It was hopeless.

Aya clung to Soren. He was bleeding everywhere, red tangy liquid gushing from his side and on his back, and he had almost died. That trident had aimed for his heart.

And like when the megalodon’s teeth closed on him, there had been nothing Aya could do.

Nothing but scream from the bottom of her heart, “No!”

And then, without any control on her part, lightning jolted out her fingertips and flew in a disk around her, shoving the trident and the attackers back.

Somehow.

The leader, Elan, called her a monster.

It was not the first time in her life someone looked at her like that.

“What’s wrong with you?” the opposing team leader had demanded when she beat them at ten straight challenges in the Math Olympiad in elementary school. Elan’s same horror had transfixed that girl. “Is your brain damaged?”

After elementary school, people grew subtler in how they judged her. Her project partners stared when she nailed a presentation she’d been practicing for weeks and they stumbled over reading their notes. Her coworkers snorted when she scored a major investor she’d been stalking. Their cheer was tinged by disbelief.

There was something wrong with her.

That’s why they went out to celebrate the new investment and she went home alone to her dark apartment to sleep.

Soren called her a powerful warrior.

Her blood hummed.

She quieted it.

He hadn’t been horrified at all. He’d been glorious. Her talent excited him. He said he liked strong women and she almost believed him. He was so powerful in his faith. Redeemed.

But that was his mistake.

For the first time in her life, she couldn’t reproduce the magic. How had she done it? Could she really just hold out her hand and scream?

No, she couldn’t. She’d tried that technique silently a hundred times on the flight back to Atlantis. It didn’t work once.

“Calm, Aya.” Soren stroked her back. “You fought well. You are a powerful warrior.”

“It was an accident,” she emphasized.

“No accident.” He laughed. “You channeled the power of the Life Tree. Queens do this. You are a queen. This power could defeat the megalodon.”

Her gut churned.

His faith was misplaced. She wasn’t powerful. She was scared, confused, and out of control.

This underwater world was violent. She’d never had to face physical violence before. It was frightening and strange. And she didn’t want to hurt anyone! Not on purpose or by mistake. She wanted to run away.

Now, Soren limped through the water, charging a second group of naked warriors. Friends or foes? Their tridents clenched at their sides looked just as sharp. They had daggers strapped to biceps and thighs. And, just like the enemies, the only stitch of clothes on their bodies were the markings of differently colored tattoos.

“Who are they?” she asked, clinging onto him tighter.

“That is Lotar,” he said, indicating the approaching leader. “Do you not remember him from the bride pageant?”

Yes, she remembered him. Back then, he’d been wearing jeans and flip-flops.

Now, he had a lot more on display. All of them did.

The quiet warrior reached them. He saluted by pinching his fingers together in loops and touching them in the center of his chest. His timberwolf gray tattoos matched his eyes. He focused on Soren. “It is good to see you.”

“And you, Lotar,” Soren replied. “Kadir is well?”

Lotar nodded and his gaze fixed on Aya. He made the salute at her also. His eyes did not leave her face.

It was like he didn’t even notice she was naked.

The other two warriors treated her the same way.

She recognized them from the bride pageant also. Their names were Iyen, the soldier with maroon tattoos who even now gazed beyond them as though intending to pursue the raiders, and Ciran, the warrior with forest green and coffee brown tattoos, who always appeared to be taking notes in his head, tapping his fingers together and calculating.

Funny, but after the first shock of the transformation, when Soren ripped her dry suit off, she’d never thought of her nakedness again. Yet, here she was, surrounded by guys with thick, tattooed cocks swinging in the current.

None of them were excited by seeing her bare skin. Maybe they didn’t find her attributes to be worth getting excited about.

Lotar studied Soren’s wounds. They had looked so bad before, but they were already bleeding less. On the surface, that would mean someone was running out of blood, but Soren didn’t look like he was about to pass out. Elyssa said the Life Tree made the mer hardier and heal easier. It looked like that was true.

Lotar turned toward the twinkling Life Tree and kicked slowly. The other warriors fell in behind them, guarding them. “We heard your struggle. Our enemy is persistent.”

“He attacks without honor,” Ciran piped up. “We cannot use your old patrol patterns. He guesses every one.”

