Chapter 29
GAVIN
“Just a little longer,” I beg Basil.
It’s been three days since Kyler hit me with impshade and disappeared. Three days of wondering if Kyler really was a dream. A beautiful dream and a lie, like the man said. Three days of trying to get my heart to calm.
Basil squeezes my shoulder. “Can’t wait too much longer. There’s a storm coming, and I’d rather be ahead of it.”
I grip the railing as I look over the calm seas.
“Come back, Kyler,” I whisper. “I need you. I don’t care about the fucking stone.
I just need you.” I surprise myself with the words.
At believing them. What does it matter if I’m a Grand Mage?
I’m still a skilled healer. Still a scholar.
I could give up my dream as long as I have Kyler with me.
But what if the merman doesn’t feel the same?
It doesn’t matter. I’ll find a way to free Kyler, and he can decide his own fate.
A shout comes from the crow’s nest above. “Port side!”
I run, hoping beyond hope to see—
Kyler’s head pops from the waves, a smile on his face. He raises his hand to show a glowing golden stone. He’s done it.
Cheers erupt all around. I want to jump in and meet him but think better of it. The waves usually pull me under, and I don’t want Kyler to have to save me after retrieving the stone.
“Sand!” I call out. “Get him sand!”
“No, just throw down a rope,” Kyler answers.
“You’ll suffocate.”
Another beautiful grin. “I won’t. Not anymore.”
Someone throws down a rope. Kyler latches on and begins to climb with the stone tucked under his chin. It must be uncomfortable and difficult.
I can’t know what has happened to Kyler while he was below, but as he climbs, I watch his tail morph to legs, his gills fade away, and he laughs.
Laughs.
As if shocked himself.
Once Kyler is over the rails, I scoop him up, forgetting the stone already.
“Are you okay? What happened? Did—”
Kyler’s brows knit together as his fingertips graze the scruff along my jaw.
“How long have I been away?” He looks around.
Basil comes into view. “Three days. And we best get to moving. We don’t want to be here when the storm hits. We’ll dock at a little cove south from here.”
Kyler shakes his head. “We can’t go there. Vex—”
“It’ll be the safest place rather than buck around on open waters. The mages can keep the ship intact better at the cove. You and Ailey can keep us safe from pirates with your battle magic.”
Speaking of Ailey, she’s been holed up in her room for days. I’ve hardly seen her.
“I’m not well versed in battle magic, but I know enough.” Hopefully, enough to keep the ship protected if pirates like Vex come around.
Everyone eyes Kyler. He glows almost as bright as the stone he clutches.
“What?” He steps back and back until he presses against the center mast.
In that moment, I realize the blue scale has completely left Kyler’s hip… if what Ailey told Kyler is true, that means he’s in love. My heart soars. “Nothing. Are you hungry? Tired? Let’s retire to our quarters. You probably need food and rest.”
Kyler sags against the mast. “That sounds amazing.” He holds out his hand to me.
“I want to see the stone,” someone calls out. “It’s what we’re all here for. We should get to see the prize.”
Kyler’s eyes turn wild. He clutches the stone to his chest and shakes his head. I can’t make out what he says. Has the stone turned him mad?
“Come, love.” To the crowd, I say, “We’ll allow you to look at it once we’ve gotten through the storm, but not before.”
Kyler follows. “I thought I was gone for a couple of hours, not days.”
“I know time can be tricky with magic.” But I hadn’t realized the phoenix stone would warp time so thoroughly. “You need rest.”
Kyler yawns as we step through the door to our room. “I do. It was so strange. Like magic itself swam in the sea with me. I couldn’t decide if I wanted to stay forever or get out of it as quickly as possible.”
“I would have liked to have experienced it myself.”
“The sea would have crushed you. The stone was so deep.”
“Deep?” I would have sworn the stone was supposed to be in shallower water. Water I would have been able to tolerate.
“It was in a cave deep below. I don’t think you would have survived it.”
The news makes my heart sink. “I hadn’t realized. Thank you for saving me from my own stupidity.”
“You’re not stupid.” Kyler takes my hand and places the phoenix stone in my palm.
“You’re patient. And kind. Gentle.” He blinks back tears.
“I’m… I’m free.” The words come out so softly I’m not sure I’ve even heard him.
“I sacrificed my freedom, and instead of taking it, they gave it to me.” He lifts the hand that held the binding spell, but when he activates it, nothing happens. “Free.”
I drop the stone on the bed and wrap my arms around Kyler. He collapses against me, sobbing. Tears prick at my eyes. Kyler is free.
“I have a future, Gavin. A real one. Not just a dream.”
I hold him close and stroke a hand down his back. “What do you plan to do with it?” Pick me. Stay with me. I want to beg, but I keep my mouth shut. “You can start right now if you want. I won’t make you go back to the palace. I can—”
Kyler, with tear tracks running down his cheeks, lifts his face and presses his lips to mine.
“I want…” Another kiss to my lips. “To stay.” Kiss. “With you.” Kiss. “Follow your adventures across the realm. Be with you.” Kyler releases me and drops his eyes to the floor as he steps back. “If you’ll have me.”
My heart soars as if I’m free-falling in my dragon form. I tip Kyler’s chin to look him in the eye. “I want that more than anything.”
A sob laugh escapes Kyler’s lips. “You don’t hate me?”
“Never.” I close the gap between us and pull him in again to plant a kiss on his lips.
Kyler deepens the kiss, sighing as he does. Relaxing. I hold us both up. But our joy is short-lived. The ship shifts beneath us, causing us to lose our footing. We tumble in a heap to the floor.
“Attention!” a deep voice bellows out, no doubt enhanced by magic.
Kyler’s eyes grow wide. “No. No! Vex.”
My stomach plummets.
“Give me the little merman and the phoenix stone, and I’ll let the lot of you live.”
Kyler shakes. He squeezes his eyes shut. His breathing comes harshly.
“He doesn’t own you anymore, Kyler. We can—”
“You don’t understand.” Kyler grabs the stone from the bed and dashes from the room.
I race after him, but I’m too slow. The crowd parts for Kyler but keeps me from him.
“You promise not to hurt anyone? To not destroy the ship once I’m in your custody again?” Kyler yells from the main deck.
“No!” I can’t let Kyler sacrifice himself. Not when he’s finally free.
Jessi steps in front of me. “Let him go. Otherwise, Vex will destroy us all.” Her eyes burn with fear. “One man for many. Make the right choice.”
From somewhere, someone bangs and screams to be released. Ailey.
Jessi’s eyes dart to the princess’s rooms. “It’s for the best she isn’t here.”
My head spins. What’s the right choice?
“Kyler, don’t—”
But Kyler dives off the ship and takes my heart with him.
“No! Kyler!”
The merman doesn’t look back. I can only watch as Kyler climbs up the pirate ship and hands the giant of a man the phoenix stone.
“Jessi,” Vex’s voice booms. “You’re released.”
Relief floods Jessi’s face, but it’s fleeting. Her eyes flutter back, and she drops dead to the floor with a thump.
My stomach tumbles. What will happen to Kyler? I can’t just let him go. But it doesn’t matter. The ship is out of sight before I can make it to the rails.