Page 121 of Mermaid on Heels

“So you did not see it—seeme—all this time?”

“You gave me no other option than thinking you were nervous about the wedding like every bride would be, every time you acted un-Liriya-like,” Luke retorted in a low voice. “So, I shall see for myself what’s the truth andwhomy Liriya is.”

Luke descended from the altar and walked down the aisle. Ella and Cedric stepped aside from Liriya. The eyes of everyone in the room watched her and Luke in untellable tension.

Liriya’s eyes locked with Luke’s beloved ocean-blue eyes as he neared, but his facial expression gave away nothing. Despite her heart soaring and every cell of her body being aware of her lover’s approach, Liriya held her breath in waiting.

He stopped feet away from her and they stared at each other.

See me, Luke, see me!Her heart cried out to him.I am for real,sheis the duplicate!

“MyLiriya,” he began, taking a step forward, “is like the world basked in the light of the morning sun every time she sees me. Everysingletime her eyes find me, she lights up, making me think I were the sun and she is the world awaiting its daily shine. Although in truth, it is merely the opposite—sheismysun.

“My Liriya has this unfathomable warmth in her eyes that consumes me whole, whenever she looks at me. And she looks at me like no one else does, like I am the sun, the moon, and all the stars in the heavens.” He took another step forward, the faux-guard slipping as a tormented look entered his eyes. Then he whispered, “And she’s right in front of me.”

Liriya’s tears spilled, the love radiating from him reaching every part of her soul.

“My Liriya…”

Tears streaming down her face, Liriya stepped towards him. Her knees trembled and she stumbled, falling right into Luke’s outstretched arms. He steadied her and drew her to him, holding her tight.

“I’ve got you, my little mermaid, I’ve got you.”

Liriya clung to him with her arm spreading around his back. Face buried in his chest, she inhaled his wonderful scent and felt him kiss her hair. Her body shook with the silent sobs she had been restraining. She was home; she was home at last.

Luke pulled away to look down at her, keeping his arms firmly around her as if he would never let her go from his hold again. Liriya met his gaze that swam with tears. Oh, how many times had she dreamed of this very moment, the whole past week that felt like a month!

“Liriya, sweetheart, I—I… I’m so sorry I didn’t—”

Liriya pressed her fingers to his lips, silencing him, and mouthed:I love you.

Luke kissed her fingers and closed his eyes for a moment, as if in pain. Liriya trailed her fingers to his shaved jaw and Luke opened his eyes.I love you too.He mouthed back and touched his forehead to hers.

Liriya smiled and closed her eyes in contentment. Home, sweet home.

Suddenly, a hum rose in the air.

Liriya’s eyes fluttered open. She pulled away from Luke almost abruptly and pushed him behind her. The humming grew louder, and then shifted into a melody. Liriya’s duplicate eyes met hers with a malicious laugh in them, mocking her.

Liriya reached into the pocket of her gown. Her fingers clasped around the Dolphin’s Songflute and she grabbed it. Bringing it to her lips, she began playing.

Faelina’s eyes widened, as if in realization, and she sang louder. People started falling under the enchantment. Within seconds, everyone in the room—perhaps, even the entire castle—except Luke, Liriya’s family, Aeira, Dyran, Queen Waverly, King Alton, Prince Mars, and their guard were affected.

The siren songs didn’t affect the merfolk like it did underwater.

Liriya’s mind went to Cedric, Bianca, and Kitty. While she knew the enchantment wouldn’t harm them, she couldn’t bear the thought of the people she loved being under Faelina’s control even for a mere moment.

Liriya closed her eyes determinedly and replayed in her mind of every evil her half-sister unleashed upon them in the last four months, from her eighteenth birthday, one by one.

Putting Pearltuna under her spell when Liriya refused to hand over the artifact, nearly killing their father, using the affected people as her puppets, stealing Aeira’s identity with the Mermaid’s Mirror and locking her up in an underwater prison, stealing Liriya’s own identity and transporting her—

“Faelina, stop!” Papa demanded.

What is he doing?Liriya wondered.

“Faelina, stop it now or you shall regret this!”

Liriya opened her eyes to peer at her duplicate; she wasn’t paying the least attention to their papa’s pleading words.

---