Page 43

NARIA

M y knees trembled so much they hurt beneath the skirt of my white, puff-sleeved dress. We were stood on a gilded balcony. Arenn’s arm was tight around my waist as he swept his other arm towards the thousand or so guests in the ballroom.

“…and lastly I want to thank you all for joining us tonight for our engagement ball.” His voice carried effortlessly over the sea of faeries below us. “I can only hope that each of you finds a love as powerful as Naria’s and mine during the celebrations tonight.”

Applause roared up from the ballroom while I kept my gaze fixed on a small crack in the quartz wall. All the time I watched the walls, I wasn’t thinking about their hungry stares, or the blinding crystal chandeliers, or the loud music, or the—

“Why are you trembling, little human?” Arenn’s whisper sliced through me.

“I’m just so excited,” I lied with a smile. “Our wedding is only a few days away.”

Eyes glinting, he pulled me towards a dark alcove. “Three days, human,” he murmured, pushing my back against the wall. “Three days until you’re mine forever.”

His fingers brushed my arms, and I gasped. The sweet scents of wildflowers and cinnamon teased my senses, but for some reason I held my breath, refusing to let them in.

“We should go and dance,” I suggested, edging out of his hold. I didn’t want to dance. But more than that, I didn’t want to be here – with his lips just inches from mine.

“There’s no hurry.” His hands dropped to my wrists, gripping me tightly. “Let me just have this moment with you. Alone.” Lifting his hand, he brushed a wisp of hair from my face as I shuddered. “You don’t understand how long I’ve needed to have you here, how long I’ve burned for you. And soon, I’ll ruin you enough that you won’t dare think of anyone else ever again.”

My heart stuttered. For a moment, I considered shoving him away and charging down the stairs that led down to the ballroom. But where would I go once I got there? I couldn’t hide in the crowds forever. Even if I managed to get past the guards to escape, there was nowhere else I could go. My mind was just as foggy as it’d been a week ago, and there was still that awful, lingering headache.

“Arenn? Naria, darling?” Queen Amabel’s voice crept up a nearby spiral staircase.

Arenn scoffed, finally giving me some air. “What?” he called back.

“Your guests are growing restless,” she sang. “Won’t you come down so I can begin the ritual?”

My brows shot up. “Ritual?”

“My mother has brewed a potion that will show anyone who inhales the fumes a path to their true love.” He scowled. “She wants us both to take it so we can find each other again across a dark ballroom. I told her there’s no point to all this. I already know you’re my true love. But,” he tilted his head, smirking, “I suppose it would be a good show for our guests.”

“It would be,” I agreed, but more because I liked the idea of a dark, quiet ballroom.

“Come, my love.” He extended his hand and I took it, letting him lead me back to the dance floor.

After crossing the bustling ballroom full of faery guests in twinkling gowns, we arrived at a black metal cauldron bubbling away in the centre of the room. Queen Amabel stood behind it, an aged book in one hand while she held a vial of pink liquid in the other.

“Come, come, my dears,” she said to us, eyes sparkling. “Once I add the final ingredient, we shall dim the orb lights and send you both to different sides of the ballroom. Then you’ll have to follow the smoke back to each other.”

“Smoke?” I echoed.

“Yes, you’ll see it guiding you towards each other like a misty, glowing path in the darkness.” Her tone buzzed with excitement as I stepped up to the cauldron to peer inside.

Green liquid swirled around streaks of blue inside the pot. The longer I stared at the fizzling mixture, the more fear rose up inside my throat. Whatever strange concoction this was, it wouldn’t lead me back to Arenn. Arenn wasn’t my true love. He couldn’t be. Because true love didn’t feel like your stomach was caving in every time they tried to touch you.

“Good luck, my dears,” Queen Amabel said as the ballroom quietened. A large crowd had formed around us, every pair of eyes fixed on her pink vial as she tipped it into the mixture.

Green bubbles became pink, then a dark, ominous crimson.

