by Gina LaManna
“I didn’t break out of prison,” she said, a shiver wracking her body. “He was there, he showed up in my cell and took me away. He brought me here.”
“How did he know about the lagoon?” I asked. “Liam told me nobody knows about it except the mermaids. It’s how he met you.”
“I knew about it, and this man—he knew of my background. He knew me, everything about me, though I’d never met him before.” She shook her head, blinked those huge blue eyes. “He made me give him directions to this place, and I agreed because he threatened to kill me if I didn’t. I asked him why he’d picked here.”
I waited as her eyes glazed over.
She shook herself back to reality. “He told me it was because nobody could hear me scream.”
“Where are the mermaids?” I asked. “Couldn’t they help you?”
She scoffed. “They abandoned this place years ago. Ever since they found out Liam knew of its existence, it wasn’t the same. They’ve moved on.”
“Where is he now?” I asked. “The man who broke you out of jail? What does he look like?”
“Dark hair, big muscles. He’s strong—strong enough to carry me. When he broke me out of jail I was weak, so weak he had to carry me. . . ”
As her voice trailed off, Liam held her closer. “Enough questions. We need to leave.”
“What happened after?” I pressed on, ignoring Liam. “The blood magic—was that you? With the Candidates?”
She paused, her lips quivering. They were colored a dark purple, dry and cut and bleeding. Running her tongue nervously over them, she glanced at Liam and then back to me. “Yes,” she said softly. “And I am so very, truly sorry to say it.”
Liam froze. His arms went stiff, yet he couldn’t seem to let go completely. “How could you, Ilinia?”
“He made me.” Her voice cracked. “He threatened my life first, and I told him I’d rather die than participate in his plan.”
“That wasn’t enough, so he threatened someone else’s life,” I said with a quick glance at Liam. “Whose?”
She raised a hand, brought her fingers to Liam’s face and traced a thin line down his cheek. Tears spilled freely from her eyes. “I had to do it, for you, for us. I’m sorry.”
The horror in Liam’s face twisted my heart. I ached for him, for Ilinia, for their dangerous affair. There was love between them, I could see it, feel it in the air, but there was also death. And loss. To be surrounded by so much love and loss all at once—Liam’s face crumpled in pain.
“You shouldn’t have,” Liam said. “I could’ve saved you, I would have found you. I can protect myself, and you, and us. You should never have agreed.”
“I had no choice.”
“You always have a choice,” Liam said, his eyes the color of slate. “You should have let me die.”
I stepped forward, exhaling a shaky breath. “Liam, stop—she was trying to save you.”
“A Candidate is dead,” Liam said flatly. “It should have been me.”
“It’s done and it’s in the past. Right now, we need to get out of here,” I said. “Ilinia, can you walk? You can tell us the rest on the way.”
She nodded, struggling to her feet. She leaned against Liam. His face had taken on a grayish sheen, and his expression told me he hadn’t decided if he should hold her close or push her away.
“Liam, can you get us out of here?” I asked. “I’ll take one arm, you take the other. . . ”
We hobbled through the sheet of water. Our drenched clothes made the journey long and treacherous, the rocks skittering beneath our feet, the clothes heavy on our backs. We’d made it almost into the shade of the trees when Ilinia stiffened.
“He’s coming. We need to hide.”
I didn’t hear anything, but I didn’t wait for another warning. I pulled her quickly to the side, and Liam followed us. Soon enough, a whistling noise approached from deeper within The Forest.
“Ilinia,” a deep male voice called, “we’ve arrived! The mind bending wasn’t enough to knock him out, but we helped it along!”
I turned to Ilinia, a prickling sensation creeping down my spine. “What is he talking about?”
Her eyes were wide, and she gave the smallest shake of her head. But something in her eyes, the smallest sense of disappointment, gave her away. My heart understood before my brain, but once my mind figured out that everything Ilinia said had been a lie, I moved like lightning.
