Page 43 of Loched in Love

She pauses as if taking in the scene, and a delighted grin effuses her face rather than anger. “Oh, Merlin, you didn’t warn me we had guests,” she purrs. “Lachlan, is that you?” She glides over and pats my arm playfully before sitting the tray down on a nearby table. “And you’ve mated at last,” she announces, her attention on Elena.

“I have. This is Elena,” I say, tugging Elena to me.

Elena seems to be delighted to meet Vivian and stares up at her as if awestruck. She holds still under the sea witch’s gaze but seems content to do so, not scared at all.

“You must absolutely stay for dinner. We have so much to catch up on, and the stars are aligned for a marvelous evening,” she says. Another set of golden goblets appear and she begins to fill them.

“That sounds like a brilliant time Vivian, but we desperately need your help.”

I raise my hands, pulling a floating translucent bubble around the small key from the cup and wait as it elongates and fashions itself into my old trident.

Vivian pauses mid-pour, her gaze locking onto the pulsing metal fractures of my house key. The playful smile vanishes from her face, replaced by a nostalgic grin as she no doubt remembers helping me make the weapon.

Once long ago, I came to her for help in making a trident that would help me harness my power and be used like a conduit if I ever needed, before she broke it in her fit of outrage. Not that I regret my choice for a moment.

I take Elena’s hand in mine again, just in case we need to make a quick getaway, and wait to see what the sea witch makes of my request.

“Well, would you look at that,” Vivian purrs, a low chuckle rippling through her voice as she looks up at me. “Three hundred years and you bring me broken toys instead of gifts.”

“I’d say you owe him a repair dear heart, considering you’re the one who snapped the sea god’s prong in the first place,” Merlin offers.

“It wouldn’t have been broken at all, if she hadn’t been trying to impale me for refusing to stay here,” I remind them.

“I was trying to save you from yourself,” Vivian shoots back, crossing her arms with a defensive toss of her dark-colored hair. “You were ready to throw away our friendship and run off into the wilderness, over a possible fated mate. No offense dear, I truly am happy he found you,” she snaps.

“None taken,” Elena mutters as if in a daze.

“I was unwilling to mate with anyone but my fated mate,” I snap, gesturing wildly at Elena and the broken trident. “As is my right.”

“And look how that turned out, with you here yet again asking for help,” Vivian scoffs, though a warm sentimental smirk betrays her, like she can’t quite be angry with me.

Merlin lets out a loud cackle from overhead, reminding us all of how he still hangs there.

“Ugh, get down from there already. It’s been plenty years enough,” Vivian bites out, and with a wave of her hand at Merlin, the shackles on his wrists let go.

“Oww, you could have warned me,” he whines, as he collapses to the floor in a heap.

Vivian’s gaze rolls to the heavens. “Why didn’t you stop yourself before you hit the floor then?” she asks, as if him being hurt is his fault.

“I’ve been in that spot for more than a century. I’m rusty,” Merlin states. He stretches to and fro, and his spine pops and cracks like he’s been there a very long time.

“Oh, do hush. You loved every minute of it,” she barks out at him. The sea witch steps back toward a chaise lounge, casually dropping her weight onto the cushions, Merlin moving to sit beside her.

She reaches out, lazily running her fingers though his silver hair messily before turning back to me, her gaze sharp. “You spent three hundred years chasing a fated prophecy, while Merlin and I realized exactly what we were missing the second you left.”

Merlin leans into her touch with a smug, cat-like expression on his face, and raises a goblet.

“She’s right, mate. I found her yelling and in a pique of fury at your leaving. She called me to come after you, but when you ran off to find your destiny, you left me with the girl of my dreams. So really, I should thank you for being so stubborn. She’s a hard bird to toss once she’s of a mind to keep you. As you see.”

“Please sit and get comfortable. The both of you, let me see how I can help,” Vivian offers, her cheeks red from Merlin’s explanation.

We both gingerly sit, and I rest the trident on the side of the matching couch that appears with her magic, trying to be patient.

I glance between them, the tension melting from my shoulders as a genuine smile breaks across my lips. In all my years, I had an inkling Merlin and her bickering hid a deeper entendre. We’ve all known each other for years, but they never did get along. Or so I thought. “It’s about bloody time. You idiots have been dancing around each other for centuries, haven’t you.”

Vivian laughs, the sharp edge of the teasing leading into cheerfulness, looking much younger than her years.

Merlin clears his throat and gestures at my trident, reminding her of why we’re here.