My heart was pounding wildly, the scent of fear almost overwhelming. Daggers clashed, sweat pouring into my eyes as I struggled to steady my breathing. A merman with eyes the color of storm clouds loomed over me, the rage in them chilling me to the bone. We were in my suite, but the door might as well have been an ocean away for all the good it'd do me.

Where were the guards? Why wasn't anyone doing anything? These thoughts were tripping over themselves as I struggled to stay calm. I opened my mouth to scream, but another dagger was suddenly pressed to my throat, the tip barely grazing the skin.

A horrible realization washed over me then, filling my whole body with fear. Because there weren't any more guards. At least not in this part of the palace. Ronan had killed them all, including the servants.

I had a feeling he was just waiting for me to make a wrong move, imagining my blood spilling on the ground. Ronan spoke, but his mouth moved so fast it was impossible for me to make out what he was saying. I screamed, but the sound didn't deter him. It happened so fast, I barely had time to breathe, much less scream.

I didn't hear the crack, but I definitely felt it. Thousands of jellyfish stings on top of a dozen dagger wounds. It was electric, just as it had been all those years ago with Jay, Bella, and David. My left shoulder jutted out slightly, my arm going limp. Ronan grinned evilly, his eyes filled with cruel glee. This time, he spoke slowly, allowing me to decipher his words. "This is for Sophia." The pain was enough for me to black out.

I shuddered now, a chill running down my spine. Even though it had only been a dream (more like a nightmare), the mere thought of it was enought to make break into a sweat. I'd dreamt of that night (at least my knowledge of it) countless times over the years, but I'd never been in Mom's place. I couldn't even begin to imagine how terrified she must have been. My eyes sought hers across the room, the need to remind myself that she was here, that she was alive, almost overwhelming.

She met my gaze almost immediately, her eyes filled with concern. Are you okay? Her eyes seemed to ask. I quickly nodded, plastering a thin smile on my face.

Despite the nerves currently twisting my stomach into knots, a shaky (albeit genuine) smile was on my face as I swam to and fro in the ballroom. King Marlin's surprise party was in an hour, and everyone was scrambling to make last-minute preparations. We'd pushed the tables and chairs off to the side, strung lights across walls, and hung a giant banner across the entrance, spelling out Happy birthday, King Marlin.

Even Queen Irvetta was in on the surprise. She'd told me that she was taking her husband out for a birthday breakfast, giving us plenty of time to get the ballroom ready. That had been hours ago.

I paused near the back of the room, wiping sweat from my forehead. I smiled as I saw Queen Katrina and Mom chatting softly off to the side, their faces relaxed. Even Dad was smiling. I hadn't seen Kai much, but we'd all been pulled in so many different directions. A flicker of motion from the corner of my eye had me turning around. Queen Katrina had broken away from Mom and was coming up behind me.

"Everything looks great, doesn't it, Izzy?" The casual use of my nickname made me smile. Her eyes were shining, a large smile on her face. As I looked closer, though, I could see shadows in her eyes—the same that had been in her son's less than a day ago.

I didn't say anything, just placed a hand on her arm. Rather than giving me a smile in return, her arms wrapped around me, squeezing tightly. I held her just as tight, reading the emotion in her posture, her expression.

"Yeah," I replied as we broke apart. My smile faded as the words left my mouth. I knew what was troubling her—because those same thoughts were crowding my mind. How long would it be before something happened that would shatter the contentment that had settled over everything?

Mom's agonized face flashed through my mind and I couldn't help the shudder that wracked my body. I knew that I should tell her and Dad, but I just didn't know how. Of course, we all knew now that she hadn't been responsible for Sophia's murder, but I just couldn't get the look in Ronan's eyes out of my mind.

As if in response, my collarbone twinged in pain and began to throb. Tears sprang to my eyes, but I did my best to hurriedly wipe them away. When Dad suddenly spoke up from the front of the ballroom, I couldn't help but flinch. Even now, I couldn't stop myself from checking every exit, every window. "They're coming in now," he said excitedly.

All of a sudden, the ballroom became too small. Too crowded. Sweat beaded on my temple as my heart began to race. No one was looking at me, but it felt as if all eyes in the room were on me.

Choked gasps replaced my steady breathing as I tried to find Kai's steady, calm gaze from across the room. As everyone began to clap and cheer for the two figures that were swimming inside, I let out a cry and bolted from the ballroom.

My heart was beating a million miles a minute. Sweat mixed with the tears now streaming down my face, making it next to impossible to see where I was going. It was only when I'd finally escaped the claustrophobia of the palace that I allowed myself to draw a deep, albeit shaky, breath. I was gasping loudly, struggling to get water into my lungs.

I'd had panic attacks before, but none as bad as this. I crumpled on the ground, hugging myself as I desperately tried to steady my breathing. Then, and only then, did I hear the voice. Soft and worried, it seemed to be coming from far away, almost impossible for me to make out. "Izzy? Can you hear me?"

At first, I shied away. But as my vision slowly began to clear, a face came into view. I found myself looking into eyes that were filled with love and concern. Kai gently took my hands, his eyes never leaving my face. "Take deep breaths, Isadora. Breathe with me."

