Page 50 of Cinder's Trial
Hannah huffed, “What do you think you’re doing?”
“Fetching Cinder, of course.” It should have been obvious.
“In case you hadn’t noticed, that’s a pool. Not the home for a Nixie.”
“It’s a body of water, meaning I can find the path there.”
“Are you serious?” Hannah ogled him.
“Have ever known me not to be?”
Hannah waved her hands. “But you can’t leave. We’re a day away from the ball. The prince?—”
“Has other Knights to watch over him. I shouldn’t be more than a few hours.”
“Hours?” Hannah screeched. “What if we get another dragon?”
“Gerome can spear it.”
“What if the prince is kidnapped?”
“Then you’ll have some explaining to do,” his dark reply.
Hannah’s lips pursed. “You really think it’s wise to leave now to find Cinder?”
“Yes. And don’t even think of stopping me.”
“Why would I stop a man in love?” Hannah chuckled.
The L word tensed him head to toe. “I am not in love.”
Hannah smirked. “Sure you aren’t, says Mr. Responsibility, who is ditching the mission to go after a woman.”
“Cinder is more than just a woman.”
“Apparently,” Hannah murmured slyly.
“Wait, did I miss something since my last visit?” Agatha asked as she eyed them, trying to keep up.
“Your last visit?” Hannah asked curiously.
“I don’t have time for this. You’re in charge until my return.” With that, Levi dove into the water and closed his eyes as he stroked for the bottom of the pool. The nerve of Nicola, abducting Cinder.
Unacceptable.
Stroke. Stroke. His arms pulled, his legs kicked, and when he didn’t hit the bottom, he knew he’d found the watery path to the Nixie’s lair. Now the true danger began. A good thing his old lessons were firmly entrenched and his lungs still strong from the conditioning.
By the time he heaved himself from the pool of water into the cave where he’d been raised, he’d fought a great white—and only gotten scrapes across his knuckles—tied an octopus in knots—and ignored the urge to have it deep fried—and been jolted by an electric eel. To say his mood was foul would be putting it mildly. He bellowed as he emerged, “Nicola! What did you do with my princess?”
The Nixie sat at a rusty bistro table, her hair a curtain over her nude body, her smile wide as she greeted him. “Hello, son. How nice of you to visit.”
“This isn’t a social call.” His gaze hit Cinder next, looking bedraggled but otherwise safe sitting across from Nicola wearing a seaweed cape.
His heart stopped when she smiled at him and said, “I can’t believe you came.”
Fuck me. Hannah had pegged it.
He was in fucking love.