by Sarra Cannon
“So, what does this mean for me?” I asked.
I didn’t like my life the way it was, but I liked the idea of change even less. Change meant risk, and I’d grown comfortable in my misery.
“It means you’re moving up in the world, like it or not,” she said. “Someday soon, you’ll no longer be a poor fisherman who works the docks all day and lives in a tiny apartment above the bar. I’m moving you to my castle just outside of town where you can help oversee the production of the potions, alongside Jennings, of course. I’ve arranged the purchase of a much bigger boat for your deliveries, which you’ll make once a week, right on schedule.”
She looked me up and down, a seductive look in her eyes.
“Finally, I can get you out of those jeans and work boots and into a nice, tailored suit,” she said. “I’ll have Jennings bring you up to the house in a couple of days to get fitted for some new clothes.”
My entire body had grown rigid as she spoke, but my brain was still playing catch up. Surely, she couldn’t be serious? I couldn’t be the guy in the suit, living in the big mansion, giving orders to everyone. That wasn’t me at all. That was guys like Jennings, and I hated guys like him with a vengeance.
And what would I tell everyone at the docks? That I’d simply decided to go live in a big castle, and I’d probably never see any of them again?
“What’s the problem?” Selena asked. “You don’t look happy about the new job assignment.”
“I thought you said you didn’t want to draw too much attention to the operation,” I said. “What’s it going to look like when a simple, poor fisherman suddenly moves into one of the nicest mansions in town and starts wearing suits and cruising the harbor in a million-dollar yacht? Don’t you think people are going to start asking questions?”
“So, come up with a story that answers them,” she said with a shrug.
“Like what?” I asked. “There’s nothing I can tell the guys at the docks that is going to make this seem any less suspicious. These guys are my friends. I’ve been working beside them nearly every day for ten years. They think they know me. I can’t just change my entire situation overnight and expect them to believe I got a new job out of the blue.”
“Nikolas, you know I don’t like it when people disappoint me,” she said, her cherry-red lips drawn down in a pout as she squeezed my arm and stood much closer than I wanted her to. “I want you working for me in the castle. It’s up to you to figure out a cover story that’s good enough to convince everyone in town there’s nothing suspicious going on.”
“At least let me wear the same clothes,” I said. “The guys might buy that I got a new job working for a rich lady in town, maybe captaining her boat or something, but they’re never going to accept one of their own in a three-piece suit.”
Her grip on my arm tightened, nearly cutting off my circulation. At the same time, an invisible force gripped my throat and squeezed. I dropped my jaw and struggled to draw a breath.
“I want what I want, Nikolas,” she said. “Don’t disappoint me. I would hate to have to kill you. We both know how much that would break your poor father’s heart.”
Selena released me, and I fell to my knees in the sand, gasping for air.
It had been years since she’d used her powers against me in that way, and I had forgotten just how quick and powerful she could be without even lifting a finger.
When I finally caught my breath and looked up, the air shimmered and Selena was gone.
Nine
Eva
I stepped out of the large antique shop on Main Street—The Dragon’s Hoard—and forced back tears. I couldn’t believe I’d really sold my mother’s bracelet.
The lady who owned the shop, Violet, had been very sweet about it, and she’d offered me quite a bit of money for it. She’d immediately recognized its value, even though she couldn’t possibly have known its magical heritage. Still, her generous offer and her respect of the value made it a little easier to part with it.
My heart was breaking, but I knew more than anything, my mother would be happy I had found a way to escape Dominic’s imprisonment. She would have given anything to see me free, even her own life. If her bracelet could help me stay safe and hidden, she would have wanted me to sell it.
Violet had given me two thousand dollars for the emerald bracelet. Considering its magical properties, it was priceless, but two grand was more than I expected. I hoped it would be enough to find a modest place to stay for a couple of weeks and to get my car fixed.
As long as the car was ready, I would be able to get back on the road at the first sign of Dominic or his men coming to town. I needed to stay alert and be careful not to get too close to anyone in town.
Thinking of it now, I should have glamoured myself from the beginning, but maintaining a glamour of that magnitude for more than a few hours at a time would be exhausting. I would just have to take my chances.
I needed to find some new clothes to wear and a place to stay, but sadness still weighed heavy on my heart. I didn’t feel much like shopping, so I decided to take a few minutes to walk around the town.
I’d barely paid any attention to it when I first walked up. I’d been searching for a jewelry or antique store that might buy the bracelet, so everything else just kind of passed by in a blur.
Now, I took my time, studying each shop window and taking in the quaint arrangement of the town square. Besides the antique shop, there was a bookstore, Ida’s Bakery, and the Urban Grind coffee shop, both of which had provided that amazing breakfast this morning.
Most of the town was decorated with jack o'lanterns, wreaths with skeletons or spiders, and cobwebs. I had completely forgotten it was almost Halloween, but maybe this year it would actually be a fun holiday. I’d never gotten to watch children dress up in costumes and go trick or treating. I was kind of looking forward to it.
