The tent had been transformed. Larger, somehow, with a higher ceiling that rose to multiple peaks. The walls were shimmering with opalescent colors, not unlike the inside of a shell when struck by sunlight. Soft music played from unseen musicians. Servants moved throughout the room with trays of food and drink.

I closed my open mouth before anyone saw me gawking.

The room was already filled with guests, glittering, dazzling Mers wearing gowns and formal tunics that defied description. Even the servants wore uniforms that were nothing like the ones I’d worn in my stepmother’s household.

These uniforms shone a dark blue, looking almost like they were woven out of gemstones. They were trimmed in what looked like braided gold. I blinked, realizing they were wearing the Royal colors. These were Royal Servants.

Not nobility, but well-paid and tended to, especially in their old age.

And every now and then, dispersed in the crowd, I saw something that made my heart stop.

My father. I blinked. No, it wasn’t him. But there were Royal Messengers here, wearing the same uniform he had worn. It was a magical suit, designed to blend you into the background. But only when it was activated. The rest of the time, it was a similar dark blue to the servants’, also with a golden braid.

But that is where the similarities ended.

Where the servers’ uniforms were simply cut, the Messenger and other Royal Army uniforms were form-fitting and ornate. The gold braid was thicker, forming neat rows near the wrists and waistline, with curlicues and swirls elsewhere. The design reflected their position.

And the Royals themselves . . . well, they were here too.

I’d never seen a Royal, but once I saw them, there was little doubt of who and what they were. Their clothing also reflected the traditional dark blue and gold colors, but they were not limited to them. I stared in awe as Annaruth waved a hand over her own gown and it changed before my eyes to a patterned blue with actual gemstones woven into it. The heavy gold at the collar and sleeves gleamed. It must be real gold, I realized.

“You’re a . . .”

“The High Priestess is always chosen from the Royal family.”

I nodded slowly.

“But it is a very large family, as you know.”

She handed me another covered goblet, pronouncing this one ‘shampayne.’ Then she guided me through the room, introducing me to people as we went. I was congratulated, but I felt that most of the people were looking down their noses at me, as if I was a curiosity rather than a possible future Spark.

I felt like I would never be one of them. I felt like a crustacean trying to swim among swordfish. I was out of place, outnumbered, and outclassed.

“Dante! I must introduce you!”

The man floating before me was the one I had mistaken for my father. They had similarly sandy hair and a similar profile. He wore the uniform of a Messenger, with a design that specifically denoted speed on each shoulder, not unlike wings. He was very tall, with the slender, ropey build of a distance swimmer. He stared at me coolly, sizing me up.

“I know exactly who this is.” After a tense moment, his face broke into a warm smile. “I am friends with your father.”

I inhaled, not expecting this. But of course, I should have. My father served as a Messenger for half a century before I was born. He was well-liked and respected by his peers. He often called the Mers that he served with his brothers and sisters, but he was especially close with his fellow Messengers.

“He loves you very much.”

Hot tears welled up in the back of my eyes.

“Loved. He is gone, as you must know.”

He clucked his tongue.

“I know that’s the general assumption, but I don’t believe it.” He sipped his drink and winked at me. “I’ll be rooting for you, little Tri.”

I turned my head to stare as Annaruth drew me away. How had he known my nickname? My father must have told him, I realized. I felt a tiny pearl of hope settle in my belly. It sat there, glowing warm and bright inside me. Perhaps . . .

“Dante is a very powerful ally for you. He is the Senior Messenger. He has served for nearly three hundred years.”

“He doesn’t look anywhere near that age.”

“There are perks to being in Royal Service.”

I nodded slowly, deciding to say as little as possible for the remainder of the evening. I was curious about what she meant, but I was more inclined to avoid making enemies.

“I see.”

She laughed, and it sounded like tinkling bells. I’d heard them on one of my trips to the surface. I’d nearly missed the boat floating nearby. It was an odd sort of a boat, more like a dwelling than a seaworthy ship. Hanging from the covered deck was a forged metal crescent covered with tiny bells. I should have left immediately on seeing the two-legger boat, but I didn’t. Instead, I’d swum closer and watched them moving about their boat for hours. They didn’t seem concerned that they were far from land or that there were creatures beyond their imaginations right under their noses. They’d cooked and eaten and talked without a care, as if they were on dry land. Thankfully, it had been on the verge of night, so they hadn’t seen me hovering just below the gentle waves.

It was one of my most exciting, and reckless, adventures yet.

Well, until now, anyway.

So far, the Trials were by far the most dangerous thing I’d ever attempted. And that included squaring off with my witch of a stepmother. Of course, being a witch isn’t necessarily a bad thing, I thought as I gazed around the tent.

Hanging lanterns floated near the top of the tent. I blinked, not believing my own eyes at first. They were brighter than any bioluminescent glow I’d ever seen. They almost appeared to give off their own fierce light, not unlike the sun.

“Do you like them?”

“Huh?” I stopped gawking to look at the Mer floating beside me.