“Breathe,” she ordered, dropping everything to shove both our heads down towards the potion. I gasped as a wave of sweetness crashed into me, filling my nose and flooding my pores.

Fresh vanilla cakes.

Rich steaming cocoa.

Sugared fruits drizzled in caramel—

A dozen hands tore me away from the cauldron. Bodies thumped against mine, hands passing me from faery to faery until, all at once, they released me and I stumbled to the black, glittering floor. No, not the floor. A wall. I think? But when I turned away, everything around me was just as dark and glittering.

In the distance, I could hear whispers and laughter. There were faeries around me, I was certain of that. But I couldn’t see any of them. Only a dense, black void – so thick I couldn’t see my own hands as they fumbled around in front of me.

Panic gripped my bones.

“Arenn?” My voice shook. “I don’t like this game.” This darkness was more than just dimmed orb lights. It was like a veil of shadows had been wrapped around my face. Suffocating me.

“Arenn!” I yelled, leaping back as a stranger’s fingers brushed my arm. Damn this ritual. Perhaps once we found each other I could convince him I was ill, then I could spend the rest of the party in my bedchamber. No more cruel laughter echoing through the darkness or stray hands tugging at my skirt.

When something warm curled around my foot, I went to kick it away only to freeze as something blue flashed in my vision. Wrapping around my foot, was a glowing blue ribbon of smoke. It tugged my ankle gently as if leading me somewhere.

“Arenn? Is that you?” I called out, quieter this time. Turning, I followed the weaving ribbon until it ended suddenly.

I stepped up to its end, only to yelp as my face met what must’ve been a wooden door. Confused murmurs buzzed around me, but after a few moments, a creak sounded and the blue smoke continued. Rubbing my sore nose, I followed it into the void.

After another twenty minutes of crashing into doors and half-falling down a set of stairs, my boots padded against what felt like stone. I still couldn’t see anything other than the blue winding ribbon, but I was getting better at fumbling around in the dark. Wherever that darkness was.

Eventually, I let out a gasp as my boots splashed against something wet. Warm water pooled around my ankles. As I waded out further, still following the blue ribbon, I had to stop when the water reached my chin.

“Where are you taking me?” I asked the smoke.

The blue ribbon twinkled, like it was winking.

“I’m not going any further,” I told it. “I’ll drown.”

The smoke crept towards my face, tugging my hair forwards.

“No.” I batted it away, sputtering as water splashed up my nose. But the smoke didn’t seem to care. Gripping my hair, it pulled me further and further until my boots slipped on something smooth and water rushed into my mouth.

The dark void was even more disorienting underwater. Thrashing around, I tried to swim back up, but with darkness flooding my vision and smoke tugging on my limbs, I only seemed to sink further.

A scream tore from my throat. The smoke was a trick. It must’ve been. Lyssandra probably told Amabel that I didn’t care for Prince Arenn, and now they were drowning me. I kicked my legs wildly. Smoke wrapped around my throat, squeezing tighter, tighter.

As my limbs felt heavier, and my eyes fluttered shut, I could’ve sworn hands clasped around my waist, pulling me towards something firm. Lips, soft and gentle, brushed mine. Death’s, maybe? It certainly felt like I had died now my chest wasn’t burning anymore.

“Naria, open your eyes.” A low voice wrapped around me, warm enough for me to curl up inside it. Like I wanted it to hold me and never let go.

“Naria,” it said again, more urgently. “Open your eyes. Please . I have to talk to you, forest princess. I need to know you’re alright.”

Slowly, my eyes opened. I gasped to see golden light had replaced the darkness. The blue smoke was long gone. In its place, a young man hovered in the middle of a crystal pool. His copper skin glowed gold and cast rays of light that bounced around the dozens of multicoloured crystals embedded in the walls of the pool. It was beautiful. He was beautiful. And for some reason, I never wanted him to leave.

“Am I dead?” I blurted.

