My gaze swept the room for the Thálassians, and my stomach dropped when I couldn’t see them. My eyes landed on King Neptunus, and my teeth ground together. He watched us from beside the table of food, his dark eyes narrowed and his long, black hair drifting in the swell.
Rage simmered in me as his mouth curled into a sneer, eyes sweeping our group with disdain. I glanced sideways at Finn. Every muscle in his body was taut, his jaw clenched as he gave his father a curt nod.
The king flicked his golden tail in response, and my fingers hovered over the hilt of my dagger. The fury coursing through me lured my power to the surface. His cold gaze lingered on me, and my mind was consumed by all he’d done—the death of my grandmother, the dungeons he’d thrown me into, and the scars he’d left on Finn.
The king’s eyes darted to my blade, and for a heartbeat, I thought I saw fear. But his sneer quickly returned as he moved away into the crowd with a sweep of his gilded tail. Finn remained rigid beside me, a muscle twitching in his jaw as he watched his father draw King Ali into conversation.
“Come on.” Glacies took Finn by the elbow and pulled him from the space, beckoning the rest of us to follow. “Let’s go find our chambers.” She guided us from the meeting room back into the vast high-ceilinged space. Staircases rose in three directions, and above them, rows and rows of intricately carved archways with pointed crowns lined each level.
Aarna emerged behind us, wiping her kohl-stained eyes.
“I couldn’t see the Thálassians,” Skye said, her voice trembling, and I knew she was thinking of Alexandros.
Aarna’s lower lip quivered, but she pulled herself together with a shaky exhale. “The rest of them made it. They are here and safe.”
“Can you show us to our rooms, my love?” Glacies asked gently.
“You’ll be on the third floor,” Aarna snapped. “Withhim.” She glared at Finn, and Glacies reached for her, but Aarna shook her off.
My heart clenched for both of them—forallof us.
“I need to get cleaned up.” Glacies sighed. “Someone grab the Drowned boy.”
With a grin, Pisceon swept Edward into his muscular arms. “Hold on tight.” He gave a low chuckle.
Edward let out a resigned huff.
We alighted on the third floor, and Skye grabbed my arm, guiding me to the door beside hers.
Glacies offered us a kind smile as she and Finn moved to a doorway on my left. “See you later for the soiree.”
“Can I have the box?” I asked Edward, who was taking the room on Skye’s other side. He fumbled with the bag across his back and handed me the beautiful silver object.
“Come to my room once you’ve freshened up,” Skye said, looking between us. There was an ache in her eyes, which pleaded not to be left alone.
The rooms of Okeanós were equally beautiful to those in Thálassa. They had walls of gleaming white marble and domed ceilings crafted from something resembling abalone shell, stretching out like a mimicry of moonlight hitting the sea.
I unbuckled my dagger and placed it beside the silver box on the elegant low stone table, which was the room’s centerpiece. Kicking off with my webs, I breaststroked upward and flung myself into the floating bed, a seaweed cradle suspended midchamber by thick kelp. I let my legs stretch out, sinking into the silky hammock and dragging a hand over my face.
The rage King Neptunus stirred in me had ignited my power, and my elated heartbeat spread it through every inch of my skin, itching to erupt and reduce the merman to dust.
I exhaled. I needed to avoid confrontation with the king at all costs, especially when I was tired—too tired to harness my shields. Every muscle in my being was aching from our travels, and my eyes drooped with fatigue. I didn’t feel like going to the soiree. I’d spent the last of my strength holding my power back, and all I wanted now was to curl into this soft cradle and drift to sleep, rocked by the gentle ebb and flow of the surrounding waters.
But I couldn’t. We had to finish this.
I sat up, my long tresses falling over my shoulders as I surveyed the box on the table below. It glinted under the glow of the pearl lamps on the walls, taunting me, a reminder of the blood now on my hands, the blood I had spilled to claim it.
We’d done it. We’d faced Thera’s trials to bring Poseidon’s Box to the summit, but I’d become a killer in the process.
Finn would find me at some point with the key. Maybe then, all of this could finally end. The thought sparked enough resolve for me to swing my legs over the hammock’s edge and drop to the floor.
I padded into the adjacent bathing area. The walls were adorned with a mosaic of tiles. On them, coral shelves displayed body glitters, golden jewelry, and sea flowers that could be pinned into your hair, whilst schools of cleaner fish flitted through the space.
Above the shelves, there was a mirror. The glass had been cut into the shape of an onion dome, and around the edges was a frame woven with intricate engravings. I didn’t recognize the weary face staring back at me. Purple rings rimmed my eyes, and my cheeks were gaunt. There was so much going on that I’d forgotten to eat most days. I supposed going to the soiree would do me good, as I could use some decadent Mer delicacies.
I blew out a breath, reaching for a sea flower and trying to pin it into my hair, but my hands still trembled from my encounter with the king. It kept slipping free and wafting away on the swell.
I rifled through the jewelry: intricate earrings, stacks of bangles, broad collars, and rings with colorful stones lined a lacquered tray on one of the shelves.
