Page 35 of Stone Temptation

“For my monster-fighting duties last night.”

“I have built-in monster-fighting magic.”

She smacked her lips. “I see. So, you are an ingrate now. I will remember that next time.”

“I didn’t mean it like that.”

“I’m offended, Luke.”

How had this turned on me? “You should knock before you enter this lighthouse. We’ve had this discussion too many times.”

“I have a key.”

“You can pass through walls!”

“Precisely.”

Ugh. She was renowned for scaring the crap out of me. I once emptied an entire bottle of washing up liquid in fright at her sudden appearance. Painted my walls in lemon fresh.

“So ungrateful,” she added.

Tom glanced between us. “Easy, you two.”

Maren huffed. “A good-hearted mermaid like myself does not deserve such attitude.”

“Poor you,” Tom said.

I shot him a heated glare. “Traitor.”

Tom wasn’t laughing anymore. “Tell us about Seth. I’m getting bad vibes.”

I bowed my head, shaken by his cold comeback.

Maren swam over to clean the coffee. “Seth? Did you see him again last night?”

They both knew about my sexual liaisons with the weaver, but nothing about him saving my life or about my invisibility.

I felt Tom’s eyes boring into me. “I don’t…” I couldn’t finish.

“I know something’s going on.”

Maren returned to her seat. “Luke?”

I kept my head down. “Crap.”

“Please tell me you’re not sleeping with him,” Tom said. “You know, properly.”

Hot irritation crept into my face. “No.”

He tapped his fingers on the table. “Why did he invite you to the tower in the dead of night? It’s weird. He’s never done that before, right?”

“No. He hasn’t. Always sticks to our schedule.” I got up to make Maren’s toast, avoiding eye contact.

Footsteps followed me. “Talk to me.”

“Us,” Maren added.

“You don’t need to hear this.” I shoved some slices of bread into the toaster.