“Immortal and invulnerable are not the same thing.”
“You’re right, but if I even—”
“Let me guess, you can’t answer me because of rules, blah blah blah. I’m sick to death of your rules. You’re, like, the opposite of helpful right now, holy shit,” I say, giving him a light shove. He barely moves when I push him, and that irritates me more.
He laughs and grabs my arms. “Yes, I am, but you know what? I’m really fucking awesome too, and I promise you—Ipromisethat all these non-answers I’m giving you will eventually make sense,” Finn says, trying to soothe the wound he just caused.
I step farther down the beach, away from the house. “So, there is something to know? Am I supposed to wait for the ball?”
Finn looks excited by the idea. “That isexactlywhat you’re supposed to do. Be a good little chicken like the rest of your friends and don’t push the status quo. I can’t—”
“I know, I know, you can’t say anything. Are you, like, a doll with a pull string always repeating the same thing?”
“Something like that, but please, promise me you’ll stop pushing. I know I’ve already asked you to, but these new questions make me wonder if you haven’t been listening.”
I look at his pleading face and reach up to ruffle his perfectly slicked-back hair. Finn freezes in shock at this offense.
“Fine, but I also want you to acknowledge that I don’t have the full picture of what’s going on here. There’s a lot that I don’t know. Would it help if I asked you a direct question?”
“No, not even then. Because I’m an escort and part of the Calling, I physically cannot answer certain things. Even this conversation is making my stomach roil, and the last thing I want to do is throw up all over this very sexy dress you’ve got on.”
“Ew, you shouldn’t find me sexy. I know I just met you, and this is crazy, but you’re like my brother. Don’t find me sexy.” I singsong the words to the beat of a popular song. My confession in song seems to soften Finn a touch. There is a small lift to the corners of his mouth.
I want to make our conversation more serious, knowing that retaliation is close, but Finn scoops me up over his shoulder in a fireman’s carry and calmly walks deeper into the ocean, with me kicking and screaming behind him, pounding on his back.
“Don’t do it!” I shout, too late.
“You’re right,” he says as he hurls me into the water, not caring that he’s also getting wet. There’s a moment of panic as I remember the feel of the creature burning my ankles. The burns were healed when I woke up from my nap, something for which I assume I have Essos or Sybil to thank, but the bruises and the mental trauma are still there. I settle the pounding in my chest with a reminder that I am safe, I am okay, and I am in the shallows where the thing can’t get me. Still, I splash Finn.
“You asshole, I almost drowned out here today.” I kick the water at him, and a stricken look crosses his face.
“I am—”
I tackle him into the water. “An asshole. Accept your judgment.” I laugh.
He hangs his head, his mess of blond hair no longer perfectly gelled back.
To say that we both look like drowned rats as we come back up the porch laughing would be an understatement. Finn is right—over the past month, we have grown close, and I do trust that he knows Essos better than anyone else.
Zara and Essos are still sitting there, their heads bent close in conversation as Finn and I walk back as if nothing happened.
“What in the world…?” Zara says, the first to see us.
I turn toward her, pushing a wet lock of hair out of my face.
“Oh, Zara, Essos, how nice to see you both enjoying the beautiful night air,” Finn says, buttoning his sopping wet tux beside me. “I must recommend the water. It is lovely this time of night.” He tries to hold back a laugh. I try to remain just as composed, but when Essos quirks his eyebrow at us, we both lose it, trying to lean on the other for support.
Essos looks at Zara. “What do you say, fancy a dip?”
At first, Zara looks appalled, but she quickly recovers. “Absolutely,” she responds, climbing off him, and offering her hand. My laughter sobers as we watch them run toward the water. Before they reach the surf, Zara shimmies out of her silver dress, her long black hair cascading down her back as she gives Essos a coy smile before splashing into the ocean.
I can’t see Essos’s face, but I can his gaze running over her naked body as he takes in the full sight of her. I watch him kick off his shoes and cast off his jacket before I can’t look any longer, and I walk back into the house with my head held high, dripping wet.
The sight of the two of us must be something else, because the cellist jerks her bow across two strings, resulting in a screeching noise and stopping the party. Everyone turns to see what caused this, and they catch sight of us. I pull back my shoulders and lift my chin, trying to force my 5’3” frame to appear taller, though I know it’s no use.
“Finn bravely tried to help me slay the beast that almost drowned me today, to no success. If you will excuse me, I believe I need to change.” The sound of my bare feet slapping the marble floor is the only thing that can be heard as I make my walk of shame toward my room. As I reach the stairs, I hear Cat clap and demand that the band begin again.
The wheels in my head turn over all the new information the last twelve hours have wrought. Finn is, unsurprisingly, unable to answer my questions. As much as I wish he could give me more, I’ll have to get what I can from the only source able to give me the information I need.