"No," Sarsia whispered. "It's me he wants, I'll entice him."

  Are you mad? Larnika used his telepathy. Layanna isn't ready to kill a wraith.

  "She is!" Both Trenton and Sarsia spoke the same words at the same time.

  Moving towards the door, Sarsia threw her long red cloak around her shoulders and fastened it tightly. Putting the hood up, she took out her sword.

  Wait! Larnika's warning echoed in our heads.

  Rushing across the room, he went to Sarsia and grabbed her wrist. Looking down at her, he swallowed hard, his eyes staring into hers. "You can't go out there. It's too dangerous."

  His words were whispered, but we all heard them.

  Going over to Trenton and Daniel, I sunk to my knees next to them, trying to avoid watching the faes’ intimate conversation as the creature screeched again.

  "I have to go," Sarsia said. "It's the only way we can get away from it. The thatch won't hold forever, so we have to get rid of the wraith."

  Looking at Trenton, I smiled as he winked. Although our lives were in terrible danger, we both hoped for the perfect resolution for all.

  Daniel grabbed my hand when the wraith slammed against the chimney breast causing soot to fall on the fire. Smoke billowed out the breast, making us choke.

  "I..." Larnika glanced over his shoulder at us as we were covered in black powder. "I can't let you go without..." He hesitated, his eyes darting between us and Sarsia.

  My eyes met the witch's as she swallowed hard. I smiled gently, a silent encouragement. She sprung into action, jumping up to grab Larnika's head. Rising on her toes, she planted her mouth against his, her lips pressing hard.

  My teeth gripped my lower lip as I smiled, unable to help the thrill that ran through me. Finally! The pair had irrevocably realised how much they meant to one another.

  "Don't forget our promise," Daniel whispered, his eyes bright in the darkness of the powder on his cheeks.

  My gaze ducked away from his, my own cheeks heating uncontrollably. He was a little forward considering he was a human, and I a fae princess. Who was I jesting? A part of me wanted him to kiss me, just to see what it was like, but this was not the time or place to be thinking those thoughts. Again.

  "I love you," Sarsia whispered into Larnika's ear.

  I shouldn't have heard it, but I did, and my heart soared as Larnika smiled and whispered something back. His arms went around her in a brief tight squeeze before he let her go.

  "I'll run down the beach," Sarsia said to me. "Come out when its back is turned."

  Nodding, I gripped my sword in my palm as the creature crashed into the chimney again. Sarsia ran for the door, wrenched it open and disappeared. Larnika slammed the door shut behind her as I joined him. Trenton and Daniel kept watch out the window.

  "She's running across the beach. Anlee has just come out of the woods." Trenton's voice was tight as the wraith's howl echoed down the chimney.

  Taking hold of Larnika's arm, I squeezed as I waited for the signal from Daniel to go. If my inherited powers from Geryline didn't work, I would not be successful in taking down the wraith, which could ruin everything.

  "Anlee is running with Sarsia. The wraith just flew away from the hut..."

  "You need to go!" Daniel shouted.

  The door opened before I could suck in a breath. My legs were moving, my chest rising and falling as I ran. My gaze was on the dark shadow that thundered towards the fae I was responsible for. I would not allow it to hurt my friend and the mermaid.

  Sarsia and Anlee darted to the left, towards the sea. The creature followed, its call loud as it echoed in the wind. The cold gripped my skin, but I ignored it, bringing my sword up in front of me.

  Clear your mind, Larnika whispered in my head. The shock of his voice made me jolt. How could I clear my mind when he was speaking? Silly man!

  Shush, I thought back.

  He went quiet, trusting me to get on with what I was supposed to be doing. My body moved of its own accord, slipping up behind the creature as he tried to catch Sarsia.

  Running faster, I pushed all my energy into my legs and bounced off the sand. My body jumped, my sword high in the air as my hands gripped the handle in my palms. A cry escaped me as the bright blue light from the sword intensified, almost blinding me as I came in line with the wraith, who's head started to turn. Before it could lay its unsettling eyes on me, I swiped my sword through it, the heavy force of my blade slicing through the black shadow.

