efore I saw it. A slow, rhythmic pulse, not unlike a sleeping heart. The water grew colder the deeper I

ly but they reminded me that what

underwater ridges, carved into the seafloor itself. Moss grew over half-buried statues-gods forgotten

ce, whispering a melody onl

e in." The doorway p

nce pressing against me li

f secrets the sea itself couldn't bury. I followed the winding halls, trailing my fingers over the carvings. Symbols of the

approached, its etched lines glowing faintly with blu

spun fast-fins tensing, hair whip

ro

Still bruised. But al

but he cut me off

aid. "You left it behind

"You should

e orders fro

ed. "This is sacred. You could ha

ted to the gl

I'm just i

d argue, the

eavy. The currents reve

ground cracked and from the shadows behind

the shape of a beast. Eight long limbs. Glowi

breathed. "It's prot

ron muttered. "Got any t

't d

his eyes

el slammed into the wall where I'd stood a heartbeat before

ly-sharp and

eep. Memo

ast he

or a b

pped around and s

fore Aeron was there-hand out, wind

ed the compressed air like a dagger. It struck the be

ind beneath the

know if it was brilliant or

ved a

e sentinel while I sang-words laced with ancient power that

busy!"

the relic, placed both hands on the stone. It glowed brighter. Hummed. The melody in my head s

them

e danced, but now they ache. Reclaim the breath, th

ple res

e water. The sentinel shrieked-caught in the puls

ce fo

roared in

floated-eyes wi

a lot," he

u," I said b

d cautious, like I might v

the first

y of Harmony. Or part

it h

"A key. But it means not

dded

s?" I turned to him fully, the

want to be restored," I whispe

ppled throu

iet for a

t's what happened, isn't it? The first fairy and mermaid

es

e following i

es

e the flecks of stormlight still caught in hi

very part of me wanted to believe we could chan

heart