"IF YOU can hear me, I'm fine." Andorra tried, for what felt like the hundredth time, to contact Pyatt. He remained, however, unreachable. Or, he remained silent on his end. Andorra wasn't sure which bothered her more.

She tried not to let her unease show as she sat at the large dining table. She was the Queen; she should have felt at ease. Instead, she felt the trickle of anxiety slip down her throat as she stared at the plate of fish that sat in front of her. It wasn't that she disliked fish, but her appetite was non-existent.

She glanced at Eiriae, who was not bothered at all by being trapped under the ocean. She was chatting with an Asrai next to her, waving her fork as though it were part of the conversation she was having. Andorra forced herself to take a bite when she noticed Nekili eying her with interest. And Andorra wasn't about to cause a rift between herself and the Asrai by refusing to eat their food.

"Excuse Nekili's behavior earlier," Madam Pela said from the other end of the table. She looked the part of a Royal with the gorgeous gown she wore. A cape was fastened at her neck, and she let her long hair flow freely, falling inches past the bottom of her chair. She smiled around a mouthful of fish. "We are unused to seeing the Queen of Anlithamy swim freely in our waters. Nekili should have handled you better."

Andorra expected Nekili to bow her head in shame, or at the very least avert her gaze, but she did neither. Nekili continued to watch Andorra, tracking every movement as though she did not trust the Queen.

Andorra gave Madam Pela a gracious smile. "Please, don't worry about it."

"I do worry. You know, my people have lived in these waters for centuries upon centuries. We have served the Summer Court, have known many of the citizens throughout time. Some have even spent time here, under the ocean."

Andorra nodded, unsure of where Madam Pela was about to go with this. She continued to eat the fish, but she didn't really taste anything. Couldn't seem to shake the unease that sat behind her, trailed an icy finger against the back of her neck, whispered warnings in her ear. Something was wrong, but she couldn't pinpoint what it was.

"My dear, you have been here before. In that very chair."

This caught Andorra's attention. She sat up a little straighter. "Really?"

Madam Pela waved her hand. "Yes. I believe it would have been, well, not your last lifetime. Perhaps the one before that. You were like yourself and unlike yourself. Interesting, how personality follows a soul like that."

Learning about past lives was interesting to Andorra. She wanted to know everything about who she once was, and what she had done in those lives. Had she lived similarly? Had she lost her parents in every lifetime? What was similar, and what was different?

She kept the questions to herself. Kept her interest watered down. "Does it get confusing? Getting to know people in their different lives?"

Madam Pela took another bite of fish and hummed. "It is not common that we do. Moribund calls us when we pass, and keeps us for many, many centuries. The reasoning is for that alone. But, some of us live a very, very long time. Not myself, of course, but beings like the Prophet. Beings like the Deathwringer, and the Rattislon, and the Rumplewren. And of course, that oaf of a fae, Vulara. They would have met your past lives. But I did not know you then."

This made sense to Andorra. But still, it was an interesting concept. She itched to know more, but she forced herself to keep eating. To make herself look normal, regal, like a Queen enjoying a meal in her Court.

Polite conversation was what a Queen would do. So Andorra plastered on another smile. "Tell me more about the ocean. It's gorgeous down here. I would love to know more about the Asrai."

Madam Pela's smile grew cold. With a snap of her finger, her plate of fish disappeared. Fear stabbed Andorra in the chest, hard. She gripped her fork, but tried to even out her breathing, knowing that Nekili was still staring. Even Eiriae seemed to go quiet.

"You know, Queen Andorra, I knew your parents."

She had heard this conversation, over and over again. It did nothing to quell the anticipation of what those words would bring. Sometimes, the conversation was light. But other times...

Andorra didn't bother smiling. She raised a brow at Madam Pela, taking another bite of fish.

"Your parents did not like how close we lived to the shore. Your parents did not like that we elect our own ruler. Yes, we bow down to Prince Desmond because we belong to the Summer Court. But make no mistake, the Asrai are not like you land fae. We govern ourselves down here. We have our own customs, our own culture."

Andorra found this hard to believe, but she had nothing to refute what Madam Pela was saying about her parents. Instead, she let the words sit in her mind as she thought of what to say in response.

"I find no issue with the fact that you have your own culture. That makes sense to me. I also find no issue with how close you are to shore."

"We've heard about the border shutdowns between Courts."

"Yes, back when Prince Anders was in charge. He is no longer a member of the Royal Court, and no longer makes decisions for Anlithamy. That is no longer in effect."

Madam Pela hummed again. Nekili was sitting straight, and Andorra noticed for the first time her food was also gone. A quick glance down the table revealed to Andorra that everyone's plate was gone, except hers and Eiriae's. Her throat tightened with fear as she set down her fork slowly.

Her heart rate picked up, despite her actively willing it to slow. Andorra had been slow to realize the tension she was walking into. She wasn't safe here, hadn't been the moment Nekili had yanked her down through the cold ocean waters.

