“Are you missing home already?” I caress her back.
“No. My home is with you. But I wish I could show you my world like you are showing me yours.”
Kissing the top of her head, I appease her mind. “You can tell me all about it, and it will be as if I'm there.”
Mirella leans back. “Duncan, I'm feeling lightheaded and parched.”
My breathing stops when I notice her pale expression and her dry lips. “We've been outside far too long. I'll get you water, and you'll rest. We can ride to the village tomorrow. It's also time for lunch.”
Taking her in my arms, I walk back to my home. One of her arms circles my neck and her hand fists my coat. Her voice comes out weak when she talks, “The Sea Witch said I should constantly be drinking water, and I can't eat meat or anything else that came from the land. I should eat raw fish.”
“I will take good care of you, my love.” I stride faster, so I can tend to her needs. “Did she say how long your legs will last on the dry land?”
“I didn't ask her that. I assumed that when I'm dry my tail becomes legs. If I get wet, my legs become a tail. Before I saved you, I didn't even know that I could have legs like the humans do.”
“I've been in the library reading about your people, but there isn't much about it.”
“What's a library?”
Breathing deep, I explain, “Well, it's a place where we have all sorts of books. Do you know what a book is?”
“Yes, but we don't have paper. We keep important information carved in seashells. I have seen books, but they don't last long once they get wet.”
“What do you write in the seashells?”
Mirella lays her head against my shoulder. I look down and see her smile. “We write songs and important information about our family. The old seashell books have all the tales of our ancestors and talk about a time where there was just the sea and no dry land. The elders teach us about our god and warn us to stay away from the humans and their kingdoms. Yet, lately, there are more and more ships cruising the ocean and transporting humans. They fight. Like you were fighting when I rescued you. Why were you being attacked?”
I clench my jaw, reminding myself of the vampires. “My people are peaceful. I don't like war. Yet our boats transport expensive merchandise. The vampires don't normally leave their cold kingdom. Lately, they have been pillaging my boats and destroying them. I can't afford a war...”
“Did you attack them first?”
Shaking my head, I gaze into her silvery eyes. “I was returning home from my sister's wedding when I was attacked.”
Mirella purses her lips and gazes at my coat. Her nail scratches the fabric. “We have no need for gold and precious stones in my kingdom. Yet, the shipwrecks are filled with treasures that I can offer you, so you can build the ships you need to defeat the ones who are attacking you. Would you be pleased if I did that?”
Frowning, I question, “If you gave me gold?”
Mirella nods and gazes at me. “Isn't it custom for a princess to provide her husband with a dowry?”
“Yes. But you don't need any dowry for me to want to marry you. You are my fated mate.”
“My dowry will allow you to keep me safe. It's one of the witch's demands. I don't want to lose my voice... I like to talk to you.”
I halt in front of the castle entry and hover my face over hers. “It seems that a storm is coming. After you eat, we'll have a lot of time to talk about your kingdom and everything we have to do to stay together. All right?”
Instead of smiling, Mirella looks worried. “A storm? Can we go to a tower, so I can see where the storm is forming? Does it come from the sea? I thought I had more time.”
I let Mirella's feet touch the ground, and she rushes through the hall and up the staircase. “Honey, you'll get lost.”
Going after her, I make sure she doesn't stumble and fall down the stairs and guide her to a room with a view of the ocean.
***
WITH A VIEW OF THE ocean, I sit at a table watching the storm build over the sea. Duncan has requested a maid to bring us what he called tea and butter biscuits. All of this is new to me. Drinking warm flavored water seems odd. Still, my love says it’s good to calm me down. How can I calm down when my father wants to destroy Duncan’s kingdom?”
From the tower, I see the small houses, the village, the anchored ships, and the innocent people. Like zooplankton, they rush to keep their belongings safe from the wild waters coming their way.
“I need to return, or my father will destroy everything.”
Duncan’s hand holds mine. “I can go with you and explain to him that I wish you no harm, and we are meant to be together.”
I suck in a breath. “Are you willing to lose your kingdom because of me?”
Duncan frowns. “I want you to be my queen. Surely, we can reason with the Sea King.”
“I don’t know.” I shrug. “Marriages between mermaids and men are unheard of.”
He leans forward and takes my hand against his lips. “I’m not a man. I’m a Lycan, and you are my mate.”
I avert my gaze. “I need to go to the beach, so I can stop the storm from destroying your kingdom. I might be able to reason with my father.”
His hands hold me tighter and prevent me from getting up. “What if he takes you away, and I never see you again?”
I lean forward and cup his face. “I’ll be heartbroken if that happens.”
“Let me talk to your father. King to king. I’m sure he’ll see the benefits to both of our kingdoms if he’ll allow our marriage. There’s nothing more I want in life than you. He will understand our love.”
I smile. “It’s nice to understand your language and be able to talk to you. I wish we had more time to talk and share everything we’ve been feeling. But I have to calm my father down.”
Duncan nods and kisses the palm of my hand, leaving a tingling feeling throughout my body. My mouth searches his and consumes my desire against his lips. It might be the last time we kiss each other. Pain digs into my chest.
Stopping the kiss, I rise to my feet and fix my dress. I glance one last time at the storm on the horizon before I head to the beach.
Chapter 10—The Sea King
I CAN’T LET MY FATHER destroy the island and kill Duncan’s subjects in the process. Why is he doing this, and how did he find out?
Running, I descend the slopes and almost fall. The wind is fustigating my flesh, and the storm has unleashed the first heavy drops of water from the skies. The fabric clings to my form, and I pray that my legs don’t turn into a fishtail before I reach the surf. It’s a challenge to run. The liberty of movement inside the water is something that I’ll miss. That is if Dad doesn’t kill Duncan before I can explain what’s going on.
“Mirella, you are going to kill yourself.” Duncan’s arms surround my waist, and he pulls me against his chest.
I grab his hands and steady my body. “I need to get to the sea.”
“I understand that. But you’ll fall if I don’t help you.” He breathes deep and talks sweetly against my ear. “Turn around and hold on to my neck. Let me carry you.”
Breathing his scent, I nod and curl against his embrace. “I’m sorry. This is all my fault. I should have talked to him before coming here.”
Duncan’s heartbeat is steady, and he descends the slope with me in his arms as if I’m weightless. “Are you going to leave me to save my kingdom?”
“I’m going to stop the storm and reason with Dad.”
“And if he takes you away and you can’t come back?”
He stops near the revolving waves hitting the sand.
I raise my head and search his eyes. “He can’t keep me away from you. You are my mate. We belong together. I’ll unleash hell if he tries.”
My mate smiles. “I’ll search the seven seas for you if I must. Tell your father that I want to talk to him and make it clear that my intentions toward you are honorable. I want to marry you, my love.”
Beaming, I kiss him.
“Mirella!”