Once upon a time, on a rocky island with enchantment under the ocean ... Cadence Bell left the windswept Northern Isles and his parents’ inn for the theaters and royal masques and glitter of Londre, swearing he’d make his fortune as a playwright and poet, trading fish stew and rain for fame and adoration and a place at the Queen’s Court. Now his parents are gone and Cade’s inheritance brings him back home, where he’d never wanted to return. But magic lurks beneath the waves, a stray pearl might be a key to another world, and even the quiet local schoolteacher has secrets of his own. Jeremiah Carver never meant to hide secrets. But he promised to tell no one about the other world he’s seen, and he keeps his word. Even if that means concealing magic from Cadence Bell. Which is difficult, since Cade’s not only a dazzling literary success, but also the person Jeremiah’s loved from afar since their years-ago childhood. And he’s afraid he’s falling for Cade all over again now. When Cadence falls under the siren spell of the ocean’s magic, Jeremiah has to make a choice and return to a world he’s left behind once before to rescue his heart from the sea.

Cadence and the Pearl

By the time they made it home the rain had begun falling, delicate as lace. It caught in Nerein’s shadow-emerald hair like a veil, and tangled on Peter’s eyelashes when he blinked. They shed boots and damp clothing in the mud-room; they kissed while tripping over trousers, getting caught in shirtsleeves, laughing.


They made it to the sofa, kissing and being kissed; the room was cold, because he’d not lit a fire yet, but Peter’s skin felt hot. Alight. Tingling with so many emotions, so much love and being loved, and the flare and throb of desire in his body, in his merman’s body, as he got a grip on that enticing length and stroked.


Nerein shivered, murmured, “Yes…” and rolled them over: atop him, straddling him, hips rocking against Peter’s arousal. Thin graceful sea-prince hands pinned Peter’s wrists; Peter let himself be pinned, glorying in the knowledge that someone so luminous found him just as extraordinary too.


Chapter 58