Page 51 of Broken Hearted
I furrowed my brow. Was he trying to go back for me?
I called his name and he froze.
Jerking his head in my direction, his gaze connected with mine and it was like a spike of magic straight to my heart, making it pound harder than a Winter Court drum.
My breath caught as we stared at each other, and something intangible passed between us.
Since it was clear he wasn’t going to try to swim back into the open ocean now, his men released him. Taking two purposeful strides forward, he dove off the cliff’s edge and into the clear waters of the cove. As soon as he surfaced he started to swim toward me, his strokes long and quick.
When he reached me I expected him to stop, but instead hebrushed past the merman and scooped me up in his arms. He carried me from the water to the shore, his gaze never breaking from mine. It was only when he’d brought me clear of the surf to dry sand that he finally let me down.
My body slid against his as he gently let my legs drop, but he kept one arm wrapped around my back so that I couldn’t go far.
“Are you all right?” he asked, his gaze now roaming over my face as if assuring himself I was really there.
I was breathless, even though I hadn’t exerted myself. The merman had done all the work to get us to the cove. “I’m fine,” I managed to get out.
Adrien heaved a relieved sigh. “Thank the stars.” Reaching up, he cupped one of my cheeks. “I thought …” he started, but then let his words drift away. A shudder wracked Adrien’s frame that I felt acutely because I was pressed closely against him.
“I’m fine. Unharmed,” I said, choosing not to mention the ruptured eardrum and cuts on my ankle from the siren’s claws.
Wrapping both arms around me, he crushed me to his chest and buried his face in the side of my neck as we stood on the sandy beach shore and held each other. Perhaps I shouldn’t have let him pull me so close, but I felt a wild need deep inside to hold him tightly as well and wrapped my arms around his neck.
This feeling of needing someone was scary to me. But right now I needed to be closer to him.
We stood like that for a while, both of us trying to assure ourselves that the other was safe and well until someone cleared their throat.
“Excuse me, my lord,” said a lyrical female voice. “But we must return to the open sea.”
I could feel the reluctance in Adrien’s arms as he released me, but he took my hand so I couldn’t stray. I wasn’t mad about that. For some wild reason, I wasn’t ready to be separated from him either.
When I glanced back at the cove, a beautiful woman bobbed in the waves. She had long blonde hair with small seashells braided into it and bright blue eyes. Her face was round, and she had lush red lips that looked like they were in a permanent pucker. Her skin had a faint green tint to it like the male who’d saved me. I couldn’t see her lower half, but I assumed she had a tail just like him as well.
“Lady Kira,” Adrien said and then inclined his head in a sign of respect. “I thank you and your merfolk for saving us.” His gaze flicked to me then, and something about the way he glanced at me brought a blush to my cheeks. “Especially the princess. I’m truly in your debt,” he finished, looking back at Kira.
Merfolk. Just like I’d thought.
“You can repay us by stopping the curse headed our way,” she said, her voice bold and clear.
Murmurs sounded, and I glanced around the waters of the cove to see the dozen other merfolk nodding as well.
“You know of the curse?” Adrien said, his hand tightening on my own.
She nodded solemnly. “If the black waters that plague the Northern Kingdom reach our seas, all life in the ocean will be in jeopardy. Already merfolk from the northern seas have started to migrate into our warmer waters.”
Adrien exchanged a glance with me and then patted somethingat his side. I looked down to see the pouch that held the Shadow Heart. It bulged, showing he still had the magical crystal.
“That’s why we are here,” Adrien confessed. “Princess Isolde of the Winter Court has been given a mission to destroy the curse, once and for all. But to do so, we need to get to the belly of the sea. Can you help us?”
A frown marred Kira’s pretty features. “The belly of the sea is the sirens’ domain. No land dweller has ever made it there and lived to tell about it.”
My heart sank.
“The only hope we have of breaking the curse on our land is for Isolde and me to bring the Shadow Heart there to be unlocked. If we can’t make it to the belly of the sea, all hope will be lost.”
Kira chewed her bottom lip and glanced over at the male who’d saved me. He nodded once, and some concern seemed to clear from her face. When she turned back to us, determination lined the mermaid’s features.
“I will gather our fiercest warriors and escort you and your princess to the belly of the sea.”
