Chapter 1

Everyone in the Reef Isle tribe knew me as the pampered little mermaid princess — spoiled rotten by her mates.

I demanded the finest food, the finest clothes, and threw tantrums at my three mates at the slightest provocation. I did it because I was doted on. Loved. And because of that, I ran wild.

Then an outsider came to our tribe. A mermaid named Elara.

Compared to my willful arrogance, she was gentle and radiant. Countless merman warriors vied for her attention. But she didn't lean on any mate. She raised her little merchild alone, and was building a thriving life for herself, one that turned heads.

Little by little, my first mate began to grow tired of how spoiled I was.

The day Corvin left, my two remaining mates were still furious on my behalf:

"Corvin, you chose to walk out yourself! Don't you ever think about crawling back to Coral!"

But not long after, my second mate left too.

I looked at Lyric — the only one I had left — and felt tears sting my eyes.

"Lyric… do you think my temper is that awful too?"

Lyric stroked my hair. "Don't think nonsense. They're the bastards. They just don't know what they had."

Until, with my own eyes, I saw him swaying that silver-blue tail of his. Trailing behind that outsider mermaid, following her every stroke. So humble. So desperate. Just for the chance that she might glance back at him.

I turned and fled, bursting into the coral dwelling of our chieftain, Papa Thalos.

"Papa, the next time the tribe sends someone for a marriage alliance — let me go."

...

"Coral, have you lost your mind?!"

Papa Thalos, once he'd caught his breath, stared at me wide-eyed.

"That's the Siren Court we're talking about! Every other mermaid prays not to be chosen — and you want to hand yourself over?!"

My eyes stung red as I clutched at my gauzy skirt.

The Sirens dwelled in the deepest, blackest trenches of the ocean. They bore no daughters of their own, and could only continue their bloodline by taking brides from the shallow-sea mermaid tribes each year.

Unlike the gentle mer-folk, the Sirens possessed voices that could enthrall any living creature — songs that could lure the mightiest whale sharks willingly into the abyss.

Their power was strange. Their possessiveness absolute. They never shared their mates with another male.

One life. One love. One mate.

And for that very reason, no mermaid ever wished to swim down into those cold, black trenches.

"Did they… do something to you again?!"

Papa Thalos's voice went cold. He was already flicking his tail, ready to swim out, when I threw myself in his way.

"Don't! Papa, please — don't!"

I flung my arms around his waist, shaking my head desperately.

"Don't fight my battles for me anymore…"

When Corvin and Kaelen had left, I'd gone crying to Papa. That mermaid Elara had moved farther and farther away because of it — and still, they hadn't come back to me.

The cold looks they gave me that day were still so vivid they made me tremble:

"Cordelia — put away your bullying for once. Elara did nothing wrong, and she was nearly driven from the tribe because of you."

"Without your chieftain Papa to stand behind you, what are you really?"

"I can't believe I ever loved a mermaid as vile as you."

That night, I clung to the only mate I had left — Lyric — and wept until I fainted.

But now… even he didn't want me anymore.

In the silence, Papa Thalos sighed.

"Coral, you are Papa's only daughter. Papa cannot bear the thought of you so far away. But Papa cannot bear to see you suffer, either. The drawing is in three days. Think it through, and then come to Papa. All right?"

I left Papa's dwelling.

And the moment I stepped outside, I saw Lyric waiting there.

He was leaning sideways against the coral doorpost, a small yellow anemone pinched between his fingers, gazing at it as though nothing else existed.

I knew that anemone. Today, he had pressed himself close to Elara's side and coaxed it from her palm.

When he saw me, he tucked the anemone away, and his eyes curved warmly.

"Coral?"

I wiped at my eyes and swam right past him without a word.

"Coral — where are you going?"

I didn't look back.

I'd only gone a little farther when I realized there was no sound behind me. I whirled around — and saw Lyric hovering far away. His brow was furrowed, his hand cupped carefully around that fragile little anemone, protecting it from the current that threatened to tear it apart.

Something inside me trembled.

I shouted at him, half-frantic: "Lyric! Why aren't you following me?!"

The louder I shouted, the more passing tribesfolk turned to stare.

But he only raised his eyes slightly. The setting sun filtered through the surface, drawing his shadow long and mournful across the seafloor.

An inexplicable panic began to rise in my chest.

I flicked my tail hard against the water, gritted my teeth, and was about to swim toward him. But in the next breath, I heard him speak.

"Coral… I can't go home with you anymore. Elara needs me."

He turned.

And swam toward Elara's dwelling.

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