If you'd asked me what drew me from sleep the following morning—after the day I'd had yesterday—I would've told you I had no idea. Something was tugging at me, a deeply buried instinct rising to the surface.

My muscles, tense and sore from the almost nonstop swimming I'd done the day before, barked in pain and protest as I rose and pulled on a shirt. The others were sleeping soundly; none of them moved a muscle as I swam to the kitchen, stuffing my bag with foods that would travel well. Grabbing two daggers, I looked back toward mine and Jay's room, as if I could see through it to the brown-haired merman sleeping there.

I made a silent promise in my head to him: I will come back to you. Now, whether I could keep that promise remained a mystery, but I would do everything in my power to do so.  Aegrem was silent as I swam outside, all the surrounding houses dark as their occupants slept, unaware that their queen was heading into danger. 

The swim from Aegrem to Nepptheas was a lot shorter than I remembered. My heartbeat was a roar in my ears. I was coming up on the outskirts of Nepptheas when a metallic smell stuffed itself up my nostrils. Not a minute later, I came across the bodies. Mermaids and mermen alike, all motionless on the ground with what looked like stab wounds on their chests. I wanted to bury them properly, but I didn't have time.

As I arrived in Nepptheas, destruction greeted me. Worse than yesterday. I didn't think it was possible for it to get worse, but the evidence was right in front of me. Almost every building was in ruins. What was left standing was crumbling and in disrepair. I was having trouble deciding what to do next: check for survivors, or survey the damage.

Before I had time to ponder the decisions, I froze as I felt someone swim up behind me. I spun around, only to meet familiar green eyes. That wasn't what made my heart stop dead in my chest.

It was the dark-blue pendant hanging from her neck that stole the water from my lungs. My hand flew to my neck, panic sluicing through me as I found it bare. If the ghosts haunted her, she didn't show it as we stared at each other.

What do you want, Naia? My hands were surprisingly steady despite the fear and panic swirling around inside me.

She grinned, gesturing to the lines of mermen behind her, all armed with swords and daggers with shields strapped to their backs. They regarded me with cold indifference, their gazes going right through me. To them, I wasn't the queen of anything. To them, I was the enemy.

I took a steadying breath as Naia's smile faded at whatever was behind me. I spun around, a hand going to my mouth as I beheld the mermen in front of me, all armed with identical weapons. Their leader—a merman with kind brown eyes and short cropped black hair—smiled at me, bowing. He scribbled a message on a piece of paper before handing it to me. My name is Dimitri. We're with you, Your Majesty. We will fight until the bitter end.

Emotion swirled inside of me, tightening my throat and making my breath hitch. I smiled back, gently grabbing and squeezing his hand. Another hand on my shoulder made me whirl around. Jay, David, Bella, and Meri were in front of me, armed and ready. They took up their positions beside Dimitri and his men.

Jay nodded at me, his gaze steady. I glanced at David, Bella, and Meri. Their eyes were on the soldiers in front of us, steely determination in their gazes. Before I could so much as signal Jay, I watched Naia turn to her army, hand clenched in a fist, and shout a single word. Attack.

I didn't need to signal. They knew what to do. The smell of blood soon filled the water, fear creating an identical taste on my tongue. I barely had time to move as a sword sliced in front of me, aiming for my head. Ducking the blow, I spun around and met another dagger, grunting at the strain in my arms.

The others were all around me, but I didn't stop to see where. Everywhere I turned, swords and daggers were flying, slicing through air and sometimes flesh. My heart jumped into my throat as I saw a merman go down, a dagger sticking out of his neck.

Blonde hair flashed in my vision as I caught my breath. I swam toward her, keeping a steady grip on my daggers. Blood trickled down her arm from a wound, but other than that, she was unharmed. Her emerald-green eyes blazed with fury as she saw me. Wow, Nerissa. I would've thought your husband would stay by your side. I guess he got tired of being in your shadow.

