Page 29 of Making Out With Mermaids (Haven Ever After #6)

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

BETMAL

I stand knee-deep in the water on the lakeshore with Arkan and Abe by my side. The new merking, Stefan, stands opposite us with Malakat. In the week since they ousted Caralorn, we’ve discovered them to be brutally efficient but highly pragmatic.

A step above their predecessor.

Still, I don’t think I’ll ever forgive Malakat for her role prior to what happened with Caralorn, or her inaction over decades while Ama was in pain. But Ama begrudgingly thinks of them as her family, and so dropping Malakat into a deep crevasse isn’t an option.

Stefan gets straight to the point. “Caralorn?”

Arkan’s nod is clipped. “Removed from Ever by Hearth HQ and rehomed elsewhere, per your and Amatheia’s requests.”

Malakat sucks in a quick breath, relief splashing across her features.

“He’ll be fine, my love,” Stefan says quietly.

She nods but says nothing.

Stefan lifts his chin. “I’ve notified the merfolk High Council about Caralorn’s actions and the subsequent need for me to take over to prevent the collapse of his kingdom. The Council was…grateful.” His smile grows feral. “Apparently, Caralorn was not well liked among his peers.”

I snort. “I suspect that to be the understatement of the century.”

He continues, “You will find me to be a peaceful king with a vicious streak only if absolutely necessary. That said, I’d like my people to experience Downtown Ever more fully. There is a beautiful world outside our lake.”

Arkan smiles. “Ever welcomes that, King Stefan. I’d love to meet with you and discuss any accessibility accommodations that might have worked for you in your prior haven.” He smiles at me. “The waterproof welcome book is a nice start, but I’m sure there’s more to be done.”

He dips his head respectfully. “Of course, Keeper.” Glancing at me, his smile softens. “I’d like to visit Amatheia very soon to discuss the return of her dowry. It seemed appropriate to tell you now rather than show up unannounced.”

I hold back a sigh, but I know this is important to her. “Of course. Let me know when, and I’ll cook you some of her favorites.”

Stefan nods and reaches for Malakat’s hand. She looks up at him, and it’s easy to see a softer side of her. She’s in love; that much is clear. I just hope their union does usher in a new order for the lake, one where Ama can come and go if she wants to. I honestly think the things she’ll miss the most are the castle herself and Sovereign Sip, the bar.

Speaking of which, I need to plan a cocktail hour down there. She swears she makes a mean martini, but I bet her that mine’s superior. I’m eager to win and enjoy collecting on that bet.

Arkan looks at me. “I need a few minutes with the king and queen, Betmal. Tell Ama hi for me?”

It’s a clear dismissal, but I don’t care. Ama didn’t want to come to this meeting, preferring to splash around in the pond at home. She and the house are cooking something up, I just know it.

Abemet joins me as we leave the lake behind, walking through peaceful, quiet forest toward my convertible. When we get there, he slips into the passenger seat.

“Thatraeia moved into the Annabelle Inn this morning. Sounds like Catherine refused to charge her, but Ama insisted on paying, or perhaps you did?”

I shrug. “My mate is a wealthy woman, darling. She does what she wants with her money.”

Abe laughs, the sound like a purr. I haven’t heard him laugh in centuries. Not until Morgan.

I turn and smile at my son. “Where shall I drop you, darling?”

He grins, waving at the street in front of us. “Diner, please. Morgan’s working on shoring up the foundation beneath it today. Apparently, she felt some weakness last time we were there.”

That pulls a laugh from me. “I call bullshit. I think your mate wants to flex her powers, Abemet. Perhaps a few adventures outside of Ever would be good for her.”

He grins. “She bores easily—well, of everything but me. Why do you think I take her on so many vacations? She’s keeping me young.” He laughs. “Well, young at heart. Now that this issue with Caralorn has ended, we’re going to Rainbow for a rock concert.”

I smile as we pull into the street and head toward downtown.

A quarter hour later, after I’ve dropped him at the diner, I park the car under the carport. Splashing sounds echo from around the back of the house. I slip my hands into my pockets and walk the path, leaning against an arched trellis. In front of me, Ama splashes and plays in the pond, laughing as the workshop tosses paintbrushes and closed jars of paint at her.

“My darlings, are you playing tag?”

Ama jolts upright, shocked expression morphing into a wicked grin. “Something like that, ma vampíre. The water’s nice. Want to come in and tell me how things went?”

Pulling my shirt over my head, I toss it aside. Ama’s dark aqua eyes follow as I shove my pants down and step out of them. I’m naked before her, and like always, the way she scans my whole body and then beams up at me fills me with need.

“Darling,” I purr. “Let’s discuss meetings later, shall we? For now, I want to talk about our next assignment.”

She grins at me. “Evenia called while you were gone. As you might imagine, I did not answer.”

I laugh at that as I stalk into the lake until I’m close enough to pull her into my arms. “My naughty girl, did you leave her wondering what we were up to?”

Ama joins me in laughter. “Oh, I know she knows what we’re up to, and I bet Thalassa she’s jealous as hells because I get to keep you.”

“That’s right,” I whisper into her mouth. Capturing her lower lip, I suck and wrap her lithe legs around my waist.

We kiss until we’re breathless, and when we part, she puts a finger beneath my chin. “Betmal, I got notification of a new deposit into my account today. That’s the third one, and we haven’t even planned the second book. Getting a little ahead of yourself, aren’t you?”

My prideful chuckle is all the answer she needs.

I remove her finger from beneath my chin and nip my way along it until I reach her palm. “What did I tell you in the very beginning, my darling? You’ve never known support until you’ve had me in your corner. Do you remember?”

Aqua eyes flash and narrow as she watches my tongue. “Yes.”

I bite her thumb. “Yes, what?”

“Yes, mate,” she whispers.

Smiling, I push us across the pond until I can lay her on the beach closest to the workshop. “Shall I show you just how much I love you, Amatheia?”

She flutters dark lashes at me. “Perhaps.”

I frown down at her as she slides out from between my arms, attaching her prosthetic to her leg.

“You’ll have to catch me first,” she screeches as she takes off into the forest, crashing through the undergrowth.

Laughing, I close my eyes.

Salt. Sand. Caramel.

Blinking my eyes open, I call my senses, narrowing them as I start toward the trees. Time to hunt, and when that hunt is over, time to love. I smile as I power through the forest, following the sounds of my mate, giggling as she flees.

Happily ever after isn’t so far away, after all.

THE END

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