  That's it! Larnika shouted in my head.

  The ice blue light ignited the shadow, its form bursting into blue flames. The thing lunged for me, its high pitched groaning hurting my ears. My feet landed on the sand just as the wraith exploded, its dark shadowy remains pouring down on me.

  The others came over, Sarsia checking that I was well. My sword was on the ground, the force of the explosion forcing it from my hand. Scrambling to pick it up, I turned to face the others.

  Larnika, Daniel and Trenton ran across the sand towards us, their shouts carried within the cold wind. My heart beat hard in my chest as the cold air slipped into my lungs. When Larnika got to me, he paused, his eyes almost bulging from his head. Bending on one knee, he bowed his head to me.

  "What are you doing?" My breath was harsh as I patted the black soot off my cloak.

  "I'm kneeling to the rightful Queen. You just proved that you have exceptional power. The more you use the sword, the more you'll embody the magic of the rulers that came before you."

  The others dropped to their knees, including Anlee.

  Shaking my head, I waved for them to get up. "Please, it's freezing out here. Let's go back inside."

  They got up, but before they went to turn towards the hut, Sarsia, Larnika and Trenton came to me. Each one of them joined hands and indicated that I should to. Placing my sword in its scabbard, I reached out.

  Taking my friends hands, I watched them, waiting to see what they wanted. It was unusual for them to want to talk, let alone touch one another. Although, I had a feeling that Sarsia and Larnika would be doing that a little more now.

  "We stand by you, Layanna," Larnika said. "And we will follow you with every choice you make."

  Trenton grunted an affirmative, while Sarsia nodded her head slowly. Our jaws started to tighten as the freezing weather sunk into our skin. The thrill of defeating one of Jordeek's Unseelie Fae was starting to wear off. My limbs shivered.

  "Very well," I said, straightening my spine and looking over Sarsia's shoulder at Anlee.

  Her and Daniel stood on the outside, watching us closely. Both of them had something of importance riding on our ability to get to Dragonscale.

  "Anlee, we accept your deal." Nodding at her, I smiled gently when she grinned. "We'll lure your human to you in exchange for safe passage across the sea."

  Chapter Six

  The wind died down as we entered the clearing in the forest. Anlee had given us instructions on how to find Harry, her human love.

  He was bent over a deer, cutting its hide from its muscle.

  I looked away as he hacked, his knife slicing cleanly. "Harry?" I said, holding my hands up when he surged from his knee.

  "What do you want?" His gaze darted around, scrutinising the three of us.

  After a deep sleep in the cottage by the shore, we had left Larnika and Sarsia to talk. My mind had tried to push out my imaginings of what they would say to each other, it was none of my business. Anlee stayed with them, promising to give them time alone.

  Trenton had insisted that he lead the way to the small hut thirty minutes into the woods. The chill was still in the air, but it was warm compared to the wind by the Northern Sea.

  "We're here to talk to you about Anlee." I had to be careful. If I wanted him to decide to be with the mermaid of his own free will, I had to make sure we didn't make one incorrect move.

  "What about her? Is she well?" Dropping his knife, he wiped his hands on the bloody overall that covered his undershirt.

  The thick beard on his chin moved as he strode towards us, his boots crunching the dead leaves. Daniel stepped forward, his hand on his hip, right near where his dagger rested. I reached out a hand to stop him from threatening the other human. They were on the same side, both men involved in a world that many humans didn't know existed.

  "She is well," I replied, moving in front of the others as they flanked me. "We have visited with her. She told us about your love for one another."

  His cheeks glowed as he wiped his hands again. "And why are you here?"

  It wasn't a surprise that he was weary of us. We were strangers, and yet, I had been kind to him the day before.

  Fatigue suddenly pulled at my body, my eyelids feeling extremely heavy. The others glanced at me when I didn't reply. The urge to just lie down and sleep for three days almost overtook me.

