that summer |percabeth au| ✔︎

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE - Rules

Amatheia Cove was a small town, nestled between the sea and the rugged, forested coastline. I was shocked at the number of girls who'd turned up to register for the parade—it seemed every resident and summer renter brought a friend, a cousin, a mother. The line wrapped around the block, and that wasn't even counting the ­developers taking pictures, punching numbers into their devices as if every person on Main Street was stamped with a dollar sign.

"I think this is bigger than last year," Katie said. "I don't remember registration being this crowded."

"It wasn't," Artemis said. "This is out of control."

"And it's only getting bigger," a booming voice said, and with a sinking feeling I recognized the self-important tone of Mayor Stoll. "This time next year, the parade'll be big enough to get national attention." He noticed me then, offered his shark's grin. "Miss Chase! I see you've come to your senses. I think you'll be much more comfortable as a mermaid than you would've been as a pirate. Plus, you won't have to deal with all that nasty raw-fish ­business."

I raised my eyebrows.

"Impressed?" He winked. "One of my better ideas, not ashamed to say. Travis is an excellent sailor, but the boy just doesn't have the stomach for real piracy."

Percy stepped between us, but I grabbed his hand, willing him to ignore the taunts. The mayor was already moving past us, and I was just grateful he hadn't noticed James. James was so excited; I couldn't handle it if the mayor made fun of him again.

"Guess we should've dumped the crickets at city hall," Percy said. "Not the Never Flounder. Sh*t." His voice was heavy with guilt. I offered a small smile. It was pirate season, after all. Part of the risk.

We finally reached the registration area, several long tables staffed by women and littered with pink forms. Katie and Artemis fanned out to the next available stations, and Percy and I accompanied James to his.

"James Jackson. Age six," James proudly told the woman. "Last year I was only five, so I couldn't sign up. I had to be in the kiddie parade, and I dressed up like a lobster. I did that for two years, actually. But now my lobster costume doesn't even fit and I'm old enough to be a mermaid. Did you write down my name?"

The woman gave him a placating smile. "Honey, the mermaid parade is for girls. You can be a pirate, though, and cheer everyone at the boat races." At the sight of his puppy-dog eyes, she added awkwardly, "Let's hear your pirate growl. Arrrrrgh! "

"Um. Argh?" James cast his eyes downward.

"You can do better than that! What kind of a pirate are you?"

"A mermaid," he said plainly.

"Aww, no crocodile tears," she said, and I wanted to scream at her. He wasn't crying. He wasn't whining or throwing a tantrum. He was just pointing out the obvious, and no one was listening.

Percy took a pink form from her, one hand on James' shoulder, whose bottom lip had begun to tremble. "I'm his guardian. He has my permission."

The woman frowned. "Sorry, guys. I don't make the rules."

Percy leaned in close, squinted at the name tag pinned to her shirt. "Gwendolyn, right? I'm Percy. I don't think we've met before. I would've remembered a smile like that."

She beamed.

"Listen, Gwendolyn," Percy said, his voice low. "He's been looking forward to this all year. It would really mean a lot to me, personally, if you could find a way to make it happen."

Charm radiated from his smile, his eyes, his voice, the seductive tilt of his head.

Who could possibly say no?