Page 48 of Cinder's Trial
My mouth rounded. “Excuse me?”
“No, you are not excused. You are not what I would have chosen at all.”
Rather than focus on her comments thus far, I blurted out, “Who are you? Why did you abduct me?”
“I am Nicola, and I took you because I wanted to meet the female who stole my son.”
I blinked. “I’m sorry. I don’t understand. I haven’t stolen anyone.”
“Don’t lie. His scent is all over you.” Her lip curled.
She could only mean Levi, and if she recognized the smell of him, then she could only be… “You’re the Nixie who kept him prisoner!”
“He lived with me, yes.” Her lips pursed. “And now he does not. It’s been a while since he’s visited.”
“Why would he visit his captor?”
“Hardly his captor. His father gave him over freely.”
“But you wouldn’t let him go.”
She shrugged. “Those were the terms set out. It is not in my power to break them.”
“I’ve made no bargain with you. Why have you taken me?”
“Because I want to know if you’re worthy of my son.”
“Isn’t that up to Levi?” I blurted out.
“I guess we will see how much value he places in you shortly. He’ll know by now that you’re gone. Do you think he will care?”
I wanted to scream yes, but at the same time, I couldn’t be sure. He was a cold-blooded killer. A man who showed little to no remorse when he had to do bad things. Would he dare confront the Nixie who’d kept him captive for me? Or would he fear she’d take him prisoner again? She kept calling him son, meaning she thought she had some sort of claim.
“How’s Levi supposed to even know I’m here with you?” I countered. “Not to mention, how is it any of your business if he cares for me or not?”
“Because he is the son I couldn’t have, the child I raised, and while he might have fled the waters to forge his own path, I watch over him still. I will always protect him. Especially from the unworthy.” Her lips pursed as she eyed me and left me feeling wanting.
“You can’t keep me here.” A faint claim with little fire.
“Who says I am? You may leave anytime you want.” She pointed to the water at her back. “But I should warn that outside this cavern there are dangers. Things that would love to eat wiggling little toes. That would feed on tender flesh. Even if you were to survive their teeth, it is a long swim to shore.”
“How long?”
Her lips curved into a cold smile. “Let’s just say you only made it because of my magic.”
Meaning I’d drown before I ever even made it close. As the reality of Nicola’s words penetrated, the true horror sank in. I’d gone from being a Cinderella avoiding marriage to a prince to a prisoner with no hope of escape because no way would Levi risk his freedom for me.
So much for the brief happiness I found.
“What do you mean she disappeared?” Levi bellowed as he stood by the edge of the pool. The clear water showed no body at the bottom. Worrisome to the extreme since he didn’t see Cinder anywhere in the vicinity, despite there being only one exit and Gerome swore on his life she’d not emerged.
Hannah wrung her hands in a rare sign of anxiety. “It’s like I said. One minute we were swimming, and the next, she was gone. Like poof gone.” She exploded her hands.
“That makes no sense,” he growled. “What the fuck possessed you to take her swimming?”
“I thought she needed a change of scenery. It should have been safe. I was with her the entire time. Gerome made sure no one else entered.”
It made him think of the fish in the tub the other night. A fish that had suddenly appeared. Had the same thing happened here? Had something apparated in the water and taken Cinder?