Diving for Liam, I pushed him out of the way as Ilinia leaped to her feet. She went from weak to able-bodied in the blink of an eye, her blue gaze full of energy, her lips curled into a smile. Liam and I tumbled to the ground.
“I told you to be discreet, idiot,” Ilinia shouted to the man now standing on the rocky beach. “What part of you screaming through The Forest is discreet?”
From the ground, I could see the figure of a man holding the arm of an even bigger man who was slumped on the rocks. Two additional men accompanied the first, helping to carry the unmoving figure. A familiar figure.
“X!” I screamed, lunging for the group of men. They were much too far away for me to reach them, but I couldn’t help it. “X, it’s me!”
The men dropped Ranger X’s body to the ground. He was bleeding from his head, bruised on his arms. He didn’t move as his body hit the beach, clearly unconscious.
“What did you do to him?” I yelled, turning to face Ilinia.
She stood with her hands held out in front of her, her hair whipping behind her in the rising wind. I fought against Liam as he tried desperately to hold me back while I struggled toward X.
“Let him go!” I shouted, but Liam won our battle and held me to the ground.
Ilinia took a few steps toward us, her hair wild as my shawl flapped against her skeletal figure. “I’m sorry you had to find out like this.”
Liam’s breath was hot against my neck as he hissed at The Puppeteer. “What is this, Ilinia? What are you thinking?”
Her face contorted in what looked like genuine pain. “I wish things didn’t have to be like this.”
“Have to be like whaaa. . . ” The word didn’t make it from his mouth before Liam jerked to attention, his eyes going vacant as the words disappeared into thin air.
Ilinia twisted her hands, the blues of her eyes going almost milky white as she muttered words at the speed of light. Liam didn’t react when I shook him, so I set his body against the ground.
Before I could lunge for her, she stopped speaking and Liam slumped into unconsciousness. I knelt over him, listened for breathing. Shallow puffs of air slipped from his mouth. He was alive, but just barely.
When I looked up, Ilinia was breathless, her lips turning black, her eyes still white as snow. With her hands dancing like a puppeteer’s, she muttered the curses that would trade a piece of her soul for control over my mind.
The world began to dim, the familiar sensation of blood magic taking over. My mind faded to black as the names, the faces of those I loved, disappeared into nothing.
CHAPTER 33
When the haze cleared, the world returned in full force. Once again, the colors struck me as too bright, the noises too loud, the taste of air on my tongue too strong. I blinked, stretched, tried to understand how I’d ended up on top of the waterfall staring down at the lagoon below.
The sun pierced the trees and warmed my skin. As I stretched, the skin of my wrists twinged in pain. It was then I realized that my hands were bound behind my back with rope, and it bit into my skin as I struggled. The Puppeteer was nowhere in sight.
But I wasn’t alone, either. Liam and Ranger X were near, our backs touching one another, forming a triangle in our cross-legged positions on the ground. We were each bound individually, with a larger rope tying all six of our wrists together.
“Are you both okay?” I asked, trying to keep the worry from my voice. I could hear two sets of breath—at least they were alive. “X, are you awake?”
“Lily,” he said, relief in his voice. “I
’m fine, but you—”
“I’m fine, too.” I looked down at my legs and found them dusted with scratches. A raspberry burned on my elbow, and I could sense a bruise forming on my hip. “How did I get up here?”
Ranger X clasped his hand around a few of my fingers. It was all he could reach. “You walked.”
“I walked?” A pit of dread weighed heavy in my stomach. I had no recollection of anything after Ilinia had worked her magic on me. My memories were a complete and utter void.
“Mind bending,” X said. “She used it on all of us, but it looks like she can use it on only one person at a time.”
I cleared my throat, feeling a rush of sympathy for Camden and Trent. The feeling of waking up, of not knowing how I’d gotten here sent shivers down my spine. “Did I do anything else?”
“No,” X said softly. “They tied us and left.”
“How long ago?”
“Just a few minutes,” he said. “It took you awhile to come out of the trance, but it was your first time. It hit you hard.”
