Page 93 of Mermaid on Heels
“I lied to you and told you I didn’t know where it was, but I do know, and you believed me. I must confess I’m guilty—I’ve been guilty ever since, but I want you to realizewhyI did that. It was the only way I could keep you with me, to keep you safe from your evil sister because I knew, if I told you where it was, you would go there the very next day.
“I couldn’t bear the thought of something happening to you, or letting you go alone while I was completely unable to accompany you, and letting you slip away after finally having found you. I’m so sorry, I was so selfish. I truly hope that you’ll find it in your heart to forgive me.”
He looked at her with hopeful eyes and Liriya looked away from him. Her breathing became ragged, her heart beat faster, and the fine hairs on her body stood up as if in awareness of this revelation. A whirlwind of emotions swirled within her, raging a war with her unsteady thoughts, images flashing through her mind.
Faelina.
Liriya dropped her arms from Luke and balled them into fists at her sides.
Her evil, half-sister was the reason why all this chaos was coming into her life—while, ironically, Faelinawasthe reason she was here in the first place. Here she was thinking that things were finally settling down and falling into place in her life, which had been so confusing for the last few months, and now, she just realized that the man she loved had lied to her about important information.
Because of Faelina.
But thenagain, it was because of Faelina that they had met, the reason why Liriya was in the Lectorian Sea, breakfast-hunting in the first place.
Liriya groaned inwardly, her frustration building up and nothing making sense anymore. The shortly forgotten vengeance roused. That was it. Liriya was going to finish that blasted siren before taking another step forward in her life. That would stop Faelina’s continuous interference.
“Liriya, say something,” Luke pleaded as her silence continued.
Liriya turned her gaze to him and her heart clenched. Tears pooled in her eyes; he had lied to her. If it was Faelina’s fault or not,Lukelied to her. She couldn’t accept it. They had shared a profound connection even on the first day, they both felt the magnetic pull between them—shetrusted him then.
“Where is that sea?”
Luke’s eyes looked pained, and so did his voice when he called her name with a reluctant shake of his head. “Liriya…”
“Tell me, Luke.” She sniffed to hold back her tears. “If you lied to me then, tell me the truth now.”
“Liriya, you can’t—”
“You lied to me, Luke!” Liriya cried. “I trusted you to be honest with me, so every word you said, I believed! All while you knew my mother, my sisters’ and my only family, was trapped down there with my evil half-sister!Blasted sharks!What if Faelina has done something to her while I stillhadthe chance to save her, and I did not, because you did not tell me where I could locate a Tuna kingdom? What—whatwas I doing all this time? Laughing and enjoying myself while my mother was…”
Liriya clutched her hands to her hair and slid down the pillar to the floor.
“Liriya,” Luke began in his pained voice, but paused and heaved a deep breath. “It’s in the Garbian Ocean; that’s where Oceantuna is located. That’s all I know, but Liriya…” He crouched down in front of her and gently pried her hands from her hair. “You love me, and I love you—”
“That is the thing, Luke,” she interrupted in her croaky voice, looking at him through the tears in her eyes. “Ithurtsbecause I love you and I trusted you—even before I properly knew you. What other lies have you told me?”
The tormented expression on his handsome face tore through Liriya’s heart and she regretted her words; she shouldn’t have said that, he wasn’t that kind of a person, a person who took advantage of others.
She knew that he had lied because he had a reason. Still, helied…
Liriya sucked in a sharp breath. “I apologize, I did not mean that.”
The hopeful glint in his eyes returned, though rather dim this time. He squeezed her hands in his. “Other than that and telling my family not to disclose the location to you, I promise I haven’t deceived you or taken advantage of you in any other way. I’m sorry that I asked that of my family even though they didn’t have to lie to you because you never asked them—”
“Because I believed you.”
“Because you believed me,” Luke repeated in pain, and the unshed tears glistened in his eyes. “Oh, Liriya, I’m truly sorry I broke your trust. What can I do? Whatever it takes, I shall make it up to you, I promise. But you must knowwhyI chose to deceive you. You were blinded with vengeance then, and I didn’t want to lose you. So tell me, say the word, and I’ll do it.”
Liriya’s heart broke. She loved him and she hated to see him in pain. She understood his reasoning. But as long as there was still something shecoulddo for her mother and her kingdom, she must do it, no matter the cost. For now, she knew what she wanted.
Liriya placed her palm against Luke’s wet cheek and her heart ached when he closed his eyes and leaned into her touch, his free hand holding onto it.
“I wish to be alone.”
Luke’s eyes fluttered open and hurt flashed in them, so she rushed to add, “I just need some time to process everything, I promise. It will take more than this or even a hurricane to take away the love I have for you in my heart.”
Liriya watched as the tension eased from his face. A small smile that failed to touch his eyes graced his lips. “I love you, too.” He brought her palm to his lips and brushed a tender kiss there before rising to his feet. “Come on then, I will escort you to your room.”