Page 27 of Sworn to Revenge
“Wait a second! Pedro, why does this human look so familiar?” Alin suddenly interrupts the curses running through my mind, forcing me to take a closer look at the woman’s face.
“No. This can’t be… Florencia?” What the hell is Luca and Mariano’s mother doing here? The queen said this happened nearly three decades ago?Holy. Fucking. Shit.
Alin’s glowing turquoise eyes meet mine, wide with shock, as the name registers in her ears. She understands exactly what I’m realizing.
“Well, your baby can now say ‘hi’ to his not-so-dead grandma,” I try to break the tension, forcing a smirk.
How the hell did I get caught up in all this mess?!
Bay
“Before you swim off, I need you to check again if you feel okay with your powers,” Alin asks with concern as we swim toward the city gates. I’ve absorbed far more information than I ever imagined I could handle, but we came here to address my problem first, I need to keep my focus.
I nod at her, raise my finger in front of her face, and move it in a gentle circle. A ball of water forms from a tiny whirlpool at the tip of my finger, then shifts and hardens into a dazzling diamond, so bright it could blind someone if they look at it the wrong way. It slowly drifts down toward the floor.Yes,my powers are definitely back. I smile proudly at Alin.
“You’re literally a swimming ATM now, that’s insane!” Pedro’s laughter quickly follows from beside us. He reaches for the diamond now resting on the sandy floor, and his tail brushes against mine for a brief moment. A thrill of excitement tingles through my body. Why does my body always react to him like this? Get a grip.
“Wow, I’ve never seen a diamond so clear and bright in my life,” hesays, examining the gem that now illuminates his rugged features. The blue scales along the sides of his forehead catch the light and softly reflect it around him. My heart pounds in my chest; even as a merman, I can’t ignore his beauty.You’re in big trouble, Bay.Why do I always go for what I can’t have?
I reluctantly tear my gaze away from the breathtaking sight before me—he doesn’t even bother to look my way—and turn to Alin. “Satisfied?” I ask, flashing her a mischievous smile.
“Yes! I can’t believe we managed to get your powers back,” she says excitedly, swimming over and hugging me, spinning us both upward with the current she created in her excitement.
This pregnancy is really messing with her powers. “You need to stay calm throughout this pregnancy, or you might just send us both into a dangerous whirlpool with all your excitement,” I laugh, and she playfully shoves me.
“Step one is complete. Now, even if Jocelyn asks for the rarest gemstone in the ocean, you can create it for her. Rumors say she loves rare things to collect,” she tells me, revealing her plan only now, and the realization sinks in. That’s why she wanted to restore my powers. How did I not think of that before?
A wide smile spreads across my lips, accompanied by a renewed sense of confidence in our plan. I don’t know if today will end well, but I know that I have a family waiting for me at home now, one I will fight to return to.
I pull her into a deep hug, burying my face in her hair.This could still be the last time I see her...
“Bay, the plan will work. It has to work,” she says into our embrace, reading my worries like ancient symbols carved in stone.
“We need to keep moving,” Pedro swims ahead of us, urging us to follow. He exchanges a glance with Alin that I can’t quite read, as if he’s reminding her of something.Great. More surprises on the way?I sigh, deciding not to ask. Chances are, I won’t get any answers anyway. I just want to get through this dreadful mission and reclaim my freedom.
Pedro takes my hand now, sending the familiar currents through my body that I’m constantly trying to suppress whenever he’s near. I look at him questioningly, immediately regretting it as my gaze meets his perfect, glowing golden eyes. My brain turns to jelly in an instant. He says something, but my mind can’t process his words with him so close to me.
“Bay, come on. To the gate,” he repeats slowly, as if noticing that I’m lost in another world, snapping me out of the erotic fantasy I built in those few seconds. I quickly pull my hand from his, as if it’s cursed. He raises an eyebrow, clearly confused, but I ignore his gaze and swim silently toward the gate ahead. How will I survive the entire journey to Jocelyn with just him and me?Gods of the sea, Poseidon, Zeus, anyone who can hear me out there, help me.The feelings he stirs in me are scarier than the Guardian at this point. The only man I want close to me wants to keep his distance.
“Good luck!” Alin shouts from behind us, and I glance back, wondering if this will be the last thing we ever say to each other before Jocelyn, or the dragon guardian skewers me.
“We’ll be fine,” Pedro reassures me, gently touching my shoulder. His eyes are filled with uncertainty, but he’s here beside me, swimming toward Jocelyn. He must be crazy, or maybe the mafia life just started to bore him.
“Why are you really here?” I ask once we’ve passed through the gate, gradually leaving the familiar glow of my city behind.
“To make sure you don’t die,” he replies without even blinking, his gaze focused straight ahead.
“So I’m just another mission assigned to you, and you’re the soldier blindly carrying it out, even if it means facing death itself,” I say quietly, as if I needed to face the truth myself, wondering if this was an order from Luca because he didn’t want to send Alin. Another sting of disappointment pricks at my chest.
His body tenses in response, and he suddenly stops. I halt immediately behind him, barely avoiding crashing into him from the abrupt stop. We’re so close now that as he turns to face me, the scales along my body bristle from the warm water current it sends my way. Our glowing bodies blend into the quiet darkness surrounding us outside the city. Around us, only schools of colorful fish swirl, busy with their peaceful existence as he finally dares to look at me.
“I’m. Not. A soldier. Bay,” he enunciates each word slowly. “I’m loyal by blood to my family. And you,” he points at me fiercely as I swallow hard, “are my family!” he emphasizes through gritted teeth, as if letting go of his restraint would put us both in danger. His gemstone-like golden eyes flash with a strange light, as if a lightning storm is brewing inside him, ready to erupt at any moment.
“I’m your family?Justyour family?” The words slip out of my mouth without a second thought, fueled by the intoxicating closeness between us.
“Yes, you’re my family,” he finally responds after a tense moment of silence, a weird light in his eyes flickering as if he’s battling something withinhimself.
“I don’t want to be just your family!” I declare confidently, not breaking eye contact. We’ve come this far, he’s risked his life for me, and the least I can do is be honest before we face whatever awaits us. His gills open slowly, still struggling to hold himself back from whatever’s raging in his mind right now. God, I wish I knew what he’s thinking.
