Kadir led Elyssa down the long corridor into the castle. She was hot and her pulse beat fast, promising her readiness to join with him. How different from when they exited, and he believed she did not wish it.

How unfortunate that the heart chamber had not grown yet, and they could not join together until tomorrow.

“Too bad we can’t sneak away or sleep with the Life Tree,” she said, mirroring his thoughts.

“The sanctuary is holy ground. Access is limited.”

Iyen met them at the inner entrance. “I heard a noise.”

“Noise?” Elyssa tilted her head.

Kadir assured them both. “It was nothing.”

Iyen allowed them to fly past. He stared out the entrance on full alert. His capable maroon-tattooed hands gripped his trident.

Tomorrow, joining would connect their souls. All doubts would fly away, and his warriors would treat her as their true queen.

Below, the warriors sprawled in hollows amid the rows of cultivated plants and in the doorways to unfinished halls. Whispers ceased at their appearance and overly loud snores — chest vibrations — soon followed.

Kadir settled in the hallway that would lead to the heart chamber. They reached the dead end. A soft glow suggested maybe the rest of the route was growing even now. But until it completed, they would have no more passion. Only ordinary rest to prepare for the wedding ceremony.

“What noise was Iyen talking about?” Elyssa laid her head in the hollow of his shoulder, where she had kept it on their journey. “I thought I heard a crescendo.”

“It is nothing to worry about.”

Kadir had heard the crescendo too. The Life Tree had responded to their passion with a vibration like a strong breeze blowing through its limbs. He had not heard it before today. Was it common? Perhaps it explained why mermen always joined with their brides only inside a heavily shielded heart chamber.

“You know, I shouldn’t be tired.” Her fingers traced his chest tattoos. She wrote secret symbols with an unknown meaning. “I slept half the time you carried me.”

“It is our resonance.” He was tired now, so she also felt tired.

“Really? Good. Then, I hope I slept enough for the both of us.” She relaxed and melted into sleep against him.

Slept enough for the both of them?

She meant that she was not only sensing his tiredness but that she had also given back to his strength. Was this possible? He thought back to those times. When she slept, she was easier to carry. Was that not because she released her stiffness and assumed the more aerodynamic shape? Had she truly given him energy?

Mermen did not travel with their brides.

He would have to test it.

But now, on what was supposed to be their wedding night and first joining, his bride snored softly on his shoulder and he easily collapsed into sleep.

They slept four days. His warriors woke him to notify him of dangers and signs found on patrols. Elyssa slept straight through.

When she finally awoke, she yawned and stretched. “Ahhh, I feel great. Like I slept for two solid weeks.”

“It was not that long.”

She blinked and grinned.

“Four of your days and nights. Only.”

She laughed. “Oh, was that all?”

“That was all.” He helped her to rise and swam through the gardens together, briefly showing her how to gather the fava beans and root beer bulbs she had eaten at the wedding feast. “Surface days can be measured by tracking the movements of fish who migrate according to a diurnal clock. But the mer usually anchor time to important events.”

She stopped him. “Are you saying I actually went without eating for two weeks and didn’t notice? And just now, I slept for four days?”

He nodded.

She took a huge bite of the giant root, chewing with her mouth full while her chest vibrated her words uninterrupted. “This is crazy. I don’t feel that different.” She suddenly stopped and put a hand over her chest as though it had just occurred to her, again, that she could speak without opening her mouth.

“You also ‘see’ in an enclosed castle at a depth where no surface light penetrates.”

She chewed more slowly.

“Today is an important ceremony.” He held out his hand. “It will be an anchor for our city for all time.”

She finished eating quickly and took Kadir’s hand. “Here goes nothing.”

She had such a funny way of phrasing. “You are not nothing to me.”

“Oh!” She blinked and laughed. “I’m nervous. That’s not what I meant. I should say, ‘here goes everything.’ Or is that worse?”

She was babbling.

It was endearing.