  "Would you like to come inside for some refreshment? I have ale." The man pointed at his hut, where smoke rose from the chimney.

  The thatch was tight, the light grey straw worn from time. The smell of meat suddenly wafted up my nose, making my stomach rumble loudly.

  "We would appreciate that," I said, forcing my legs to move towards the cottage.

  No one protested as Harry led us inside. After a days riding and the fight the night before, I needed more rest. However, we couldn't wait, we had to get across the sea. If we didn't get Harry to join Anlee in the depths of the sea, we would have to find another way across, and we didn't have time.

  Once inside, we all stood motionless. Although the cottage looked normal on the outside, the inside was much bigger. A long galley kitchen led to an open living area. Curtains separated the bedrooms from the main part of the cottage, the quality of them exquisite.

  "How?" I whispered.

  "Anlee's powers. She said that she likes comfort, and in her home, she has luxury, so she created this place for us."

  Trenton went to the fire pit in the middle of the room and spun in a circle to admire it. I stared, open mouthed as Harry poured ale into fine silver cups.

  "Why did you need our food if Anlee was able to create all this for you?" Daniel asked.

  The humans looked at one another, their gaze narrowed in unison. It was interesting to see that they didn't trust one another, even though they were of the same species. Fae were the same, but the Seelie and Unseelie had certain reputations.

  "The longer she spends above water, the quicker her magic lessens. I told her that I would provide food to save her powers for when they're needed the most." Handing us a cup each, he saluted us before downing the liquid.

  Taking a few large mouthfuls, I was pleasantly surprised by the taste. The one time my father had allowed me to try ale, I had spat it straight out. The vile liquid had left a foul taste in my mouth for the rest of the day. However, the ale that I continued to guzzle had a sweet tangy flavour that made me crave more.

  "Shall I pour-?"

  "No," Trenton took my cup. "Thank you. Layanna needs to keep her wits about her, don't you?"

  Nodding, I smiled as my head grew light. I had heard that men liked ale because it made them feel warm and woolly inside. I had to admit, the feeling was quite nice. If I could have just a touch more, I would feel even better.

  "I would like some more." The last word slurred slightly as I hiccupped.

  Shaking his head, Trenton led me to the living area. Pushing me to sit on a stool, he indicated that Harry should join us.

  Daniel followed behind, his gaze flicking over me before he went back to staring at Harry.

  "We have a proposal to offer you," Trenton began talking, waving his arm when I went to protest. "You need a moment to compose yourself," he said.

  Glaring at him, I glanced into the fire as the others settled on stools around me. Harry watched us wearily as he cracked his knuckles.

  "What kind of proposal are we talking about?"

  Trenton leant forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "There's a way for you to be with Anlee forever. However, you have to trust that we will guide you in the right direction."

  "I'm going to be with Anlee forever anyway. Why do I need your help with that?"

  Studying the beams above my head, I linked my fingers to gather my thoughts. My cloak was tight around me, but the warmth of the fire behind my back started to thaw me out. It was romantic to be arranging a marriage between two people. Not that Harry could know the whole truth of what we were suggesting. We had to make sure that we didn't ruin their chances of love.

  "Harry?" I interrupted before Trenton could speak again. "What's it like to be in love?"

  Three pairs of male eyes landed on me, all eyebrows above them pulled low. Huffing dramatically, they looked uncomfortable as I stared at the man who could lose his life. Would he want to risk it for love?

  Closing his eyes briefly, Harry took a deep breath before he opened them again. "When Anlee rescued me from the sea after my fishing boat sank, I didn't know what had hit me. There was something about her that was mesmerising. When she told me what she was, I didn't believe her. After seeing her transform in the water, I realised that I could not be without her. However, she pushed me away. She said that the love I felt wasn't real, that she was capable of making men fall in love with her."

  "I know how that feels," Trenton muttered, glancing at the stone floor. "When my wife was alive, all she had to do was look at me and I melted. They say that love is woman's business, and yet, the fae heart yearns to love deeply."

