The sea was calm that morning, as if it too were holding its breath.
Kael stood at the edge of the tide pool, boots off, trousers rolled to his knees, water lapping at his ankles. The light of dawn streaked across the sky in ribbons of peach and lavender. Behind him, the cliffs rose like watchful sentinels, and ahead of him lay only water—shimmering and endless.
He hadn't spoken to Lyra since the previous night. Not after the storm. Not after her warning.
"Get over yourself, Kael. You're not special enough to fix me."
The words had stayed with him, burrowed under his skin. But so had the lightning that had crackled through the waves moments after. She hadn't meant to hurt him. He knew that much. But she was right about one thing: he didn't understand her world. Not really. Not yet.
"Morning," came a voice from behind.
Kael turned to find Elli, her arms wrapped around herself despite the warmth. Her hair was damp, curls frizzing in the salty breeze.
"I heard you pacing half the night," she added. "Didn't sleep?"
Kael offered a tight smile. "Didn't feel like it."
Elli glanced toward the sea. "She still hasn't surfaced?"
"No."
They stood in silence for a while. Kael watched the ripples of the sea, hoping to glimpse the flick of a silver tail or hear the familiar hiss of Lyra's voice. But the cove remained quiet.
Then, unexpectedly, the water churned.
Kael stepped forward instinctively, only for a familiar blue-green shimmer to break the surface. Lyra.
But she wasn't alone.
Vaelen surfaced beside her—his sleek silver hair plastered to his neck, his scaled arms resting lazily over a barnacled rock. He wore that amused expression Kael had come to loathe. Behind them, Thalen hovered just beneath the surface, eyes watching Kael.
Lyra said nothing at first. She glanced briefly at Kael, then at Elli. Then she turned her gaze back to the sea.
Kael's heart twisted.
"What's going on?" he asked.
Vaelen answered for her. "Tensions in the water. The deep court's stirring. Your little curse is echoing in places it shouldn't."
Kael frowned. "What does that mean?"
"It means," Lyra said at last, her voice low and steady, "that we're no longer the only ones aware of our bond."
"And that's... bad?"
Thalen finally rose, dripping and silent, eyes flicking to Kael before returning to Lyra. "It depends who comes looking."
Kael looked at her, frustrated. "Why didn't you tell me this last night?"
"Because you were angry. And I was tired of explaining myself to a boy who doesn't know when to stop poking."
The words stung, but Kael held his ground. "So what do we do now?"
Elli cleared her throat. "Maybe we let them talk. You two clearly have... history."
Lyra's tail flicked behind her. "We have more than that."
Vaelen smirked. "Don't be modest, Lyra."
Thalen's expression soured.
Kael was about to demand an explanation when a high-pitched trill pierced the morning air.
Miri.
She was crouched on the cliff edge, humming softly, fingers trailing something across the surface of a small tide pool. In her hand, the sea charm shimmered faintly—pale violet now, glowing as if reacting to the others.
All eyes turned to her.
"What is that?" Thalen asked sharply.
Kael's stomach dropped. "She gave it to me."
Miri looked up and smiled. "It doesn't like being hidden anymore. I think it wants to go home."
The Oracle's words echoed in Kael's mind.
Some curses aren't broken—they're traded.
As tension buzzed through the air, Kael stepped forward. "We need to talk. All of us. No more secrets. No more hiding."
Vaelen stretched, clearly amused. "Well, I hope you've got tea. This is going to take a while."
Lyra's eyes met Kael's again, something unreadable flickering behind them. "You really want to know everything?"
"I do," he said, voice firm.
She sighed. "Then brace yourself. Because the ocean has a long memory. And it's about to wake up."