Page 92 of Sworn to My Heart
“Are these Flipper’s?” I ask in amazement, melting at these adorable creatures.
Bay nods, “It seems he was just waiting to show them to you,” she laughs.
I swim excitedly around the little ones, playing with them as Flipper joins in. Bay knew exactly what I needed to clear my head today, and it works wonders.
We spend the next few hours with Flipper, swimming to every corner of the city I missed. The guards already look exhausted, and Bay enjoys teasing them more than I do.
“Alin, the sun is at its peak now. We have to hurry to the gate,” Bay shouts from behind me as I search for treasures in a secluded part of the city, breaking the satisfying happiness of this day in less than a second.
I’d been revelling in the day’s fun, almost forgetting why I came back. A quick glance at the sandy bottom reveals a rusted coin glinting faintly beneath the sand, reminiscent of the necklace I found for Luca. I shake off the thoughts; I’m about to see Luca now. No point in worrying unnecessarily.
We swim swiftly toward the city gate, excitement and anxiety building within me. The familiar path brings memories rushing back, both joyful and painful. As we approach, my parents come into view, their faces a mix of worry and anticipation.
My mother gives me a reassuring smile as we arrive. “Are you ready?” she asks softly, sensing the turmoil within me.
I nod, taking a deep breath. “Let’s go.”
With Bay by my side, I feel a renewed sense of determination. No more running. It’s time to face this head-on and make things right. We swim through the gate, heading toward the surface, where Luca awaits.
Luca
“Can you stop pacing back and forth? You’re about to wear a hole in the floor,” Mariano’s voice pulls me out of my thoughts, and Pedro joins him with a laugh.
The designers I hired and all the preparations I made since yesterday are almost finished, but I can’t shake the thought that something bad might have happened to Alin on her way back home.
Maybe they locked her up for running away? Maybe she was punished? How do merfolk even punish their own?
Will she be able to return today? She said if she didn’t come back within two days, I shouldn’t wait for her. I hope she’s not planning on giving up.
“Can you shut up? I’m trying to think,” I snap at him as they chuckle between themselves, feeling as if I’m walking on hot coals.
“Alright, alright, everything will be fine. If you keep this up, you’re going to blow a fuse,” Pedro adds, and I sigh in frustration. To them, everything is one big joke. How can they be so calm all of a sudden?
“Mariano, you and Pedro take two cars and head to the beach where I dropped off Alin. I don’t care how long it takes; you wait there,” I order, and they stand up immediately, leaving the roomwith the bags of clothes we prepared for them.
Pedro and Mariano need to be the ones to pick them up, so I’ll be here pulling my hair out until they walk back through that door with Alin.
Damn it.
Pedro will make sure to gather the families, and Alin will come here with Mariano. I confirm the plan in my head and pray Pedro doesn’t open his big mouth and cause issues, especially not in front of merfolk with these powers. I need everything to go smoothly today.
Alin
We swim swiftly to the surface, accompanied by my mother, father, Bay, and three guards who will stay with us until we reach the shore. We navigate near wild pod cities, the guards’ eyes fixed on the path as I lead them to the beach where I agreed to meet Luca.
As the land approaches, anxiety outweighs my excitement. I hope the brothers have handled everything. Who am I kidding? It’s Luca. He wouldn’t make a mistake unless it was intentional, I think, boosting my confidence in our plan.
In the shallow waters, I lift my head and spot Mariano on the shore, standing between the rocks with a large bag. My parents don’t know they’re waiting for me, and I pray they won’t cause any problems. I scan the beach to ensure it’s empty.Why am I worrying? They probably handled it.
I breathe a sigh of relief and wave to Mariano, easily catching his attention. He’s been waiting for me like a hawk, never taking his eyes off the water. That’s the Spallo family for you. I smile and signal to my family that it’s safe to come ashore, pointing to the rocky area and indicating to the guards that we’ll continue alone from here.
My family starts swimming to the shore, but not before I swim ahead quickly, overtaking them and being the first to step ontothe beach.
“Did you organize everything?” I ask Mariano quickly as my tail transforms into legs.
“The Spallo family never cuts corners. Everything is arranged perfectly for their highnesses,” he laughs, giving an exaggerated mock bow, but his face turns serious the moment three more merfolk emerge from the water, his gaze following them.
“I’ll never get used to this... I still think I’m hallucinating...” Mariano mutters quietly as he watches my parents, their bodies adorned with colors as magnificent as their status.
