Page 108 of Mermaid on Heels

“So, you mean, he can breathe underwater too?”

Liriya glanced at the astonished princess and nodded.

“And, how did you two find each other? You have yet to tell me that,” Aeira said, trying to compose herself from the shock.

Liriya smiled sadly and mouthed,long story.

Aeira nodded in understanding and stared at the glistening ocean, appearing to be lost in thought. “The Creator has filled the world with a lot of wonder, and we’ve only discovered very little of them, haven’t we?”

Liriya wondered if Aeira was talking to Liriya or herself. Nevertheless, she agreed.

Aeira turned her gaze to Liriya and smiled. “Have you rested well? Might we go up to my home now? I can barely wait to shock my family and confront Terrance with the truth.”

Liriya nodded eagerly. She too couldn’t wait to have the royal family’s aid to make her journey back to Lectoria before the wedding day.

* * *

“Princess Aeira, Your Royal Highness!” One of the guards they ran into at the courtyard gushed in shock and relief. “How-why—”

The man struggled with his words as he took in the princess’ disheveled, damp, and somewhat inappropriate appearance. Liriya fought a smile, recalling the joke Aeira made when they were climbing the stairs to the cliff—that they both looked like runaway peasants. It made Liriya recall the triplets’ comment on her and her sisters’ attire from that first day.

However, the smile on her face dropped at the thought of her sisters. She could only pray that they were safe.

“It’s a long story, William, quite dramatic that you won’t believe it.” Aeira obviously knew the young guard and answered him mischievously. “But now, can you please take us to my family? It’s quite urgent.”

“Yes, Your Highness.” The guard dipped his head in a bow and spared a curious glance at Liriya before turning on his heels. “Please, if you follow me.” He led the way. “Your parents and brother were devastated about you, since receiving the letter from King Luke of Lectoria, saying that you and your party left the Lestoshire castle at night without alerting anyone. Not even the guards were aware.”

He threw an incredulous glance at Aeira over his shoulder.

Liriya’s heart leaped at the mention of Luke and exchanged a wide-eyed glance with Aeira.

Faelina. She mouthed.Me.

Aeira gritted her teeth and nodded at Liriya in understanding, before responding to the guard’s obvious question. “It’s extremely complicated, William. Like I said,dramatic. I wish I could tell you but I need to disclose it to my family first.”

“Of course, Princess.”

Before long, they reached the front of a massive double-door guarded by two guards who gaped in astonishment at the sight of their supposedly lost princess.

The men moved from the door and Aeira stepped forward, pushing the heavy doors open without them announcing her. There was a collective gasp from the inside—a gathering hall as Liriya assumed—telling her that the attendees were taken off guard at the intrusion.

Aeira strode inside. “Let me guess, I ran off from Lectoria with my lady’s maid and guards in our carriage at night without telling dear Luke, and I haven’t made it back home yet, right?” She spoke to the stunned room and everyone stared at her with wide eyes. “What if I tell you that I never made it to Lectoria at all?”

While Aeira sounded dead serious, Liriya couldn’t help but feel a little amused by the girl’s way of approaching this.

“Aeira!”

A dark-haired, tall, and good-looking young man in regal attire was the first one to compose himself from the shock. He took long, fast strides towards Aeira, his previously tormented face now radiant with joy and relief as he swept her off her feet and spun her around. Placing her back on her feet, he held her close as if he would never let her go again.

Aeira melted into his embrace, returning the hug tight and whispering, “Brother.”

The room held their silence as the brother and sister shared their reunion hug.

“I swear, if you ever do that to me again…” Prince Dyran trailed off, leaving his words hanging in the air. “I insist that you explain what madness you’ve done, Aeira! You nearly brought Garbia to the brink of war with Lectoria.”

Aeira pushed herself away from the hug and glared at her brother. “AndIinsist you explain how come any of you were unaware thatIwasn’tmethat whole two weeks before I supposedly left for the selection!”

Prince Dyran stared at her incredulously, and Liriya watched King Titan and Queen Waverly striding towards their children from the dais.

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