Living the Legend

By Kristine Kathryn Rusch

A beautiful mermaid and a handsome man. Everyone's read that story. A legend, a fairytale. But what happens when someone really lives that story?

Merlisa and Nicholas know. They live the legend—and maybe they will die for it…

In "Living the Legend," Kristine Kathryn Rusch brings her signature twist to a classic fairytale.

"Rusch's short fiction is golden."

—Kansas City Star

• Language: English
• Publisher: WMG Publishing
• Release date: Jan 30, 2024
• ISBN: 9798224148837

Kristine Kathryn Rusch

USA Today bestselling author Kristine Kathryn Rusch writes in almost every genre. Generally, she uses her real name (Rusch) for most of her writing. Under that name, she publishes bestselling science fiction and fantasy, award-winning mysteries, acclaimed mainstream fiction, controversial nonfiction, and the occasional romance. Her novels have made bestseller lists around the world and her short fiction has appeared in eighteen best of the year collections. She has won more than twenty-five awards for her fiction, including the Hugo, Le Prix Imaginales, the Asimov’s Readers Choice award, and the Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine Readers Choice Award. Publications from The Chicago Tribune to Booklist have included her Kris Nelscott mystery novels in their top-ten-best mystery novels of the year. The Nelscott books have received nominations for almost every award in the mystery field, including the best novel Edgar Award, and the Shamus Award. She writes goofy romance novels as award-winner Kristine Grayson, romantic suspense as Kristine Dexter, and futuristic sf as Kris DeLake.  She also edits. Beginning with work at the innovative publishing company, Pulphouse, followed by her award-winning tenure at The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, she took fifteen years off before returning to editing with the original anthology series Fiction River, published by WMG Publishing. She acts as series editor with her husband, writer Dean Wesley Smith, and edits at least two anthologies in the series per year on her own. To keep up with everything she does, go to kriswrites.com and sign up for her newsletter. To track her many pen names and series, see their individual websites (krisnelscott.com, kristinegrayson.com, krisdelake.com, retrievalartist.com, divingintothewreck.com). She lives and occasionally sleeps in Oregon.

Book preview

Living the Legend

LIVING THE LEGEND

KRISTINE KATHRYN RUSCH

WMG Publishing, Inc.

CONTENTS

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

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About the Author

Also by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

CHAPTER ONE

SHE WATCHED HIM from the waves, her arms resting across the rocks, her body hidden among the seals. He sat on a log, looking out to sea, and she fantasized that he was looking for her.

The seals smelled of wet fur and fish. Merlisa pushed herself higher on the rock, her arm nearly slipping into a tide pool. He hunched over as he stared. She couldn’t tell what he looked like—the strange cloth that protected his skin hid him from her—but she knew that he was the one.

The water broke behind her and Kalina surfaced. Grandmere says you’re too close to shore.

Merlisa leaned her head against the rock. Its craggy edges were cold and wet. She always says I’m too close.

She worries⁠—

About the legend, I know. Merlisa turned back toward the shore. The man was sitting up now. The sun reflected off his eyes as if they were made of smooth water. Tell her I’ll be home in a little while.

She won’t like it, Kalina said.

Merlisa turned. Kalina had a sea lily tucked behind one ear. Kalina always listened to Grandmere. I don’t care what she does and doesn’t like, Merlisa said. I’m staying here.

Kalina shrugged and dove under the water, her blue-green tail fins slapping against the surface. Merlisa watched her disappear and then turned back to the man. She had been coming to the coast for years now, but it wasn’t until she saw him that she knew why. She would meet him. She had to.

CHAPTER TWO

NICHOLAS FOCUSED HIS binoculars on the seals. Their oily smooth faces revealed nothing. He could have sworn he saw a woman on the rocks and then another appear behind her, but now he could see neither of them. He panned the surface