  "I'm not fae," Harry said. "But I had longed to meet a woman to share my life with." Looking at me, he thumped his chest with a closed fist. "You don't understand that men can love just as hard as women. You just have to allow us to show it in our own way."

  My throat tightened as I watched his set jaw. My father had been so desperate to marry me off, he had disregarded the idea of love. In a village where riches were scarce, families with daughters had to improvise. Shuddering, I blinked away the liquid that had risen to my eyes. Hearing the way Harry and Trenton spoke about the women in their lives gave me hope for a future. Not that anyone would be quick to want to marry the lost Queen of Althea.

  "What happened with Anlee?"

  Harry ran a rough calloused hand over his hair as he sighed. "Every day for a year, I went back to the shore by the cottage to try and see her. Not once did she come back. Just as I was leaving on the last day, Anlee's blonde hair appeared out of the water. She strode up to me, kissing me with everything she had."

  "What changed?" I was transfixed, my eyes staring at the man who was so blatantly in love with a mermaid.

  "It has been said, that if you still yearn for a mermaid after ten full moons without seeing her, the love you felt for her was real. The spell would have been broken, but I couldn't get her out of my mind. She was the one for me."

  Trenton and Daniel looked at me, smiles lighting their faces. Widening my eyes to warn them, I looked back at Harry. His confession told of the start of a love story. However, it had been several years since that day.

  "Harry," I said, trying not to heave a sigh. "Did you know that when a fae stays away from their land, their magic decreases until it no longer exists?"

  Licking his lips with a frown, Harry shook his head slowly. "She never told me that, but she does go back occasionally to recharge."

  Trenton got to his feet and put his hands on his hips. "It's not enough. She will eventually lose her magic, no longer able to be a mermaid. That might sound like a good thing, but she cannot survive outside the water forever."

  My heart squeezed as Harry thrust from his stool, knocking it over as he paced across his living area. "Why has she never told me this?"

  I hadn't even been aware of the consequences that Anlee faced until we had left the cottage that morning. The mermaid had already been suffering, unable to keep her magic strong.

  "She loves you." Getting to my feet, I pushed away my skirts as I strode over to him and grabbed his hand. "She wanted to be with you, she still does."

  Ripping his hand away from me, Harry went to the jug that rested on his table. Pouring from it, he filled his tankard and downed it in one swallow. Slamming the silver down, he glared at me.

  "Why have you come? What proposal do you suggest?"

  His words were bitten, the red of his cheeks enhanced by his aggression. I had never seen a man so vexed because of the love he felt for a woman. In my village, man and woman rubbed along nicely. There was no passion, no true love.

  "You can be with her forever, but you must be willing to risk your life." Trenton's simple answer made Harry pause.

  Reaching up to scratch his beard, Harry looked at me. "What is your proposal?"

  Taking a deep breath and unclenching my hands, I stood straight. "Let us take you to her land."

  It wasn't much of a proposal, but if Harry did not go willingly, he would drown and die. We couldn't tell him that there was a chance he would live. We also couldn't tell him that he might change into a merman. All we could do was tell him that he had a chance of forever.

  "She lives underwater," he said as he shuffled his feet, his agitation clearly rising. "How do you suggest that I go to her land? Is there a magic spell?"

  "If you love her..." Going to him, I took his hands and squeezed. "...You will want to see where she comes from. You can make a sacrifice for her to redeem her power."

  "You are talking in riddles." He snarled.

  Trenton came over and almost knocked me out of the way. "How much do you love her?"

  Putting his hands in his hair, Harry tugged, his face grimacing as he swung away from us. "She's everything to me. I can't breathe properly when she's not here. I miss her unlike anything."

  "Then tell me," Trenton pushed. "What would you sacrifice?"

  My heart thudded in my throat as Harry looked over his shoulder at the fairy. Trenton's direct manner was speaking much clearer to Harry than my soft way. I could learn a thing or two from the fae.

  Daniel had been quiet, staying in the background while we attempted to help the couple.