Page 66 of Ruling the Green

“Understood.”

“Is she okay?” she asked.

“Serin? Yes. She’s visiting her lake right now with her guard. Replenishing herself and the lake. She has to come back with me, but I’m treating her well. Introducing her to cooked food. Keeping her safe.”

Celestine’s head cocked to the side, watching me with a look I couldn’t parse. “Good. I will tell my family to stand by and plan, but we won’t act unless our hand is forced.”

“And don’t come back here, Princess. Not even with a whole army of draca.”

She nodded.

“Good luck, Jet. I really hope you can pull this off. For all our sakes.”

With that, she turned and made her way back to the carriage with Jasper.

But as I watched, I spotted a familiar face. Pretty, blonde. Amy. Standing with a draca’s arm around her.

“Amethyst,” I greeted her. “So that’s why you wouldn’t marry me,” I said, nodding toward the man at her side, some of his rough spines still sticking out of his skin.

“I would apologize,” she said in that sweet voice of hers, “but I’m not sorry.”

“Won’t lie, it was a bit of a kick to the pride to have your betrothed run away right before the wedding, but I didn’t want to marry you either.”

“We’re all just pawns in our parents’ plans.”

“Until we choose a different path.” My gaze slid to her partner. “Keep her out of this realm.”

“I will.”

With that, the carriage turned, moving back where they’d come from. The draca took to the sky, their colorful, leathery wings blotting out the blue.

Vishen and I stood there until they disappeared.

“Well. That buys us time,” Vishen said.

“Let’s hope it’s enough. Come on. We need to get back before we’re missed.”

We walked in silence, both lost in our thoughts, toward the lake.

But before it even came into view, a scream filled the forest.

“Serin!”

My heart stopped.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Serin

The closer I got, the more the lake called to me.

I could hear the gentle ripple of the breeze across the water, the sound of a frog at the shore, the presence of a deer taking a sip.

It called to me in my bones, urging me forward, my steps getting quicker and quicker until I was running, Nira rushing to keep up with me.

Home, my bones sang. You’re home.

I broke through a line of willow trees, and there it was.