“No, there was. . . there was the time I went under with the Witch of the Woods,” I said. “I fought it off.”
“That wasn’t real blood magic,” Ranger X said. “Nobody can fight this off—don’t blame yourself.”
“But—”
“It worked on me. Ilinia’s mind bending magic hit me while I was home alone, preparing to meet with the Candidates. I don’t remember what happened after that. The men hauled me through The Forest while I was out.”
“I’m so sorry.” I ran my fingers along the palm of his hand. “I wish I could have done something to stop it.”
“No, I’m the one—I should’ve done something,” X argued. “I shouldn’t have left you alone. If only I’d—”
“You should’ve done something?” Liam’s voice rose in pitch. “What about me? I walked Lily straight into a trap and exposed her to the worst form of magic in the world. And even then, I didn’t protect her.”
“She used you,” I said. “It’s not your fault. You cared about her.”
“If I’d listened to Ranger X years ago, this never would have happened. From day one, he warned me against her. Then he arrested her, and still I fought him on it.” A shiver wracked Liam’s body, his words bitter. “This has all happened because of me. I’m so sorry. To both of you.”
The apology felt directed toward Ranger X, so I waited for his response. Instead of speaking, he moved so quickly I hardly knew what was happening. Then I felt the ropes loosen on my wrists and I realized that somehow Ranger X had sliced through our bindings.
“How did you do that?” I asked, leaping to my feet and staring at him.
Instead of responding, he reached out and kissed me with a desire so overpowering I couldn’t breathe. My heart soared, my stomach on fire with emotions for him as his lips pressed to mine.
And then Liam cleared his throat.
Ranger X’s hands latched behind me, hovering just below my waist as he glared over my head.
“I’m sorry to ruin the moment, but I think we should figure out a plan,” Liam said. “And then I will leave you alone. I promise.”
“I already have a plan,” Ranger X said, stepping into business mode with a resigned glance at my lips. “Sit,” he instructed, “and wrap the rope around your hands—loose enough to throw it off when the moment arrives.”
“Let’s go now,” Liam said. “Why wait?”
“If we go now, she’ll get to us first. We need to let her come to us, let her guard weaken before we attack. I don’t want to run from her; I want to end this.”
Once we’d all slid to the ground, adjusted our positions, and looped the rope over our wrists, I scooted as far back as I could. I touched both men’s hands, the motion small but purposeful.
“I’m scared,” I whispered, my heart racing. “I hate mind bending. If she does it to me again…”
“She won’t,” X said. “I won’t let her.”
“Wait!” I hissed. “I have something. I almost forgot.”
Quickly slipping my hand out from under the rope, I pulled the small vial from my pocket. “Split this,” I said, handing it to the men. “It’ll help.”
“What is this?” Ranger X asked, palming the vial. “A potion?”
“I call it Jinx & Tonic,” I whispered. “It protects against blood magic. I think. It hasn’t been tested, but there’s no time for that.”
“No.” Ranger X pressed it back into my hands. “You take it.”
“I have another for me,” I lied. “Which means that you two will have to share. It’s a half serving each, and hopefully it’ll lessen the effects.”
“Lily—”
“Now!” I hissed. “They’re coming, don’t waste it.”
“Are you sure this works?” Liam asked.
“Fifty percent.”
“And what are the chances it’s deadly?”
“One percent?” I flinched. The sounds of The Puppeteer returning could be heard in the distance, now echoing off the rocks of the lagoon. Even so, we didn’t have long. “I don’t think it’s deadly, just drink it. It’s your only chance.”
Ranger X lifted the small vial to his lips. He took a few sips before passing it to Liam. He finished it, and then both men returned their hands behind their backs. Conversation filtered up to us, signaling the arrival of Ilinia and her gang.
“You didn’t take your potion,” X whispered as he shifted into position. “Do it now—she’s coming.”
“I don’t have any more,” I said, my voice barely audible. “Don’t argue now, X, please. I can fight it off—I’ve done it before. I wasn’t ready this last time, but I’ll be ready next time,” I said, praying it would be true. “Trust me.”
