CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
Yael
I stood in my en suite bathroom and wiped the steam from the bathroom mirror. Staring at my reflection, I gripped the marble vanity top and steadied myself, knowing what was coming next.
I’d been wracked with guilt since I turned my back on Jemma, praying she would appear one day so I could help her at my own expense. So I would know she was okay, no matter the price. But that moment had never come, and my torment persisted.
And then I’d learned of Myra’s gift and how she could help me right my wrong.
But now I feared that, in the process of righting the one, I would cause another.
Since the moment on the rocky shore when the druid whispered in my ear before his death, my mind had run wild with possibilities until the chaos of the fallout and Argo’s attack eclipsed them. But I hadn't suspected that things would fall into place so strategically in the aftermath.
I was close—so close to getting Jemma back—but I felt no joy in it.
There were still hurdles between me and that outcome that couldn't be ignored, not the least of which was the unpredictable mermaid in the bathroom down the hall, preparing for our final mission. To ensure Jemma’s return would require Myra’s assistance—but not as she expected.
Loreleia was far too clever to be trapped so easily; I knew that all too well.
If my suspicions were correct, then I would soon not only know where Jemma was, but also have the leverage to retrieve her. I just needed Myra to trust me.
My entire plan hinged on that trust and her belief in my word.
And to win both, I’d need to be more convincing than ever.
In the end, she’ll understand why I did what I did, I thought as I pulled my phone out of my pocket, and if she doesn’t, it won't matter for long because she’ll be gone, back to the Deep, just as she wants.
At least that was what I told myself as I scrolled through my contacts until I found the number I was looking for and called it.
But the sinking feeling in my stomach as it began to ring spoke to a greater truth lurking in the depths.
That Myra might never forgive me after the deed was done.
And I might never forgive myself.