“He would,” Soren muttered. “Elan was my First Lieutenant in Dragao Azul. His vendetta is personal.”

The warriors dropped silent.

“But do not fear.” His lips curved. “Aya wields the power of the Life Tree. She is the most powerful queen Atlantis has ever seen.”

The warriors all stared at Aya.

Her stomach twisted.

“I haven’t mastered control yet,” she snapped, more harshly than she meant. “Don’t expect me to use it on command.”

“You will.” Her harshness didn’t affect him. He stroked her back, sensitizing her to him. “Believe.”

Her stomach twisted harder. She wanted to believe. She wanted to have these powers. But Soren was so wrong. Her light was cold. She was dangerous.

The last thing she needed was this city relying on her to be some sort of savior.

Because she was not.

Just look at the city they were swimming into. She’d failed to save it once already.

Well…at first glance, it was hard to see a battle had been fought here. Actually, at first glance, it looked nothing like what she remembered.

When she braved the frigid darkness to reach Atlantis, she’d only been able to see as far as her flashlight. Which was not far. Warriors had emerged out of the darkness like bats flying across the pitch black sky, crossing in front of her high-powered beam and disappearing again.

The Life Tree had been this floating, off-white bulb. Blake’s submersible had knocked in the protective covering. Inside, the Life Tree had looked like an ugly, dull pile of sticks.

The only familiar face in the blackness was Elyssa. She’d emerged in the brighter lights of the submersible. An invading merman was strangling her. She’d silently pleaded for help.

Aya had lifted her spear gun and shot that evil invader right in the thick, fleshy, tattooed bicep.

He’d let go of Elyssa and dropped away. Elyssa had hugged her in gratitude, and then flew off, probably to rejoin the battle. The event had ended with Aya crushed in Blake’s claw, half the Life Tree scissored against her back.

Now, she was crossing a brilliantly lit field. And the light glowed from the resonant, holy white Life Tree.

It was reborn.

Beneath her, barren rock transformed into lush, green kelp forests and spiraling coral. Silvery fish fluttered and multi-hued jellies bounded along the top. Life teemed within the dense carpet. This life was possible because of the glimmering energy of the Life Tree.

It anchored to the mossy ocean floor on a thick stalk. The Life Tree bulb, she now saw, was shaped like petals around the inner white tree. Chunks of broken petals littered the anchor, mute testimony to Blake’s destruction and Aya’s failure to stop him.

Beyond the broken petals, the Life Tree was visible. White branches lifted hopefully to the ocean. Seeking warriors. Seeking her.

Staring straight into the light was like breathing incense in a cathedral while a deity sprinkled her with holy water. It was purifying, strengthening, and it made her heart swell with hope.

She had failed the Life Tree twice. She would not fail it again.

Beyond the Life Tree, two other orbs were anchored. According to her research, these “castles” connected underground to the Life Tree. They were significantly larger, at least five or six times, like planets orbiting an underwater sun.

“Where are patrols?” Soren growled at Lotar. “This is why Elan penetrated so far.”

“Queen Elyssa summoned us for an announcement,” Lotar replied.

Queen Elyssa. Aya’s stomach twinged.

Elyssa had trusted her. She’d relied on Aya to manage the bride pageant and keep her safe. And Aya hadn’t.

How could Elyssa ever trust her again?

Soren continued his conversation with Lotar. “Not you?”

The gray-eyed warrior glanced at Soren sideways. “I was on my way.”

Soren snorted, then grimaced and held his side. “I cannot tell if you are loyal or disrespectful.”

“I learned it from my commander.”

Again, Soren eyed him. The warrior didn’t elaborate, leaving them to ponder his answer.

Soren flew Aya to an opening in the middle of the castle. It looked like a pinprick from a distance, but was actually a huge tunnel that could fit all four muscular mermen across with extra room.

Inside the castle, Aya craned her neck to take in the amazing space.

Elyssa had described it, but seeing it in person was all new.

The inner walls of the courtyard were punctured with doors and windows. It was like being inside a villa, except the rooms went to the top of the dome. Cultivated gardens filled the courtyard floor.

Floating above the fields, a group of thirty warriors passed food containers, cut hunks of meat and vegetables inside with long daggers, and speared the chunks like a shish kebab. Small bits floated down beneath them on microcurrents to fertilize the fields.

