“We’ll see.” Jumping back from a snapping plant, I threw my hands up and unleashed the storm my rage had given me. Thick, greenish vapour poured out from my fingers.
A sudden gust of wind swept Arenn off his feet. “What are you doing?” he panicked. When he tried to stand, another strong gust forced him down. His plants soon joined him, drooping against the intense weather.
As the wind grew stronger, it swirled with the clouds above to form a fierce grey funnel. Air roared around us. Soon, Arenn was picked up by the funnel, his trees creaking around us as their thick trunks snapped. Branches whipped around in the storm, crashing into the faery prince from every angle while I remained safe in the calm centre.
“Stop this!” he yelled over the roaring winds. “Enough!”
I almost ignored him. There was something oddly peaceful about standing in the midst of a conjured wind storm while the prince’s screams circled me.
“Please!” Arenn begged. “No more!” He yelped after colliding with another sharp tree branch.
With a tired exhale, I raised my palm to slow the storm. When the grey vapour cleared, his trees were long gone, and the remaining faery guests had huddled against the side of the cave, still being watched by my aunt’s soldiers. Naria was protected by my dragon’s watery body – unharmed. Perfect.
“It’s time to end this.” I marched towards Arenn. Summoning the final lightning bolt, I aimed it right at the prince’s chest.
“Wait,” he panicked, crawling back on his elbows. For once, genuine fear clouded his eyes. “Wait, please!”
“No more tricks.” Thunder rumbled above.
“No! Don’t kill me.” I forced down the bolt just as he screamed, “If I die, she dies too!”
The lightning bolt shot off to the side and struck a crystal in the wall of the cave. Screams filled the chamber as it shattered.
“What did you just say?” I growled.
“It’s true! She’ll die if you strike me down.” Panting, he dragged up his sleeve to reveal the ghastly scar where his crystals used to be. “We’re still bonded,” he explained, “despite whatever merfolk tricks you used to weaken our connection. Our bond runs deeper than just the crystals.” He placed a fist on his chest. “I feel her in here. In my heart. And I know she does too. If you kill me, the pain will be too much for her. She’ll die.”
“You’re lying.” I shook my head.
“I’m not.” He held up his palms. “But you can test it if you don’t believe me.” A dangerous smirk crossed his features. “Strike me in the chest and listen for how she screams.”
I was seconds away from actually doing so when another voice echoed through the cave. “My brother speaks the truth!” Lyssandra shoved past a merfolk soldier to race towards me. The armoured soldier attempted to hold her back, but I raised my palm to stop him.
“Let her pass,” I sighed. I wasn’t sure if I trusted Lyssandra any more than I trusted her brother, but if it weren’t for her letter, we’d still be battling our way through the faery palace with no idea of where Naria might be.
“It was you,” Arenn murmured, as if just piecing it altogether. He glanced between us before his glare settled on Lyssandra. “This venue was your idea! You brought the merfolk here!”
Her scowl rivalled his. “Maybe you should’ve been honest about Naria’s feelings for you… Or lack of,” she scoffed.
“What you did was treason!” he snarled. “How did you do it? How long have you been conspiring with our enemies?”
“Yourenemies.” She folded her arms.
“Lyssi? Is this true?” Queen Amabel called from where she cowered against the cave wall. “Did you tell the merfolk where your brother’s wedding would be?”
I rolled my eyes. She did much more than that. Her letter gave us exact details of how best to sneak into the faery kingdom, a map from Ryntook’s underwater entrance all the way to the wedding’s location, the amount of guards expected to be in attendance, and where to send smaller groups ofsoldiers to stop any messages being passed back to the faery palace for reinforcements.
“She clearly doesn’t love him, Amabel,” Lyssandra sighed. “Even a fool could see that.”
Her mother looked hurt, but I didn’t have time for their family disagreement. “Tell me how to break their bond,” I barked at Lyssandra.
Arenn’s eyes glinted while his sister chewed her lower lip.
“Tell me!” I demanded.
“It’s not that simple,” she blurted. “A sacrifice must be made and there are risks involved – potentially fatal risks! It’d be best for you just to take Naria away from here. You’ve already dampened the bond with your Gift. She can live happily without Arenn.”
“But I’ll always have a piece of her.” Arenn’s sing-songy voice made bile rise in my throat. “And I’ll always be able to sense her, enter her dreams – even if she won’t notice me watching anymore.”
