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My father studies me, but I don’t know what he’s trying to work out. “You’re free to do what you want,” he says, but his tone makes me think it could be a test rather than the truth.
I’m poised, ready to move while I wait to find out what I should do. Maris swims to be with my mother, and nobody tries to stop her. “Will you let them leave?” I ask my dad.
“I’ve already got what I want from the princess. Maris will be stripped of her status and shamed for mating with a human. She isn’t worthy of the crown, so she is free to leave with your mother.”
“And what about me?” I study his face as he studies mine.
“You’ve always shown promise, Pasha. If you stay with me, one day, all this will be yours.” He waves his arms wide, offering me things that don’t belong to him.
“This is a lot to take in. I’d like to get some air,” I say.
I’m wary of trusting him, and I need to get out of here. I need to talk to my family and friends. Without looking back, I swim out of the throne room, heading for the surface. It takes a while for the others to join me, and I’m a nervous wreck by the time they show up.
Kasper and Maris surface first.
“What took you so long?” I ask.
“We needed to regroup and get the jug,” Maris says.
“Is it complete?”
“There’s only one piece left to get,” Kasper replies, showing me a piece of broken pottery.
Ryn’s next to join us, and my mother isn’t far behind him. “Are you planning on going back in there?” Ryn asks.
“I didn’t know what was best to do. He seems to trust me, so maybe I should stay and keep an eye on the situation.”
“I think I should come with you,” Ryn says. I need to completely break things off him, but I don’t want to go back in there on my own. I’ll talk to him once we’re alone.
“What are you two going to do?” I ask Maris and Kasper.
“We need to go after the last piece of the jug,” Kasper says.
“Yes. The oracle said it was key,” Maris adds.
“Okay. I wish you luck,” I say. Maris hugs me. There’s so much I want to say to her and catch up with, but now is not the time. “What about you, Mum?” I ask.
“I’m going to see if I can round up the mer who are loyal to the king.”
“How do you know who they are?”
“The royals and the ones who were not pleased when Neptune escaped the first time will be a good starting point.”
“Okay. Be careful,” I say, hugging her.
“You too.” She wraps her arms around me tightly. “Don’t underestimate your father. It’s likely he’s questioning your loyalty.”
“I’ll try to shake his suspicion.”
We say our goodbyes, and I move closer to Ryn. I’m going to need his support to get through this, and my dad already thinks we’re a couple. I shouldn’t give him mixed signals about our relationship, but I can’t do this alone. I’ve got to try and act natural around my father, and I can’t explore the complexity of our relationship right now. Ryn and I join hands as we make our way back inside. The small connection already makes me feel better about handling this situation.
“Where have you been?” my dad asks.
“I’m worried about Mum. I expected her to be happy to see you,” I say.
“It’s a shame she’s not joining us. Where did your boyfriend go when we left the cave? He seems to have a lot of human friends,” he says, addressing me instead of Ryn. Does he know Ryn went back to the cave for Kasper, or is he testing our loyalty?
Ryn cuts me off before the first word is out of my mouth. “I can answer for myself. Isaac, the guy from land, is a tradesman, not a friend. He helped me find Pasha and I had to pay for his help. Kasper is Maris’s human and of no significance to me,” Ryn says, sounding bored. He seems to be good at keeping his head clear under pressure.
My dad seems to accept our answers. Over the next hour, we get a glimpse into how deep the uprising goes. If I said I wasn’t worried, I’d be lying. I hope Maris knows what she’s doing by going after the jug instead of trying to take back power.
Pretending to be loyal to my father might not be what the oracle had in mind, but this is the decision I’ve made, and I try my hardest to be believable. The royals are cleared out of the castle, and my father says I can have any room I like. We spend the night in Ryn’s quarters.
“Are you okay?” he asks once we’re alone.
“Not really. What about you?” I ask.
“We’re together, so we’ll work it out.” He softly kisses my lips. It’s caring and relaxing, unlike the other ones we’ve shared. He caresses my shoulders and pulls me close. “I’ve got you, Pasha, and this time I’m not letting you go.”
He kisses me again, and I take the comfort he's offering. I need support now more than ever. Ryn’s never been there for me, but now I really need it, he’s here, and it feels good.
