Page 71 of Mermaid on Heels
She might be from the deep depths of the ocean, not intimidated by anything from the airy world, but this mermaid statuedidintimidate her more than she wanted to admit to herself. Liriya had never seen a statue of a living being before, so the tremor it brought to her was indescribable.
How late Queen Atlana accepted this as a gift from her husband without a tremor, Liriya had no idea. Perhaps the poor mermaid had no choice; how could she have, when her husband did it all for her?
Yet, sculpting statues of living beings? Humans were unbelievable.
“Are you sure you’re okay, Liriya?” Luke’s eyes were a sea of concern. “Perhaps this wasn’t a good idea after all. I apologize.”
“It is alright. I just… I have never seen anything like this before, a stone reassembling a living being. So it is merely a shock.” Liriya put on a smile, but his steady, concerned gaze made it hard for her to maintain her mask. It was as though he was seeing her through her attempt at masking her feelings.
“Be honest with me, little mermaid.”
Liriya sighed, her smile dropping into a frown. She looked away from him to the mermaid statue, trying to tie up her fear. “I do not feel alright,” she confessed, diverting her gaze to him. “But do not feel sorry, please. I know you thought I might appreciate it; you had no idea what I felt about statues, nor did I, until now.”
Luke’s face frowned and Liriya hated that she was the cause. She wanted to put back her façade and pretend she was all right, that she loved his surprise, just to see his bright smile back again. But she couldn’t. Not only because she felt too feeble to hold up her mask, but because he asked for her honesty.
He didn’t want her to pretend, he didn’t want her to hide from him. He saw through her façade somehow and he wanted her honesty. He wanted her to be true and real, even if it meant her honesty would hurt him.
This man was truly something.
“I’m so sor—”
“Do not,” she interrupted hastily, placing her two fingers on his lips, too late to think about her actions—or rather, the mind of their own her fingers seemed to have.
Hearing a sharp intake of breath from Luke made Liriya freeze. She sensed the impact of her unthinking action on both of them.
Luke’s eyes burned with intensity and Liriya couldn’t help but think how soft and warm his plump lips felt under her fingers. Her heart thundered as his blue eyes bored into hers, into her soul. Her mind clouded, her senses were overwhelmed, and she realized some kind of trance was taking over her.
Liriya willed herself to do something. She pulled back her hand and absently grazed her thumb against her fingertips that seemed to burn from the contact. “I apologize—”
“No.” Luke caught her hand and lifted it to his lips, pressing a feather-soft kiss to her two fingertips just before his eyes dropped to her lips.
Liriya’s heart galloped and she hurried to speak, almost breathless. “Why do we not go to your mother’s garden?”
She was terrified at the thought of him kissing her. And she had no other option than distracting him.
Liriya tugged at their joined hands that they hadn’t dropped since leaving the guest wing and dragged him across the small garden to the walls of greenery that stood waiting on the other side. Not giving him a chance to respond.
“The same key, right?” she asked for confirmation.
“Yes,” he confirmed, sounding almost distracted.
Liriya fought the urge to glance back at him as she navigated them through the intersections to his mother’s garden. They moved in silence. As long as they pretended nothing had happened back at the fountain, it was good; she wouldn’t have to worry about him bringing it up, not even to apologize.
They stepped out of the maze and came face to face with a curtain of greenery.Earth is so green,Liriya thought, and decided it was her second favorite colour.
Luke stepped forward, dropping their joined hands, and pushed the heavy vines aside, revealing a small ornate door. He twisted the handle and opened it, gesturing to her to enter. Liriya stepped forward and it felt like last night all over again, only tonight it felt more enchanting with the tiny flickering yellow lights floating in the air.
There were many of them all over the garden. Liriya glanced around her, mesmerized. “What are these?”
Where she expected him to say they were enchanted floating lights, Luke came to her side after closing the door and answered, “They’re fireflies.”
“Fire?” She turned to him, her lips parting. “Would it burn me if I touch them?”
Her innocent question elicited a soft chuckle from him. “No, not at all. Ced and I used to catch them in our palms as kids, but your hand would smell awful after that.”
“Why?” she asked and looked around her once more. “I mean, how could something so beautiful smell awful, especially when they are dancing in a garden filled with the intoxicating fragrance of flowers?”
Luke laughed once again and Liriya turned to face him, seeing him shaking his head with a soft look in his eyes that made warmth bloom in her chest.