Page 52 of For the Strange and Surprising

“Almost.”

I snort. “That’s the biggest lie my parents told me as a child.”

He beams at me, sliding his hand between two gigantic bushes. As he separates them, I get my first glimpse of our destination and gasp. I’ve seen beautiful places, but none of them holds a candle to what Connak has just uncovered.

Branches from the surrounding trees hang overhead, making it feel like we’ve entered a secluded bubble hiding a massive subtropical haven.

Waterfalls spill from the side of a mountain, two shorter ones flanking a much steeper one. The center fall is split by a tall flat rock, causing the water to tumble from each side rather than the middle.

The lake is crystal clear, showing the colorful rocks at the bottom. Tiny silver fish munch on the edges of giant lily pads floating on the surface. Pink flowers line a portion of the shore, their petals appearing as detailed as lace. The sun beats down on them, causing intricate shadows to dance over the ground.

This is what I think of when I hear the word paradise.

Connak encourages me closer with a wave of his hand. His dark brown eyes reflect the shocked expression on my face.

“How do you feel about swimming in kraken-free water?”

I’m still stunned into silence, but I supply him with one whispered truth; my greatest joy in life. “I love to swim.”

“Okay.” He nods, his index finger held up. “But this next question is a test.”

I glance at him with a grin.

“How do you feel about jumping?”

“If I had a bathing suit, that would be fun.” I glare at the long skirt, wondering how tragic it would be to rip the bottom.

He removes his shirt, muttering to himself, “Bathing suit? Why does that sound familiar?”

“It’s what you swim in.”

“Just swim in your underthings.” He motions toward my dress, and I snort.

“That would be the simplest solution…” I trail off, and he tilts his head. “If I were wearing any.”

His hands are still on the button of his pants, but his mouth doesn’t miss a beat. “Then swim naked. There’s no one else here.”

That’s normal, right? I do love the water, though I feel a bit shy around him. I wouldn’t usually describe myself as modest or sheepish, which leads me to believe this is some of Spiran’s work. If we were in a seedy bar, Connak would be the first person to catch my eye. His effortless confidence would mesmerize me.

“I don’t have a problem with swimming naked, but I’m not doing it alone. Do Mongrels skinny dip often?”

“I was already taking my clothes off. I don’t know what a skinny dip is, but swimming in the nude isn’t exactly a new concept, Ada.”

I rub at my forehead. “I’m aware of that. Skinny dipping is swimming naked, Connak. That’s what we call it where I’m from.”

“Good,” he retorts. “So you’re not going to be weird about it? Because I’d rather not walk home in wet pants.”

“I—I’m not sure what to say to that,” I admit to him.

“You could answer my question with a no and agree that walking home in a wet dress would make for a horrible afternoon.”

He shrugs, then sits on the rocky shore to take his shoes off. That wouldn’t have been comfortable had he not paused in removing his pants.

“Or you can swim in the dress… Or tell me to put my clothes back on and return you to the village. I’m sure there are more options, but those are the first three that come to mind.”

I narrow my eyes on him. “You’re not going to be weird about it?”

“That was the question.”