This was the entire population of Atlantis. A tiny band of renegades not even big enough for All-Council city recognition.

They were all tattooed, proud, muscular, and completely naked.

The warriors noticed Soren’s arrival and crowded him with joy. Soren placed himself in front of her protectively.

“Let me through.”

A warrior with heartblood red tattoos pushed to the front and inspected Soren’s wounds. His mouth puckered as he tested the new scar tissue. His musings vibrated in his chest, just like all the other mermen speaking.

“Mmm. Fewer teeth embedded in your skull this time. You have all your limbs, and you are angry as usual… For being alone in the open ocean so long, you look remarkably well, Soren.”

“I would be more well, Balim, if I had been stopped at several entry check points by patrols.”

Balim paddled back, deflecting the responsibility. “There was an important announcement.”

King Kadir emerged from the crowd of mermen. “Soren, Aya. Welcome.”

Soren softened. “Kadir.”

The king looked better than he had at the bride pageant months ago. Then, he had been recovering from his imprisonment. Now, his cheeks were fuller, his ribs were less obtrusive, and his silver-tattooed skin glowed with health. He had survived the attack on Atlantis and Blake’s destruction of the Life Tree with a refreshed, revitalized appearance. His voice was firm and rich with command.

“You have returned at a good time, First Lieutenant.”

Soren shook his head. “Have you not given that title to an honorable warrior who deserves it?”

King Kadir’s smile broadened. “I have.”

He clearly meant that Soren was that honorable, deserving warrior. Soren seemed poised to argue, but instead, he clasped King Kadir’s arm in a gesture of close friendship. “I am heartened to see you so well.”

“It came at a dear cost. But I, too, am grateful for Elyssa’s powerful healing.”

Speaking of it, where was Elyssa?

“Aya!”

Elyssa’s voice jolted Aya like a bolt of electricity. Her cousin pushed through an opening between King Kadir and the merman next to him.

“You’re here.”

Her cousin’s voice was enough of a reminder of the surface world, where they had last spoken to each other, it forced her to face stark reality.

She linked her fingers in front of her. “Hi, Elyssa.”

Elyssa hesitated. “I thought you might not make it.”

Thought? Or wished?

Aya swallowed. The raw fear was painful in her throat. “Sorry.”

“Me too.” Elyssa barreled into Aya and hugged her fiercely, tumbling backwards. “I’m so happy you’ve come!”

Relief washed through Aya. Thank goodness. How had she ever doubted Elyssa? Aya had problems connecting, but Elyssa was universally forgiving.

They floated, rotating upside down. Aya wanted to close her eyes and rest on Elyssa’s shoulder, soaking in her cousin’s healing welcome the way she had been forced to accept Soren’s powerful embrace.

But to do that would be to take advantage of Elyssa’s kindness and obligate her to hug Aya when she most likely had better things to do. Aya stiffened and patted her shoulder.

Elyssa released her, proving she did have better things to do than to hang out hugging Aya all day, and smiled. Her kind face glowed.

“You came at the best time.” She grabbed Aya’s hand. “Can you transform your feet into fins yet? It took me forever to learn the first time. Today we’re celebrating! Sit by me and eat sea bream.”

Elyssa tugged her past the staring warriors to the abandoned feast.

Aya’s stomach rumbled. When was the last time she’d eaten real food? The small bites Soren had hunted for her, had staved off starvation. Before then, she’d eaten, what? A quick granola bar and coffee on the underground dive platform?

“That would be—”

A small, orange octopus shot to Aya’s face.

She pulled up short. “Oh.”

The house guardian gave her the side-eye, then trailed curious suckers along her face and tangled in her hair.

“Ow.”

“Benji, that’s Aya. Let go.” Elyssa tried to untangle the arms. “Sorry. She’s normally not so grabby.”

She was grabby. Grabby as the squid that attacked near the trench. Could octopi smell fear? Dogs could.

“It’s fine,” Aya said tightly. Never insult someone’s pets or children.

“Come on, Benji.” Elyssa tried to tease it away from Aya. “Give her a little room.”

Soren grabbed the small octopus and yanked it off, tearing a chunk of hair with it. “Off.”

What a relief.

