Chapter 348

Bridget, Veronica, me, and Jessica lined up at the starting line in that order. By now the camera crews were ready and waiting. Many were dotted along with beach with a few others out in the boats around the designated racing area.

Nathan directed us where the path would be, showing us both on a map and through a sample runner: a local member of the staff who was a prolific swimmer. Nathan then asked us if we were comfortable we knew the route and we all said we were.

“Good luck, girls,” Bridget said to the rest of us as we took our marks. “You’re going to need it.”

Veronica gave her a flat look in return. Jessica wasn’t paying attention. It took everything in me not to glare.

“She’s trying to get into your head,” Veronica whispered to me. “Ignore her.”

I nodded. Veronica was right, of course. I needed to concentrate.

I tried my best to drown out Bridget’s overconfident musings by focusing on my own abilities. Inside of me, Miracle was pacing, ready to assist.

Nathan readied the starter pistol then handed it to Nicholas to start the race.

My eyes met Nicholas’s once more. I felt his concern and his affection in that one look.

Then he raised the starter pistol toward the sky and fired.

BANG.

At once, all four of us darted forward. Sand kicked up behind our fast footfalls.

For the first stretch, we were neck and neck. We all must have been tapping into our wolf-strength. Miracle was flexing inside of me, adding speed to my legs.

It was difficult to fully contain her, but shifting was against the rules. We had to maintain our human shapes for the duration of the race.

The first stretch of the race pushed our limits across the beach. Bridget, Veronica, and I pushed as hard as we could. Jessica began to lag behind. I couldn’t turn my head, but I could hear her struggle, her footfalls slowing as the rest of us advanced.

Before too long, our path veered to the right and we all hopped through the waves, before diving into the water.

It had been a long time since I swam so diligently, so pressingly, as if my life depended on it. But I tapped into those memories now, of swimming in races and gym class at the Academy. I pushed myself to the edge, my muscles burning.

Here in the water, even Veronica began to fall behind.

This left Bridget and I neck in neck as we pushed ever forward.

Bridget made everything looks so easy, while I had to struggle. But I used that as motivation to draw from my deepest strength. Miracle growled in my mind. I felt her frustration flood through my veins. It matched and amplified my own.

We couldn’t let Bridget win.

I was so very tired of watching Bridget win everything. She’d gone on so many dates with Nicholas already, and he always seemed so exhausted by the ruse, especially as of late, after the incident with the pit.

I didn’t want Nicholas to suffer anymore. Nor did I want myself to suffer in having to watch them.

I wanted to be the one to win legitimate dates with Nicholas. Force the cameras to watch us for a while.

Nicholas was also so protective and possessive of me, ready to protect me from all the world, and any man, that meant to do me harm. I wanted to return those favors. I needed to defend Nicholas as he was always ready to defend me.

And the first step to do that was to deny Bridget the chance to win any more dates with him.

So I pushed my body, even as my muscles ached and burned. I would not back down. And neither would Miracle.

Bridget and I stayed in close proximity. Though she inched ahead, I refused to let her gain much more of a lead than that.

For a while, I thought maybe I could do this. If I could muster my resolve, maybe my will could outmaneuver Bridget’s confidence.

And, as I pushed myself, I finally began to take the lead away from Bridget.

I was pulling ahead. The raceway was clear ahead of me and I felt my heart soar.

This was my moment. I could probe to everyone that I could be a capable Luna. I was strong. I was fast. And I was –

“Aarggh –!”

Suddenly something grabbed my leg and yanked me down under the surface. Water filled my mouth. I spit it out, but I hadn’t enough air. I felt like I was choking.

I kicked against my restraint, eventually hitting something solid. It released me, and I swam as fast as I could toward the surface. I broke through and sucked in a lungful of air – just as the whatever-it-was caught me by both legs this time and dragged me down.

Beneath the water, I looked down, and straight into the raging eyes of Prince Ronan, the merfolk prince I had turned down. He seemed furious, his features twisted with anger.

Was this… revenge?

My heart thundered in my chest. This merfolk man meant to kill me!

He pulled me down, and his hold on my legs was too strong this time for me to break free and kick him. I tried to punch at him, but the water slowed my fists to mere brushes of skin.

He laughed at me, his gills fluttering with the motion.

Not knowing what else to do, I leaned down, reached forward, and covered his gills with my hands.

Immediately, he tried to pull away, but I kept firm, my hands laid flat over his gills. If he was trying to drown me, then I would suffocate him. Fair was fair, and I wanted to live!

I had to get back to Elva! To Nicholas!

After everything Nicholas and I had shared, only to lose it now? I couldn’t let that happened. I’d promised him I’d be careful. I couldn’t let myself die just because some asshole who couldn’t take no for an answer now held a grudge.

Unfortunately, in merfolk form, Prince Ronan had a massive fish tail that he used now to thrash me around. I couldn’t hold onto his gills any longer. I couldn’t even keep my body straight.

I was trapped in a whirlwind, being thrown this way and that as if caught in the jaws of a shark.

Then, coming closer, I saw a figure. Veronica?

She swam straight past me, placed her hands flat on Prince Ronan’s chest, and in an instant, he was cast several yards deeper into the ocean.

Veronica grabbed me and together we kicked toward the surface of the water. But it was so far. I had been underwater too long. My breath was running out. My consciousness was dimming.

The world was turning black.

I couldn’t give up, but everything hurt.

Keep kicking, Miracle said in my mind, but she was weakened now too. That thrashing had shaken us both.

And there was no air.

I kept my face towards the surface of the water. The sun shimmered on the surface. I only had to reach it.

I was growing more and more tired.

Yet, then, a figure broke down through the waves. And I saw a face.

Nicholas.

It had to be an illusion. There was no way he was here.

But thank God. If I was about to die, his was the face I wanted to see.

His eyes were panicked. He reached out for me.

I swore I could almost feel him.

Then everything went dark.