My heart stopped as I realized she was right. Jay wad somewhere behind me, fighting one of Naia's soldiers. Blistering anger shot through me as I struggled to keep my temper from slipping its leash. When I looked at Naia, I didn't see the younger sister whom I had played with when we were younger. I saw an untried mermaid who had been thrust into a role for which she wasn't prepared.

I didn't flinch. Before Naia could even react, I was moving, my dagger aimed for an unprotected stretch of skin near her shoulder. She cried out, her grip wavering. I took that as my opportunity to look around. The scent of blood and fear was heavy in the air.

I saw Bella face off against a merman in black armor. She wielded the daggers in her hands like she'd been born doing so. Her gaze was unwavering as she took down the merman in front of her with two swipes to the chest.

The look cost me. Naia struck, a slice down my shoulder that had me crying out as my dagger trembled in my grip. I pressed my free hand against the wound, blood trickling out between my fingers.

She grinned again, smirking at me. Her smile faded, and her eyes took on a far-away look as she listened intently to something. All the color faded from her face at whatever she heard. Her mouth opened in a shout, giving me an opening. I drove my dagger, albeit clumsily, into her chest, right where an opening in the armor gave way to skin. Blood trickled through my fingers, mingling with the blood from my own wound.

I was so focused on what her next move might be that I didn't notice the exact placement of the dagger right away. When I did, however, a sick sort of satisfaction washed over me, immediately followed by a cold numbness. Her green eyes fell on mine, widened with shock, then went blank as she crumpled to the ground. Her chest rose and fell a few more times before finally ceasing.

I didn't have time to react. I saw multiple heads turn toward me, realization blooming on their faces as saw what was happening. I barely had time to lift my daggers before they charged at me, daggers and swords raised and eyes blazing. My shoulder ached as I raised my arm once again, living bands of fire moving through it. Before my sword made contact, the soldier was dead, eyes frozen open as he hit the ground.

Jay was beside me, his chest heaving as he looked at me, then Naia. Blood stained his shoulder from an unseen wound, but other than that, he seemed okay. Pain and exhaustion filled his eyes as he looked back at me. I could see the unspoken words in his eyes as clearly as if they were written down. Are you okay?

I was about to answer when I noticed a merman in front of me, his gaze expressionless. He and another merman gently picked up Naia's limp body

Once they had left, the chaos finally died down, the rest of my soldiers coming to float around us. I winced at the various injuries I saw. David had a painful slice down his cheek; Bella sported a nasty bruise on her arm. Meri moved slowly thanks to a sword fragment sticking out of her tail.

In that moment, with my sister's body being carried away and seeing my friends' wounds, I wanted to collapse on the ground and sob. Bella supported Meri with an arm slung over her shoulder. A merman swam in front of me then, his brown eyes filled with pain.

Brandon. He shook his head before I had so much as raised my hands. I noticed a notepad sticking out of his pocket as I looked at him. He grabbed it and scribbled a message. I'm so sorry. This is all my fault.

My eyes were filled with ire as I stared him down, despite being several inches shorter. Where were you when Naia was dying in my arms? Some soldier you are. Your banishment still stands. If you are caught in Nepptheas or Aegrem, you will be executed.

He flinched as the words hit their mark, then swam away. As soon as he was out of sight, my facade crumbled. I covered my face with my hands, sobbing. Jay gently grabbed my hand, squeezing it. We swam home in silence, all of us absorbing the events that had transpired.

I swam into our room as soon as we got home, stripping off my armor to reveal clothes sticky with blood. Naia's blood—and other's. My hands shook uncontrollably as I tore off my shirt and went into the bathing room. I scrubbed my skin until it stung, wishing I could wash away the memories as easy as I washed away the blood.

By the time I was dressed and back in the bedroom, Jay was not far behind. He eased into the bed, wincing as he inhaled sharply. I laid my head on his chest, finally succumbing to the sobs that had been trapped inside. My eyes were clenched shut as tears streamed down my face.

I fell asleep instantly, my heart aching in my chest. One question swirled around in my head, a question I hadn't let myself ponder during the aftermath of the battle: Now what?

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