Page 22 of The Nymph Prince

Black Hallows.

I’d had that dream before.

Guided by an unseen force, I was pushed through the town and toward an abandoned temple in the center. Before the town had been destroyed, it’d been used for rituals; both for magic and to worship the gods.

Once inside the temple, I was led down a winding corridor and to the chamber below. Water dripped from the stones, and the musty smell made my nose curl. And then there were the hooded figures.

“Blood of Haman, child of the dark,” they chanted in unison. “Hear our call and make yourself known.”

Once the invisible force released me, I stood behind the chanting group. Although Iknewit was only a dream, it felt so real. Too real.

One of the hooded men turned, and fear coiled in my gut when I realized he could see me. The other time I’d had the dream, they’d never seen me.The man’s face was human, but his eyes… they were red. Dark veins stretched from them, weaving through his skin, and disappeared beneath his hood.

“Child of the dark,” he greeted. The other cloaked figures turned, all staring at me. “Welcome.”

With a gasp, I opened my eyes and stared up at the stars. A clear sky. No rain. No storm. I wasn’t in Black Hallows; I was with Lorcan and Malik on a secluded speck of land outside of Stonebridge. My heart raced, and I sucked in another breath. Terror clawed under my skin.

Child of the dark.

What does it mean?

Lorcan sighed in his sleep, and I focused on him.

If anyone could distract me from my mind, it was the nymph. Even while fast asleep with his hair messy and his green eyes closed, he was magnificent. The moon reflected off his silver hair, and it made his already pale skin luminous.

With a trembling hand, I brushed aside a strand of his silky hair.

Another soft sigh left his lips and he turned his face into my hand.

“Sleep is lost to you, as well, I take it.”

I jolted at the voice.

Malik was propped against the tree trunk, his legs stretched out before him, and his orange eyes were fixated on me. The glow of his eyes was more pronounced in the shadow of night. It was unsettling to say the least.

“Aye,” I answered. In actuality, sleep found me just fine. But so did the nightmares. “Do you ever sleep?”

“Very little,” the guard responded. “And not when we’re in the open like this. A threat could come at any moment.”

“Why must you protect him so closely? Is it because he’s the son of the king?”

“That’s part of the reason.” Malik grabbed the dagger from his side and toyed with it. I’d seen him do it several times that day, and I suspected it was a thing he did when he was worried or deep in thought. “Mainly, it’s because of his blood. Nymphs are rare. Powerful. And to have a nymph who is also half a god?” Malik shook his head. “Danger lurks around every corner for the young prince. Among treasures, he’s the greatest of all.”

“It’s not like they could use his powers for their own. What would they do with him?”

I regretted the question as soon as I’d asked it. I didn’t want to know the cruel things men would do to Lorcan.

“That captain of yours,” Malik said, pinning me with a cold stare. “You know how he received his curse?”

“Aye. By slaughtering mermaids for their hearts.”

“Dark mages use the mermaid hearts for powerful spells,” he continued. “This captain you’re so devoted to killed my kind and sold their hearts to these mages. If a mere mermaid heart can be used for such power… imagine what the heart of a nymph could be used for. Especially a nymph as rare as the young prince.”

Gazing at Lorcan, I couldn’t fathom how anyone could ever hurt him.

“Why would you tell me this?” I asked, moving my eyes back to the lethal male. “Don’t you detest me?”

“He trusts you. Cares for you. And I must respect his wishes.”