Page 123 of Mermaid on Heels

“Luke,” Liriya uttered his name with all the love she had for him, smiling and melting into his touch. “I wanted your name to be the first thing I said when I got my voice back.”

His smile widened into the handsome smile she loved and had missed. “Oh, Liriya…”

“And, I am not a heroine,” she blurted out. “I could not have done it without the help I had from my family and our friends.” Liriya pocketed the flute and touched his hand that rested on her cheek.

“Lectoria owes them,” Luke agreed with a nod. “But my love, it doesn’t change that you aremyheroine.”

Liriya’s smile wavered and she placed her other hand on the side of his face. “I love you Luke, more than anything that has ever existed in my life. I have died every day, since the night you walked away from my door after giving me time to make my decision, waiting to tell you this. I was on my way to tell you though, but that was when the tragedy struck. However, that does not matter now. I am here, with you, and I finally get to tell you—tell you what I want.”

She closed her eyes to take back the tears and opened them. “It is you, King Luke of Lectoria, my love and my mystery human. It has always been you from the moment I saw you.Youare all I want.”

Luke inhaled and touched their foreheads together, his eyes fluttering close. He was silent for a moment, holding her protectively against him. When he opened his eyes, Liriya saw how tormented they were.

“I failed you,” he spoke finally, his voice low and drenched in pain, “and you still love me?”

His words split her heart into two. “Oh, Luke… Of course, I do. How can you even—”

“I failed you, Liriya!” Luke cut off her words, his voice breaking. “The whole last week… The girl I announced as my bride, the girl I proposed to in front of everyone… Ithadto be you, but it wasn’t you and I—I didn’t even realize it! I spent my time, gave the ring I’d been treasuring for you, my mother’s ring, to-to—”

“You did not know, Lu—”

“Ikissedher, Liriya!” he hissed, spitting the word in disgust.

Liriya’s heart skipped a beat at his admission of what she had already assumed happened. But she would be a cruel fool if she ever held that against him. He didn’t know it wasn’t her, and it was as simple as that, even though her anger flared towards Faelina for daring to kiss him.

“I know. I figured. But you did not know it wasnotme, Luke!” Liriya urged.

“Don’t defend me, Liriya—”

Liriya pressed her fingers to his lips to stop him from continue blaming himself.

“You didnotknow it Luke, alright? That ishardlyyou failing me,” she told him sternly with slightly narrowed eyes. “I do not want you to blame yourself for this. Faelina was wicked and cunning, and she played me perfectly—well,almostperfectly,since you and my sistersdidnotice the un-Liriya-like things she did. But Luke, you would not have doubted it couldnotbe me. Because the last thing we all expected was Faelina to be among us in the form of one of the elites and steal my identity when she realized I am your choice.” She softened her voice. “If anyone is to be blamed, it is Faelina.”

Luke didn’t look fully convinced. “But—”

“But you were able to tell me apart!” Liriya cut him off again, her eyes shining and her lips upright with a beam. “You knew it was me when you saw me. I did not need my voice to tell you it was me or give you some sort of proof…No.You saw me all by yourself.”

Luke inhaled and exhaled. He stared at her for a moment before heaving a sigh. “I think you’re right.”

“IknowI am right.” Liriya’s lips quirked up at the corner.

“Yes, you are right.” Luke’s face relaxed into a smile, the light reentering his eyes. “All I needed was seeing you and your duplicate together, so I could compare the traits between the two people who looked like the woman I love, and realize that it wasn’t nervousness that made my bride act so unlike herself. She was simplynotmy bride.”

“Andyou would not have known it otherwise.” Liriya hurried to add before he would go blaming himself again. “So, I do noteverwant to hear a thing as self-blame coming from that beautiful mouth of yours. The important thing is, my love, that you know me well enough to tell me apart from my exact replica.”

“And not even conquering the world would give me satisfaction as great as hearing you say so.” Luke’s eyes softened. “I love you, Princess—QueenLiriya of Lectoria.”

Liriya gasped lightly, her heart fluttering. “I am not one yet.”

“Yet.But only minutes away from being so.” Luke’s eyes twinkled. “That is—”

“Yes,” Liriya interrupted his words, pressing herself against him. “I am ready to marry you today, as in, right now. Why else do you think I am wearing a white dress?”

Luke chuckled, and Liriya smiled hearing the sound of it. She had missed hearing him laugh, every bit of him in fact. “So you’re ready.”

She nodded. “Ready like I have never been in all of my life before.”

“Then I believe you should wear this.” Luke took her right hand and slipped the diamond and sapphire ring onto her ring finger. He kissed her knuckles and then her forehead.

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