The nice thing about Torchline, compared to the Hollowed Grounds and especially to Halo, was that even in DeepFrost, the temperature stayed balmy enough at night for Theo to sleep on the beach. It wasn't the best option -- setting aside the possibility of being set on by anything from more violent thieves to a wandering animal, the sand just got everywhere -- but it'd do in a pinch.
In an effort to avoid disturbances, he'd set himself up tonight on a rock that stuck out over the water. A mistake, in hindsight, because it allowed the encantado to swim right up to him, take a good look at him with its glistening eye, and -- with the grin that dolphins always wore -- splash him heavily with its tail.
Half-asleep, Theo jumped up at the rude awakening, overbalanced, and slipped off the rock into the water with a great splash.
can't say good morning without lying twice
