A Thousand Salt Kisses Later (Book 2 of Salt Kiss series)

Feeling The Heat

I looked at Spirit stunned.

"Well, good evening to you too," he said sarcastically.

"Sorry," I said, trying to snap out of my stupor. "I was just..." I trailed off. I didn't even know what to tell Spirit.

Fortunately, Nephys and Bright appeared in front of us.

"Hello, treasures!" cried Nephys, leaning forward and kissing us both.

They both looked radiant, and as I looked them up and down, I realized they were holding hands. OMG, they've gone public!

Spirit was frowning.

"Are you two...?" he began, looking at their entwined hands.

They smiled coyly.

"Oh, come on Spirit, don't tell me you hadn't figured that one out?" I said, momentarily forgetting my pickle with Llyr.

Nephys gasped with outrage. "You knew, and you didn't say anything, Crystal White!"

"Well, I thought you were being secretive for a reason," I protested. "But for the record, I think it's one of the sweetest things I've ever seen in my life."

"Yes, well done," said Spirit, nodding.

Well done? He sounds like he's marking an essay.

After a while, I managed to catch Nephys's eye, and she frowned, instantly sensing something was wrong. If I could tell Nephys everything that was going on with her father's crazy plan, then perhaps she could help get a message back to Llyr.

She went to swim closer to me when a dark haired mermaid appeared by her side. She was pretty with big blue eyes, and the tattoos and tribal spots of a mer from The Jewel.

"Silver!" exclaimed Nephys, joyously.

Ah, so this is Nephys's friend that I've heard so much about.

Silver froze, looking Nephys and Bright up and down with her doe-eyes, and then without so much as a word she pushed on, passing us. Uh-oh, I thought remembering Nephys and Bright's banter at breakfast that morning. Didn't Nephys say Silver had been waiting for Bright to ask her out all these years?

Nephys appeared completely stunned as though Silver's feelings about this romantic development had not crossed her mind. She slapped a hand to her brow and disappeared, chasing after her angry friend and leaving me alone with Spirit and Bright.

We drifted through the party, and I scanned the crowds for Llyr. I have to find a way to tell him I'm not with Spirit.

I couldn't see him anywhere, and I stuffed a camul in my mouth, feeling more and more despairing by the second. What if he's with his fiancé now? How will I get to speak with him then?

"Where's Kara?" I asked Bright and Spirit, casually.

Spirit shrugged, "I know not."

Bright simply answered by humming some music and swirling his hips round and round in little circles.

Even despite this dire state of affairs, I couldn't help but feel a giggle welling up inside me.

"Again?" Spirit asked with alarm.

The giggle exploded. Kara's going to do the whole parade thing again.

"Seriously?" I asked. She was evil and vain.

Bright carried on with his little performance, and I could see other guests were turning and then laughing when they saw his ridiculous impersonation of Kara.