Chapter 6The new voice was youthful and entertained and half-irritated; the merman who dove to the front, heedless of cross-currents and choices, had tangled ink-spill hair and skin the color of oceans on a moonless night, body below the waist a thrilling curve of night-promise scales, and eyes like teenaged aquamarine gemstones. Cade thought, young; and then thought, yes, young and beautiful and magical, and this magical person kissed Jeremiah’s hand, once, and talked that schoolteacher’s heart into running away. Only for a night. But it worked.
“Me,” Jeremiah agreed. “I’m sorry. I’ll say it again if you want.”
“No,” Nerein said, “you said it then. And you only came back to rescue him. Still trying to save the world, are you?”
“You’re still the same age,” Jeremiah said, “as when I met
