“Where was he last seen?” I cut him off, refusing to let him steer this conversation.
“He foolishly left the city when he heard the hunters were at the hunters' port, supposedly hunting foryou. He’s been secretly keeping an eye on—” He tilts his head, peering past me. “—his little sister.”
The port?
He pauses, his jaw tightening as he glares at Onyx.
“Who also had the nerve to swim back into the city after being banished.”
The last words grind out between his teeth, his expression darkening.
Heat surges through my veins.
“Malec.”
“I’m fine. I can control this much,”I snap back to Myko—who’s back in Bay’s body since we entered the throne room—even as my gills flare and close in a steady, dangerous rhythm. Fucking. Politics.
I don’t have to look to know my marks are glowing now. And the king doesn’t need to ask what that means.
He glides backward, quickly putting space between us.
“You. Do. Not. Threaten. My. Merfolk.”
Each word spits from my mouth like fire, each syllable landing sharp as a blade, driving straight into his skull like a hammered nail.
“I’m here to find your son,” I say, my nostrils flaring, sending a stream of bubbles upward. “But if you think you can unleash your dragonfish pets on us and play these cheap power games—” I point at my glowing marks. “—think again.”
The king’s gills vibrate like they’re holding scalding steam. But after a moment, he releases his clenched fists and schools his face back into that political, practiced smile.
“We are not your enemies. We just want our son back,” he says, voice lower now, trying to sound conciliatory. But he doesn’t dare come closer.
I let out a low, menace-laced chuckle that makes the queen squirm behind him.
“Correction: you do notwantto be my enemy,” I say slowly. “I never made any oath to obey royal bloodlines. I’m not bound by you—” half a lie, but they don’t know that. “—but you’re bound by me. I’m here because I respect my family and the royal houseof Mal-El, to maintain peace among the pods. So let’s be clear: Onyx is to be pardoned—”
He opens his mouth, but I slice him silent with a glare. I’m not done.
“—and you will personally tell me everything about what happened to your son, without all these pathetic power plays. From what I’ve gathered so far… he won’t survive much longer, so don’t waste my time.”
Shock ripples across his face, the scales on his forehead rising so high he looks like a startled puffer fish.
“Onyx almost released the Beast of the Depth—the deepest betrayal our line has ever known!” the queen spits, darting forward, her finger jabbing at Onyx behind me, her amber eyes gleaming with disgust—at her own daughter.
I open my mouth to shut her gills for her, but the king grabs her wrist, shaking his head firmly.
Now he’s starting to understand…
“It’s your lack of vision and your blind judgment of your own blood that is the true disgrace to the royal lines!”
My head snaps to my right. My aunt. Her eyes blaze purple light, furious—and Myko pulses around her, ready to challenge anyone who dares disagree.
Soft-hearted as always. I sigh, my gills opening and closing heavily.
“The beastchoseher. The beastbondedto her,” Bay hisses, her words scorching. I wonder if this is how she felt when Myko chose her.
“And instead of helping her—of trying to understand—you exiled her, forcing her to endure the torment alone!”
She’s trembling now, every muscle locked, her chest beginning to glow.
