Page 16 of Taken By the Storm King

“One of our oldest residents.” I watched the creature settle on a rocky outcrop. “The zymphos have lived in these waterssince before my people came here. We leave offerings of food sometimes.”

“It’s incredible.” Lucy stood for a better look. “On Earth, they’re tiny. But their eyes - they can see colors we can’t even imagine.”

“These are peaceful, unless threatened.” I reached into the picnic basket and pulled out a wrapped package. “Care to feed it?”

Her eyes lit up. “Can I?”

I unwrapped the package, revealing strips of raw fish. “Hold very still.”

The zymphos’ compound eyes tracked our movement as we approached. Lucy held out the fish, and the creature delicately plucked it from her fingers with one of its feeding appendages.

“That was amazing,” she breathed.

I reached into my pocket, feeling the smooth surface of the pearl I’d brought. “There’s more to see, if you’re willing.”

She turned to me. “What do you mean?”

I held up the breathing pearl. “Like the one I used when I saved you. It’s old technology, from when we traded with land dwellers.”

“You carry them with you?”

I looked away, memories of my mother surfacing. “My mother made me promise. To always be prepared to help someone in need.”

Lucy’s fingers brushed my cheek, turning my face back to her. “Your mother sounds like she was remarkable.”

“She was.” I caught her hand, holding it against my face. “She would have liked you.”

Lucy smiled. “Would she?”

“Brave. Curious. Unwilling to back down.” I turned my head, pressing a kiss to her palm. “Yes, she would have recognized a kindred soul.”

Her breath quickened. “Thalassar...”

I should have pulled away. Should have maintained distance. But Lucy rose up on her toes and pressed her lips to mine, and all thoughts of should faded away.

The kiss was soft, questioning. When she started to pull back, I caught her waist, drawing her closer. She made a soft sound against my mouth and wound her arms around my neck.

Heat raced through my blood as I deepened the kiss. Her lips parted under mine, and I tasted sweet wine and something uniquely Lucy. My hands slid up her back, feeling the warmth of her skin through the thin silk of her gown.

When we finally broke apart, we were both breathing hard. Lucy’s fingers played with the hair at the nape of my neck.

“We should probably talk about this,” she said.

“Probably.” I pressed my forehead to hers. “But not yet.”

She laughed softly. “No. Not yet.”

LUCY

The breathing pearl felt small and strangely warm in my palm, such a small thing to have saved my life before. I watched Thalassar shrug out of his outer robes, the silk sliding over his bronze skin and dark scales. My mouth went dry at the sight of his broad shoulders, his muscled chest. The scales scattered across his skin gleamed in the light from the crystals, making him look otherworldly.

“Come.” He stepped into the water, holding out his hand. “There’s more to show you.”

My throat tightened as my fingers closed around the pearl. “I’ve never done anything like this before.”

“Do you trust me?”

The question hung between us. I thought of how he’d saved me from drowning, how he’d shown me the wonders of his world. How his kiss still burned on my lips.

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