“That’s because she isn’t a mermaid. She’s ahuman.”
Poseidon’s easy demeanor vanished. His face darkened, and shadow grew around him as the water swelled and bowed. “What didyousay?”
“You heard me.” Adrian refused to be intimidated. “She’s a human. And before you say anything, yes, I’ve met her. I know her. She’stheone.”
Poseidon stared at his son for a moment or two, like he was trying to comprehend what he was seeing. He didn’t scream and rant as Adrian thought he would, and that scared him.Greatly.
“I knew I allowed this obsession with humans to go on for too long,” Poseidon rampaged under his breath. “I figured it was a phase, a passing interest. I believed once you were older you’d put these childish notionstorest.”
“It’s not a phase. I love her,” Adrianrebutted.
“Love? What do you know of love, Adrian? How long have you known her, a few hours? Days, perhaps?” Poseidonchallenged.
“You only knew Mother a single night before you declared her yourqueen.”
“Your mother is one of us! This girlisnot!”
Poseidon had finally hit his limit. He lunged from the throne and stood before his son. “How did you meet her, by chance? She wasn’t swimming in the middle of the ocean, nodoubt.”
“She was surfing. A wave knocked her over during a large storm, a storm you caused, may I add.” Adrian’s voice grew louder. “If I hadn’t swam in and rescued her, she would’vedrowned.”
“You went to the surface? How dare you disobey my orders!” Poseidonseethed.
“Forgive me, Father, but I will be god of the sea someday. And I have to make my own decisions,” Adrianfoughtback.
“Your decisions affectour people,” Poseidon raged. “You must think of more than just yourself! Every merperson depends on you to lead them, to make sacrificesforthem!”
“She can become one of us. I know you have the power, Father. She can live among us inAquatica,and—”
“Have you lost your mind?” Poseidon hissed. “Humans aren’t to be trusted! If they knew of our existence, they would put us in labs! They would hunt us down to keep in zoos and aquariums. They would persecute us until none of us remained! You’ve seen what they’ve done to the magical community on land, and now you want to bring one of them down here?” Poseidon’s trident glowed. “No. Iforbidit!”
“You cannot stop it. My heart has chosen her. The mating bond is already in place,” Adrian saidquickly.
“If she refuses your bond, the magic will force you to pick someone else,” Poseidon argued. “That is what must happen. You must chooseanother.”
The thought of Isa turning him down gutted Adrian to the core. He knew it was a possibility. But he hadn’t entertained the idea that she would say no, because it hurt too much. Her, a human, giving up everything she knew to live a life in the ocean with him? That wasimpossible.
“You don’t understand. She’s not like other humans. She cares about the sea, and what happens to it,” Adrian argued. “She wants to helpsaveit.”
“One human is like the rest. They’re all the same.” His father was settling now, taking back control. “I’ll hear no more about it,Adrian.”
“But—"
“No exceptions!” Poseidon’s hand made a slashing motion through the air. “This cannot, and will not, happen! You will choose another for your bride, amermaid, and put childish fantasies aside! It’s time you learned to act like a king instead ofaboy!”
Adrian fell silent, and Poseidon turned his back on him. “Leave me. I’m ashamed to call youmyson.”
Adrian felt himself cringe. Fine. If his father wanted him to leave, he’d leave. He swam toward the great doors, but his mother was waiting outside of it. Ianthe stared at him, her face showingnothing.
“What about you?” Adrian asked harshly. “Am I a failure toyou,too?”
Ianthe cupped the side of her son’s face. “You must follow your heart, Adrian. To do anything else is to betrayyourself.”
Ianthe then swam away, toward Poseidon and his precious throne. His mother’s words resonated deeply inside him, and Adrian tried to make adecision.
When Adrian got back to his room he found it cleared of all human objects, even the gaming console he’d found a mere few days before. It was practically empty. Moona was waiting for him, swimming in slowcircles.
“I tried, Adrian,” she said sadly. “Buty
