"Master! Master!" A soft, high-pitched squeak pulled Destan from his thoughts. Ren sat beside him, threading together a peculiar necklace, her hands trembling slightly as she tried to calm her nerves.

"Yes, Cassio?" the merman murmured, glancing at a worn piece of parchment covered in strange symbols, almost resembling a map.

"This is for you," the tiny light faery squeaked, holding out a piece of shell in his tiny fists. Destan gingerly accepted it, his brow furrowing as he studied the message scrawled across the smooth surface.

He glanced at Ren, who sat silent, her pale features carefully composed. But he could see through her façade; the slight tension in her shoulders betrayed her. She wasn't afraid of Prince Destan. She was afraid for Kai—the man willing to go to war for her.

"Ren," he said firmly.

Her dark eyes met his pale blue ones. "Yes?" she murmured, her voice soft but steady.

"We're going to Blue's Coral."

Kai's army was camped near the Diamond Kingdom, its soldiers watching every movement within and beyond the heavily guarded walls. To Kai, none of this made sense. Why would the Diamond King risk war by taking Ren? What could his intentions possibly be? Clenching his spear, Kai took a deep, measured breath.

"You should rest, brother," Atlantis said, his golden eyes mirroring concern. The resemblance between his brother and their mother was uncanny, at least as far as Kai could remember.

Kai shook his head. "I can't. Every moment Ren spends in that wretched kingdom, her life is in danger." He ran a hand through his dark hair, his voice tinged with frustration.

"Kai, you care for her deeply, but how will you save her if you collapse from exhaustion?" Atlantis countered, a soft sigh escaping his lips. His gaze suddenly sharpened, his amber eyes narrowing into slits as he peered over Kai's shoulder. "Look."

Kai followed his brother's line of sight. Two figures emerged from the palace, flanked by a small swarm of light faeries. He immediately recognized the golden hair of Prince Destan. The second figure, cloaked in black, revealed only the faint tips of white fins.

Ren.

Kai's heart leaped, but Atlantis' firm grip on his arm held him back. "Not yet, brother. We can't reveal our position."

Swallowing his impatience, Kai nodded. He moved silently, his well-muscled body slipping between rocks as they followed the pair. When they arrived at their destination, recognition dawned. The Blue Coral.

The coral garden shimmered in countless shades of blue, tiny seahorses darting playfully among the glowing structures. But beneath its beauty lay a secret—a coiled castle crafted by the Mother Sea herself. A sanctuary for forbidden lovers.

Jealousy churned through Kai like the dark ink of a squid, clouding his thoughts. His grip on his spear tightened as his mind swirled with doubts and assumptions. "Oh no. You don't think...?" Atlantis murmured, his red hair a stark contrast to the vivid blue surroundings.

Kai's voice was sharp and low. "We'll find out before making accusations," he growled, struggling to suppress the anger simmering within him. Silently, he slipped through the coral, his green tail propelling him forward with powerful strokes. Inside the coral castle, he froze. Destan was raising his hands to remove the cloak from the second figure.

Ren.

Her dark tresses floated around her slender form, and Destan's hand circled her waist, pulling her closer. Tension crackled in the water between the two men, a palpable force. Kai's grip on his spear was so tight his knuckles ached. "No one would know," he muttered darkly, fury and jealousy battling for dominance in his chest. Every fiber of his being wanted to charge forward, but Atlantis' warning still rang in his ears.

Destan's eyes seemed to scan the water, as if sensing the storm brewing in the shadows. Yet, his focus returned to Ren, who seemed frozen in place, her own turmoil mirrored in her dark eyes.

"Morgan?" Destan's voice echoed through the coral, sharp and commanding.

"Prince Destan? Ren?" The voice was familiar, rich and warm.

"Morgan!" Ren cried out, rushing forward to embrace her close friend. Warm arms enveloped her, his sharp fins poking her slightly in the process.

"Ren," Morgan murmured into her hair before stepping back. Ren turned to Destan, who hovered awkwardly nearby, his pale blue eyes narrowing ever so slightly.

Kai watched from the shadows, his tail coiling as he observed the interaction. Destan's posture had stiffened, his jaw tight as he looked at Morgan. Though his expression was neutral, the subtle tension in his movements betrayed his discomfort.

"I am curious why you summoned me here," Prince Destan said, running a hand through his golden hair. His voice was calm, but there was an edge to it, as if he were challenging Morgan to justify his actions.

Summoned? Ren thought. Why would Morgan summon him?

Morgan's arm remained protectively around Ren as he spoke. "The Diamond Kingdom plans to wage war against the Emerald Kingdom, correct?"

Destan's jaw tightened further. "Unfortunately, yes. My father deems it wise, though I find it difficult to accept. Why provoke a kingdom that recently emerged victorious in battle?" His voice grew deeper with each word, carrying a barely veiled frustration. "My father has been this way ever since my mother ran off with the sea gypsies."

The light faeries around them flickered nervously, their glow dimming as if sensing an unseen presence. Destan's eyes darted to them, his calm exterior faltering for the first time. "What is it?" he asked softly, his voice now carrying an undertone of unease.

"Everything makes sense now," a deep voice interjected, its resonance sending tremors through Ren. She turned, her breath catching.

Kai.

His long, dark hair framed a face etched with determination. His powerful emerald tail gleamed as he approached, the intensity of his gaze fixed on Destan. The air seemed to thicken, the weight of unspoken words pressing down on all of them.

"Now I know why your father wants my kingdom," King Kai of the Emerald Kingdom declared, his voice steady but laden with unspoken fury.

Destan turned to face Kai fully, his posture rigid, his pale blue eyes meeting Kai's emerald ones. There was no mistaking the tension between them now, the clash of wills and unspoken rivalry palpable in the water. Ren's heart raced as she stood between the two men, caught in the storm of their confrontation.