?Chapter 0573


    Hopefully Lilliana and Olivia hadn''t caused too much trouble in our absence. Although, most likely, they were just bored without Nichs there to try to pursue. They likely had been spending their time attempting to win over the King and Queen instead.


    They had to know that was a fruitless endeavor though. The King and Queen had picked Bridget as their winner.


    Yet, maybe with her recent actions, that might be starting to change.


    Unlikely, I supposed. But one could hope.


    "We should do something... private... before we leave," Nichs said. He kept his voice low. Deep and sexy, just how I liked it. The promise of it sent a pleasant shiver up my spine.


    "What did you have in mind?" I asked.


    The edge of his mouth curled upright just a little. "Before we fully turn in tonight, we should meet in my room first. Just you and me."


    Oh, I liked the sound of this. I lowered my head slightly, so that I could look up at him through my eyshes. "And what would happen there?"


    Nichs''s smile grew wider. He lifted his hand and slowly, gently traced his fingertips down my arm from my shoulder all the way to my wrist.


    I closed my eyes and sighed. I had no idea how such a slight touch could elicit such desire in me.


    "You''ll just have to wait and see," he said.


    I hummed delightedly. Oh, those words were definitely going to keep my mind upied for the rest of the day, and I was oh so looking forward to that distraction.Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    It would be difficult to worry about anything when every time I closed my eyes, I envisioned Nichs surrounding me with his body, filling me with his love.


    Those thoughts stayed with me, even as others began toe out onto the deck, and Nichs and I were forced to step farther apart, lest our secret activities be discovered.


    Later, the candidates, princes, Elva, and I were lounging about on the deck. Elva was using crayons on some coloring book pages that Selma had found lying around. Jessica was still reading. Veronica was reading too, her own book from the merfolk.


    I wondered if the merfolk oracle would make an appearance. She''d said she would when my heart was clear of fear. Would she still seek me out even if she had toe ashore?Content belong to N?velDráma. Org.


    I sighed and forced the thoughts from my mind. The oracle wasn''t Elva''s only hope. Veronica was working hard to see to that.


    Julian and Nichs seemed to have wordlessly resolved their earlier posturing. Now they yed a game of chess against each other at one of the tables. From what I could tell, they seemed to be evenly matched.


    Even Nathan was attempting to rx for a change. He sat on the top step, looking out at the waves.


    Only Bridget seemed to be annoyed. She was two chardonnays in, and stomping around from person to person, asking, "Aren''t you bored?"


    Finally she approached Nathan. "We should do something," she said. "Surely we need a few closing shots of the ind and of us. How about a boat ride? That would be a perfect opportunity!"


    Nathan looked up at her a moment. I thought he might finally disagree. He had seemed ratherfortable where he was. Instead, he obediently stood. "I''ll gather the film crew and alert the boat captain." He made his way inside.


    Bridget raised her ss to his retreating back. "Thank you, Nathan! Everyone! Get ready! We''re going out into the


    water!"


    As she said it, she turned to look at me.


    Out into the water.


    Not, out on a boat. Or, taking a boat ride.


    Out into the water.


    I had a really bad feeling about this.