Chap 23
"The crown prince isn't ready."
The king's words slurred slightly as the first streaks of sunrise slipped through the curtains.
"He still wants adventures."
Wade watched as the king pulled Penny closer.
As though even asleep he knew exactly where she was.
One arm wrapped around her.
His face buried briefly against her hair.
Then his breathing slowed.
Within moments he was asleep.
Smiling.
Penny stared across the bed at Wade.
Her eyes were wide.
Very wide.
Because she had just learned she was married.
Married to a vampire king.
A king from a kingdom on the far side of the sea.
A king who loved her.
A king who didn't want her to know she was his wife.
And if she didn't choose him, Sebastian would be forced to marry and become king before he was ready.
Which was terrible.
Especially because as far as Penny knew, she was still the only girl Sebastian had ever attempted to kiss.
Everything was terrible.
Wade scooted closer.
His head sharing her pillow.
"You know," he whispered in the language of the ocean.
"I think I know why the old kings were laughing."
Penny blinked.
"What?"
"The solution they gave him."
Wade pointed toward the sleeping king.
"Find a girl that smells like sunshine and the sea."
He pointed toward her.
"Then somehow convince her to marry you."
He paused.
"Without telling her she's getting married."
Penny bit her lip.
"That part does seem important."
"Very important."
Wade nodded solemnly.
Then lowered his voice further.
"I think I know a way to test the bond."
Penny immediately became interested.
Wade grinned.
"The sea likes fixing things."
"The sea also likes causing things."
"The sea contains multitudes."
Penny snorted.
Wade's smile widened.
"Let's go to the shore today."
"Why?"
"I have an idea."
Penny narrowed her eyes.
Before Penny could argue further, the door flew open.
Nyx marched into the room.
One look at the bed.
One look at the sleeping king.
One look at Penny.
One look at Wade.
Silence.
Then,
"Holy hell, water, and damnation."
Nyx threw both hands into the air.
"Why are there two of them now?"
Somehow she still got both of them out of the king's bed.
A pillow was deposited in Penny's place.
The blankets were adjusted.
The sleeping king never even stirred.
Then Nyx herded them both toward the bathing room.
Penny immediately tried to keep hold of her sleeping shift.
Nyx immediately removed that option.
"Ancient blood-rotted cave bat, get in the water and stop making my job harder."
She pointed dramatically toward the bath.
Penny pointed dramatically toward herself.
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
Behind Nyx, Wade began removing his clothes without the slightest embarrassment.
"I was thinking she was more of a seaweed-eating barnacle kisser."
Nyx froze.
Slowly she turned.
"You can understand me?"
Wade grinned.
"Yes."
Nyx's eyes widened.
"You understand all of it?"
"Yes."
"All the swearing?"
"Especially the swearing."
Nyx immediately pointed at him.
"I like him."
Wade looked pleased.
Nyx lowered her voice.
"You don't tell her I call her names and I'll get you extra sweets."
"The special sweets they didn't let us flowers have at the ball?"
"Yes, The queen sweets."
Wade grabbed her hand and shook it enthusiastically.
"Deal."
Penny looked horrified.
"You both are terrible."
"Correct."
"Very."
Nyx pointed toward the bath again.
"I guess you're getting in too."
Wade was already sinking into the steaming water.
His eyes closed.
A happy sigh escaped him.
"This is incredible."
Penny crossed her arms.
"No."
Nyx picked her up.
Penny yelped.
And a second later found herself deposited directly into the bath.
"Yeah," Wade agreed from the other side of the tub.
"You heard the lady."
Penny splashed water at him.
Wade looked entirely unrepentant.
Nyx began attacking Penny's hair with soap.
"You are enjoying this far too much."
"Mmhmm."
Wade leaned his head against the back of the tub.
"Private baths are not something flowers get."
His eyes remained closed.
"The men's garden had a pond."
Nyx snorted.
"A pond?"
"A muddy pond."
Nyx nodded knowingly.
"Luxury."
"A luxury pond."
Penny looked from one to the other.
Then back again.
Somehow, in less than five minutes, they had formed an alliance.
A terrible alliance.
The kind that usually ended with property damage.
Nyx pointed her finger at Wade.
"What do sea people call someone stupid?"
Wade opened one eye.
"How much time do you have?"
"You're lying."
Penny sloshed water at him.
"Your fountains are magically turned into hot baths just like the women's. You simply don't get privacy."
"Tragic."
Wade placed a hand dramatically over his heart.
"A kingdom built on injustice."
Nyx pointed at him.
"I knew I liked you."
Then she dumped another pitcher of scented water over Penny's hair.
"Translator."
"Yes?"
"What is she saying?"
Wade opened one eye.
"She is asking for bath salts."
Penny splashed him.
"Stop lying."
"Oh, sorry."
Wade nodded seriously.
"She is asking for the expensive bath salts."
