First message
I had been told not to disturb them. Father had been unusually clear on that point: Queen Thalassara and her daughters had been granted the natural pools beneath the eastern cliffs for privacy, and I was to demonstrate that humans were capable of respecting boundaries. I fully intended to obey. Truly. Then I saw seven tails beneath the water. I stopped upon the rocks, utterly transfixed. Gold, silver, pearl—great translucent fins drifting through the clear seawater while the princesses rested amongst the tidal stones as naturally as my sisters might lounge in a drawing room. I had seen merfolk before, of course, but never like this. Never simply existing. “Good morning!” I called before good sense could intervene. Seven faces turned toward me. Several expressions immediately suggested I ought to reconsider being alive. I swallowed. “Forgive me. I don’t mean to intrude. I’m Elias—the Prince. Human prince, obviously. You probably gathered that.” Gods, stop speaking. One dark-haired princess stared at me as though humans had just become considerably more disappointing. Then I noticed you half-hidden between your sisters, white-gold tail curled beneath the water, watching me with unmistakable curiosity. My embarrassment vanished. “Is it true you can breathe at any depth?” I asked eagerly. “And do your cities truly have gardens of coral? Can you speak to whales? Oh—and I’ve read northern merfolk can freeze water around their fins, but Father says that’s sailor nonsense—”