“Of course not.” Concern crossed the stranger’s features. “I saved you, just like I did before, remember? Although you need to promise me you didn’t throw yourself into some lake just to see me again.” A sad smile touched his lips before he drew closer. “Where are you right now? Are you safe? I swear I’ll come for you as soon as I can. I wanted to leave the moment he took you, but my advisors wouldn’t let me. I never should’ve listened to them.” Voice hardening, his gaze turned severe. “I’m with the merfolk now, and every day I’m getting stronger. I just hope you’ll forgive me for not being able to protect you sooner. I’ve been such a coward.”

My eyes searched his, all smoky and grey. “I’m sorry, but I don’t… This can’t be real.” I shook my head.

“Naria? What is it?” He cupped my cheek with his glowing palms. “Is something wrong?”

“Yes,” I breathed. I should’ve pushed his hands away. Should’ve shoved him away from me and swam up to the surface, but for some reason, my heart was fluttering like it wanted me to stay. “I drowned, I think. And now you’re talking to me. But I don’t know who I am. And I’m so confused. And—”

“You don’t know who you are?” His tone turned deadly. “What do you mean, ‘you don’t know’?” He paused, swallowing. “Naria, tell me you know who I am?”

“I’m sorry I…”

Something shattered in his gaze. “You don’t remember me?” He ran his fingers through his hair, breath quickening. “I’m going to kill him.” Clasping my face with his hands, his eyes scoured mine. “I’m going to come over there. Find you. Make sure you’re safe, and then kill that bastard like I should’ve done on our wedding night.”

“Our wedding night?” My voice cracked. “We’re married?”

“Damn it.” He tipped his head forward until our foreheads touched. “I love you, Naria,” he rasped. “If you don’t remember me then please remember that. Please .”

A tear slipped down my cheek, though I wasn’t certain why. “I’m so sorry, but I really don’t know who you are.”

“It doesn’t matter,” he said, pulling back slightly. “Just know that I’m coming for you. Like I said, my aunt is teaching me things. Things I should’ve learnt a long time ago. I just need a little more time.” His breath was ragged. “But know that I am trying so hard for you.” He drew closer, cupping my jaw. “So, so hard.”

A shadow passed over the both of us, and I flinched, glancing up.

“What is it?” he breathed.

“He’s here,” I squeaked. A dark figure wavered around the edge of the pool. “It’s Arenn. He’s found me.” I drew back with a shudder.

“Damn him,” the stranger snarled. “I won’t let him hurt you, Naria. I’m coming for you. I just need to be able to summon my—” His breath caught as I could’ve sworn something rumbled in the water. “Dragon…” His voice trailed off.

I jerked my hand up. “Something just brushed my hand.”

“Yes.” The man swallowed, looking past me. “I can’t believe it. I did it,” he laughed, but then his gaze crashed into mine, and his tone soothed all the nerves in my stomach. “I’m coming for you, Naria. Just stay safe for me. I won’t let him hurt you ever again.” Another rumble sounded, this time more like an animal’s deep purr, but when I turned, I only saw Arenn diving towards me and reaching for my hand.

“Wait,” I yelled, slipping out of his grasp. But when I looked back, the stranger was gone, and the water felt oddly empty.

Arenn threw his arms around my waist, hauling me out of the pool. The moment we broke the surface, he was upon me like a wildfire.

“What in the underrealm was that?” he snarled. “I saw someone in the water with you.”

“I don’t know.” My gown dripped against the stone as I crawled out of the pool. “It must’ve been the smoke. It just pulled me in there.”

Arenn’s gaze darkened before he huffed and sat beside me on the floor of the cave. “The smoke sent me outside. When the spell finally faded, I was on a path to Dalking.”

“Oh,” I breathed, flopping down to sit, too.

“I could murder my mother for this.” He scowled. “She must’ve not followed the recipe.”

“Maybe…” I tried not to think of the way my heart had fluttered in the pool just minutes ago. He said he loved me. Why did that seem so important?

“Well, I suppose there’s still a party for us to enjoy. Come, human.” Rising to his feet, he extended out a hand. And I took it, my confused heart still fluttering.