A young man in Royal garb was talking to me. He had dark blue eyes and tawny blond hair. He was handsome, though not nearly as handsome as Dane. Actually, he looked a bit like him, other than the superiority complex. Dane was nowhere near as smug as this Mer.

He smirked at me, the arrogance coming off him in almost palpable waves.

“Do you like the lanterns?”

I nodded. I did like them. I wasn’t sure how I felt about how close the unfamiliar Mer was floating, however.

My fins twitched, just enough to move me slightly away.

The Mer looked down at me and then came closer again. It was oddly aggressive. I didn’t like it and swished my fin in annoyance.

“They are true flame.”

“Flame?”

“Fire. Brought below from the surface in glass jars and made permanent. With magic, of course.”

I was fascinated despite myself.

“Fire? It’s hot?”

He nodded knowingly, leaning in. This time, I didn’t back away.

“That’s how the two-leggers cook fish.”

I stared at him, dumbfounded.

“They always heat up their food?”

“Oh yes, they almost always char and destroy almost all the flavor. Usually, they chill it first, letting it slowly spoil. Then they burn it to take away the rotten smell.”

I wrinkled my nose, aghast at what I’d just been told.

“They all do that?”

“Well, no. There are those who eat only vegetables. Mostly from the soil. They usually only eat seaweed when it’s been dried. Some eat raw fish, but mostly on the other side of the planet.”

I gulped. That sounded awful. Being a Sea Spark was going to be harder than I had imagined. Not because of the actual challenges of saving the sea and navigating an unfamiliar world on legs, but because of the horror of human food!

“Eww.”

He laughed and held out his hand.

“I’m Waverly.”

I shook it slowly, still reeling from what he’d told me. I noticed that he didn’t use a title. Not that it meant he didn’t have one. But I doubted he was the Prince or any of the lesser Princes.

“I’m Katri—”

He cut me off.

“I know who you are, of course. Katriana, daughter of Oma. You’re heavily favored for Spark.”

I stared at him, my hand going limp in his. He didn’t let go though.

“I am?”

He laughed.

“It’s early days, but yes. I’m not sure who I am betting on yet. That’s why I wanted to meet you, other than the obvious.”

“The obvious?”

“You are very beautiful. Surely, you know that?”

My jaw dropped. I was, for the first time in my life, actually dumbfounded. Me? Beautiful? Surely, it was the lighting . . . or the magic! Of course. That was it. The gown must be confusing him.

“Hmm. Okay, if you say so. Anyway, I think it’s time to eat.”

It wasn’t an excuse to get away. Servants had appeared with trays of delicious smelling food. I caught Annaruth’s eye and she gestured to the table. Mers were taking their seats along it. I was to be seated near the head of the table, I realized with a jolt.

I heaved a sigh of relief when I saw that Annaruth would be sitting beside me.

I took my seat, noticing Waverly staring at me from further down the table. It was hard not to notice him—his eyes were practically boring into me.

“Do you like him?”

“Who?”

Annaruth just laughed. She wouldn’t allow me to play dumb. I sighed, taking another sip from the sparkling beverage in my goblet. The bubbles tickled my throat. I doubted I would ever get used to it.

“You would be surprised what you can get used to.”

“If you can read my mind, why do you bother to ask me questions?” I grumbled. Annaruth had been kind to me thus far, but I wasn’t crazy about having my mind invaded.

“I can feel emotions, but your thoughts are more complicated that that. I’d like to hear them in your own words.” She laid her hand on mine and we locked eyes. “I value your perspective. It’s singularly unique!”

Beautiful and unique, two words I’d never imagined would apply to me. And yet, I’d been called both in less than an hour.

She opened her mouth and then stopped herself, shaking her lovely head ruefully. I knew well that she’d been about to argue with my inner critic.

I couldn’t help it. I laughed. She laughed with me.

* * *

I groaned softly, laying my hand on my swollen belly. I was stuffed. More than stuffed.

I felt like a beached whale.

I’d quite literally never been so full in my life. Not even close. Annaruth leaned in and asked me if I was all right. They were just taking the desert away, and she wanted to know if I wanted seconds. I shook my head vehemently and she laughed.

“The humans have an expression that I think will apply.”

“What’s that?”

“Your eyes were bigger than your stomach.”

“Don’t you mean my mouth?”

She stared at me then broke into a belly laugh. I giggled along with her. Annaruth’s dignity had swum out of the tent, leaving her chortling like servants who had eaten too much fermented seaweed.

Finally, our laughter slowed. She wiped her eyes and held out her hand.

“Allow me?”

I nodded, and she laid her hand on my midsection. I felt the pressure inside me ease. I was still satiated, but that horrible feeling of being about to burst was gone.

“Thank you.”

“Let me escort you to the door.”

I nodded, swimming gracefully behind her. I wondered if I would need to return the dress now. I wondered what tomorrow’s trials were.

I wondered if Dane was still angry at me, and why.

She opened the tent flap and I felt something swirl around me. I glanced down and found myself wearing my own clothes, right down to the borrowed armor.

“Having magic must be nice.”

She smiled at me.

“I’m sure you will find out.”

“Good night, Annaruth.”

“Sweet dreams, Katriana.”