The sea had changed.
It was no longer black and endless but softly lit, glowing with scattered pinpricks of blue, as though the stars themselves had fallen asleep beneath the waves. Lira leaned over the side of the boat, breath fogging in the cool air, and felt a shiver chase down her spine. It wasn't fear, not exactly. The water was too beautiful for fear.
Nerith knelt at the prow, murmuring in a low, lilting language that made the waves bend gently around them, parting without foam or fuss. Her voice carried like a lullaby meant for the sea itself.
"We're close," murmured the guard, his hand never straying from the curved blade at his side.
Lira clutched Seri to her chest. The little creature's glow pulsed like a heartbeat, warm against her arms. Comfort—or warning—she couldn't tell.
"Where are we going?" she whispered.
"The Pearl Courts," Nerith said without looking back. "A city older than your island. Older than your island's name."
Lira frowned. "How can a city be older than an island?"
"Some places are born from the sea," Nerith said softly. "And some… are born from promises."
They slipped into a narrow channel flanked by jagged stone towers that rose like the ribs of some ancient creature. Bioluminescent vines hung from their peaks, trailing fingers that brushed the water as the boat passed. The air smelled of salt and orchids, and the silence felt watchful, like hundreds of unseen eyes followed their path.
Lira tucked herself closer to Nana. "Are there people here?"
"Not the sort you're used to," Nana murmured.
Seri stirred in Lira's arms, skin flickering in a pattern she didn't recognize, a silent language only the sea understood.
"Stay close," Nerith said, her voice calm but commanding. "This passage is safe for now. That's not always true."
The glow deepened as they traveled, and soon the channel widened into a vast lagoon. Lira gasped.
Buildings of pale coral rose from the water, spiraling high like frozen waves. Some glittered with pearls strung in curtains across open windows; others had rooftops draped with kelp gardens, glowing faintly in shades of green and violet. The entire city seemed alive, shifting gently with the tide, as if it breathed.
"Is this real?" she whispered.
Nerith smiled faintly. "You'll find that question doesn't mean much here."
The boat slowed as it approached a great archway carved into stone. Shapes moved beyond it, swift and sleek: guards in scaled armor, their shadows darting through the water like sharks.
"Hold your tongue," Nana murmured in her ear. "Courts are no place for chatter."
Lira swallowed, staring at the arch. Something heavy passed through her chest as they slipped under it, a feeling like stepping from sunlight into deep water.
"Why do I feel… heavy?" she whispered.
"Court magic," Nerith said. "It tests who enters. If you feel heavy, you are being measured."
"Measured for what?"
Nerith's smile didn't reach her eyes. "That depends on who's looking."
The lagoon narrowed again, funneling them toward a dock that glimmered with pearl tiles. Figures waited there, tall and elegant, with shells woven into their hair and robes like rippling silk. Their faces were pale and unreadable.
"They don't look happy," Lira murmured.
"They're never happy," the guard said.
As the boat bumped softly against the dock, a horn sounded, low and mournful, echoing across the lagoon. The sound sent a ripple through the water, and Lira felt Seri press against her chest like a child hiding its face.
Nerith rose to her full height, all grace and authority, and extended a hand to help Lira step out. "Remember this moment," she said quietly. "The Pearl Courts rarely welcome anyone twice."
And then Lira noticed the figure at the top of the dock.
He wore a crown of gold coral and a robe embroidered with sunbursts, his face sharp and young but his eyes colder than the sea at night. When his gaze found her, it didn't linger on Nerith or Nana. It pinned Lira to the boards like a spear.
The guard at Nerith's side muttered, "Prince Kai."
Lira's heart sank. Whatever safety they had been promised, it didn't feel like safety anymore.