“Ooh, Soren, Benji doesn’t like that.” Elyssa tried to make peace between them.

The small octopus thumped him in the chest. He rubbed the bruise with a grimace.

“See?”

Benji nestled in Elyssa’s hair.

Aya rubbed her scalp.

Elyssa patted her small octopus, grabbed Aya’s hand and led her to the place she had been floating before — right smack in the middle of the feast.

“Oh my god, you’re a mermaid now! Who could’ve guessed that back in elementary school when you started the Unicorn Mermaid Girls club?”

Wow, there was something Aya hadn’t thought about in a long time. “You know, there wasn’t actually a club until you joined our school.”

“You’re so sweet!”

But Aya hadn’t said it to be sweet. She’d said it to be literal.

When Elyssa had turned up at the private elementary school shortly after her dad married Aya’s aunt, Aya had talked up her “club” so much that Elyssa had begged to join. And Aya had deigned to allow her in with haughty superiority. Never minding there was only one other member —Aya—at the time.

Elyssa’s friendliness swelled their ranks to four members, then ten, then most of the class. All because Elyssa had that positive, friendly warmth that attracted people.

Like now, as she brought Aya to the place of honor beside herself and King Kadir.

Elyssa handed Aya her own skewer. “You must be starved. There’s so much to tell you.”

Aya took the skewer and bit into the top chunk of rich, flavorful meat. It was smoky like honey mesquite with a tasty kick. Heaven.

With her mouth full, her voice vibrated in her chest. “We have something to tell you too.”

Soren caught her eye. On King Kadir’s other side, he was clearly trying to talk about the megalodon privately, but it was impossible because of the other warriors fawning around and the healer stitching up his new injuries with a tsk.

“I’ll go first.” Elyssa put both hands on Aya’s knee and wiggled with news. “The most important thing is I’m pregnant!”

Oh. Wow.

Emotions slammed into Aya in quick succession.

Elyssa was pregnant? She would be a wonderful mother! Except Atlantis was under constant attack. Wouldn’t it be dangerous to raise kids here? Oh, and there was a megalodon.

“Congratulations,” she said unsteadily.

Elyssa’s smile wavered. “Thanks! I think.”

On King Kadir’s other side, Soren’s eyes widened. Pure horror crossed his face. “Your queen carries a young fry?”

King Kadir grinned. Pride crinkled the skin around his silver-flecked eyes and his white teeth gleamed. “Congratulate us, Soren. It is the dream.”

Soren swallowed hard. Apparently, congratulations were not on the top of his mind.

Was there some special danger to children, or was he worried about their young, weak vulnerabilities against the megalodon? Aya would make a note to ask.

“We found out when I went home for Thanksgiving,” Elyssa continued. “Blake’s in prison again. Kadir and I started a lawsuit against Van Cartier Cosmetics for breach of contract and attempted murder. And we decided: You’ll be our baby’s godmother!”

Aya choked. “I don’t have the best track record with children. Or any track record. I don’t want to screw yours up. I’d never forgive myself.”

Elyssa laughed and hugged her. “You’ll be fine! You’ll have Lucy’s to practice on first. She’s coming here to have her babies any day now.”

Another pregnant woman. Who Aya didn’t even know was pregnant. Coming to this city. Any day now.

Soren turned black with suppressed anger. He was about to burst.

Snarling about a megalodon threat would be bad. Starting a panic was the last thing anyone wanted.

Aya unwrapped Elyssa’s arms to face her cousin. “There’s something you really need to know. Coming here now isn’t safe. You’re still fighting raiders, and you’re not recognized as a city by the All-Council yet, and… other reasons.”

“Oh, I told Lucy all that.” Elyssa waved Aya’s objections away. “She’s determined.”

“Maybe you should talk again.”

“It’s probably too late. She left Oregon to sail here a week ago. We already received their last message through the echo points.”

This was a problem. A serious problem. Aya wracked her brain for how to reach Elyssa without outright saying, Stop Lucy and run for your lives because you’re about to be inhaled by a prehistoric shark.

“Anyway, I’ll be grateful to see her, too. We need all the extra help we can get.” Elyssa smiled sadly and twined her fingers with her husband’s long, silver-swirled ones. “I know you’ll help us figure out how to fight off the impending attack of a megalodon.”