Another splash.
"Not those common peasant bath salts."
Penny splashed harder.
"Only the royal bath salts are acceptable."
Nyx ground her teeth together.
"So demanding for a tasteless, anemic mortal."
She stomped from the room.
The door slammed.
Silence.
Then Wade called after her.
"Land-loving crab bait!"
A muffled curse came from the hallway.
Wade grinned.
Penny laughed.
A moment later the door flew open again.
Nyx stormed back inside carrying a bottle of pale blue bath salts.
"Sunburns on both of you."
She dumped half the bottle into the water.
The scent immediately changed.
Penny hated how nice it felt.
Nyx had started washing Wade's hair.
Wade hated nothing.
"Mmmmm."
His eyes rolled back.
"Mmmmmmm."
Nyx paused.
"Mmmmmmmmm."
"Can you stop making that noise?" Penny splashed him again.
"Mmmmmmmmmmmmm."
Even Nyx looked uncomfortable.
Yet somehow she kept washing his hair.
Penny covered her face.
"You are impossible."
"Correct."
Eventually Nyx finished.
She pointed threateningly at both of them.
"Do not drown."
Then left.
The door closed.
Silence settled over the bath.
Wade leaned back.
Eyes closed.
Looking entirely too comfortable.
"What do you normally do during now in the bath?"
"Sleep."
"Really?"
Penny nodded.
"I stay up all night."
She shrugged.
"I've learned to take naps whenever I can."
Wade considered that.
"That's actually a very good plan."
He settled deeper into the water.
"I support this plan."
Penny moved toward the edge of the bath.
Ready to climb out.
Wade opened one eye.
"We nap."
Penny paused.
"We?"
His eye closed again.
"Then we find your prince."
"My prince?"
"The nervous one."
Penny smiled despite herself.
"Sebastian."
"Yes."
Wade nodded.
"Your Sebastian."
Penny immediately splashed him.
"Not my Sebastian."
Wade grinned.
"Then we borrow Sebastian and go to the beach."
Penny sighed and slipped back down into the warm water.
Wade immediately pulled her against his side.
Making room for himself to stretch out.
"She won't come back?"
Penny shook her head.
"Not until one of us gets out."
"Excellent."
A moment later shimmering blue scales spread beneath the water.
Penny watched as his tail replaced his legs.
The magnificent fin slowly unfurled through the bath.
Occupying most of the space Penny had just abandoned.
"Show off."
"Jealous."
"A little."
"Good, because I am magnificent."
Penny settled more comfortably against him with a smirk.
The warmth.
The salt.
The exhaustion.
Everything suddenly felt very heavy.
"Want to know a secret?"
Wade's voice dropped lower.
"Only because I know yours."
Penny's eyes followed the blue scales beneath the water.
Then she nodded.
Or at least attempted to.
Sleep was winning.
"Just like seahorses."
Wade rested his head against the edge of the bath.
"The mermen carry the babies."
Penny opened one eye.
"What?"
"Mhmm."
A grin tugged at his mouth.
"If the vampires ever discovered that little fact, I'd never know peace again."
Penny laughed softly.
"That's terrible."
"It really is."
His voice carried genuine concern.
"They'd probably schedule appointments."
Penny snorted.
"Appointments?"
"With charts."
"Charts?"
"And meetings."
"Meetings?"
"Important meetings."
Penny laughed harder.
Wade smiled.
Mission accomplished.
The sadness from the night before was finally fading from her face.
A few moments passed.
The room quiet.
The water gently rippling around them.
Penny's breathing slowed.
Her head grew heavier against his shoulder.
Wade looked down.
Realizing she was drifting off.
His smile softened.
For once there was no joke.
No teasing.
No ridiculous translation.
Just honesty.
"We'll figure this out."
His hand brushed a damp strand of hair from her face.
"And I'll get you home."
By the time he finished speaking
After a few hours of sleep and another battle with a cranky Nyx, Penny and Wade were leaning against the window frame that looked out over the garden talking and eating breakfast when the door opened.
Prince Sebastian stepped inside.
He looked pleased.
Hopeful even.
Then he saw Wade.
The hope died immediately.
"You."
Wade blinked.
"Me?"
"Yes, you."
"What did I do?"
Sebastian opened his mouth.
Then closed it.
Apparently unsure where to begin.
Penny hid a smile behind her cup.
Finally the prince looked at her.
"Today I was thinking we could continue the dance lessons."
His eyes softened.
"And the language lessons."
Then he looked at Wade.
Waiting.
Wade nodded seriously.
Then switched to the language of the ocean.
"He says he wants to impress you with dancing and stare into your eyes."
Penny sighed.
"Wade."
"He also wishes to kiss you."
"Wade."
"And I strongly suspect he has never kissed anyone before."
"Wade."
"Possibly because he is a terrified mama's boy."