“Lily—”
“Let’s get out of here now, and we can argue about it later. Deal?”
The footsteps thumped closer. With each step, the beat of my heart flew a little faster. My muscles tensed with anticipation. I inched a little closer to the warmth behind me.
“I’m holding you to it.”
It was the last thing he said before The Puppeteer crested the hill. Gone was the flimsy, weak woman whom Liam had found cowering behind the waterfall. Back was The Puppeteer in all of her beauty, in all of her terrible, dangerous glory.
“Why, hello,” she said, her voice lilting over us. “How are we this afternoon?”
Though she had never been a mermaid, her heritage ran strong. Her words sounded like singing; when she spoke, remnants of the mermaid magic lingered in her voice, the effect calming, almost hypnotic.
She knew it, too. She stood tall and proud, formidable. She’d let her hair loose and it tumbled in long curls down her back. Her black hair and blue eyes made for a startling combination.
She wore a gauzy, emerald green dress, and the finished product was stunning. I could hardly blame Liam for falling in love with her; she was gorgeous and dangerous, all in one.
“Have you made yourselves at home?” The Puppeteer carried a straw bag over her shoulder. She set it on the ground, peeked at the contents inside, and then looked expectantly at us. “Well? I asked you a question.”
“We’re wonderful,” Liam said dryly. “Just awaiting your return.”
“Oh, good, my dear.” She left her straw bag on the ground and strode forward.
She circled us. Her eyes, sharp and calculating, landed briefly on our wrists. The fake knot must have been good enough to fool her, because her gaze slid past it. Finally, she came to a stop in front of Liam.
Reaching out a hand, she smoothed the back of her fingers over his cheek; I watched out of the corner of my eye. “I’m sorry it’s come to this,” she whispered to Liam. “I didn’t mean to fool you, my love.”
“You’ve been fooling me from day one.” Liam tipped his chin upward. “Whatever I couldn’t see back then is clear to me now. You never loved me, Ilinia.”
“I did,” she said with a pout. “I loved my Liam.”
“You don’t even understand what the word means,” Liam said. He slumped forward, letting his gaze drop, his words stemming from a corner of pain in his heart, more sad than angry. “I was stupid then. So very, very stupid.”
“It was love,” she argued. “When you asked me to marry you, I said yes.”
“You wanted something, and it wasn’t me,” he said. “I don’t know what you were after then, or what you’re after now. I don’t know who hurt you or why, but it has ruined you. I’m sorry you couldn’t learn to love me, and I’m sorry I couldn’t help you more. I’m sorry about it all.”
I reached out, squeezing the hand closest to me. Liam’s disappointment, his realization that everything he’d loved had been a lie, was devastating, even to an outsider. Now was not the time to feel sympathy, yet I couldn’t seem to help myself.
“Only you and I know what we had back then.”
“Why’d you end up in prison?” Liam asked. “I fought for you. All these years, and I never once considered that you were guilty. I never gave up on you.”
“Not until now.”
“Not until now,” he agreed. “When you gave me no choice. I love you, I still do, but I respect Ranger X and I love Lily, too. I can’t let you hurt them.”
Ilinia’s eyes flashed toward me, hatred and jealousy in her glare.
“I don’t love her in that way,” Liam said. “I could never love anyone like I loved you. But she is part of my family on this island now. She’s our Mixologist; by nature, she is good, and it’s my duty to protect her.”
“She’s nothing,” Ilinia said. “With her power, just think if she learned the art of mind bending. She’d be unstoppable.”
“I’d never—” I started.
“Stop,” Liam warned. “What do you want with us, Ilinia?”
Ranger X, to my right, was fidgeting with something, but I ignored him, hoping Ilinia wouldn’t notice. I craned my neck even farther to watch the interaction between The Puppeteer and Liam.
However, Ranger X spoke next, sounding resigned. “I think it’s time he knows why you went to prison, Ilinia.”
