Page 90 of Sworn to My Heart
“I’ll make sure to send the message to them today, but organizing such an event will take time,” she informs my father. I seize the opportunity given to me on a silver platter.
“It’s all taken care of already. I’ve arranged everything on land; I didn’t just suggest it out of the blue. We can perform the ceremony as early as tomorrow,” I announce proudly. My mother relents, though I see the worry in her eyes. My father approves immediately.Is that a hint of pride I see in his eyes? It’s bound to vanish soon...
The pressure builds in my chest, but I don’t let it stop me now. I’ve succeeded. I smile smugly, pleased that everything is going according to plan, and swim out of my father’s study. Bay, who has remained silent until now, follows me.
“Alianna, wait,” my mother suddenly stops me in the corridor outside the study, swimming close to us.
“Where did you get that pendant? I haven’t seen it in years,” she asks curiously, pointing at Bay’s neck where my mother’s necklace now rests.
“You once saved the life of a human. Today, because of that, you also saved Bay’s freedom,” I say briefly, about to swim away, but she stops me again.
“How did you plan everything on land?” she asks suspiciously, panic rushing through my veins. Should I tell her about the Spallos now?
“Mom... Don’t get mad, but there’s one family, other than my adoptive family, that knows about us...” I reveal the horrifying truth, my gaze fixed on the golden floor beneath me, waiting for her response.
“You said what?!” she exclaims, panic now evident in her eyes too.
“They are the best secret keepers you’ll ever know, and they saved my life several times,” I quickly justify my actions.
“Alianna, do you know how dangerous that could have been for you?” she asks furiously, looking lost in her anger, unsure where to direct it.
“Wait a minute, you said they saved your life?” she asks, as I stay quiet, letting her process the truth.
“Yes, I didn’t want to tell you this, but I was kidnapped by some bad men. They saved my life by risking theirs,” I say, glorifying the brothers’ actions to appeal to her.
“Do I want to know more?” she asks, letting out a heavy sigh.
“No, unless you want to be more upset...?” I reply with a fake innocent sea lion look.
“Don’t! please,” she retorts, and I take the chance to quickly swim away toward my room. Bay doesn’t leave my side and follows me in.
We both sit on the large pink shell in the center of my room, which used to be my favorite bed. Now, the only bed I want to sleep in is Luca’s.
“Alin, what exactly are you planning?” She shakes her head. “I have no idea how you managed to convince them to do this. It’s one of our most absolute laws—we can’t expose ourselves to humans,” Bay asks suspiciously, clearly seeing through me and knowing I have a plan. No mermaid would be crazy enough to risk exposure like this.
She just got her pardon after months of suffering as a traitor; I’d rather not involve her in this plan. I won’t send her to hell again if things go wrong.
“Bay, some things are better left unknown,” I smile at her,making it clear she won’t get more than that.
“Then I suppose I’ll have to join you. I’m sure your parents won’t object,” she tries to push me to the edge, but I won’t let her.
“Do what you want,” I mutter in response to her veiled threat.
“Why are you here anyway? Don’t you want to see your family? You’re free now.”
Bay and I were close before I left; I can’t believe she suffered so much because she wanted to follow me. What was she thinking?
“They are the reason I was punished. I ran away from them, and they made sure to exile me, their only daughter!” she recounts dramatically, and I’m surprised they went as far as to exile her. Those jerks should be exiled, not Bay.
“They ratted out my escape, and don’t be mistaken, they didn’t miss a single detail, including a precise description of how I injured one of the guards. I will never go back to them, and I will never forgive them,” she continues, venom now evident in her voice. They say blood is thicker than water... if I were in her place, the only blood I’d see would be theirs on my hands.
My heart breaks when my eyes land on her now broken expression.
“You’ve lived in my room your whole life anyway, one more night together won’t kill us,” I try to lighten the mood, sending her a comforting smile and inviting her to join me on the bed.
“I’m sorry you had to go through all this because of me,” I say quietly as she lies down on the jelly-like filling of the shell bed, which ripples beneath us.
“It’s not your fault, Alin. You’re like a sister to me. I wanted to be there for you like you’ve always been there for me. I don’t regret it for a second,” she says, turning to meet my eyes. Her sincerity is unmistakable, and a sharp sting pierces my heart for trying to push her away.
