Thunder boomed above us, its lightning striking a nearby palm tree. But before another strike could follow, more vines whipped up from around Lukas and wrapped around his eyes.
“Try that again and you’ll risk hurting Naria,” Arenn warned, laughing cruelly.
“Please don’t do this,” I sobbed. “Don’t hurt them.”
Arenn chuckled before dropping his voice to a soft coo. “There’s no need to cry, dear one. I’m on your side, remember?” Slipping his hands into his pockets, he sauntered closer before crouching in front of me. “And because we’re on the same side, I’m going to make this nice and simple for you.”
My stomach fell to my knees. “You don’t have to do this,” I whispered.
“Agree to come home with me to Faelenna. We shall marry and you shall stay by my side forever, asmy wife.” I tasted bile at those last three words but he continued anyway.“I shall love you and cherish you, and in time you will learn to appreciate my affections.” He paused, longing burning in his eyes before he added quickly, “In return, I shall let your friends leave here alive.”
“Don’t do it, Naria—” Lukas’s protests were silenced as a vine crept around his throat.
“Let him go! You’re killing him!” I started just as another scream made my head spin. The thorns wrapped around Ivy’s body had become dagger-sized. Her head lolled as she slipped in and out of consciousness. “Ivy!” I shrieked.
Arenn sighed, pushing himself up to stand. “If you do not agree then their time in this realm will be cut short. The choice is yours, dear princess.”
My head whipped between Lukas and Ivy as they struggled against the vines. Violent sobs clawed up my throat.
“You really are a monster,” I managed to say between gasps.
Arenn’s smirk faded. “Maybe… But we all do monstrous things for love.”
“Love?” A laugh pushed through my rage. “This isn’t love!” I wrestled against my own vines. “You’re obsessed with me, Arenn. You’re not in love.”
“It still hurts all the same every time you push me away.” His voice turned gravelly. “Please, human.” Dropping back into a crouch, he held out his hand. But I didn’t miss the way it trembled. “All you have to do is take it. Take it and say yes. Then we can leave this place. Aren’t you tired of all this?”
“Very,” I spat as the vines around my left arm fell away.
“Then take my hand.”
Blinking away tears, my gaze dropped to his hand. Totake it would be so easy. One tiny movement and this would all be over.
As more screams filled the meadow, another sob tore up my throat. How much blood were they both losing right now? Was I killing them just by hesitating?
I swallowed, lifting my gaze. Arenn’s eyes were wide, desperate. So very desperate.
I should just give him what he wants. Slowly, my hand crept up to meet his. I don’t have a choice. I have to, I—
A small stone hit the ground behind Arenn, and I flinched, dropping my hand.
“What is it?” Arenn scowled.
My eyebrows knitted together. “I… I’m not sure, I…”
Another rock, larger this time, hit the ground closer to me as a flash of golden hair flickered in the corner of my vision. Erik popped up from behind a nearby shrub, waving frantically with one arm and cradling a handful of rocks with the other.
“Hey!” He tossed another rock.
“What are you doing?” I hissed. “You’re going to get yourself killed—” But I didn’t have time to finish. Before Arenn could react, a screaming blur of pink crashed into him and forced the prince to the ground.
“Take that you foul, disgusting, evil pig!” Every insult was punctuated by a fist to his back, while Arenn just took it all, seemingly too in shock to fight back.
My mouth swung open. “Raena?” I choked. It couldn’t be… And yet, there she was, still looking lovely in her pink jellyfish gown and matching headpiece from the merfolk kingdom while she furiously beat her fists against Arenn.
“That’s for tricking my friend.” Her knuckles cracked against his jaw. “That’s for putting me in a disgusting dungeon. Twice.” She shoved his face into the dirt. “Andthisis for trying to steal Naria away when right now she’s supposed to be wedding dress shopping WITH ME!” She screeched out those final words, clawing at his skin and pulling out clumps of his hair.
“The cuff, Raena!” Erik leapt over the shrubbery to race towards us. “Don’t forget to put the cuff on him!”
