The River Maid (29 page)

Chapter Thirty Three

Adrianna woke shivering on the riverbank, her top half cold from being out of the water, but she was too afraid of Lorelei to slide further in. Her arm still throbbed. She undid the knots that secured Christian
’s makeshift bandage and unwound the linen strip. Underneath, four slashes cut deep into her arm. It looked like some wild animal had mauled her.

Christian knelt down
besides her, startling her, and gently took her wrist. “Let me see your arm.”

“Couldn’
t you sleep?” She couldn’t see any blankets to indicate where he had slept.

“I was worried Lorelei might come back.”

“You kept watch all night?”

“I’
ve done it before when I was in the army.” He had stayed awake all night to make sure she was safe. She didn’t know what to say. After examining the wound, he gently rebound her arm. “Gaspard thinks we might reach the castle tonight.”

“
Oh,” was all Adrianna could say. It was the last time she would wake up on the bank with him and Gaspard. She wouldn’t think about what would happen to her once they reached the town.

“Adrianna, I --”

He broke off as Gaspard sat up with a groan. “I will be thankful to sleep in a proper bed tonight,” he said, muttering to himself as he got stiffly to his feet.  

They ate the last of their food. Gaspard tried to make conversation, but she and Christian said little. Eventually, Gaspard gave up and they ate in silence. They were all tense; Lorelei was in the river and the French were somewhere out there behind them.

Adrianna sat curled up on the riverbank while Christian saw to the horses and Gaspard packed their belongings away and stamped out the fire. Christian had wrapped his cloak around her to cover her tail and ward off the morning chill. She rubbed her cheek against the material. She could feel the warmth that lingered from Christian’s body and smell him in the fabric. She would give anything for them not to go back to St Goarshausen, to have just one more day with them all together. 

When they were ready, Christian picked her up and handed her to Gaspard while he mounted. He set her in front of him, cradling her against his chest. They had ridden like this for so long now. She tried not to think about how this would be the last time she would have his arms around her.

“Are you worried about what will happen when we reach the town?” he asked softly as they rode. “Nothing will change.”

Everything would change.
He would be a prince again, if only she could be a girl again.

“
I will protect you,” he added.

“
I don’t need you to.”

The air was thick with the tension between them. He didn
’t need to say anything. She could feel everything he wanted to say in the way he looked at her and the intensity of his gaze.

“
I’m not a girl, Christian,” she said, needing him to face the truth. “I’m a mermaid and I’m never getting my legs back. This is how I’m going to stay forever.”

Christian slowed the horse to a stop so he could gaze intently down at her.
“It doesn’t matter. All that matters is who you are. I feel like I’ve lived more in the last few weeks than I have in the last two years. I could talk to you all day or just sit beside you. It wouldn’t matter so long as I was with you. And I want to be with you.”

“I’
m not human. I’m a mermaid and you’re a prince. It can never be.”

“I don’
t care what you are. It doesn’t matter to me. We can be together. If you want to. Adrianna, I --”

“Don’
t say it,” she begged, stopping his words by putting her hand to his mouth.

He gently pulled her hand away and kissed the palm.
“I --”

Suddenly, Gaspard shouted, interrupting them.
“Adrianna, Christian, run!”

They broke apart. Ahead, a group of soldiers on horses were approaching, bearing down on them. Christian swore and turned the horse, but there were more soldiers behind them. They were surrounded.

Fournier’s lieutenant guided his horse forward. The lieutenant smiled. “Fournier thought you would head back to the Rhine.” He looked at Adrianna, his hard eyes inspecting her. The cloak had fallen away, leaving her fins visible beneath the bottom of her dress. “You won’t escape again. Get off the horse.”

They had no choice, but to do as he said. Christian swung down with Adrianna in his arms. Gaspard climbed down from his own horse.
“You cannot have her,” he said, bravely stepping in front of them.

A soldier struck him in the face with the butt of his musket. Gaspard fell to the ground. The solider raised his musket and hit him again and again.

“Stop!” Adrianna screamed. “Please stop. You’re killing him.”

A ship appeared on the Rhine, sailing steadily toward them. A boat was slowly lowered and began to row toward the bank. Christian
’s arms tightened around her. Gaspard lay on the ground in a ball, his face a mask of blood. She couldn’t see if he was breathing. 

“
Take her to the ship,” the lieutenant instructed Christian.

When he didn
’t move a soldier shoved his musket against Christian’s back and pushed him down the bank toward the boat. A rope was thrown out and the soldiers on the bank caught it and pulled the boat ashore. With her in his arms, Christian climbed in, their weight making the boat wobble dangerously. Fournier’s lieutenant climbed in as well. He kept a pistol trained on them as the four sailors used the oars to shove the boat away from the bank. Their job done, the soldiers still on land mounted and rode away, leaving Gaspard lying unmoving on the ground. Christian held her tightly, her tail across his legs, his handsome face grave. She could feel the tension in his body as the boat was slowly raised up. Fournier waited for them on deck, his steely dark eyes narrowed in satisfaction. His uniform was rumpled and badly stained with wine and sweat. A wiry grey beard covered his face and his black hair was lank and greasy. 

“
Your Highness,” Fournier said, bowing mockingly once they had climbed aboard. “I’m honoured to have the great hero of Austerlitz aboard my ship. Although no one told me you were also a thief. Don’t worry, Your Highness, I will make sure the whole of France knows what you have done.”

Christian said nothing, his jaw tense.

“Put the creature down,” Fournier said. Christian set her down gently on the deck. “Now, step away from her.”

Christian hesitated before stepping back. Fournier drew his pistol and shot him. Adrianna screamed. Christian fell to the deck, clutching his shoulder. Blood pumped out between his fingers. Adrianna pulled herself across to him. He was breathing heavily and his eyes were closed, his face white. 