He took a deep, steadying breath and held it, waiting for me to do the same. When I did, he nodded encouragingly before exhaling deeply. "Again." In and out, over and over until I felt the panic slowly leave my body, replaced by exhaustion.

He pushed sweat-damp curls off my forehead, his eyes searching my face. "Are you okay? What happened in there?"

At his words, I began crying openly, my chest hitching as I struggled to form words. "I—I had no idea. It was—it was horrible. Mom... Ronan..." I trailed off, breathing unsteadily.

It was several minutes before I could speak again. Kai never pressured me, just held my hand. "My nightmare last night... It wasn't mine. It was Mom's." At Kai's confused glance, I rushed on, trying to explain. "When Ronan..." I trailed off again, but Kai understood my unspoken words.

Fury flashed across his face, but he didn't say a word. He swallowed hard before speaking. "Have you ever..." It was his turn to trail off. "Was that the first time you'd had that particular dream?" He didn't mention Ronan.

I nodded. "I know now that he would never hurt us, that he's forgiven Mom for what happened to his sister. But Kai, it was awful. It was exactly as Dad explained it to us. Only this time, I was seeing it through her eyes." I rubbed my collarbone, wincing slightly at the phantom ache that bloomed there.

His eyes went distant, distracted. I knew that he was thinking about how to handle this. Another voice spoke up from behind me, soft and calm. "Isadora?" I turned around, hurriedly wiping my face again.

Queen Irvetta floated before us, concern etched on her beautiful face. "Is everything okay?" She looked from my face to Kai's, noting the tear streaks on my cheeks. "Marlin's been looking for you. He wants to thank you personally."

I took another deep breath, pushing all the sadness, grief, exhaustion, and anxiety out into the water where it couldn't touch me anymore. If only the memories could be released as well. All I wanted to do was fall into my mother's arms and cry.

I dragged a paper-thin smile onto my face as I nodded. "Of course." When I took Kai's hand again, my own was trembling.

As we swam back inside, it was almost too much. The lights, the crowded ballroom... Already, I could feel my heart speeding up.

King Marlin met my gaze, his eyes calming. As if he knew what I was going through. When he winked at me, I had to choke back a sob.

He laced his hands behind his back, taking a deep breath. "Before I thank my wife and dear friends for organizing today, I wanted to say something first. The peace treaty between Aegrem, Pelathas, and Nepptheas had always been a boon for our realms, strengthening relations and ensuring stability and prosperity. My wife and I ruled with a gentle, but firm hand."

Here he paused, looking around at the crowd. "When Naia Monroe kidnapped us, I witnessed firsthand what could happen to a person when corrupted by greed, jealousy, and power. I may not know her whole story, but I do know that her trauma was—and still is—rooted in her fear of abandonment and jealousy. With that being said, if Naia shows her face here, you are to welcome her with open arms.

"I want to take a minute to thank the Singh family in particular." He turned and met my gaze, causing a blush to rise on my cheeks. "I know I'm repeating myself, so I'll keep it brief."

My chest hitched, tears filling my eyes as I held his gaze. "Jay, Nerissa, Isadora, words cannot possibly describe how grateful we are. You saved our lives. Thank you so much for organizing today. Given your family's..." He paused again, frowning as he seemed to search for the right word.

"History, some would say that my wife and I are associating ourselves with traitors. But now that I've gotten the chance to meet each of you, I can see that's simply not the case. You had no part in Naia's treachery. I cannot apologize enough for what you all have been through. I will not be a ruler who turns someone away based on their pasts."

I will close the doors on no one; I will accept everyone. No matter who they are, who their families are, or what their past is. I hope you will join me and my wife in ushering in this new era and the start of our reign." With that, he and his wife both bowed.

Thunderous applause and cheering filled the ballroom. Everywhere you looked, someone was smiling. Mom and Dad were smiling gratefully, accepting the praise with a nod. Kai was clapping along with everyone else, but I was frozen.

As much as I wanted to believe his words, a small part of me couldn't shake my worries from earlier. How much longer could we live in this state of peace before it all came crashing down?

A flash of silver caught my eye, making my heart skip a beat. I waited one breath, two, before finally allowing myself to relax. Kai swam over to me, his eyes filled with concern. "Are you okay? I noticed you didn't speak during the celebration." Sensing my unease, he lowered his voice, speaking softly. "You're safe. I promise. No one can hurt you here."

Before I could even start to formulate a response, I glimpsed those silver eyes. They were filled with so much regret, so much guilt, that I almost called out to him.

I felt as if he could see right through me. He saw everything—all the pain I'd experienced, and that he was the cause of some of it. Unbidden, the words that had been stuck in my mind for over three years came back to me. Smiling at him, I mouthed each word, my throat closing up. You are not your past mistakes. All that matters is the future and the choices you make.

His eyes glimmered with tears, but he refused to let them fall. Instead, he merely smiled, placing a hand over his heart. As he swam away, he looked back and nodded.

Later that night, I laid awake in bed, Ronan's face frozen in my mind. For the first time in a long time, I allowed sleep to overtake me.

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