Chris raises a hand, trying to steady the moment. “Okay—” she starts, her voice firm but careful, “—let’s all calm down before we do something stupid. Let’s go blow off some steam first. We need it. All of us.” She glances between us, her gaze lingering on Kayla.
I’m still stuck on Kayla’s words.Help? What are they hiding?
Kayla hesitates, breathing hard, but then lets out a resigned sigh. “What do you have in mind?”
Chris’s lips twitch into a small, defiant smirk. “You’ll see.” She arches a challenging brow.
Kayla narrows her eyes but finally nods, her shoulders relaxing just slightly.
“Let’s go,” Chris says.
Go where?
Malec
The deeper we swim into the castle, the darker it gets. They don’t spare even a single dragonfish light in this area; only our tails illuminate the way forward, glowing like a muted rainbow in the gloom.
Onyx hasn’t said a word since we left the court. She’s not swimming beside me anymore—she’s clinging to my aunt like her life depends on it.
“Don’t make me do this again with that old stench. You have no idea what’s inside his—”
Alessio starts to taunt next to me, but I shoot him a sharp glare.Not the time.
The eldest son swims ahead, guiding the way. He shouldn’t know about Alessio’s little stunt with the king, and he definitely shouldn’t hear this.
“Did you say something?” The son turns abruptly, his expression so dark it looks like he’s imagining strangling us with his bare hands.
I side-eye Alessio, tilting my chin toward the son in a silent warning.
“No. Just family issues,” Alessio retorts, and I have to hold myself back from swiping my tail into his and smashing him into the stone wall.
But then I catch Onyx’s dark eyes gleaming my way. She flicks her gaze between us, frowning, then turns to whisper something to Bay.
Three. Two. One.
And there it is—Myko’s irritated growl.
Predictable.
I roll my eyes.
“Onyx just asked Bay if Alessio is a soul jumper.”Myko’s words echo in my mind. I don’t know if I should slap my cousin or praise Onyx’s sharp instincts.
“Do you think she saw it?”I ask quickly, keeping my face neutral.
“I coiled around him and pulled his body out before they noticed he was unconscious. I don’t think they saw, but it was clear the king wasn’t himself.”
I glance at the son ahead.
“It’s fine. He won’t remember a thing. If they suspect anything, I’ll take the blame. They already know the king won’t defy me in the end… so let’s hope it goes as planned.”
Suddenly, the son stops abruptly, his gaze locked on a side turn. We all join him, following his line of sight.
At the end of the long, dark corridor is a faint white light—too dim to be another dragonfish, too steady to be a gem glow like in Mal-El.
Is that… a rune?
I can’t see clearly yet, but the son clears his throat. “This is where I’ll wait for you. We can’t enter the chamber, and personally, despite my father’s orders, I’d recommend you think twice—” He tilts his head and glares at his sister. “—and not repeat my ignorant sister’s mistake.”