“Set sail.” Fournier’s men rushed to obey him.

Adrianna held Christian
’s head in her lap as the ship began to move. She smoothed the hair back from his face, her hands trembling. “Don’t die, please don’t die.” She pressed her hand to the wound to try and slow the bleeding and Christian cried out in pain. Her tears fell onto his chest.

“
Move away from him,” Fournier ordered. He had his pistol raised ready to shoot Christian again.

“
No,” Adrianna said, shielding Christian with her body. Fournier grabbed her hair and yanked her back. She screamed. The ship lurched, making Fournier stumble.

“
Captain,” a deckhand steering the ship called. 

Fournier released her. She pulled herself back across to Christian. The ship was entering a narrow part of the river, between two rocky cliffs. Waves smashed against the side of the ship, sending a shower of spray over them. The sailor steering the ship struggled to keep the ship on course. The waves were forcing them into the rocks. Adrianna looked back. Behind them, the river was calm, with barely a ripple creasing its surface.

“Get us out from between these cliffs before we’re smashed to pieces,” Fournier said, shouting to be heard.

Above them, the sky was serene, a cloudless blue, yet here a storm raged. Water washed over the deck and the sailors had to cling on for their lives. 

Fournier turned to her. “You’re doing this.” He pulled out a knife. “Hold her down while I cut out her tongue.”

“
It’s not me,” Adrianna said.

The lieutenant grabbed her by the hair. He wrapped it around his hand and forced her head back.

“Open her mouth,” Fournier instructed.

She clamped her mouth shut as the lieutenant tried to pry it open, his thick meaty fingers squeezing her jaw and digging into her cheek. Fournier pressed the blade against her lips. The ship tilted dangerously to one side. Men screamed as they were sent tumbling overboard. The lieutenant released her and rushed to grab a rope to secure himself. Fournier swore and ran to grab the now unmanned wheel. He was too late. The ship smashed against the side of the cliff. It was pulled away before being forced against it again.

Fournier shouted orders, but there was no one to follow them. He had his back to the mast. Adrianna watched as it toppled down and crushed him.

Adrianna was thrown from side to side. Barrels and other supplies hit her as they fell into the water. Men screamed and cried out prayers. Some jumped overboard while others lashed themselves to the ship only to be torn away. Through it all, she held onto Christian. With a terrible groaning sound the ship broke in half and they were flung into the water. For a moment she was disorientated, not knowing which way was up. Around her, lifeless bodies were sinking down, while those still alive frantically tried to grab her as she pulled Christian to the surface. She could see the silent plea in their eyes as they struggled for breath, but she couldn
’t help them. She had to save Christian.

Above, the waves still churned, threatening to dash her and Christian against the cliffs. Amidst it all she saw Lorelei. Water raged around the mermaid. It had raised her up above the waves, like a queen on her throne. Her long hair streamed back with the force of the water, her eyes blazed with violet fire and her tail shone silver. She was beautiful, but terrible to behold. Adrianna realised Lorelei had done this. It had started when Christian was shot.

Christian was unconscious in her arms, his face deathly pale. She struggled to keep his head above the water as waves washed over them and tried again to send them against the rocks. Lorelei was going to kill them both. 

Adrianna swam to Lorelei, dragging Christian behind her. The mermaid turned her eyes to her and she could feel the power in her gaze. There was anger, but also recognition there.

“They killed Christian.” Lorelei’s voice was that same strange sound; old and ancient. It rolled across the water like thunder. Despite the storm, Adrianna could hear her clearly. This creature wasn’t human. She wasn’t mortal, but something else.

“
Christian’s alive. He’s not dead.” Adrianna had to shout to be heard above the storm. “But you have to stop or you will kill him.”

The river immediately calmed down. They were no longer in danger of being thrown against the cliffs. Lorelei came to them. She didn
’t move; the water carried her forward. The mermaid touched his face. “They hurt him.” Her voice sounded normal again. The river was calm now, the waves nothing more than a gentle caress. There was no sign of the ship, or any of the men. Lorelei had killed them all.

“
Yes, but you saved him,” Adrianna said carefully, afraid to anger her.

“
He doesn’t love me,” she whispered, caressing his face.

Afraid Lorelei was going to take him from her, Adrianna tightened her grip on him.
“I’m sorry.”

“
I would have done anything for him. I was going to give up the river for him, my home, my tail, everything that I was.”

“
You shouldn’t have to give up everything you are to be with someone.”

Silver tears trickled down Lorelei
’s cheeks. She turned to her. “Go, Adrianna. Take him and go.” Her voice was low and as deep as the ocean. “Never come into my river again. Go and be with him.” She swam away.

“
What about my legs?” Adrianna called after her.

Lorelei laughed. It was a terrible sound, reverberating against the cliffs and echoing back to them.
“You said to me once he should love you no matter what your form. You can stay like that and he can love you as you are.” The mermaid dived under, and in a flash of silver, she was gone.

Adrianna swam awkwardly to the bank, pulling Christian behind her. She remembered doing this before, in another life. She had to get him out of the water before Lorelei changed her mind and came back to take him. The water was quiet now. There was no sign of the ship, not even a piece of wreckage. It was as if it had never happened.

She heaved Christian up onto the bank and, exhausted from trying to keep his head above water, she collapsed onto his chest. She brushed his dark hair back from his face. “Christian? Christian, please wake up.” He was so pale and still. She couldn’t tell if he was breathing. “Christian?” She put her lips to his, intending to breathe into his mouth. His lips moved under hers, kissing her. She pulled away. He stirred and opened his eyes.