Annoying. But smart.
The ocean’s already visible through the windshield, stretching out beneath the dark sky. I should be thinking about the mission—about the missing merfolk, about the agreement I made with Onyx because my aunt discovered her sense of justice again—but my mind’s still stuck somewhere else.
Roran.
The drug. Her symptoms. What Kayla told me...
Those scars on Roran’s legs, they weren’t just old wounds. They were stories, etched in flesh. And now, I can’t unsee them. Shewasn’t lying—she’d love to see him die. And I can’t wait for it to be done.
I clench my fists, fighting the surge of heat building in my chest. Rage itches under my skin, electric and dangerous, but I shove it down. I cannot lose control again. Not now.
But Fedor should be dead.
That bastardshould be dead.
Why in the merhell does he hold the only access to her medication?
What kind of drug is that?
I exhale slowly, jaw tight, and shoot Pedro a quick text:
Let me know if she tells you anything. I don’t care how small, I need to know.
I don’t expect a reply right away, but the silence on that front isn’t helping. At least I left the Sur-El pendant with him, just in case they get any lead on land until we’re back.
Bay pulls into our usual parking spot by the beach, her movements sharp and practiced, like muscle memory laced with impatience. Sometimes I wonder if she’s taken more souls behind the wheel than I ever have consumed.
She doesn’t say a word. Just kills the engine and glances at me, then at Alessio.
He’s still in the back seat, unusually quiet, his face lit by the glow of his phone. Probably playing some game or texting someone with a fake name and a real attitude.
I wouldn’t have brought him along if I had other options. But this isn’t just a social visit to Kolox.
Their pod is built differently. Old blood. Old rules. Warriors through and through—trained since birth to kill, judge, and avenge without hesitation. Their justice system is the most brutal in our oceans, but the most respected. Once they mark a target, that target is as good as dead.
And if someone’s managed to hurtthem?
We’re not dealing with a minor threat. Which is why I need every leverage I can get—even if that leverage is a chaotic cousin with a god complex. They won’t hurt us, but we need to make sure they work with us to solve it for the rest of the pods as well.
I still think this whole thing might be a waste of time. Kolox has never needed help. If they’re under attack, they can probably take care of it themselves.
But I promised my parents I’d follow protocol to not ruin the Mal-El’s name.
And I promised Onyx I’d look into what happened with the Beast of the Depth.
So here we are.
I step out of the car without waiting for the others and head toward the water, letting the salt-heavy breeze hit my face. I want this over with. I need answers—for our kind, for my family, and forher.
Behind the usual rock we always use, I kick off my shoes and strip down, dropping my clothes in a pile before I hear the crunch of footsteps behind me.
“I know your body glows up a lot, but that doesn’t mean the sun shines out your ass, cugì,” Alessio says, coming up beside me like he’s not two seconds away from getting his face planted in the sand—by me.
His hand lands on the back of my neck, and I suppress the instinct to rip it off.
“You just went ahead by yourself?” he adds, like I’m the one being reckless.
I take a long breath through my nose and force my irritation down. I’ve been snapping too easily lately; I have too much on my plate.
