Sea Witch(67)

“I am not Anna,” Annemette says plainly, clearly annoyed. “If you keep believing that, whatever you have planned won’t work!”

I shake my head. “I know you don’t remember. Maybe you never will, but this is something I can feel. I can feel Anna inside of you. But it doesn’t matter, Annemette—I care for you just as you are. Our friendship can be so much more than mine with Anna’s ever was. You and I are the same!

“Look,” I go on, trying to keep my voice as steady as possible, “the sea took Anna from me four years ago. And even if that girl only lives on as a memory in you, the sea took her soul. You did not keep it.” At this Annemette flinches. “And that’s what you need to survive. Anna’s soul is one portion of the exchange. The sea took from us and now it owes me—you—a soul in return.”

But she doesn’t consider a word I say. She only turns and raises her voice, and I realize both princes have followed us out—what they’ve heard, I don’t know.

“I must leave tonight, Nik,” she says.

Nik glances at me, but then returns his attention to Annemette, taking a step toward her. “Now? But the ball isn’t over yet,” Nik says, sadness in his voice. Behind him, Iker cocks a brow.

“I have to go. I’m sorry.”

Nik is about to say more, but Iker barges into the conversation, taking a few steps until he’s towering above both of us. “I wasn’t aware of a midnight train to Odense, and no carriage will take you that far. Surely you aren’t going to walk.”

Nik shoots Iker a look of warning but doesn’t say a word. Instead, he takes both Annemette’s hands. “If you need to go, then go. I understand.”

“So, you’re going to vanish in the middle of the night? What a plan!” Iker’s eyes flash and he steps away from the wall. “Break his heart but not his spirit, return again in a few months and he’ll be so happy, he’ll just throw himself at you—title and all? Too bad you failed at the first step—”

“Enough, Iker! If she needs to leave, she needs to leave,” Nik shouts. I don’t know why Nik isn’t suspicious too, but I have a feeling it’s because he trusts me. And I trust Annemette.

“I really have to go,” Annemette says, rushing to Nik’s side. “I’m so sorry.” She moves to kiss him on the cheek, when Iker grabs her by the arm.

“Witches are creatures of the night. That’s it, isn’t it? Is your cauldron about to boil over? Do you have toads that need simmering? Brew to bottle?”

“Iker!” Nik shouts, and pushes him off her.

But Iker keeps going, turning more and more into a monster than the man I love. “Or is it simply that your broom has arrived and you mustn’t leave your favorite mode of transportation waiting?”

Annemette’s calm cracks wide open, her teeth bared in the moonlight. “I am not a witch, you ox!”

“Then what are you? A fairy? A ghost? Or maybe just a con artist, like Evie once suggested. Foreign trash finding an easy mark in our Nik.” Iker’s teeth are gritted in that feral grin as he twists the knife.

I latch onto Iker’s forearm, and Nik moves protectively in front of Annemette, but neither of us can stop Iker’s momentum.

“How many lonely boys have fallen for your tricks? Five? Ten? Twenty? Whatever the number, I’m sure this one here would make quite the feather in your pointy little hat. He’s definitely got enough gold to retire on.”

“Stop!” Nik shoves Iker away, and though Iker barely budges, I lose my grip on him and stumble into the table.

Iker stands his ground but holds out his hand to haul me up. His eyes flash at Nik. “Look what the witch has made you do.” I push his hand away and get to my feet.

“She isn’t a witch,” I say.

“I am not.” Annemette’s voice is firm. She’s done backing down. “And I must go.”

“Doesn’t he deserve to know why?” Iker says then points a hand toward Nik. “The man you’ve been tossing yourself at out of love for three straight days? If you aren’t leaving in the middle of Havnestad’s biggest ball for nefarious purposes, surely you can tell him the reason. At least give the man that.”

Annemette doesn’t look at Iker. Doesn’t look at me. Or even Nik. She just spins for the door. The boys freeze in shock—the both of them unused to not receiving a reply to their questions—but I whir into motion, running after her, snatching her hand just before she opens the French doors.

“Evie, it’s almost midnight! Let me go. There’s nothing you can do. Nothing Nik can do!”

But I won’t let her die like this, and I hang on to her arm tightly. In her struggle, Annemette gets turned around enough that I can look her in the eye. “If you won’t let me help, then tell him what you did. He’ll understand. Maybe he does love you and just needs a push. Isn’t it worth a shot? Tell him—”

“Tell me what?” Nik asks behind me.

Annemette clamps her lips shut and shakes her head as she tries to buck away from my grip.

He places a hand on my shoulder. “Evie, what is it?”

Annemette catches my eye, pleading.

“I won’t have you leave us, Annemette. I won’t,” I cry. Her breath hitches, but I am strong, and I know this is right. I raise my voice just enough that the boys can hear it but nobody beyond the balcony.