He flew her to the castle entrance. His warriors formed an honor guard, lining a tunnel to the Life Tree by protecting above, both sides, and also below. Their faces were solemn and posture full of honor. Elyssa slipped her arms around Kadir’s shoulders.

A distant siren caught his ear.

She looked over her shoulder. Her lips parted. “Aren’t those sharks?”

“Tiger sharks.” And because Kadir had pulled off all the patrols for this ceremony, they circled well within the city perimeter.

Adviser Creo saw them too. His lips thinned.

Curse these foreign raiders.

Kadir had to protect the city’s boundaries. Failure to protect them meant Atlantis could not be recognized. If Atlantis failed to be recognized, they would remain anathema and the other cities would pressure the All-Council to destroy his Life Tree — and Kadir. His mer would be forced to return to their origin cities and face punishment for their rebellion.

Soren had stopped his warriors from abandoning the city the other night. Such enthusiasm to claim brides was admirable but dangerous when raiders pushed sharks into their boundaries and threatened patrols. Kadir’s tightened his arms around Elyssa.

She looked up at him.

Atlantis was already an unprecedented experiment of mer from different cities uniting. It was unusual, dangerous, and prone to misunderstandings. Elyssa’s arrival was supposed to strengthen their bonds. Instead, during her wedding feast, her revelations had almost torn them apart.

Now, she would be recognized as queen and join with him. Soren, Balim, and Adviser Creo would stop questioning her presence. Her doubts would be replaced by confidence, and his city would strengthen with her glow.

From here forward, everything would be different.

Kadir flew down the tunnel of warriors, carrying Elyssa to the Life Tree. It was so young and fragile that thick guard petals hard as granite still enclosed it, keeping it safe. He slipped into the narrow entrance between two petals and pulled her inside after him. They flew down a narrow corridor. Behind them, the rest of the warriors of the city entered also.

At the end of the corridor, the inner sanctuary opened on a small, white dais. In the middle glowed the pure Life Tree.

His sapling had one central trunk and three sturdy branches. The upper branch almost crested his forehead. Its arms were dotted with tiny pebbles of Sea Opals. Smaller pebbles dusted the dais around the trunk.

Every Life Tree began as a sprout. His Life Tree, grown from the Dragao Azul seed, was intricately tied to the blood flowing in his veins.

Kadir retracted his fins into human feet and bounced on the soft, white courtyard. The water was so still and clear in the sanctuary. Elyssa stood beside him and gazed at the thin tree in awe.

The rest of his warriors left their tridents just outside the sanctuary and formed a ring around the edge of the dais, leaning against the curved petal walls.

Elyssa’s eyes glittered. Amazement and joy emanated from her and increased the white glow of the tree. They were finding each other and growing their resonance. Kadir’s heart swelled painfully in his chest. This was why he had brought Elyssa here. So they could find each other and thrive.

“Now perform the vow. Watch me.” He knelt and bowed his head to the thin, white trunk. “I, Kadir of Atlantis, present Elyssa as my chosen bride. Shower your blessing and healing on our union so she may give us a young fry.”

He bent low, kissed the skinny trunk, and stood.

She glanced behind her at the other mermen. A small doubt crossed her face, swift as a shadow.

A shiver of unease tinkled in the branches.

He gripped her shoulder. Atlantis needed her to perform this. He would encourage her confidence — somehow — if he had to.

Elyssa smiled at him, squared her shoulders, and walked forward. Her feet bounced lightly on the thick dais pad. She knelt. “I, Elyssa of America, present Kadir as my chosen groom. Please shower your blessing and healing on our union, and give us a baby.” She kissed the trunk.

The Life Tree made a loud sching sound, like two pieces of sharp metal rubbing together.

What was that?

Elyssa looked up at the tree, her eyes wide and worried. The mer shifted and glanced at each other.

Adviser Creo harrumphed. “Modern brides have a strange resonance.”

Soren growled. “Respect.”

The sound faded. An unsettled feeling remained.

Everyone quieted.

Elyssa stood and padded back to Kadir. Her smile was nervous. “Does it always make a noise like that?”

