“Call the guards then,” I joked. A smile pulled at my cheeks while I stood by the balcony’s open door. For a fewmoments, there was peace. Just myself, the King of Drothmore, and the calming sound of the waves as Lukas continued guiding me through his plan.
Until something else weaved through the sea breeze. Something soft. Beautiful.
Singing.
A soft haze clouded my vision and my legs turned gooey. Without meaning to, I stepped forward, my bare feet warm against the stone balcony. Everything felt so lovely. And the singing was louder now too — although it felt wrong to call it mere singing. A ‘serenade’ was more fitting. A serenade gifted straight from the most whimsical parts of the ocean. And with every passing second, I wanted more and more to drown myself in it.
My limbs worked by themselves to push me up onto the balcony ledge. Briefly, I was aware of a male voice calling my name. But then my gaze fell to the rolling waves below, crashing endlessly into the palace and somehow calling to me. Singing to me.
She wants me…
With a wide, thoughtless smile, I jumped off the balcony.
CHAPTER 7
Water rushed into my limp body. It filled my mouth, poured into my nose, my ears, but for some reason I wasn’t scared. The singing surrounded me, louder than ever, and everywhere I looked the water was glowing.
Golden light danced off fish scales. It illuminated the rocks and corals below, making my dress float around me in a rainbow of colours. I’d never seen anything so beautiful.
“Hello, pretty thing.” The singing paused as a soft voice spoke from nearby. I turned slowly to see a young woman beside me in the water. Long red hair haloed her otherworldly features while pearls and shells decorated her bare chest.
“You know, I was expecting that handsome boy I saw in the window. He’d make a lovely gift for the Sea Queen,” she chimed, stroking my cheek. “But I’ll gladly take you instead. For me.”
I smiled. There was no danger here. As she cupped my cheek, I hardly noticed the way her scaled legs moved as one long fishtail – or the way my chest now burned.
“Just relax, my pretty.” The young woman drifted closer. My chest seized, but the pain passed when one of her hands stroked between my breasts.
“Just one kiss will make this all disappear.” She smiled, and then it was as if all my worries melted away. “Just one kiss…”
Her lips were a breath away from mine when suddenly I was yanked back. A shriek cut through the glow.
“What?” the woman screeched. I’d barely noticed the flash of a sword before blood stained the water red. Ice-cold clarity flooded my senses. I gasped. Water burned in my throat as my body twisted and writhed. Two strong arms wrapped around my chest. Darkness switched to panic, then darkness again. I couldn’t breathe.
I’m dying!
My eyes squeezed shut. Acceptance felt like a heavy weight on my bones. At least my people had their kingdom back. My arms went limp. Lukas would help them from now on. My head tipped forward. Lukas would—
A rush of air stung my cheeks as I broke the surface. Water poured from my throat, spouting from my chest in coughs and sputters.
What was that?
“It’s alright, you’re alright,” a soothing male voice came from behind me. His arms were still wrapped around my chest, keeping my face above the water.
“Lukas?” I squeaked through coughs.
“I’ve got you.” He held me firmly. Somehow, he kept us steady despite the huge waves threatening to tear us apart. Above us, more than fifty feet in the air, my balcony hung from the side of the looming palace. The same balcony I’d justjumpedfrom.
“Why did I do that?” I panted, kicking wildly.
Lukas reached to calm my flailing limbs. “Merfolk,” he grumbled.
“What?”
“Merfolk,” he bit out again, clearly not wanting to elaborate. The beach peeked through the rolling waves as he dragged me towards the shore. With Lukas supporting me, I tried my best to calm my breathing, but panic was still clawing up like a trapped scream in my throat.
Exhaling, I squeezed my eyes shut.
“It’s alright, Naria.” His voice softened. “I won’t let you go under again.”
