“The rumours are true,” I said, summoning confidence. “I’m here to tell you that the Pacific Kingdom is no longer under Adaro.”
Everyone was silent—listening to me. The grip on my hair loosened, but the merman didn’t let go.
“It was a revolution. There’s going to be an election.Wedecide who’s in government.”
The guards shifted, unease rippling through them.
I understood their dilemma. If I was lying about Adaro’s death, and if they abandoned their post to join me, they would become traitors to the crown. As someone who once served under Adaro out of the same fear, I empathised.
I was about to speak honestly about this when a clamour drifted down the current.
Everyone turned towards the roar of voices coming this way, the noise echoing in the mountain range, slow and distorted. I strained my ears to figure out what was happening.
This couldn’t be Spio, could it?
“Who are you with?” Guenevere said to me, a fierce look on her face.
Everyone raised their weapons. The grip on my hair tightened painfully.
“No one!” I said. “I came alone.”
Guenevere scowled, but said nothing. We waited. I wished I had something, anything, to defend myself.
Then a horde of merpeople came into view, and my jaw fell open. It was a wall of Utopians, led by Dione, Ephyra, and the others I remembered from Kori Maru. They dragged with them a line of four mermaids and three mermen, gagged and connected by rope. I recognised the hostages from demonstrations and ceremonies during training. These were the faces of Adaro’s government—most of it. Nemertes was missing.
My heart raced. This was the result of the coup. They’d rallied all these civilians. They’d found out where Evagore was, and they were here to get her.
The roar became clearer. They were chanting.
“Not my king! Not my war! Not my king! Not my war!”
Invisible ropes around my chest seemed to loosen. We had more allies than I’d dreamed.
Dione’s voice rose above the masses as they advanced. “Adaro’s government is no more! We are here from both the South Pacific and Utopia, and we ask you to release your prisoners, and join our new kingdom.”
Guenevere raised her mace. Around me, the guards tensed, ready for a fight.
I cursed inwardly. If I’d had another moment, I was sure I could have convinced them to drop arms.
“If you surrender, we will welcome you as allies,” said Dione, unfazed. “We will join together and fight the tyrant Adaro.”
“What are you on about?” said Guenevere. “First you say Adaro’s dead, and now you’re here to fight him?”
The crowd drew to a stop in front of us.
“Dead?” said Dione. “We never said he is dead.”
Ephyra spotted me and said, “Oh!”
Dione’s gaze snapped to me. Her expression changed to one of bewilderment.
“What are you—?”
“He is,” I said. “I’ve just come from him.”
Gathered in a valley between two peaks, the mounts on all sides acted as a sound funnel. My voice carried with unusual clarity.
A hush fell. Then, excitement and fear flew through the crowd at these words.
