Either way, we had three more days of beach time. Including the extra day most of us were staying just to relax.

That was the only half day, though. There was a lot of shooting – multiple clients, the agency having set things up so transport and housing costs and the like could be shared. Now I wasn’t in school any more, people were starting to treat me like an adult. It was refreshing.

The last day we partied. Pretty much. I didn’t dare get drunk, but I got to stay sober and watch everyone else. Which was almost as entertaining. (Besides, I wasn’t sure I could get drunk on anything brewed on Midgaard. Kanesha, of course, could).

But it was a lot of fun, and right in the middle of it the selkie showed up. Kanesha followed me as she beckoned me off to the side.

The selkie grinned. “Making sure your girlfriend’s here so you aren’t tempted?”

Kanesha slipped her hand into mine, laced fingers. “No, so I aren’t,” she teased.

I grinned. “So…”

“So, I have something for you.” And she offered me a string of pearls. Wild pearls, not farmed or cultured.

I took them with an eyebrow rising. “Oh, those are gorgeous.” They weren’t white pearls, either. They were a soft, delicate pink.

“I collect them,” she said with a smile. “Had those around for a while.”

I supposed that it was easier for a selkie to retrieve pearls. “There are worse things to collect.”

Kanesha grinned. “They’ll look great on you.”

I shook my head. “Maybe better on you. I already have pretties.” Which was true. Being a model meant you picked up random clothes and accessories. And I did rather think the pink would look good on her dark brown skin, better than on my pale.

The selkie laughed. “You two have that fight. I…found somebody to keep me from being bored.” And she disappeared into the crowd.

“I hope she hid her cloak better this time.”

“I hope she got a locked room and put it in a drawer.” Because, really, in this day and age… I grinned at Kanesha. Then, before she could argue further, I slipped the pink pearls around her neck.

They really did suit her. They went with the sundress she was wearing too. She blushed, but then we went and got food.

It had all gone very well, I thought. I had been interrupted, but not by a fire giant attack. And the next morning, we drove back to DC, exchanging stories in the van. I didn’t talk about Eden.

I had decided to put her out of my mind, at least for now. At least until Thruor called me to help clean out those witches, if she needed me.

More likely, she’d call Clara and Seb. But for now? For now I could celebrate a job well done. And enjoy being treated as a normal adult for a bit.

Maybe the adult part would even last.