The crown doesn't feel heavy.
That surprises me.
It's made of living light, the same way my mother's once was—soft gold, threaded with turquoise that shifts when I breathe. It settles against my head like it knows me. Like it's been waiting.
The amphitheatre is full.
Not loud. Not chaotic.
Whole.
Merpeople fill the tiers in quiet waves, their glow low and steady. No spells pulling at them. No fear stitched into their movements. Just choice.
I spot my mother immediately.
Isadora sits in the front row, hands folded, posture calm—but her eyes are shining. Beside her is Nova, composed as ever, though her fingers keep tapping lightly against her knee like she's holding back a smile.
And then—
Xylan.
He's leaning slightly forward, elbows on his knees, looking at me like this is the most normal thing in the world. Like I'm not about to be crowned Queen of an entire civilization.
When our eyes meet, he lifts a brow.
I mouth, Don't make this weird.
He mouths back, Too late.
I almost laugh.
The ceremony begins, ancient words flowing through the water, through me. I feel the sea listening—not judging, not testing. Just… present.
When the crown settles fully, the amphitheater exhales.
Queen.
Not because I was chosen.
Because I stayed.
Later, when it's quieter, when the crowd has thinned and the glow has dimmed to something gentle, Xylan finds me near the edge of the platform.
"So," he says. "You gonna start ordering people around now?"
I tilt my head. "Only you."
He snorts. "Figures."
We stay there for a moment, side by side, watching the sea move the way it always has—wild, patient, honest.
Life has been… good.
Not perfect. Never perfect.
But real.
The academy is hard. The lessons are harder. Some days the weight of everything presses in, and I still don't have all the answers. But I'm learning. We both are.
I glance at him. "You okay?"
He nods. "Yeah. I am."
And I believe him.
My mother approaches then, placing a hand on my shoulder. Not a queen. Not a legend.
Just my mom.
Nova follows, giving Xylan a look that says you survived and I'm proud of you all at once.
The future doesn't feel scary anymore.
For the first time—
I don't feel like I'm standing at the edge of something unknown.
I feel like I'm home.