“One of the stories my mother used to read me,” she said breathlessly, clapping her hands together. “It was about a princess cursed with eternal sleep. The only way to break the spell was the kiss of true love.”

Coco scoffed and threw herself on the sand. “That’s a fairy tale, Célie. It isn’t real.”

“We just bathed and dined and conversed underwater in the royal palace of melusines, where octopi walked on leashes and the Goddess of the Sea served us salted sea lettuce.” Célie’s cheeks burned pink. “None of this should be real.”

Beau arched a brow. “She makes a fair point.”

“Fine.” With a sigh of fatigue, Coco fell to her back, folding her hands on her chest. “Kiss him, then. Kiss him good. Just do it quickly. And when that inevitably fails, I’ll prick his finger, and we can make real progress.”

I looked between each of their expectant faces, feeling utterly ridiculous. True love’s kiss. Célie had apparently mistaken this nightmare for a sweeping romance, complete with the white knight charging in to save his fair maiden. I glared at Reid’s lips. To be fair, it had started that way, once upon a time. He’d crossed the entire kingdom to save me from Morgane’s sacrificial altar. Perhaps the roles could be reversed now that he was in need. And what real harm could there be in a kiss?

Exhaling hard through my nose, I gripped his shoulders and leaned over him.

Here goes nothing.

My lips brushed his in a light caress, and I parted them slowly, touching his tongue to mine. Just for a second. Just a single breath. My eyes fell closed at the simple joy of it—of kissing Reid. God, I missed him. For too long, our lives had been tangled yet separate, intrinsically linked yet forever apart. It was my fault. It was his too.

But mostly, it was Morgane’s.

He didn’t wake.

Sighing in defeat, I rested my head against his chest and listened to his heart. How many times had I lain in this exact position, counting each beat? He’d often stroked my hair, traced my spine, even when things had been strained between us. When things had been good, however, he’d wrapped his strong arms around me and—

A heavy hand fell upon my back.

My eyes snapped open.

Behind me, Célie gasped, Coco gasped—even Beau gasped—as I scrambled to my elbows, staring down at Reid’s face in shock. He blinked back at me, and those eyes—they were the most beautiful shade of blue. Giddy laughter bubbled up my throat at his frown. “Sleeping beauty awakes.”

His hands landed lightly on my waist. “I beg your pardon?”