Sea Witch(61)

We stand at the end of the line. Several schoolmates of mine are closest to us—including Ruyven and Didrik. Malvina is ahead of us. As usual, stares come from all sides, cold and dismissive, whispers of conspiracy on warm lips. They all think I have a plan—that everything I do is to assert my place in the palace, where I don’t belong.

This time they would be right, I suppose. I do have a plan.

But it’s not for me.

If a kiss doesn’t do it, I will. I’ll take Annemette to Havnestad Cove and tell the sea what I want. What the magic owes me—owes us. The sea took Anna. I deserve Annemette.

And Annemette, well, she thinks I deserve some of the magic she has tonight. She spelled the dress I’m wearing—an enchanting Havnestad blue, netted with black lace at the bodice. Hers is the same color, but accented with ivory. With our matching pearls and tresses left down and flowing, we’re a study in contrasts—light and dark.

I try to take a deep breath in, my nerves piling high, but my bodice is a little tighter than usual. “Pride must suffer pain,” Annemette had whispered in my ear as she tied the bodice. I’d think about how tight the queen’s bodice must be, but laughing would only hurt more.

People line up behind us as we move forward at a steady but slow clip, the line snaking forward in a constant motion but with the velocity of a centipede. When we wind down the hallway, the entrance to the royal ballroom is finally in sight. I spot King Asger’s tall form, crown atop his dark head, sapphires glittering beneath the great chandeliers that light the hall with a golden glow.

I glance to his left and see Nik and his less ornate prince’s crown. One more spot and two inches down and there’s Iker, wearing, for the first time this trip, his own crown, decorated with the rubies of Rigeby Bay.

Almost there.

Up front, the visiting girls dawdle, finally getting the attention of both princes. The queen is all smiles, and so is Nik—he’d never let these people down. Not in a million years. Iker has on his Prince Charming face, playing up to his reputation with winks and bows and kisses to each girl’s hand.

After another long spell, we come to our turn with the king.

“Evelyn, my, you look more beautiful than ever tonight.”

“Thank you, your grace,” I say, shaking his hand.

“Yes, quite beautiful,” adds Queen Charlotte, her eyes narrowing. “Your gown is lovely.”

I’m sure she’s wondering where I got such an extravagant thing, whether Nik purchased it for me, or worse, I stole it from one of her precious visiting girls. She’s too careful to say anything here, though I’m sure whatever rumor she spreads will reach me later.

I take her hand and curtsy.

“Evie, you look fantastic,” Nik says when I move down the line to him, and I’m surprised his attention is on me when Annemette stands behind me, looking even more striking. As I turn to him, he takes my hand and kisses it. My breath catches.

“Yes, she does. Hurry up, Cousin,” Iker says, irked.

I draw in Nik and give him a peck on one blushing cheek before squeezing his hand. He is simply dashing in his sleek black suit, hair combed and lying perfectly under his crown.

Next to us, Iker clears his throat. Nik gives my hand one last warm squeeze before we part, and he bows to Annemette.

Nik and I joke about Iker’s status as Prince Charming, but Iker certainly lives up to it tonight in every way. My heart was already pounding, but seeing him now causes the blood in my veins to grow hot.

Sweeping navy trousers top high-shine black boots. A crisp white shirt peeks from underneath a pressed coat that glows with golden thread and the crest of Rigeby Bay. The sun-kissed highlights in his hair shine in a way that only serves to make the ice blue of his eyes more stunning. The ruby crown is a symbol of his status, yes, but even in rags—even in nothing at all—he would look like a prince.

Iker takes my hand and kisses it, as he’s done with all the girls in line. His lips are gentle; the rasp of stubble at his chin makes my skin tingle and the flush deepen.

He straightens to his full height, broad shoulders back, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth—a subtle movement that makes my knees weak. “I am very much looking forward to dancing the night away with you, my lady.”

There’s a mischievous look in his eye as he leans into my ear. “Tonight you are the spitting image of a komtesse, but you have the grace of a queen. And in your blood is the sea woman I have fallen for.”

It’s all I can do not to kiss him right there, in front of everyone. But there will be time for that after all of this. After tonight is the rest of our lives. Together.





SIX DAYS BEFORE


The difficulty wasn’t in surviving the humans—it was in returning to the sea castle, slipping into her old life like nothing had happened, when everything had changed.

The little mermaid knew who she was. And as she swam through the sea castle’s ornate coral doors, past schools of fish new to this water, she could only think of one thing.

How to get herself back.

She hadn’t had magic on land. That much she remembered. But Evie had. She hadn’t seen it when she was a girl, but now that magic coursed through her own veins, it was easy to spot in her friend’s home, especially with that peculiar aunt of hers.

Oh, what a delicious secret that would been for Anna to have known. Ever the loyal friend, she wouldn’t have told anyone.