She scowled up at him, determined not to let him see how uncomfortable she was, despite the fact that her blazing cheeks likely already gave it away. “You mean the proposal you made despite knowing that I’m already engaged?”
“It’s been barely a week, and he’s already leaving you alone at parties.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” she huffed.
“It’s not going to last. He’s not going to stay.”
I know. He already said it was only for a week.
“You have no basis to make that assumption.”
He arched an eyebrow. “Don’t I? Just look at the facts, Enna: You’re a Naiad. You no longer have magic. Granted, what you lack in beauty you make up for in acerbic wit, which can be entertaining if directed at the right person, but what man wants to tie himself to for life to a sarcastic sense of humor?”
Sienna rolled her eyes to mask the hurt. His words grated against the still-healing wounds on her heart. “With that compelling analysis, I’m more than a little surprised you proposed once, let alone twice.”
“When he leaves, marry me.”
She was barely able to contain her tears, and Erik’s arrogant command caused her to lose what little control she had over her emotions. “I cannot believe you! Youleft me, Erik! You said that you loved me—you promised to marry me—and then at the first sign that life might not be clear skies and still waters, you left. I’m not going to fall for the same trick twice.”
He sneered. “And yet, here you are.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You might think that your captain is an honorable man, but the truth is that he and I are very much alike. You present an opportunity, Enna. Nothing more, nothing less.”
“Yes, I know. You want the lighthouse.” She swiped angrily at her tears. “I have the lighthouse, therefore you want me. I’ve heard this all before, and I’m finished with this conversation.”
For the first time that night, he didn’t try to stop her as she walked away.
She had not gone more than a few steps when his words followed after. “He’s cursed. He has until midnight tonight, and then he’ll disappear.”
She froze and slowly turned on her heel. “What did you say?”
Erik shoved his hands in his pockets and smirked. “Your captain is cursed—condemned to an existence spent wandering the lonely seas until a woman promises to remain true to him until death.”
Sienna’s mind was spinning furiously to put all the missing pieces into place. “Don’t you read any stories, Erik? True love is usually the cure for curses.”
“Ah, but recall that this requires no actual love—just that a woman promises to be faithful. But until the curse is broken, the captain is still cursed to wander, but for a week every seven years. The rest of your life would be spent in perpetual loneliness, sacrificing all thoughts of a loving family and children in favor of faithfulness to a ghost. It’s only when youdie that the curse will be broken.” He lowered his voice and bent forward, bringing his mouth close to her ear. “He only proposed because he needs you to break his curse, at which time, he will return home to his own realm. You’re just a means to an end.”
She shook her head. “No. No, he cares about people. He wouldn’t just use me like that.”
Sienna realized that the room had gone suddenly, unnaturally still. She turned to see Casper standing in the doorway. He was wearing a new coat, cut to emphasize how broad his shoulders were. The bouquet of sea holly in his hand fell limply to his side, and his face paled, causing him to look whiter than a ghost.
“Well, well, well,” Erik said smugly. “Look what the tide brought in. Or should I say,Look at the Dutchman who just flew in?”
Her wide eyes locked onto Casper’s. “Is it true?” she whispered.
His chin dipped down in one long, slow nod.
Her breaths were coming fast and shallow as she reviewed all the different warnings he had tried to give her over the course of their very brief engagement. The final pieces of the puzzle finally fit together.
I’m leaving in a week, Si.
It’s only for a week.
What would you do if I just left?
He had been honest since the beginning about his schedule, even if he hadn’t been truthful about his curse. No, her emotional turmoil was entirely due to the fact that she had done the one thing she had promised not to do.