No. The Life Tree never made that noise. It sounded…what was it? If she were a warrior, it would have sounded war-like. As though the Life Tree were preparing for a great battle.

But she was not a warrior. She was his bride. And the battle for her status was nearly over.

He reached out to take her hand. “We will complete the ceremony and you will rule as my queen.”

“Great. I’m absolutely ready.” Her light dimmed with her lie.

The tree shivered. Ching-ching-chang! Harsh tinkles threatened to rip leaf buds off.

The mer shifted to fighting stances.

A piercing sensation, like a needlefish, lanced Kadir’s chest. He put his hand over the center of the pain. What was this warning of his doom?

Elyssa jerked her head side to side as though searching for sharks. “This can’t be nor—Kadir!” She stroked his cheeks. Her worried face seemed to ease the pain.

The shivering stopped. The Life Tree’s tinkling echoed to silence.

He recovered and clasped her hand. Her worry only deepened. “It is fine. We will continue.”

Adviser Creo darkened. “No Life Tree has ever made such a strange noise. Brides should be hidden and treasured, not displayed like warriors. Your actions are reckless and dangerous.”

One of his warriors made a face.

Kadir focused on him. “You heard this noise in your old city, Warrior Pelan?”

“Yes. When Lucy came to Sireno, the Life Tree did make a strange sound.”

Advisor Creo’s mouth dropped in shock and horror. “Sireno’s Life Tree was destroyed! Do not allow your bride so close, King Kadir. Her strange resonance is dangerous.”

Kadir bared his teeth. He had felt the needlefish pain, but he would not allow the adviser to insult his queen. “Strike those words from your lying soul.”

Adviser Creo drew himself upright. “I will not ignore the truth. Sireno’s Life Tree did die. A bride, who was also a so-called ‘queen’, caused its death.”

Gasps and mutters filled the sanctuary with discord.

“Do not listen!” Pelan’s face reddened. He gripped his daggers. “Sireno’s Life Tree gave a warrior’s cry when Queen Lucy used its power. It was not this weak, little chime.”

“The sound is the same. Modern brides must be protected the same as the sacred island brides were protected. Neither are allowed near the Life Tree. It is for everyone’s protection.”

“The sounds were not the same!”

The adviser ignored him. “It is the same.”

Nilun growled in defense of his friend. “Pelan is a careful observer. I will fight any warrior who disagrees.”

“Do not fight on holy ground, Nilun.” Zoan grinned as he took his friend’s other side. “Wait until you are out of the sanctuary. Then you can use weapons.”

Adviser Creo snarled at Zoan. “Do not speak out of turn.”

The trio bowed their heads. Pelan and Nilun were furious but obedient; Zoan maintained the irrepressible gleam in his averted eyes. In the older cities such as Sireno and Djullanar, speaking up was harshly punished, even when it helped. And Zoan’s home city had recently been taken over by another, Siyokoy. They also enforced the hierarchy harshly.

Soren eyed the adviser. He made a point of not enforcing such rules, but home city training was deeply ingrained.

Elyssa pressed her fist to her chest in the universal insult. “The problem is me again. Isn’t it?”

Kadir uncurled her fist. “It is not you.”

“Me. Because I still get nervous when I think about ruling as your queen.”

Kadir considered his words. “No—”

“Yes!” Adviser Creo blazed with righteous indignation. “Why force your bride to shoulder such a burden? She trembles at your insistence and her soul darkens like a moonless night.”

“No,” Elyssa insisted. “It’s not true. Kadir isn’t forcing me. I want to.”

The Life Tree began to tinkle again. Sharp, unsettling warnings that made her eyes widen and protests stop. The harsh chimes immediately proved her words for lies.

Adviser Creo lifted his chin. “Look at how her soul fades to darkness.”

She gasped and covered her mouth, even though words vibrated in her chest underwater.

“Your king’s orders make her suffer. I will not call her queen.” Adviser Creo turned to the other warriors. “Am I the only one who cares for this gentle, fragile bride?”