Oh, shewould.
“Where are the others?” Her voice rose in panic as she called, “Zane? Koa? Casimir?” She glanced over her shoulder, toward the manor, as if expecting them to appear. “Did something happen? Are you here? I thought you took the car—”
I almost laughed. The sound bubbled up in my chest, but I swallowed it down. She was so scared. So confused. It was perfect.
And then she saw me.
Her eyes widened, her breath catching in her throat. For a moment, she just stared, frozen in place. A bride. Floating in the lake. It must have looked like something out of a nightmare. And then, slowly, the realization dawned on her. Her face paled, her lips parting in a silent gasp.
“Eluned?” she whispered.
That was my cue.
I surged upward, the water cascading off me in a torrent. My gown clung to me, heavy and sodden, the weight of it dragging me down. I stumbled, my feet sinking into the mud, and for a moment, I was flailing, splashing, my grand entrance ruined by the sheer impracticality of a waterlogged wedding dress. I cursed under my breath, shoving the skirts aside, but it was no use. I was a mess. A dripping, muddy, furious mess.
But it didn’t matter. I was here. And so was she.
“Hello, dear stepsister,” I said, my voice dripping with mock sweetness. “Miss me?”
“What areyoudoing here?” Her eyes were wide, her hands trembling as she took a step back. “How did you—”
I didn’t let her finish. Fisting my head, I cracked open the bauble Ondine had given me. It glowed faintly in my hand, the magic pulsing like a heartbeat, before I threw it in the water.
Seconds later, a monster rose, breaking the surface with a roar that shook the air. The enormous crawdad’s dull red scales glistened in the sunlight, its eyes glowing with malevolent light. She screamed, stumbling backward, but the beast was already moving, its pincers snapping as it lunged for her.
I grinned, triumph burning through me. This was it! This was the moment!
Serafina’s perfect little world was about to come crashing down, all because ofme!
#
Seri
I carried the breakfast tray down to the kitchen, my steps light, but my mood just a little disgruntled. The tray was empty now except for a few crumbs and a smudge of jam on the edge of the plate. Breakfast in bed had been a lovely surprise, but it hadn’t quite made up for being left behind.
Not that I didn’t understand why. Brumous was too devoted to me. If I’d gone with them on this quick hunt, he would have been too focused on keeping me safe to pay attention to the training. It made sense, but still, I hated being left out.
The kitchen was warm and fragrant, the scent of fresh bread and simmering soup filling the air. I was just setting the tray on the counter when I heard it.
Barking. Sharp, frantic barking.
My head snapped up, and I turned toward the back door just as Addison burst in.
“Abuela,” he called, his voice high with alarm. “It’sSeñor Lobo, not a stray! But I thought he went with the princes!”
At the same time, Mrs. Wentzel and I said, “He did.”
“That’s impossible.” The chef wiped her hands on her apron, her brow furrowed. “They just left.”
My heart skipped a beat. Brumous? Here? Without my boys? I moved toward the door, but Mrs. Wentzel stepped in front of me, her expression stern.
“Lady Seri, stay inside. Let me handle this.”
I hesitated, my hand on the doorframe. Brumous’ barking grew louder, more insistent. He sounded distressed, and I couldn’t just stay here.
“I’ll be careful,” I said, slipping past her before she could stop me.
I stepped onto the patio, shielding my eyes against the sunlight. There he was. Brumous. Halfway up the slope that led down to the lake. He barked again, his eyes fixed on me, then turned and looked back toward the lake.
