Page 100 of Sworn to My Heart
We head downstairs to the first floor of the apartment, and I’m delighted to see my parents and Bay sitting in the living room.
I rush over and embrace them, feeling like a little girl again.
“I’m so proud of you, my dear,” my mother’s voice whispers in my ear, and I’m so happy to have the chance to hug them like this again.
“I thought I lost you all,” I say, looking at Luca standing behind me.
“I was completely devastated,” I add, sadness creeping into my voice as the image of them paralyzed on the ground flashes in my mind again.
“We’re all fine now thanks to you, and it seems you did a very good job with Zale and his son,” my mother says, laughing.
“At least I know she inherited that from me,” my father immediately interjects, but my mother doesn’t miss a beat.
“You must be forgetting all the times I saved your life and fought on your behalf, but if you prefer to think that then why not?”
We all laugh, and joy fills me. The people I love most are in one room, happy and safe. Humans and merfolk. I pray this isn’t a dream.
“The betrayal and death of Zale and his son means there’s no more wedding. You can come back home with us now, Alianna,” my father says gently, holding my hand, and I feel a pang in my chest.
I got my parents back, but I don’t want to leave Luca. I fought my whole life to stay here.
“Mom, Dad, I know you might not support me in this, but I want to stay here on land with Luca. I don’t want to leave thesea, but I don’t want to leave the land either. I want to combine my two worlds, and I think I’ve earned that,” I request, bracing for the storm my parents might unleash in the room, holding my breath.
My mother looks at my father, and it seems the decision is in his hands. Not a good sign.
“Alianna, you are the next in line for our lineage. It will fall apart if you don’t come with us and continue it after us,” my father states what I already expected, and I sigh in frustration.
“Let me finish,” he suddenly says, and I look at him, his voice now filling me with anticipation.
“Now that we’ve finally, after a million tries, gotten rid of Zale, maybe it’s time for a bit of change,” he announces, and I’m filled with hope, waiting for him to continue. Is he going to say what I want him to say?
But instead, he gets up from the couch and walks over to Luca.
“You stood and protected my daughter even knowing your life was on the line. I value that trait highly. I might be old, but it’s hard to miss what you two mean to each other, and I’m open to changing how our lineage operates. However, I expect a continuation of the lineage, more descendants. They will need to grow up and protect both worlds. Can you promise that?” he asks directly with his cold diplomacy, and my face turns red.
“Dad...” I plead, and I can hear my mother enjoying the show and curious about Luca’s answer.
“Luca, you don’t have to answer,” I add in desperation, knowing my father has no boundaries when it comes to invading privacy.
“No, it’s okay, Alin,” Luca rejects my attempt to save him and answers with the seriousness expected of a capo.
“Of course, I will meet your requirements. And rest assured, in my world, you won’t find a better keeper of secrets than myfamily,” he says and sends a mischievous smile my way.
“Am I dreaming?” I can’t be this happy right now. I pinch my cheek hard and curse when it hurts. Bay and Cora appear behind me, laughing.
“We did it, Alin,” Bay confirms to me.
I run to Luca and jump on him in a big hug, and he wraps me in his arms. I dreamed of this moment for so long, and honestly, I never truly believed it would come.
“If this is a dream, don’t wake me up,” I whisper in Luca’s ear, and he laughs.
“It’s definitely a dream, but you’re not asleep; we made it,” he kisses my cheek, and Bay runs to us with excitement and a huge smile on her face.
“So I’m staying too!” she announces, and we all laugh.
This is my family, my whole family, and I will protect them at all costs.
Epilogue
