“Daphne?” Gwyneth’s voice echoes in the room. She sounds mad, but I can’t see her.
“I can’t see her,” I tell the mirror man.
He frowns and turns around, showing us the back of his bald head. “She is right there.”
“Maybe you need to move?” I try.
Genie huffs a laugh, causing me to scowl at him.
The mirror man spins to face me. “Oh, of course. I apologize.”
He drifts to the left, revealing my sister kneeling on the floor. There are enormous bookcases behind her, suggesting she is in the library, which is good because I have research for her.
Four heads pop into view around her. My knights. Hart scowls like I peed on his morning sausage. Malachi gives me a warm but forced smile. Theo shakes his head like he can’t believe he’s seeing me. Nash folds his arms and glares. Oh Blazes, I’m not sure whether to run from him or strip naked and demand he let out whatever is haunting him. Probably both. A naked run.
I hold my hand up and wave, because I am a complete weirdo. “Hi.”
Gwyneth points at me.Here we go.
“You are in so much trouble. When you get out of the lake and back here, I am going to tie you down to the chair to ensure you stop making stupid decisions.”
Nash’s lips curl up. “Bed, not chair. And fear not; I’ll make sure she can’t walk.”
Heat flares to life in my belly.
My sister shoots him a look reserved for those she wants to cut down and make beg for freedom. “You are partly responsible for this mess. Not only did you pull her into the Excalibur legend, but then you left her in your chambers and expected her to wait on the sidelines while Charming tried to force me to marry him.”
“That was a miscalculation,” Nash snaps.
“Your miscalculation has doomed my sister to a life at the bottom of the lake until one of you poopfloofs decides you are worthy. And then she dies.”
“It won’t happen,” Malachi mutters. “None of us would do anything to harm Daphne.”
“Hey,” I shout. “This is the first time I am seeing you since I drowned, and you are spending your time arguing with each other. At least argue with me.”
Their faces fall as they realize what they are doing and refocus their attention on me. “Sorry, Daph,” Theo says. “We have been working to figure out a solution.”
“Great. A few things, though, in case it affects your search. I am not at the bottom of the lake.”
Gwyneth’s eyes lift to take in the room behind me. “You are still underwater.”
I nod. “But I’m in the ocean.”
Nash swipes a hand down his face. “Was the lake not big enough for you?”
“We can scrap the plan to drain the lake,” Hart mutters.
They were going to drain the lake? My heart squeezes.
“Agreed,” Nash says. “So we focus on figuring out if there is a loophole in the narrative.”
“Is there anything you can tell us?” Gwyneth asks me.
“Well, apparently I have to remain here until I deem a knight worthy of the sword. Which, by the way, is a judgy mellow.”
Malachi jerks his head back. “We aren’t judgy mellows.”
“Not you, the sword.”
