Free The Mermaid's Curse (California Mermaids Book 1) by Kristina Ludwig

private. It is my firm opinion that finishing school, especially at an elite San Francisco academy, ruins a woman.
    “It certainly is. But you know, I really have to be going. I’m very tired, since I didn’t sleep much last night.”
    Victoria laughs. “Neither did I. I was too busy thinking about you, and hoping desperately that Father would invite you over for dinner after the fishing trip.”
    I chew my lower lip, feeling like a cad. Victoria seems so fond of me, and I’m leading her on. I have no business walking with her in the moonlight when I have absolutely no romantic thoughts about her.
    Of course, it’s hardly my fault that we’re always being thrust together.
    When I don’t respond right away, Victoria takes a shallow breath, her chest heaving as she begins to prattle nervously. “There was just so much to think about, Mr. Rose. I had to decide which perfume to wear, and what coiffure. And of course, I had to pick just the perfect dress—”
    I block her out as she continues babbling. Certainly, she smells nice, like lilies of the valley, and her emerald-colored dress contrasts with the pale green of her eyes. It’s evident that she did put a great deal of thought into these things. After all, she is the product of years of privileged upbringing, all her rough edges buffed out by finishing school, and she’s become the master of feminine wiles.
    She’ll make someone a perfect wife—just not me. Now that Oceania’s aquamarine gaze has drawn me in, no one else will ever do.
    “But I think the most important thing I was thinking about was which musical piece I’d perform with you tonight.” When I remain silent, she shakes my arm. “Mr. Rose?”
    “Hmmmm?” I jerk myself back to reality. I hadn’t heard a word she said. I’d been gazing out over the water, thinking of Oceania breaking the surface, her voice ringing amidst the pounding waves.
    “I was saying that the most important thing is which piece I’ll perform with you tonight.” She gives me a tight smile, her eyes glittering as she searches my face. “Is that what was keeping you up, too?”
    “Of course,” I lie. “But unfortunately, we won’t be able to perform anything tonight.” I glance at my pocket watch, not the one that I flooded out last night, but another one that actually works. It’s five minutes to midnight. “I really have to go now.”
    Victoria’s face falls. “But my father was expecting you to play.”
    I inhale and exhale impatiently. Although I don’t want to hurt Victoria’s feelings, I really don’t have time for this. If I’m late to the rocks, Oceania might be gone. “Sorry. Tell him I will next time.”
    “Where are you going, anyway?” Victoria calls as I dash down the path toward the water.
    Shaking off my guilty feelings at leaving her outside like this, I wave goodbye, not bothering to answer.

 
    Chapter Twenty-Three: Oceania
     
    For the rest of the day, I try to clear my head, but nothing works. My long swim accomplishes nothing but tiring me out, especially after the previous night’s sleeplessness. My afternoon nap is not full of pleasant dreams, but of frightening nightmares. Even the birthday party that my family throws for me, with all my friends from my mer-school days, doesn’t do much to improve my spirits.
    My new knowledge of the mermaid’s curse darkens the birthday festivities, like a heavy thundercloud overhead. I wish that I could be the one to break the curse, but I know that, like my mother and Ula before me, I will be stuck making the difficult choice instead. There’s no way I will find a part-merman, and I don’t even want to; no other man, part-mer or otherwise, could ever replace Xavier in my heart.
    That night, after my parents have fallen asleep, I sneak out of the house. Guided by the light of the nearly-full moon, I swim through the village of Mar, frowning as I pass King Triteus’s glistening palace. As a child, I looked up to the king and his beautiful