The Emerald King rested his forehead against Ren's, his lips brushing softly against hers in a silent, desperate prayer.

Please, let her live. Gods, I need her by my side... I love her.

"I love you, Ren. Please wake up," he whispered, his voice cracking under the weight of his grief. Silent tears traced down his cheeks, falling onto her still face.

"Kai," Atlantis called, his voice strained. He was slumped against the rough cave wall, exhaustion in every line of his body. "Look."

Kai lifted his head, his breath hitching as his gaze locked on the glow. A soft, earthy-green light encased Ren's body, the soft pulse of it steady as a heartbeat.

"Morgan!" Kai's voice was sharp, filled with panic and hope colliding in his chest. "What did you do?"

Morgan's eyes darted from Ren to Kai, his face pale with confusion and fear. "I did nothing!" he exclaimed, raising his hands. "I only applied the paste to stop the bleeding after removing the spear!"

"Do not fear, my children," a voice echoed through the cavern, deep and resonant like the ocean itself.

All three of them froze, their gazes darting around the cave in search of the source.

"Who... Who are you?" Kai demanded, his voice tinged with awe and disbelief.

"I am the Emerald Sea Goddess," the voice answered, each word like the crash of distant waves. "I have heard your prayers for this brave soul, this human who sacrificed herself to save one of mine. Kai, King of the Emerald Kingdom, I grant her a second chance—not as a human, but as one of your own. From this moment, she will be the voice of the Emerald Goddess."

The voice faded like the receding tide, and the silence that followed was heavier than before.

Kai turned slowly to look at Ren, his heart pounding with renewed fervor. Her transformation had begun. The wound in her abdomen closed with a soft glow, leaving unblemished skin behind. Green scales emerged along her shoulders, gliding down her sides and over her hips. Her legs melted together, becoming encased in shimmering emerald scales as her lower body reshaped into a sleek, elegant tail. Her fins were unlike any merfolk he had ever seen—delicate, flowing like silk in the water.

Kai reached for her hand, his calloused fingers wrapping around hers. He held on, waiting, willing her to open her eyes.

For a moment, there was stillness. Then, slowly, her eyes fluttered open.

Silver met green.

Kai inhaled sharply. The eyes are the windows to the soul, he remembered hearing once from a human traveler.

If that was true, then what he saw in Ren's eyes was unmistakable.

Love.

********************

Master! Master! The bright lights of the fae swirled toward Destan as he tugged at the raft's rope, his muscles straining with each pull.

"Cassio!" he panted, eyes narrowing at the little fae's bright glow. "What news do you bring of Ren?"

Cassio's tiny face lit up with a wide grin. "The Emerald Goddess blessed her with life, Master. She lives."

Destan stopped swimming. His breath caught in his chest as his eyes went wide with wonder. The gods of the ocean hadn't intervened in mortal affairs since the Great War. To hear that one of them had manifested now—for a human—was nothing short of divine upheaval.

"That means change is coming, doesn't it?" he murmured, tightening his grip on the rope.

"Yes," Cassio replied, his fiery glow flickering with energy.

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

Cassio hovered in place, his glow dimming with hesitation. "That remains to be seen, Master."

Destan's brow furrowed in thought. His eyes lifted toward the small raft bobbing on the surface of the water. A human woman lay inside, her head tilted as if caught in a dream. Midnight-black hair cascaded around her face, and her onyx eyes remained closed, her expression marred with sadness. There was something about her—something that tugged at him, compelling him to look closer.

"Are you going to keep her, Master?" Cassio asked, tilting his head in curiosity.

Destan's lips curled into a small smile, his gaze still locked on the woman.

"I think I will," he said, his voice like a distant storm rumbling over the horizon.

************

Ace groaned, clutching the side of her head. A dull ache throbbed at her temples, and her tongue felt like sandpaper in her mouth. Her eyelids lifted, heavy as iron, as she blinked against the harsh light of the sun. The horizon stretched in every direction, an endless expanse of blue water.

Her heart sank.

"Oh, hell no," she muttered, sitting up abruptly. "I'm in the middle of the ocean." Her eyes darted around, taking in the small inflatable lifeboat she was stranded on. There was no land in sight. No ships. Nothing but water.

Then her gaze landed on him.

A man lay sprawled at the edge of the raft, his arms and legs thrown over the sides like he had no care in the world. Tattoos covered his broad shoulders and biceps, and a pair of red swim trunks hung dangerously low on his hips, revealing a "V" that drew her eyes despite herself.

Her breath caught in her throat. White hair. Muscular build. Unmistakable presence.

Her kidnapper.

Her eyes narrowed to slits. Oh, you have got to be kidding me.

Her fingers curled into fists. "This is all your fault!" she hissed, pointing an accusatory finger at him. "I'm stuck in the middle of the ocean, no food, no water, and no way to call for help! You—!"

His eyes cracked open, one silver eye pinning her with an unamused look. "Could you stop shouting? You're giving me a headache."

Ace's nostrils flared. "A headache? I'm giving you a headache?! You dragged me out here against my will, you maniac!"

Destan sat up with a slow, lazy grace that only made her angrier. His muscles rippled as he moved, his sharp features still half-lidded with sleep.

"Look away, girl," he muttered, his voice thick with sleep.

Her eyes narrowed. "Look away for what? So you can drown me? Not a chance, buddy!" she snapped, arms folded tightly across her chest.

Her bravado lasted precisely three seconds.

Destan turned his back to her and slid his red swim trunks down his hips, exposing the curve of his bare rear. Her jaw dropped. Her heart stopped. Her cheeks flushed with a heat so fierce she thought she might combust on the spot.

"Oh my gods," she whispered, squeezing her eyes shut. "Why did I look? Why did I look?"

"Like what you see?" his voice teased, dripping with amusement.

Her hands flew over her eyes. "Shut up!" she hissed, but her fingers betrayed her, parting just enough to sneak another glance.

Damn it, Ace! Get a grip!

A splash startled her, and she peeled her hands away just in time to see him slip into the water. She blinked, scanning the surface, searching for him.

"Where did you—" She gasped.

There. Right beside her.

His eyes peered up at her from the water's edge. Except... he wasn't human anymore.

Her breath hitched as her gaze tracked down. His powerful arms floated just beneath the surface, but where his legs should have been, she saw it—gleaming scales and the long, powerful sweep of a tail.

Her heart stopped.

"You're a..." she breathed.

"Mer," he said flatly, tilting his head like she was the slow one.

Her mind went blank. No coherent thought could push past the image of that silver-scaled tail flashing beneath the water.

Her vision blurred.

Her body slumped backward, her mind finally giving in to the sweet, numbing mercy of unconsciousness.