“Free the labour camp,” a merman shouted.
His words were met with cheers. The mood seeped through the crowd like a burst of oxygen.
Queen Evagore nodded. “Dione, please assemble a team to go to the labour camp, and another to stay here and help free the prisoners.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The queen’s energy was rising. It would likely be brief, considering her condition, but her willingness to lead inspired hope in me.
“Your Majesty,” I said. “We’ve arranged to meet the humans at Eriana Kwai so we can come to an agreement.”
She studied me. I prepared to launch into an explanation of everything the humans had been doing, all the assaults we had faced and the threat of more damage—but she nodded.
“When?”
“We have to go now,” I said, breathless. “I’ll take you.”
Dione was watching us. Queen Evagore met her eye, and something passed between them.
“I require Dione and a few of my council to accompany us.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” I said.
It was reasonable. We could use a guard on the way there, and afterwards, they could take her back to Utopia.
Spio swam up behind me.
“Well, off to the labour camp,” he said, like he was telling me he was going for a jaunt to catch dinner.
“Wait, what? I didn’t mean you—”
“You’re right, buddy. We need to get to the labour camp before any more damage is done. For all we know, we’re hours away from that seismic crapstorm King Asshat wanted.”
“But Spio—”
“Besides, apparently Amathia is there. I have a maiden in misery to save.”
The thought of Spio travelling all the way there with this army, of fighting through more guards in the ocean’s most painful depths, constricted my throat.
He clapped me on the shoulder. “Lysi, it’s been weird. It was good to share it all with you. Next time I see you, it’ll be a new world.”
I had to trust his judgment. I had to let him do this. Maybe I would get to meet Amathia next time I saw him.
But one last hug. I threw myself at him.
Around us, the crowd took up the chant—more voices than ever joining in.
“Not my king! Not my war!”
When Spio and I broke apart, we shared a smile—the first real smile in what might have been a lifetime.
Victory pulsated through the cavern. I felt it in every part of me. Utopia was united, and we had the allegiance of the Nereid guards. Across the world, Medusa was taking down Adaro’s remaining armies. There would be no more labour camps, no more wars.
Spio was right—we were entering a new world. At long last, the sun had set on Adaro’s kingdom.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE - Meela
The Gaela’s Intention
