He turns around and sinks down the length of it, drawing his knees to his chin. She feels like my prisoner. And why wouldn’t she? I follow her around like a seal pup. I barely give her room to breathe. But I don’t want to miss a single waking moment with her.
And what hurts worse is that all this time he thought she felt the same about him. The way she kisses him, pressing her body to him as if she can’t get close enough. The way she always absently finds some way to touch him, by resting her hand on his arm or crossing her leg over his under the dinner table. How could he have misjudged her feelings like this?
He’d wanted to explain to her how he felt. What an excellent job I did! He starts off by announcing that he doesn’t want to go to college and that he can barely keep his hands off her. He groans into his fists. Way to act like a stalker, idiot.
Right when he was about to get around to explaining why he wants her to live in the ocean—that it will give them more time together—she tells him that she already feels like his prisoner. Which means that she feels they spend enough time together as it is.
Centuries wouldn’t be enough time for him. He knows that with his whole being.
But she doesn’t feel that way. Open your eyes, fool! She just told you that Neptune is where she belongs. And why wouldn’t she want to stay here? The residents are like her. She doesn’t have to worry about people asking about her pale skin or her white hair or her violet eyes. They know what she is, and they’ll accept her.
No, they’ll embrace her, once they really get to know her. She is one of them.
And it’s more than Galen could ever promise her. Even if she agreed to live in the ocean with him, they would always have to endure curious glances and whispered gossip. And if he stayed on land with her, she would always have to be cautious with other people, always have to hide what she is. And so would he.
All this time he’d been thinking Antonis was cruel to send his Half-Breed granddaughter here and get her hopes up that her kind wouldn’t always be an abomination to the Syrena. The Poseidon king had to know she would want to somehow make peace between Half-Breeds and the two ocean kingdoms.
But that’s not what Antonis intended at all. He didn’t care about peace between them, or he would have done something about it long ago, when he first discovered this sleepy little town. Instead he told no one. Ever. Until he met Emma, his Half-Breed granddaughter. Then he gladly sent her here because he cares about her happiness. No matter who she is or what she is or where she is. He was giving her another option, another choice. And he trusts her with this secret. Or did the Half-Breed exception made by the Archives spring Antonis into action? Are his plans truly to pursue peace with Neptune after all?
He also knew I would try to keep her from this place. That’s why he didn’t tell her what exactly she was looking for. She would have told me, and I would have refused to bring her.
Oh, and he would have refused. Vehemently. He knows deep down he would have. Back at the inn, he basically accused Emma of being selfish, of letting him make all the sacrifices. He’s certain he would have tried to stop her from coming here. From breaking the law. From angering the Archives. From finding companionship with others like her.
All so he could steal her away to the ocean with him. Which is what she never wanted.
It doesn’t change the fact that he can’t keep this place a secret from Grom. Too much damage has already been done by keeping secrets. The kingdoms were almost torn apart by secrets. He and Emma were almost torn apart by them.
It kills him that Emma thinks he’s capable of hurting an innocent minnow like Toby. That he means to bring Grom here to destroy them. That she thinks he would help bring harm to this town. She should know that he—more than anyone—is particularly sympathetic toward Half-Breeds. And, really, so is Grom, what with a Half-Breed stepdaughter.
But he doesn’t have to go all the way back to Triton territory to tell Grom. It’s something that can be accomplished with a simple phone call. He doesn’t have to—and doesn’t want to—leave Emma here by herself.
He was testing to see if she’d come with him. And he got his answer.
Still, he’ll make the phone call. Galen knows Nalia will be coming ashore every few days to check in with Emma. It may take a few days to make contact with Nalia and Grom, and that’s fine. And maybe that’s what Emma needs—a few days to explore what could be. Whatever she decides, I’ll be there for her. I have to go back and ask for another chance to explain.
Just as he starts back toward the SUV, headlights from the road send an intrusive beam of light into the woods, forcing him to close his eyes against the brightness. When he opens them, he realizes the beam is not going away. It’s heading straight toward him. He stands, his instincts telling him to run. The truck stops within a few inches of him. It takes all he has not to step away. Two large men—or Syrena in human form, that is—hop out and stride to the front of the truck.
“Woods ain’t no place for a boy like you,” the bigger one says. He spits on the ground in front of Galen. The bottom of his mouth protrudes as if he’s got a chunk of food tucked there.
“There are actual laws against my being in the woods?” Galen says, hands in pockets.
The short one laughs. “Tyrden was right. He is obsessed with laws.”
“Which is why you’re coming with us. Galen, is it? Now there’s no sense in backing away, boy. You’re surrounded. If you make a run for it, it’ll just hurt more.”