ChapterThree
Adrian
Adrian was seriously boredat his birthdayparty.
The palace was decked out in all its finest. The silver towers were wrapped in gold and aquamarine, the colors that were picked out for Adrian’s herald the day hewasborn.
He was made to wear a very stuffy shirt in the same colors, something that would make his father happy but that he hated. Celer was flirting with mare in the stables, and Moona stayed outside— she didn’t likeparties.
The great hall was already swarming with merpeople. The hall was suited to fit at least five hundred merpeople, but Adrian could swear there were double that packed into the space. The band was playing some sort of jazzy underwater song that Adrian had heard a thousand times. It was like alltheyknew.
This party sucked. Adrian would’ve been happy with some classic hard rock, blared as loud as it could go, andbooze.
Lots and lots ofbooze.
Most nineteen-year olds had massive parties where stuff would get broken and no one would remember what happened later. All of Adrian’s birthdays were the same from the moment he could remember them. All balls, civil affairs. The only people his age that ever came were children of high society merpeople. The rest were his father’sfriends.
Adrian surpassed the tall piles of gifts that were next to his throne (which was placed at his father’s side). He wasn’t much of a material guy in the first place. He never was interested in mermaid presents, anyway. He preferred things fromonland.
“Mermen and merladies, please stand for the arrival of King Poseidon, King of the Sea, Ruler of the Ocean, and his wife, Queen Ianthe, Mistress of the Waves, Protector of theDepths.”
Poseidon wasn’t anything to scoff at. He was brawny, with light green skin that was scaly all over and a tail that was larger than some mermen were tall. He had long black hair that billowed out behind him, and carried a bejeweled trident that Adrian struggled to lift,evennow.
His mother clung dutifully to her husband’s arm. Ianthe was tall, thin, and gorgeous. She had red hair that was braided into a crown around her head, and was wearing a lavender dress to compliment her purple tail. She gave Adrian a kind smile as theyapproached.
“My son.” Poseidon took his arm away from Ianthe and clapped Adrian on the shoulder. “Today is the day. We’ve been preparing for this for alongtime.”
You have.But Adrian forced a smile and said, “Surehave,Dad.”
“There are plenty of contenders. The mermaid of your dreams is waiting in the crowd.” His father shook his shoulder. “Choose carefully,Adrian.”
Adrian swallowed past a lump in his throat. Ianthe put a light hand onhisarm.
“Go on,” she whispered encouragingly. “She’s outthere.”
Adrian nodded at his mother and swam at his father’s side toward the nearest young lady. Her tail was light pink, along with her hair. Her eyes were the colors of bubbles. Adrian figured inside her head, there wasn’t much else. Next to her was a yellow-tailed girl, who gazed at Adrian suspiciously. She was probably a handmaid who was protective ofherlady.
“Adrian, I’d like to introduce you to Lady Jennifer, from the Caspian Sea,” Poseidon said, gesturing to the pink-tailedmermaid.
Jennifer giggled, and Adrian instantly found the soundannoying.
“You’re so strong.” Jennifer ran her fingers over Adrian’s chest, and he had to fight not to recoil away. “Ilikethat.”
She was eyeing him like a piece of meat. Adrian cleared his throat and said, “How doyoudo?”
Jennifer giggled again. “Very well,thankyou.”
“Jennifer’s father has been Lord of the Caspian Sea for many centuries, son,” Poseidon said. “Longer than almost anyone has ever held atitle.”
Like Adrian cared about titles. “Isn’t the Caspian Sea enclosed?” he asked Jennifercuriously.
“Yes, the Caspian Sea is surrounded by land. We had to transform for a time until we could join the oceans again.” Jennifer was barely paying attention to what Adrian was asking her. She was too focused on hisbiceps.
“Do you ever go to the surface?” Adrian burst before he could control himself, and Poseidon sent him a disapprovingglance.
She shook her head. “Oh, no. I never go to the surface. You have to be a complete idiot to want to. I only go on land when we have to risk travelling somewhere… like for this.” She batted her eyelashesathim.
So she wasn’t adventurous at all. Pass. His father noticed the glazed-over look in Adrian’s eyes and said, “Thank you, Lady Jennifer. We’ll keep youinmind.”
