My thoughts from last night were right on target. No matter how many times I convinced myself that no one was following me, every noise or a sudden burst of conversation had me flinching. I couldn't stop thinking about those mermaids and mermen, some only a little older than me, the lives I'd ruined. Even the preparations for the wedding weren't enough to lift my spirits.

The ballroom had been transformed into a wedding chapel. Multiple rows of chairs had been set up, each adorned with intertwined ribbons of purple and gold. One color for each kingdom. The wedding altar was also adorned with royal colors.

Instead of the traditional wedding altar, we'd opted for one long rectangle step leading up to the altar, suited for kneeling. That was one of the traditions that every mer followed, regardless of whom they were marrying. The bending of the tails was a sign of respect, honoring Merais, the god of the sea, and Antia, the goddess of fertility.

Much of my day was spent by myself, whether it was taking a leisurely swim or figuring out my dress. Of course, Nadia was with me through it all, but she wasn't right there with me. I was excited to learn that all of my present family would be attending the wedding. I think Mom was even more excited than I was.

She'd shown me her dress and I had stared at it for a moment, taken aback by the beauty of it. The dress itself was a dark plum with gold threads that shimmered when the light caught them. I'd had to blink back tears when I saw her in it. Her eyes had shone with happiness, a large smile on her face.

My dress was similar but more elegant. It was a mermaid-style dress (fitting, I know), with cap sleeves. The dress itself was a soft gray with sequins adorning the sleeves and bodice. Hidden in bursts throughout the design, however, were little patches of gold fabric. It was my way of honoring both kingdoms.

I couldn't wait for Kai to see it. I couldn't wait to see him. Imagining him waiting at the end of the altar brought a smile to my face, despite my thoughts.

My heart was pounding now, my stomach in knots. To anyone who asked, I brushed it off as pre-wedding jitters, but it went deeper than that. I couldn't stop seeing the grin on Aunt Naia's face as we'd swum to the dungeons, the anticipation on her face. A hand on my shoulder jolted me out of my thoughts. Mom was floating beside me, looking beautiful in her dress.

Nervous? She signed, her dark-blue eyes shining. I hadn't seen her that happy in a long time. Come to think of it, I hadn't seen anyone that happy in a while. I nodded, halfheartedly wishing I could call the wedding off until we'd dealt with Aunt Naia. But it was too late for second thoughts.

The smile on my face wobbled, but I kept it in place. Today was supposed to be the happiest day of my life. I was determined to keep it that way. We both looked up as the lights flickered once, twice. That was our signal that the wedding was about to begin. Music floated through the room, calming my racing heart.

Mom squeezed my hand, kissing my cheek as she grinned. It's time. Dad swam in, his dark-green eyes filled with happy tears as he saw Mom and me. "You ready?" He asked as he swam to my side, placing his hand in mine.

I looked at them both, taking a deep breath, then nodding as I exhaled. Out went the stress and worry into the water where it couldn't touch me. He kept his eyes straight ahead as we swam into the ballroom. I felt more than saw the eyes slide our way.

My gaze traveled to the front of the room, where the altar and Kai waited. He looked so handsome in a crimson-and-gold suit. But like me, he'd added a hint of his soon-to-be adopted realm. The sleeves were dotted with traces of gray and purple.

As soon as he saw me, his face broke out in the most beautiful smile I'd ever seen. His obsidian eyes were locked on my face as I swam, my own eyes shining. His grip was warm as he took my hand, giving Dad a nod. Are you okay? His eyes seemed to ask. He'd noticed my nerves.

I responded with a barely-perceptible nod. The priest swam over to the altar, bowing to both of us. "Dearly beloved," he began. "We are gathered here today to celebrate the union and joining of these two people. Not only them but their kingdoms as well."

I tuned out his speech, unable to focus. I kept glancing around, terrified that Aunt Naia would be lying in wait somewhere, even though we had extra guards on hand. Kai squeezed my hand, bringing me back to the present. I closed my eyes as we kissed, blocking out the world around us.

The sudden clapping reminded me that we weren't alone, however. A sudden wave of emotion swept over me, tears springing to my eyes. His obsidian eyes softened with concern as he used his thumb to wipe a tear off my cheek. When the priest spoke, I flinched. "I now pronounce you husband and wife." He nodded at both of us. "Congratulations."

We'd barely exchanged the rings before the large doors at the back of the room burst open. Mermen in green-and-blue uniforms swam in, the one at the front dragging a young mermaid by the neck of her torn dress. Mom froze, all the color draining from her face as the mermaid turned her grey eyes toward Mom's own.

Faye. I immediately began sweating profusely, my heart beating out of my chest. I couldn't breathe as Aunt Naia swam in, a cruel grin on her face.

Everyone turned toward the sound, confused expressions on every face. Dad was moving before I'd even opened my mouth. "How dare you come in here?" He growled, his dark-green eyes spitting fire. There was another emotion hidden in his gaze, though: fear.

She didn't even blink at his outburst. All it took was a wave of her hand and one merman swam to Dad and bound his hands behind his back. When he tried to move, a dagger was pressed against his throat. Mom cried out, the sound heartbreaking.

My hands were on my daggers before I'd even moved. "What do you want?" I asked, my voice trembling with barely-restrained anger.

Aunt Naia's eyes were sparkling with malice as she turned to me. "You have a choice," she said, a cruel grin on her face. "Your father or her." She jerked her head toward Faye's trembling body. Her wide grey eyes were filled with tears and I could hear her whimpering.

Before I had time to think about my response, I was moving, dagger poised to strike. I'd barely come to a stop in front of her before I rammed the dagger into her gut. "How about the third option?" I hissed into her ear.

She let out a choked gasp, her eyes on my face. I watched with a sick sort of satisfaction as her eyes slowly rolled back in her head. Guards immediately swam to me, awaiting orders. "Take her to the dungeons. Bind her wound, but don't treat it." How I managed to keep my voice steady, I have no idea.

Wordlessly, Kai swam to me, gently taking my hand. "It's over," he whispered in my ear, his voice soft. "It's over." It was only his voice that kept me from collapsing on the ground in shock. He exchanged glances with Mom and Dad before leading me out of the ballroom.

I didn't notice the blood on my hands or my dress until we'd arrived back in our rooms. My hands began to shake as I desperately tried to peel my dress off. Kai grabbed my hands, squeezing them gently. "Let me," he said. With quick, efficient hands, he slowly undid the straps on my dress. Turning around, he let me finish undressing.

The dress—my beautiful wedding dress—fell to the floor, the bodice stained with blood. I swam into the bathing room and scrubbed my hands until all the blood washed away. Exhaustion slammed into me with the force of a tidal wave as I swam into bed. Kai wrapped his arms around me, kissing the top of my head.

I concentrated on the feeling of his arms around me as I fell asleep, too exhausted for nightmares to penetrate the blackness of sleep.

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