Andorra braced herself to step into the inbetween, if it came to that. I will not die down here, she told herself firmly. They cannot kill me.

Callum would have her head. She was sure that he and Oberon were already beside themselves trying to find her in the dead of night, and she had disappeared. The only thing keeping them sane had to be the fact that if they were alive, then so was she.

"Pyatt, now would be the time to answer me," she tried one last time.

"It seems there is something you would like to discuss. If that is so, Madam Pela, then perhaps we should. I am open to conversation between the people of Anlithamy. You will find no resistance from me in that regard."

Madam Pela stood from the table, but no one else moved, including Andorra. She felt the thrum of her power crawling under her skin, and Andorra honed in on that. She let it calm her down as she remembered everything Vulara had taught her.

She readied her muscles for a fight, if it came to that.

"Nekili, it is time you escort our prisoner back to the cells." Madam Pela did not take her eyes off of Andorra, but she didn't have to. Nekili pushed back her chair, but Andorra beat her to a stand. The sudden movement from the Queen had Nekili hesitating to stand, her eyes finding Madam Pela.

"Eiriae is no longer your prisoner. She is with me, and she will leave with me." Andorra's voice held a note of finality. She would use her compelling voice if she had to, but she didn't want to. Forcing the hand of others was not what she wanted.

"With all due respect, my Queen, but you cannot tell me who is and isn't my prisoner."

Andorra found her mouth tipping up into a biting smile. "You'll find, Pela, that I can tell anyone in Anlithamy anything I want. I am Queen. I respect you and your rule over the Asrai, but do not force my hand. It is you who follows my lead, not the other way around."

The silence in the dining room was thick with tension. Andorra could feel it roll over her skin, causing the hair to stick up, causing her heart to hammer in her chest. She tipped her chin up for good measure.

Andorra felt it happen before she saw it. Nekili moved to grab Eiriae in a sudden, frantic movement, but she wasn't fast enough. Andorra threw her hand out, and did what she had never done before: she yanked Eiriae into the in-between without touching the other fae. Without stepping into the inbetween herself.

Andorra opened a gate and let it swallow Eiriae whole.

To anyone watching, it looked as though Eiriae disappeared out of thin air. Andorra was almost unbelieving herself, wondering if she had actually done that, but Madam Pela's shocked expression was enough to tell Andorra what was the truth.

Andorra could create gates without having to step in them herself. And she could do so from a distance.

Madam Pela shot a look at Andorra. "You're clever. More clever than your parents ever were."

That was a lie, it had to be. But Andorra didn't need to betray that thought. "I wouldn't know. I've never known my parents. But believe me when I say that if you cross me, then you will make an enemy of the Queen. I am not my parents. I will not rule the same as they once did. I would like to erase whatever bad blood you once had with them, and start fresh."

Andorra didn't need an enemy. Not one she had just met.

"Brave, too, with that tongue. Your parents would have been apologetic by now."

Andorra could see that. Could picture her parents bowing their heads to not cause any issues. And Andorra wanted that too; the people pleaser within her begged for it.

But a people pleaser was not what made a good Queen. She channeled Callum for a moment, letting his bold shadows fill her chest. She let his confidence shape her words.

"I have nothing to apologize for. I am your Queen, and you have overstepped. It is you who should be apologizing."

Her heart raced. She wanted to submit, so badly she could feel her head itching to bow. She wanted to break eye contact so badly, she felt the sweat gather at the nape of her neck.

But, she didn't. Because Callum would never back down. Callum would never let his opponent see weakness.

She wiped the emotion from her face, the way Nohx always did. Let herself become a shell of who she really was, like she had done with Ero in the throne room. Madam Pela's first impression of her would not be of a pushover child masquerading as royalty.

The silence felt thick enough to choke on. Andorra let the glow of her powers skate across her skin, lightening up the room. She refused to blink as she held Madam Pela's gaze.

"You're right. I do apologize, my Queen. A fresh start would benefit the Asrai as well. Our people have felt the weight of oppression, and we would like to swim freely without fear. It is all we want."

"Fear from what?"

"From capture. It is no secret that the Royal Court has slain many Asrai, or captured us for our power."

So many questions on her tongue, but Andorra swallowed all of them. "I find no issue with granting your people safety from capture."

"Even for our power?"

Again, another bait. But without asking Madam Pela what her power was, Andorra didn't feel comfortable guessing what she meant. What sort of power would the Asrai possess that would make others capture them? Or even worse, murder them?

"Again, I would like to grant your people safety."

Madam Pela raised her chin. "If you're telling the truth, then I request that you do one thing for us. Do this one thing for our people, and we will support your rule as our Queen. If you truly mean change for Anlithamy, you will do this to save us."

Andorra found herself nodding. Whatever it was, if she could do it, she would. "What?"

"The King of Averotho has one of us trapped, forced to work for him and do his wretched bidding. If you save our sister, then you will have our support. If you save our sister, then all will be right with the Asrai, as it should be once again."