His cold tone makes me want to feed him to Myko right now.
"He doesn’t look like a good snack anyway. Don’t bother,"Myko drawls.
I huff. Typical.
“Picky eater,”I taunt, following the commander deeper inside.
The other two guards swim ahead even faster, like they have the juiciest gossip and can’t wait to spill it.
“If Chris had a tail, that would be her and Kayla.”
Myko’s snort rumbles through my head, almost a laugh, and I catch my lips twitching upward despite myself.
“You two, stop it. We need to focus!” Bay swims up beside me, scolding in a sharp whisper. “I feel like I have three sons to take care of, not one.”
I wave her off, fighting a grin. “Go take care of your son, we’ll be fine,mommy.”
“You better be,” she snarls. “I’d hate to miss the chance to see your mother kick your ass.”
“Alessio!” she calls over her shoulder.
He raises both hands in mock surrender. “Okay, okay! I’m coming. You two are getting more and more alike every day,” he groans, gliding past us.
I roll my eyes.
“The Great Depthborne,” the commander calls, and I stop in my tracks. He bows deeply beside the massive black main doors of the castle. “You may enter first.”
I raise an eyebrow, scanning the wide entrance. No guards stand here, no maids rushing to announce us. He wants me to go first… is this a trap?
Usually, someone would go ahead to formally announce our arrival to the royals. Is that why the other two guards swam off first?
“Be careful. I don’t like these diplomatic games,”I warn Myko, more for him to alert Bay.
Onyx taps my back lightly, as if sensing I’m bracing for an attack.
“His name is Lurx,” she whispers. “He’s a pain in the ass, but loyal to the royal house. He won’t cause trouble.”
I’m usually good at hiding my thoughts—as long as I don’t explode in rage and lose control of my powers. Did I let it slip this time?
“Of course he won’t, if he values his life.” I don’t bother looking at her as I say it, hoping the commander—Lurx—has excellent hearing. Or can read lips.
But instead of him, I getthatlook from my aunt—thedon’t cause trouble where there is nonelook.
Yes, mother.
My gills open and close in a resigned sigh, and I swim inside, my carefully chosen “crew” trailing behind me. I’m already starting to regret bringing them.
The entrance hall is smaller than I expected. Almost empty, but every surface—floor and walls alike—is carved with weird symbols. Are those ancient language runes? Runes that are forbidden in most cities, rumored to hold dangerous power. That’s not a good sign.
At the center of the room, a spiraling line of pale light winds upward, as if marking the path to the higher floors.
My gaze follows it from base to ceiling, and only then do I understand why that light isn’t the sharp gem glow I expected—it’s the eerie glow of dragonfish.
Dozens of them swim near the ceiling and beyond, following the spiral path upward to the upper floors.
Dragonfish aren’t usuallythisbig. They don’t glow this bright naturally, either.
And they’re predators, not decorative pets.