A building on the corner by the bookstore caught my eye, and I walked a little closer, realizing that it was the public library. The architecture was incredible with its stately columns and large windows. A few people sat on the front steps eating their lunch.
This place was the opposite of Vegas with its sky-high buildings and lights everywhere. You couldn’t walk two feet down the Vegas strip without someone handing you a flyer or a free drink coupon or a card with a picture of a naked woman on it. The city was a buzz of constant energy that sometimes wore me down.
But this place was different.
It was quiet and peaceful. The shops in the center of town were arranged in a large square, with its centerpiece a huge span of green grass with a large willow tree at one end.
I smiled, realizing this must be the tree Brandon had mentioned. I’d thought it was odd for him to give directions based on a tree, but now I understood why.
It was magnificent, like a piece of art right here in the heart of the town.
I stepped onto the grass and made my way toward the tree, taking in its towering branches and hanging streams of leaves that seemed to call to me. Its fall leaves were golden in the autumn sunlight, and the moment I walked under its canopy, I felt all of the sorrow and fear that had become a constant part of me lessen and fade.
I couldn’t explain it, except to say I felt peace as I stood under the willow tree.
I didn’t have a blanket or anything to lay over the grass, but I didn’t care. I sat down and lay back carefully, staring up at the golden leaves that hung down toward me like arms stretching to envelop me in their embrace.
I felt my heartbeat settle and pulse against the ground at my back. I closed my eyes and breathed in the fresh scent of the grass beneath me and salty air of the ocean nearby. I could feel the power inside me strengthen and flow like a river through my veins. I had never felt so connected to it, so powerful.
I wanted to stay here for the rest of my life. Right here under this tree.
I could imagine if things were different, and if Dominic wasn’t out there looking for me, I would choose to s
tay in this town. I would spend my days walking along the beach with my toes in the sand. I would walk down Main Street every morning, waving hello to the friendly people. I would grab a cup of coffee at Urban Grind, check out a new book from the library, and walk here to the square where I would lie down under the tree for hours, just reading. Not a care in the world.
As I daydreamed, I imagined Nik walking beside me on the beach, the way he had this morning. I imagined what it would be like to lay against his chest here by the tree, his fingers in my hair.
The image was so clear in my head, it was as if it had come from outside of me. As if it had been whispered in my ear or gifted to me by the universe. It seemed so real, it sent chills down my spine.
But that was ridiculous.
I could never have that life. It was silly to even daydream about it. And why was Nik a part of my perfect daydream, anyway? I barely knew the guy. Sure, he’d been extremely nice to me, and he was the most gorgeous man I’d ever seen in my life, but that didn’t mean I needed to go fantasizing about a life with him in this stupid small town.
I’d just gained my freedom after thirteen years in captivity. The last thing I needed was another guy thinking he could control me.
I frowned and someone above me laughed.
My eyes flew open to find Nik standing over me, smiling as if he’d been reading my thoughts.
I sat up so fast, it made my head spin. “What are you doing here?” I asked.
He sat down beside me in the grass. “I was walking by when I saw you lying here, so I thought I’d come say hello,” he said. “But when I got here, it was like you were having some kind of strange conversation in your head, and I didn’t want to disturb you. You went from smiling the most peaceful smile to suddenly angry.”
“And that made you laugh?” I asked, embarrassed to know he’d been spying on me. I hadn’t intended to daydream about him, and now I wished I hadn’t.
“You have a very expressive face,” he said.
What the hell was that supposed to mean?
“Like that right there,” he said. “Indignant with a touch of embarrassment.”
Well, that was annoying. I didn’t like that he could read my emotions so easily. No one had ever been able to do that before, and it made me feel exposed. Had he been able to tell I’d been thinking of him, too?
God, I hoped not.
Still, seeing him here beside me, smiling, tugged at some part inside of me I thought was stolen from me as a child. It was the hope of something more.
Maybe it was the peaceful feeling of the willow tree or the sadness of selling my mother’s bracelet that had me so mixed up. I couldn’t help but feel something for this guy. I couldn’t help but wish I had the freedom to stay and get to know him.
A gust of wind blew my red hair around my face, and I laughed. What was I thinking?
Dominic wasn’t here to tell me what to do. No one was controlling me right now. If I wanted to stay, that was my decision.
The realization hit me like a ton of bricks. A huge smile broke out on my face, and I couldn’t hold it back, even though I knew he was watching my every expression. I leaned back on my hands and let my head fall back as I laughed.
I had almost forgotten I was free, and right now, I didn’t care if it was only for a day. I was here now, and if all I did with my freedom was run in fear, then it wasn’t freedom at all.
I knew it couldn’t last, but for today, I wanted to enjoy myself. I wanted to go wherever I decided to go, without someone else barking orders at me or locking me away in some penthouse suite.
“What?” Nik asked, his smile mirroring mine. “What’s so funny?”
He probably thought I was crazy, but I couldn’t contain myself.
“Let’s go do something fun,” I said, standing. “It’s still early in the day. What’s fun to do around here?”
