Bending down, my fingers wrap around the hilt of the small knife in my boot. I know I'll only have one shot with this tiny blade. It was my backup. Now, it's my only hope.
The Elite realizes I'm running out of weapons because a wolfish grin spreads across his face. He snarls, his sharp canines glistening as he approaches me. Despite the blood pouring from his chest, he is still dangerous.
But I have something he doesn’t. I have something to live for.
“Come and get me, fish-boy,” I hiss, brandishing my blade with my prosthetic hand. My heart hammers in my chest as I stare at my opponent.
The Mer’s shoulders shake in silent laughter as he charges towards me. It is ominous and sends chills down my spine. The Elite bends down, pulling a long, thin blade from a sheath on his thigh.
Twisting on my feet, I duck and swing behind him. A feral yell escapes my lips as I raise my blade and slam it into the base of his skull—the knife slides in, a perfect hit. Satisfaction roils through me as the Elite drops to the ground. His sword clatters as my knife protrudes from his neck. My heart is pounding, and I am gasping for air.
Looking up, I watch as Helena delivers the killing blow to the leader of the Elite. The male crumples to the ground as Helena's eyes lift to mine.
"Princess," my voice is barely more than a whisper on the wind as I take one step towards her, then two.
She drops her dagger, which falls with a clang as she races towards me. When Helena gets close enough to touch, I wrap my arms around her and squeeze tightly. I don’t care about the gore coating her skin. I just want to be with her. To hold her. To keep her safe.
I want to show her what it means to bemine.
"Thank the gods you're alive," I murmur. Pressing my lips to her forehead, nose, and cheeks, I keep running my fingers down her arms. A minor laceration runs down her cheek, but other than that, she appears to be unharmed.
“I love you,” I whisper.
Helena’s eyes are fiery as she grabs me by the back of my neck and tugs my hair before slamming her lips against mine. For a single second, I am surprised by her boldness. Then, I take full advantage of the moment.
There is nothing gentle about this kiss. It is rough and raw and made all the more sweet by our survival against all odds.
“Isn’t this sweet? And here I thought you were all about the rules,Captain.”
That voice. My face pales as I turn around on unsteady feet. “You-you’re dead.”
Conrad tilts his head, his eyes gleaming as he stares at me. “Correction. You threw me overboard. But clearly, I am alive and well.”
“But... what... how?” I croak. Apparently, in my shock, I’m reduced to monosyllabic words.
“Some people don’t take kindly to people who break their words, Erik. It just so happens that King Phelix’s men picked me up after you threw me overboard. We had a delightful conversation, and I was happy to tell him anything he needed to know about you.”
“You traitor,” I seethe.
This man I once stupidly called a friend laughs. Helaughsas he approaches me. The sound is terrible and grates on my every nerve. I take a step back, shoving Helena behind me. She’s so tense, she doesn’t even fight me. Her skin is cold, so cold—like ice.
Andthatmakes me even angrier than ever before. “Leave now,” I order.
Conrad shakes his head. “Isn’t this sweet?” he chuckles as he draws a sword. “You got mad at me for touching her, and here you are, ready to lay down your life for this fish-whore.”
Red clouds my vision as I bend down, grabbing a sword from a dead Elite to wield against him. I never remove my eyes from his. A cold sweat coats my body as I prepare myself to fight again. “Why are you here, Conrad?”
“I’m delivering a message. King Phelix isverydisappointed in his family. Especially his eldest daughter. He is rescinding his life debt, Erik, because he has something else in store for you. Something worse. This,” Conrad gestures to the smoke-filled city behind us, “is hisgiftto you both.”
Helena grips my arm with an ice-cold hand. I can feel her shivering behind me. “Asshole,” I seethe. “You are working for him, now?”
Conrad ignores me, continuing. “If the rest of the Elite don’t kill you, King Phelix never wants to see you again. If either of you step foot in Ice Mer waters again, your lives are forfeit. You’ll wish you had died today.”
Rage simmers under my skin. “You son of a bitch. People are dying here. Innocent people. Because of him. He is amonster. Does that not matter to you?”
Shaking his head, Conrad takes one step back, then two. He looks back at us with his feet at the edge of the dock. “This is not a joke. King Phelix is deadly serious. Helena is dead to him, and you... you are worse than dead. I have it on good authority that if the King ever sees your face again, he will personally rip you limb from limb. Hehatestraitors.”
Before I can say anything, Conrad steps back. He jumps into the water with a splash. I run forward, but he has disappeared by the time I get there. Helena is close behind me, her icy hand on my arm. Slowly, I turn around and look at her. Her eyes are filled with unshed tears as she touches my cheek.