He felt naked.

Jonas shivered slightly, rubbing his arms as though his hands could shield his torso from scrutiny. The scars scattered across his skin seemed to stand out even more now, under the soft glow of underwater light. They were reminders of missions gone wrong, choices he regretted, and battles he'd barely survived. His gaze drifted down to his new lower half, and the sight still made his breath catch.

A golden tail, streaked with faint red-tinted scales, shimmered in the water. The colors blended seamlessly with his human skin near his torso, the transition smooth yet alien. It was strange—otherworldly—but also undeniably fascinating.

If he ever reported this transformation to the CIA's science division, they'd probably lose their collective minds, swarming like fangirls at a One Direction reunion concert. The thought brought a faint smirk to his lips, though it quickly faded as a soft knock sounded at the door, pulling him from his reverie.

Morgan entered, his usual grace effortless, followed by another figure—a merman Jonas didn't recognize. Jonas's attention snapped to the newcomer, his curiosity piqued. The merman's most striking features were his molten gold eyes and fiery red hair that seemed to ripple like flames underwater. His physique was almost sculptural, the kind of body that made Jonas feel like an amateur by comparison. It reminded him of those times on missions when he had to tail models or actors—people so unnaturally perfect it felt surreal.

He shivered involuntarily, then cleared his throat. "Hey, Morgan. Who's this?" Jonas asked, arching a brow.

Morgan's lips curved into a smile. "This is my lover, Atlantis, Prince of the Emerald Kingdom."

Jonas blinked, his jaw tightening as the words registered. A prince? He was standing in the presence of royalty? He hadn't even met the Queen of England, but now he was casually meeting an underwater prince? His brain struggled to process what kind of connections Morgan had to pull this off.

Just smile and shake hands, Jonas. No big deal, he thought, schooling his features into what he hoped was a friendly expression. He extended his hand with his best smile. "Nice to meet you, Your Majesty. I'm Jonas Smith."

Atlantis's lips twitched, the barest hint of a smirk, as he slipped his webbed hand into Jonas's. "Nice to meet you, Jonas," the prince murmured, his grip firm but not overbearing.

Morgan clapped his hands together, his enthusiasm breaking the formal atmosphere. "Excellent! Now we can get down to business."

"To defeat the Huns," Jonas muttered under his breath before he could stop himself. His eyes darted to Morgan, but the merman didn't seem to catch it. He didn't know why Disney references kept bubbling up in his mind, but somehow, everything about this underwater world felt like a surreal blend of fantasy and childhood nostalgia.

"Business?" Atlantis echoed, one fiery red brow lifting in question.

Morgan nodded, swimming toward the corner of the room where an ornate chest rested. "We don't have much time. The wedding starts soon, and Jonas needs to be there."

Jonas blinked, confusion twisting his features. "What?"

Morgan ignored him, rummaging through the chest with single-minded focus. He pulled out a shimmering set of jewelry and examined it critically. "We need a good disguise for you," he muttered. "Slave won't do. Nor ambassador. Too obvious."

Jonas glanced at Atlantis, whose expression mirrored his own confusion. The prince's arched brow and slightly parted lips were almost comical, and Jonas bit back a smirk.

"I got it!" Morgan exclaimed, startling both of them. He spun around, eyes alight with excitement. "A soldier!"

Atlantis's eyes widened in alarm. "But I am your protector!"

Morgan giggled, leaning over to kiss Atlantis on the lips, much to Jonas's visible discomfort. "Of course you are, love," Morgan said, his voice warm. "But Jonas needs to be there, and he needs a convincing role. You'll come as my lover, and Jonas can play the soldier for the day."

Morgan turned to Jonas with a scrutinizing gaze. "Can you wield weapons?"

Jonas blinked, his incredulity flashing across his face. "Did you seriously just ask me that?" he said, rolling his eyes. "Guns, throwing knives, and I've used a harpoon once. Not much call for underwater combat in my line of work."

Morgan didn't look impressed, tapping a finger against his lips thoughtfully. "Knives will do," he muttered, diving back into the chest. After a moment, he emerged holding a gold belt adorned with gleaming daggers.

Jonas's stomach sank as Morgan tossed it toward him. He caught it reflexively, his fingers brushing the cold metal.

"Fück," Jonas muttered under his breath, staring at the weaponry now in his hands.

____________

The armor felt light, a strange but welcome effect of the ocean's zero gravity. Jonas shifted slightly, marveling at how unencumbered he felt despite the ornate design.

