"Curiosity is a double-edged sword, both beautiful, and deadly. There's no telling which side you'll get."
A night of innocent exploration turns lethal as Sorcha's sister is captured by human sailors. In her search, Sorcha rescues one of the humans...
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Thick fibrous vines cut into the palm of Sorcha's hand as she leaned back and pulled with all her might. Gendry looked down at the three layers of knotted vines that pinned him to a palm tree at the edge of the beach. The vines groaned against Sorcha's weight, but her knots held.
"Are you sure about this plan?" Gendry eyed the choppy sea. Foam washed ashore, reaching towards them with spectral fingers. Soon its call would be irresistible to him.
"Would you like me to lie to you?" She asked, entirely serious. From the moment she'd explained her plan, Gendry had been worrying. Both for her safety and his own. "I have no idea if this will work. But at least I know I probably won't drown you." Sorcha stepped back to assess her work. Gendry stood with his arms pinned beside him, firelight flickered across his skin, and even at the forest's edge, the heat was sweltering. A mountainous bonfire of sticks and leaves and anything dry enough to burn would serve as a beacon for their soon-to-be rescuers. She bit her lip as she caught his eye and saw the fear behind them.
"Don't get too close, okay?" His voice was soft but loud enough that she could hear it over the crackling fire and roaring waves. "Fishermen put their nets over the side. If you get tangled it won't end well for either of us."
"I learned my lesson the last time. Trust me." Sorcha swallowed hard. Dyvon was first the victim of her naivety, and she wouldn't allow Gendry to be another. Sand sank between her toes as she stepped towards him. He searched her face for a sign. Of what, she did not know. But she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his cheek. His skin was warm and flushed from the heat, and Gendry was glad that this hid the blush that tinted his cheeks. "See you soon," Sorcha whispered and turned towards the sea. Her oversized undershirt lay in the sand beside him, and the moonlight reflected on the perfect skin of her back, accentuating the lines of her shoulder blades and the exaggerated curve of her hips. Gendry watched, lips taut with worry, as she dove into the midnight blue waters. Her tail flashed a moment later, and then the sea returned to its push and pull as if nothing had disturbed it.
