“I thought I’d learn a few new words, but the men were too shocked to even swear this time.”

“And if you drop me into another river,I swear this time I am taking you with me."He laughed,the idiot boy,and we hurried through the emptiness together.”

“Apparently being a mermaid is dead dull. I watched The Little Mermaid with her once a few years ago—she thought it was freaking hilarious. She couldn’t stop laughing about the shell-bra thing, given that mermaids aren’t mammals. Plus, as she put it, Prince Eric was far too hairy and “peach colored” for her taste. I always thought he was pretty hot, but then again, I am a mammal.”

“Are you okay?"I sighed,my sodden coat chilling me to the bone. "Peachy.Made a new friend."He pulled me up by the hand,unzipping my coat and yanking it off me. "Shirt,too,please.""No!""It's only fair. I seem to recall you making me strip the first time we met.”

“I changed because of you. I could feel you, worming your way into my heart and soul, shifting things. You've no idea how aggravating it is to have to adapt to new feelings and thoughts.”

“Plus as she put it, Prince Eric was far too hairy and peach colored for her taste. I always thought he was pretty hott, but then again, I am a mammal.”

“Re-forming after the chaos,” I said, remembering Raquel’s words. “Choosing what we’ll do with how things are now, who we’ll be in this new world where the only magic left is what we make ourselves.”