The helmet covered most of his face, its gold and amber hues glinting faintly in the soft, refracted light of the underwater arena. Matching golden cuffs encircled his wrists, each hiding a blade Morgan had called "necessary precautions." A leather strap crossed his torso, secured by an amber pin resting on his shoulder. The attire was unlike anything he'd ever worn before—functional yet regal, but certainly not something he'd ever be caught dead wearing on the surface.

"Feeling comfortable, Jonas?" Morgan asked, swimming up beside him, his expression tinged with amusement.

Jonas huffed, keeping his head high and his hands clasped behind his back, a stance drilled into him during years of training. "As comfortable as I can be," he muttered, eyes scanning the scene before him. His face betrayed no emotion, but it was impossible not to be impressed. The view was breathtaking.

The structure reminded him of the Roman Colosseum—massive, imposing, and alive with energy. The arena jutted out into a vast amphitheater filled with an excited crowd of merfolk, their scales shimmering like living gemstones in the refracted light. The Emperor's box, where they stood, was elevated above the rest, offering a commanding view of the space.

Two imposing black columns rose from the vacant arena floor, ominous yet elegant. The murmur of voices echoed off the high walls, a growing cacophony of anticipation that set Jonas on edge.

"This doesn't look like a wedding," Jonas murmured, his eyes narrowing.

"Believe it or not, the wedding ceremony is quite the spectacle," a new voice chimed in.

Jonas turned, his gaze falling on a peculiar group approaching from one side of the box. Two mermen stood protectively behind a pair of heavily pregnant women, each adorned with an almost obscene amount of jewelry. Their clothes shimmered with precious metals, flowing elegantly around their forms.

Jonas's eyes lingered briefly on the blue and green scales covering most of their bodies. One of the mermaids caught his attention—her familiar features sparking a memory. The healer, he thought. She was almost identical to the one who had patched him up after his encounter with the mermaid.

"You seem healthy," the blue-scaled mermaid said, her brown eyes locking onto him. One of her scaled hands rested protectively on her rounded stomach.

Morgan grinned, stepping forward. "You did a mighty fine job on him, Aceso. I was certain he wouldn't make it if not for your intervention."

Aceso giggled softly, waving a dismissive hand. "It was nothing," she said modestly.

The merman behind her frowned, his arms crossing over his broad chest. "Nothing? In your condition, you shouldn't be traveling, let alone going to the surface," he grumbled.

Aceso laughed, nudging him playfully with her elbow. "Nonsense, Destan. I'm perfectly fine. Besides, we owe Morgan far too many favors to ignore his calls."

Morgan chuckled, swimming closer to the couple. "Jonas," he said, gesturing to another pair who had just taken their seats nearby, "I want you to meet my good friends King Kai and Queen Ren of the Emerald Kingdom."

Jonas turned his attention to the green-scaled couple. Their presence radiated authority, though their warm expressions softened the air of regality. Queen Ren leaned forward slightly, a genuine smile gracing her features.

"Nice to meet you, Jonas," she said warmly. "Where do you come from?"

Jonas hesitated, glancing at Morgan for guidance. The merman nodded subtly, and Jonas cleared his throat. "America. CIA."

Ren's hazel eyes widened. "Whoa!" she exclaimed, turning excitedly to Aceso. "We've got a spy!"

Aceso's gaze snapped to Jonas, her surprise poorly hidden. "Seriously?" she asked, before breaking into a teasing grin. "Okay, tell us—who killed JFK?"

"And is Area 51 actually real?" Ren chimed in.

Jonas blinked, his mouth opening and closing as he pressed his back against the wall. Their curiosity overwhelmed him. "Uh... that's classified," he stammered, shooting Morgan a desperate look. "I thought mers don't know about human things."

Ren and Aceso giggled like schoolgirls. "Nonsense!" Ren said, still smiling. "We used to be human. That's how we ended up here."

Jonas's brows furrowed, his mind spinning. "Oh," he said dumbly.

Before he could process the implications of their words, his attention was drawn to a flicker of amber in the corner of his vision. His breath hitched.

Her.

Draped in golden finery, Queen Ava entered with the poise of someone who owned the space. Her head was held high, the jewels adorning her neck and shoulders catching the light like a halo. A delicate cloth draped across her chest, stretching around her neck to form a regal cape that trailed behind her.

Jonas's gaze met hers. Hazel eyes, framed by long lashes, locked onto him, recognition sparking between them. For a brief moment, her expression softened, but then her eyes narrowed, a flash of warning in their golden depths.

Jonas couldn't help himself. He smirked.