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The city was alive.
Every wall shimmered, pulsating softly with light that moved like waves. Fish with translucent fins darted past, and spiraling flora bloomed from glass-like surfaces, releasing glowing spores that drifted lazily through the currents. But even with all the beauty, something felt... strained.
It was too quiet.
Like the city was holding its breath.
I stayed close to Isaac as we followed Korrin through an archway shaped like a seashell, its rim inscribed with markings I couldn't read—but that stirred something deep inside me. A memory that wasn't mine.
As we entered a wide chamber, dozens of mermen and mermaids stood waiting. Some whispered when they saw me, their eyes filled with disbelief, curiosity—and fear.
Isaac whispered, "They remember Evalis. She was loved... and hated."
I swallowed hard. "She was my mother."
Korrin raised his voice, speaking to the crowd. "The daughter of the exile has returned. She is half-human, yet breathes our waters. The old blood runs through her veins."
A murmur rose.
"She cannot be trusted," someone called. "She may be like her father."
That name again. My father. The one who left. The one who stole something.
Korrin silenced them with a gesture. "She has come for truth. Let her hear it."
He turned to me. "Your mother was one of us. Evalis. Strong, gifted, brave. She fell in love with a human scientist. Against our laws, she left with him. She gave up her title. Her powers. Everything."
I nodded slowly. "And he betrayed her?"
"Yes," Korrin said darkly. "He came here in peace. But he wanted something from our world—an ancient artifact known as the Ocean's Heart. It keeps balance between land and sea. It controls tides, calms storms, feeds life into reefs. He took it."
My breath caught.
That's what Isaac's father was obsessed with. The one thing he believed could "change the world."
"That's why my mother ran. She found out," I whispered.
"Yes. She fled with you—carrying guilt, knowing your father's greed would one day doom both worlds."
The weight of it all settled on my chest.
Isaac stepped forward. "That's why I brought her. She deserves to know."
Korrin eyed him. "You broke exile to guide her. That's treason."
"She's my responsibility."
"No," I said firmly, lifting my chin. "I came because I needed to."
I looked around at the crowd. "If this Ocean's Heart is so powerful, why didn't you come after him before?"
"We couldn't. The balance was too fragile. Without it, the barrier between our world and yours began to decay. Now, sea storms rage and coral dies. And... something worse stirs."
"Worse?" I asked.
"A creature born of imbalance," Korrin said grimly. "It feeds on broken currents and rage. And it has awakened."
Suddenly, the chamber trembled. The light dimmed, the walls rippling as if shivering.
A low groan—like a whale in pain—echoed through the waters.
Isaac grabbed my arm. "We need to get out of here."
But Korrin shook his head. "No. You need to stay."
He looked me dead in the eye. "Your bloodline ties you to the Ocean's Heart. If we are to restore balance... we need you."
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End of Chapter 9