Bewildered, he stood with me and looked around. “You are the strangest woman I have ever met,” he said. “One second, you’re scowling, and the next, you’re laughing like a schoolgirl. This morning, you acted like you wanted nothing to do with me, but now, you want to spend the entire day with me?”
“Do you want to find something fun to do, or not? Because I just realized that for the first time in my life, I can actually do whatever I want,” I said. “And what I want is to have a real adventure.”
His eyes flashed in excitement, and he stood up. “Okay,” he said. “It’s my day off, and I’ve just gotten some bad news I’d rather not dwell on, so why not?”
“Great, so this is your town. What’s the absolute, most interesting or amazing thing to do around here?” I asked. “I’m up for anything.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Anything?” he asked, a huge grin spreading across his face. “Come with me. I can show you something incredible.”
Ten
Nik
I couldn’t believe what I was about to do.
It was risky and irresponsible. It was probably downright stupid, but for some reason, I couldn’t stop myself.
I blamed the willow tree and its mysterious energy. When I’d seen Eva lying there in the grass, I thought I’d just stop and say hello, make sure she got her car taken care of. But the closer I got to her, the more I couldn’t take my eyes off of her.
A gust of wind blew just as I approached her, sending the autumn leaves of the willow into the air, fluttering like strands of gold. For a brief moment, I imagined myself in a different life. I saw myself there in the grass with Eva, her head resting on my chest as we stared up at the willow’s branches.
I could see it so clearly, it made my heart ache.
But as soon as it had come to me, it was gone again. That would never be my life. Not as long as I wore this silver band around my wrist, anyway, and there was no way to get it off.
Still, that vision had given me a foolish type of courage, and the moment she’d asked me for an adventure, I just knew where I had to take her. Poseidon, help me.
I led her across the square and down several blocks toward Ocean Drive. We walked out to the boardwalk and when I opened the door to a shop called Radical Fun, she gave me the side-eye.
“If this is your version of incredible, I’m not impressed,” she said.
I laughed. “If we’re going to get you geared up for incredible, we’re going to have to shop first,” I said. “Unless you’re hiding a bathing suit under those clothes?”
I cleared my throat, realizing just how anxious I was to see her in a bathing suit.
“I’m definitely getting curious,” she said as she walked into the store.
It was mostly deserted in here. There wasn’t a lot of business for a bathing suit and surfing shop in the fall, but they still stayed open all year. Jon and Lucy, the owners of the shop, greeted us as we walked in. They were twins, about my age, with matching dark-brown dreads and various piercings.
“Hi, Nik, what brings you in today?” Lucy asked. Her eyes widened when they landed on Eva. “Hey, I’m Lucy. You must be new to Willow Harbor? I don’t think I’ve seen you around town before.”
“I’m Eva,” she said. “And yes, I guess you could say I’m new, although I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to stay.”
Lucy shared a look with her twin brother, and I knew what they were thinking. Supernatural or human? Lucy and Jon were both selkies, but as far as Eva was concerned, I still wasn’t sure what she was. From the way she had seemed to be connecting with the magic of the willow tree, I had a pretty good guess she was more than human. She seemed to keep her secrets close, though, so I doubted she would offer up any information on her own.
Besides, Eva had no idea what kind of town Willow Harbor really was. Not yet, anyway.
I was taking a risk showing her what I was about to show her, but I couldn’t help myself.
If she wasn’t meant to be here, she’d forget about it the minute she crossed the town’s borders, anyway, so why not introduce her to some of the town’s magic while she was
here?
“Well, we’re glad you’re here,” Lucy said. “Are you guys looking for anything in particular today?”
“Eva needs a bathing suit and some swim fins,” I said. “And a large beach towel.”
“And a cover-up, if you have one,” Eva added.
“Of course,” Lucy said. “Come with me.”
I thought it might be awkward to follow them back to the women’s section and watch her shop for a bathing suit, so I hung back at the counter with Jon.
“How are things going lately?” he asked, keeping his voice low. “Have you talked to your brother any?”
I shook my head. Jon was one of the few people in town who knew what I really was before I was cursed to live in human form. He’d known me before Selena got her hands on me, and he knew my family.
“I’m sorry, man,” he said. “I know how hard that has to be for you. I know they all miss you.”
I hadn’t seen my parents in ten years. Not since the day Selena wrapped this shackle around my arm and dragged me to the surface. But my brother Leonidas sometimes came to shore to visit. It had been a while, though, and I really couldn’t blame him.
“So, what’s the story with this new girl?” he asked, leaning against the counter. “She’s not a mermaid, is she?”
“Walking around on two legs in the middle of the day?” I asked. “What do you think?”
He shrugged, the beads on his dark-brown dreads clicking against each other as he moved. “If she got hold of a powerful enough spell, it’s possible.”
“Possible, but not likely,” I said. “And she wouldn’t use a powerful spell just to come buy a bathing suit.”
Jon laughed. “You got me there. So, what is she? There’s magic coming off of her in waves.”