Read The Kiss That Saved Me (The Tidal Kiss Trilogy Book 2) for Free Online Page A

darkness. Her tailfin is still like that of a thick black eel, sparked with sapphire lighting. Her eye mask is still missing, but the azure veins of dark magic that once mapped across her forehead and cheeks are fading slowly into the past.
    “Callie,” the word slithers from her lips. I don’t know what to respond with now so I just smile at her. It’s odd, I know she’s kind of evil, but I can’t help but like her more than her sister. I laugh internally. Hell, I like pissed off piranha better than Starlet. I feel something move within me suddenly, a shift as my heart feels like ice for a split second as I look at her and a desperate anger appears from nowhere. Pity, I think, snapping like a bear trap. I blink, confused as to why I would think such a thing, I may have messed up feelings for her but I certainly don’t pity her. I shrug it off and wonder what came over me as I feel Orion at my back, protective as always.
      “Yes. Are you alright?” He asks her, I feel his hand move to the edge of my skin, ready to pull me out of the way of a confrontation.
    “Yes. Of course. I’m trying to decide what dress to wear to the ball. I’m thinking… black? Like my soul. My colour don’t you think?” She laughs in a hollow exhalation and I feel Orion relax next to me, shifting by mere millimetres in the water.
    “I’m sure you’ll look beautiful whatever you wear.” Orion compliments her and she smiles a little too wide.
    “You always were a terrible liar. I should know, you came in runner up to myself.” The whites of her teeth actually hurt me, but it isn’t the whiteness which pains I muse, but the extreme falsity of the expression itself. She skulks away from us in a split second, her tail slicing through the water seamlessly. I breathe out, not having realised I was holding my breath at all.
    “She’s… having a bad day today,” I note.
    “Yes. You know withdrawal from the darkness isn’t easy. She’s the only one… the only one I’ve ever known strong enough to stop once consumed.”
    “I wish we knew a way to help her. She saved us all, Orion,” I speak the words out of loyalty to my soulmate, but I feel the truth of them ring out as they fall from my tongue.
    “We will,” he sighs.
    “I think Starlet could be the key,” I say aloud, moving across the foyer of the Alcazar slowly.
    “I think you’re right, but that means that helping her will be harder than I thought. Fixing their relationship isn’t exactly an instant cure type situation.” He agrees with me, frowning as we move to the cylinder of clear water. It runs through the middle of the tallest shard of crystal which makes up the giant structure we float within, allowing for movement between each of the levels to be achieved momentarily.
    “Do you think Saturnus is gonna yell?” I ask Orion as we move past the throne room and up toward our suite at the top of the tallest spire.
    “I should think I am.” A chilling tone reaches my ears as Orion spins in the water next to me, creating a flurry of bubbles. I turn, a split second behind him, until my eyes rest on the one outline that always brings an awe inspired fear to me as of late. Especially since Orion started disobeying his every order.
    “Saturnus,” Orion lets the name roll out from him calmly.  
    “Do you mind telling me where you thought it wise to disappear to, two days before you are anointed Crowned Ruler?” He looks really pissed, so pissed in fact that his red hair could be flames and his head could be on fire with all the pissed-ness, I muse to myself.  
    “I had to get away from here. Callie and I needed some time to be together.” I watch the two men move closer to one another, challenging each other with their stances.
    “And you couldn’t possibly have told someone where you were going?” Saturnus asks, arching one red eyebrow and folding his arms.
    “I didn’t think I needed to. You’re not my mommy. I’m Crowned Ruler, remember?” Orion