Page 4 of Pregnant With Their Babes

No one followed, to his relief.

A bit of guilt washed over him as the weight of what Ryland had done hit his chest. Llyr hoped he hadn’t put his friend in danger, but if anyone could get out of a tight spot, it was Ryland.

Or so he hoped.

He exited the underground labyrinth and reset the stones that hid the secret tunnels. Swimming away from the underground maze's exit, he headed toward the cavern not too far away where the Enchantress resided and created her magic. He only had to follow along the wall—low beneath the sentries line of sight—until he saw the exploding colors of her spellwork. His heart quickened, and he did a quick gut check. It was now or never… the surface or the little tyrant.

Those were his choices. The unknown versus a life in hell.

Llyr swam up to her grotto and peeked inside, watching as she tossed ingredients into her large cauldron. The shelves carved into limestone walls were lined with thick glass bottles of every size, shape, and color, a collection that brought a smile to his face. He had no idea what they contained, but he sensed he could spend hours there learning her tricks if she’d only let him. His stare slid to the enchantress herself. Half mandarin fish, half mermaid—she was an outcast. Merfolk were allowed to mate with their own kind and no other. Stories of foul beasts who’d been born wrong and terrifying filled nightmares of young merfolk.

The Enchantress was one of the few who didn’t completely fit those stories. Brightly colored and stunning to gaze upon, her fins were larger and silkier than most merfolk, the translucent colors dancing along as they floated in the water. With a face more fish thanmer, she was interesting to the eye. Her upper body was moremerin shape, the lower half fish—but not quite the same as other merfolk. She lacked the bend between waist and tail, causing her to swim differently, too.

Yet, she was beautiful, if not a bit terrifying. Somehow, she balanced both in equal measure. Her crimson lips moved ever so slightly as she whispered some incantation, her bright blue and orange wispy tail feathering around the cauldron’s bright blue energy. That energy was the chilling part. Her strong magic was the only reason his father permitted her to remain so close to his kingdom.

He needed her as an ally… not an enemy.

Or so he said. There were times he thought his father had little choice as to where the witch lived.

“Well? Are you coming in or not?” she asked tersely, her back turned toward him. She faced the cauldron and tossed in another ingredient that caused a poof of purple gases to rise amid the water. The color faded, and she tilted her face toward his direction. “Do one or the other—I don’t need you darkening my doorway, Prince Llyr.”

How does she kn—

“Of course I know who you are. I also know the Draugar will soon be on their way here, so we have precious little time.” She swam over to her wall of potions and pots before selecting one small vial. When she spun back around, she offered a wicked smile. “This is what you came for. I’ll trade it for the gold and silver in your pouch.”

Llyr’s mouth dropped open. “How?”

“The Draugar,” she whispered before a malevolent howl sounded in the distance.

A chill raced down his spine. If one of those dead things touched him, he would have nightmares for weeks. Months. Maybe even years. Llyr could scarcely believe his father would resort to using them to force him back home.

Back to a marriage hecould notbear.

When Llyr returned to face the Enchantress, she was swimming mere inches away. He paddled back a bit, unnerved at how she’d gotten so close without a sound. “How do you know this is what I desire?”

“You want legs. To walk above, on dry land. To experience life as a human—and to get away from dear, dear old daddy.” She lifted the vial inches before his face. “This will give you seven full days as a human.”

“Seven? I need more if I think to get away from him!” He needed forever.

“Trust me, young prince. There’smuchthat can be done in a short amount of time if the gods will it. So…dowe have a deal?”

Before he could answer, another chilling howl sounded in the distance. Closer than the one before. He had little time left… but the Draugar couldn’t reach him on dry land. Yet, what would seven days do? He needed more.

But that time was his only hope… perhaps he could find another way to free himself. He reached for the vial, but she pulled it away.

“Payment?” she asked coolly, one arched brow rising. She opened the palm of her free hand, waiting.

Llyr unbound the coin purse from his wrist and handed it over. She floated the vial his way.

Without another word, he uncapped the vial and drank the potion.

“You’ll also need this,” she said, shooting a pendant on a string his way.

It floated closer before he swept it into his palm. “What is it?”

“With this, it will be impossible for the Draugar to track you. As long as you wear it, they will struggle to track you and your scent. And,” she paused, smiling. “It will help you fit in better amongst the humans.”

Llyr drew the pendant over his head and watched as it slowly floated down to his chest. “Thank you.”

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