I watch. I protect.”
Sasha reached out, laid a hand on Annika’s. “You saved me.”
“In the last battle, you went to the high cliff with Bran, because you knew he would need you. We all needed you. And in the full moon, when Riley changed, she came to fight with us as the wolf. With no weapons but fang and claw. They know this, all this. But men will worry about their women.”
“You’re more tolerant than me.” But Riley shrugged. “I’ll give them space until they take too much of it.”
“We have more. You’re the smartest.”
“You’re starting to improve my mood, Anni.”
“Sawyer is so clever, and Doyle has lived so long, has much experience. Bran is smart, and he has magick. But your brain is the biggest. You find things out. Dig them out.”
“I haven’t dug up anything on the sighs and songs yet, but I’m working on it.”
“You will find it, or Sasha will dream it. And we’ll know.” It wasn’t simplicity or innocence in Annika’s words, her tone. It was faith.
“Knowledge is a power and a weapon, and you give us knowledge. The men understand all of this. Still . . . Sawyer protected me when I wouldn’t learn how to shoot the gun. Doyle didn’t try to force me, and Bran made me these.”
She lifted her hands so the copper gleamed in the dappled sunlight. “He knew I would fight better, be stronger with these. When you were the wolf, Sawyer made you a fire on a rainy night. This is kindness and care. Doyle knocks Sasha down so she’ll get up again, but he doesn’t knock her down as hard as he knocks Riley. Because Riley’s stronger.”
“And meaner.”
“In a fight?”
Again Riley shrugged, but she grinned with it. “I can be all-around mean when I need to.” Then sat back with her sparkling juice. “I never thought to have a mermaid explain men to me.”
“Is it wrong?”
“No. You hit all the right spots. Like I said, you’re more tolerant, but I can’t argue any of your points. Especially since I have the biggest brain.”
“And maybe I was wrong,” Sasha considered. “Maybe it’s good to separate now and then. We get the female perspective, they get the male. Then we bring both to the team.”
“Can I ask a question about men, but not about battle?”
“Of course.”
“How did you get Bran to kiss you, the first time?”
“Unintentionally, I guess. We were both a little angry.”
“So to get Sawyer to kiss me, we should be angry.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Sasha saw Riley’s eyebrows lift into her long fringe of bangs. “Not necessarily. Everyone’s different. You have feelings for Sawyer.”
“He fills me with feelings.”
“So make your move,” Riley said. “Can’t the female make the first move in your world? Kiss first?” she added for clarity.
“Oh, yes. It would be silly not to be able to kiss the male you want, if he’s willing.”
“If I’m any judge, Sawyer would be willing.”
“But I can’t. I’m not permitted to kiss a land person the first time. He must want me, show me. He must choose.”
“Why is that?”
“Our females have the power to lure men—humans. To seduce so the choice isn’t a choice for them. Long ago, and not so long ago, some of my kind lured men, sailors and explorers.”
“Sirens.”
“Yes. The song of the siren is beautiful and powerful, but it can be dangerous to the human she calls. We take an oath not to use the song, and never to first kiss a man if we’re granted legs. An oath is sacred. I wouldn’t be worthy of this quest if I broke the quest because I want to kiss Sawyer.”
With her heart in her eyes, she looked toward the lemon grove. “But I do, very much.”
“Hamstrung.” Riley looked at Sasha. “Personally I don’t think he’s going to be able to hold out for much longer.”
“I think it’s honor holding him back. He doesn’t want to take advantage of you, Annika.”
“How could he take advantage? If I didn’t want him to kiss me, I would say no.”
“It’s not always that black-and-white for . . . land people,” Sasha told her. “It doesn’t take a seer to know he’d very much like to kiss you.”
“You believe that?” Annika’s eyes sparkled like the drink as she looked at Riley. “Do you?”
“Damn skippy.”
On a laugh, Annika pressed her hands together. “I’m so happy I talked to you. This is hopeful.”
“You can’t ask him to kiss you?” Riley said.
“No. It’s forbidden until after the first time.