Half of my allotted time was gone. As soon as I woke up this morning, I realized that Father’s deadline was looming closer and closer. Soon, my week would be up.
The past three days had gone by in a blur. Byron was a fantastic host, and he had taken me under his proverbial wing. Being Marie was fun, and I found myself looking forward to spending time with the fighter. Byron was an excellent tour guide, and over the past few days, he showed me all around Coral City. We went to museums and swam in the park, watching the merlings play when they weren’t in school. It was nice being in the city.
No one recognized me—I had barely been allowed out of the palace, and no one expected their Crown Princess to be meandering around the city without a massive escort. Being outside of my father’s watchful eye was freeing in a way that I had never expected. Even so, I couldn’t shake the knowledge that this freedom was temporary. I had to find a husband, or I could never claim my crown.
How was this fair?
If I ever became queen, I would get rid of this nonsense. In my Indigo Ocean, females were going to be equal to males. It didn’t matter what one looked like or how one was born. Being male wasn’t a great equalizer. I was in this predicament because there were far too few good males in existence. Byron seemed to be a good one, just like his brother.
Since we left the amphitheater, Calix had barely spoken to me. Reverting back to that silent statue of himself, he was always nearby, just… watching. If I hadn’t known better, I would have said he looked sad.
Last night, Byron’s chef had cooked a five-course dinner. After dessert had been served, Calix informed me he had an appointment and had to leave immediately. As far as I knew, he had yet to return. Byron had assured me this was normal behavior for his half-brother. Just Calix being Calix.
It felt… strange being here without him. The guard had become such a welcome presence in my life that now his absence was like a hole in my heart.
Taking care of my personal needs, I threw my hair into a quick bun on top of my head before slipping out of the guest room. The water in Byron’s townhouse was warmer than I was used to, and though the furnishings made it clear he had money, there was a distinctly homey quality to this male’s abode that I had never known in the palace.
Byron greeted me as I entered the dining room. He sat at the table, his tail moving the water slowly around him as he dined on a simple breakfast of toast and fried kelp.
“How did you sleep, Marie?”
I blushed, still not entirely used to this name. “Fine,” I said. Swimming over to the side table, I helped myself to some breakfast before taking a seat across from Byron. “How about you?”
He raised a brow. “I always sleep better when there is a beautiful female beneath my roof.”
His words were always like this, I had learned. As beautiful as the flowery coral that adorned the garden outside his townhouse, and yet, he was sincere.
“You’re too kind,” I murmured.
Byron placed his hand on mine. Inhaling sharply, I met his gaze. His touch, while gentle, was… just nice. Everything about Byron was nice. The way he looked. The way he treated me. He was smart and strong, as evidenced by his performance in the arena. He was kind to his servants and to his half-brother.
He was nice. Nice was good. Nice was what I was looking for, wasn’t it?
If nice was what I wanted—what I needed—why did I feel nothing when he touched me?
“Marie, I was hoping… since Calix is gone for the day…” Byron stumbled over his words, his skin turning red as his eyes searched mine. “There is a troop of performing artists from the Crystal Sea in the city, and I was hoping you would come with me. As my date.”
I stared at him. Byron wanted to take me on a date. That was a good thing, right? He was a good male, and I needed one of those. That was why Calix introduced us. I knew this was the way things had to go. So why was I wishing that his brother was here instead? Why was I picturing Calix’s strong, silent form next to me instead of his brother?
I was delusional. That was the only explanation for these feelings. Calix wasn’t even here. He was my guard. That was all.
My silence must have stretched on because Byron’s eyes shuddered. “Unless, if you don’t want to, in which case please forget—”
“I’ll do it,” I said, forcing a smile onto my face. Calix was gone, doing Nontia only knew what, and I was running out of time. I needed a husband because the gods only knew I did not want to give up my throne. And Byron was nice and obviously interested in me. I would be a fool to turn him down. “I’d love to join you.”
Byron grinned, and he looked so happy that my stomach twisted. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe nice was good enough.
* * *
The theater was crowded and smelled like salt, the dark blue walls a beautiful contrast to the paler coral of the seats and stage. The last performer, a stunning mermaid with long silver hair, sang onstage. Like a siren, her voice was entrancing.
Every breath felt too loud as the mermaid sang a tale of lost love. She told a tale of a dragon shifter from Ithenmyr who fell in love with a mermaid long ago. The two of them petitioned a sea witch to enchant the dragon shifter so he could live underwater, but the witch tricked them. Stealing their magic, she lured them to the middle of the Indigo Ocean before killing them both. They died in each other’s arms, sealing their love with one final, fatal kiss.
For a long moment after the mermaid sang the last note, no one spoke. Then, as if she knew the tragedy had been too much, she started into another song. This one was beautiful, telling a story of childhood friends turned lovers.
Every note that came out of her mouth was more beautiful than the last. The performance was incredible, and I was blessed to have been able to experience it. But I wished Calix was here.
His absence had been like an itch I couldn’t quite scratch all day. After breakfast, Byron had taken me shopping in the Coral Market before taking me to lunch at a quaint café next to the theater. He had been the perfect gentleman, seeing to all my needs and being exceedingly nice. The theater was amazing. Each of the performers was more incredible than the last. By all rights, it should have been a lovely day, but I couldn’t help but feel as though I was missing something. Someone.
Calix.
He was missing.
The singer’s last note reverberated through the theater, and for a moment, no one moved. Then the sound of roaring applause filled the water. Tails slapped against the coral, the sound a resounding backdrop to the roar of approval. The entire cast of performers made their way onto the stage, and they joined hands, bowing.
Once the applause died down, Byron turned to me. A brilliant smile was on his face, but as soon as he looked into my eyes, it died. I must not have been keeping my feelings as hidden as I thought.
“I see,” he murmured softly. “It’s Calix you want, isn’t it?”
My mouth opened and closed as I tried to find words. Calix was my guard. My silent friend. Nothing more. Right?
Even as I thought it, I couldn’t find the words to refute Byron’s claim. Not now. Not when my heart was aching because I was missing the mermale who had been my protector for the past decade.
Instead, I closed my mouth and nodded. “I’m sorry, Byron.”
He sighed. “It’s alright. To be honest, I saw the way the two of you have been looking at each other all week. I should have known Calix had already stolen your heart as soon as I figured out who you were.”
My heart pounded in my chest, and a roaring filled my ears. How did Byron know who I was? Wide-eyed, I reached out and grabbed his hand.
My tail flicked through the water as I swam close to him. “Please don’t tell anyone. I just—”
“It’s alright, Mareena,” Byron said softly, his eyes downcast. “I confronted Calix about it last night before he left. He told me everything.”
My eyes widened. “I don’t want anyone to know who I am. I was just trying to—”
“I won’t tell a soul,” Byron said fiercely. “Even if you weren’t the princess,”—he lowered his voice so his words weren’t carried through the water—“my brother cares very deeply for you. I would never hurt him like that.”
“Thank you,” I breathed.
He nodded, extending his arm towards me. I threaded my hand through his elbow, and together, we swam back to his townhouse.
Calix was on my mind the entire time.