“He’s alive!” I yelped. I didn’t know how it was possible. There was no scientific explanation for the faint heartbeat I could feel under my fingertips, but I didn’t care. “Lukas?” I gently shook his shoulders. “Can you hear me, Lukas?”
“The dagger has put him into a deep sleep,” the Queen explained. “After his love broke your bond, your love was powerful enough to awaken the crystal magic in that dagger so that it could not harm him.”
“I saved him with my love?” I rasped.
“You did indeed. And now we’ll have him up and about in no time. Come, my dear.” She extended out her hand to Lyssandra. “If we combine our Gifts with Naria’s love, we can remove that dagger and heal his wound without the need for anyperformativesacrifices.” She shot a scowl at Erissa, who merely scoffed.
But I didn’t miss the subtle way she grasped her son’s hand, something like hope tugging at her features.
“What can I do to help?” My heart raced.Please let me do something.
Queen Vearla motioned towards my husband with glinting eyes. “Kiss him.”
“That’s all?” I sighed. But I didn’t need to be told twice. Grasping his shoulders, I pressed my lips to his, inhaling his familiar scent as if it were the last chance I’d ever have to drown in it. A tear slipped down my cheek. I kissed him as if his life depended on it, trying not to think about how much it actually did.
The moment my tear splashed against his face, magic slammed into me like a tidal wave.
I gasped, but kept my lips against his. In the distance, I could hear quiet chanting. I focused on my breathing as the intense power crashed into me again and again. Each time, Lukas’s body jolted.
“Come on,” I begged silently. “Just wake up.Please.”
More ocean magic pulsed through me until my entire body was soaking wet. I shivered, tightening my grip on his shoulders. Until finally, as one last crashing wave of magic pulsed through me, a hand slipped past my ear to tangle inmy hair. Lukas’s lips parted as he welcomed me in, a low sigh rumbling in his chest.
“Forest princess,” he murmured.
I couldn’t speak, just stayed clutching his shoulders and kissing him harder as if he might slip away again.
“It’s alright,” he soothed, cupping my cheek. “You’re safe.”
I drew back slightly, just as I heard the dagger clatter against stone. The colour had returned to his cheeks, and the awful wound that only minutes ago had been painting the cave floor red had sealed itself, leaving only a tear in his tunic.
When a smile crossed his jaw, my heart couldn’t last a moment longer. I threw my arms around him and sobbed into his shoulder.
“Come, Lyssa, let’s give them a moment.” The Merfolk Queen rose to her feet as Erissa scurried off to return to her hiding place.
“But I still don’t understand any of this!” Lyssandra argued. “It doesn’t make sense. Her memories were gone. How could she still love—”
“Has love ever made sense?” Vearla asked her with a sigh before dragging Lyssandra away, leaving me to sob in Lukas’s warm arms.
“Hush.” He stroked my back tenderly. “It’s alright. I’ve got you.”
A smile bubbled up from my tears, and I pulled away to grasp his face. “You’re actually alive,” I laughed, still crying.
“You saved me.” He stroked my jaw. “I knew you would the moment I kissed you.”
Shaking my head, I showed him my wrist to reveal thebroken faery bond. “No,yousaved me.”
He took it, eyes widening as he stroked my bare skin. “It’s gone,” he marvelled. “It’s really gone!”
“No more faeries,” I said, laughing. “It’s just us now.” I smiled as he pressed his lips against mine.
“Just us,” he murmured before he pushed me to the stone floor and kissed me like the sun would never set.
CHAPTER 46
NARIA
Warm waves lapped around my ankles while sunlight chased the shivers from my skin. Two weeks had passed since our reunion in the faery caves, and still Lukas held my hand tightly, as if he feared I’d be stolen away again. Not that I was worried about that happening. His dragon and I were now well acquainted, and as she slept peacefully within his chest and I leaned into him, breathing in his perfect scent, I realised I’d never felt safer.
