a chance at securing a better future for us. You’ve risked your life for this pod time and time again. It’s my turn now.”

“But…”

Nireed cut her off. “I’m aware of the consequences. I lived them. And even still, this is my choice. I need you to understand and respect that. You, Ryn, this pod, are all worth the risk.”

Aersila swallowed, her hands motionless.

“Despite what you may think,” Nireed continued, “I’ve thought a lot about this. And meeting Reid hasn’t been all fun and fucking, which by the way, is a type of mating that doesn’t produce children.”

A flash of something illuminated Aersila’s eyes. Interest, perhaps? “There’s no such thing,” she replied, but her movements were halting. Unsure.

“There is. The Surface Dwellers use these protective sheaths.” Nireed paused to hold up two fingers and mimed rolling a condom down the length. “It catches everything.”

“Oh.” Aersila’s brow pinched thoughtfully. “And it works underwater?”

“I don’t know, but I can ask.” Maybe all this time her sister’s hesitation with Aquilus was not because she feared a relationship, but because she didn’t want more children. This knowledge could be freeing. “And if they do, I can bring some home next time I visit the shore.”

“I don’t know.” Aersila looked so torn. “I don’t want to complicate things with Ryn. He sees Aquilus as his father. If it doesn’t work out…”

“Me bringing them back doesn’t mean you have to use them. They’ll just be here in case you change your mind.”

“I suppose it couldn’t hurt.”

Her sister deserved to be happy. And she deserved to have a mate who loved and adored her. A mate like Aquilus. “You’ve accused me of taking too many risks. But I think you’ve been taking too few of late.”

Aersila rubbed her forehead, a heavy sigh billowing out in a cloud of bubbles.

“Where is my nephew anyway?”

“Napping.” Aersila gestured toward their sleeping quarters. “But stop changing the subject. We were discussing your fling with the Surface Dweller.”

If anyone was guilty of subject changing, it was Aersila, but Nireed would let it slide for now. “It’s not a fling. We’ve a lot to figure out, yes, but it’s not temporary.”

“But he’s so far away,” Aersila signed halfheartedly, as if already knowing she’d lost this battle.

“It’s worth it. He’s good to me. Really, really good to me.”

“He makes you happy.” It wasn’t a question, but a statement of fact.

“He does.”

Aersila sighed again, a common response lately. “I don’t like the distance, but it’s better than Caspian.” The pod’s overeager, and yet abysmally lackluster, stand-in mate.

“I’m glad you agree. I wasn’t sure.”

Aersila scrunched her nose with displeasure. “I’ve higher standards for you than that.”

“That’s not comforting. There’s only two others and one of them is sea sludge.”

“If I asked Aquilus, I think he might’ve…”

Alarmed, Nireed stilled her sister’s hands. Then signed, “Don’t you ever ask something like that of him. He’d do anything for you, and it’d be wrong to take advantage.”

Her sister bowed her head. “I’m not proud of it, but I thought that maybe you could’ve made him happy where I couldn’t. And he you.”

“I don’t understand. Why would you think that?” Nireed paused to cup Aersila’s cheeks.

“Because I don’t have enough of me left to give.” Her shoulders began to shake. The ocean might swallow her tears, but Nireed knew they were there.

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