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But Alex also knew from her Species Distinction class, as well as her refresher meeting with the teachers earlier in the week, that the Flips were capable of breathing in both atmospheric and aquatic conditions. Despite being more amphibious than humanoid, theyneededoxygen to survive. Kind of like whales, or at least that’s how she compared them in her mind. Because of that, their underwater municipalities were pressurised and contained, like massive air bubble cities deep in the ocean.

“Don’t be such a princess,” Bear said with a teasing grin, nudging D.C. in the ribs. “Your parents have travelled to Nialas, haven’t they? They clearly survived the trip. We’re going to be fine.”

“It’s still not meant to be fun,” she repeated, grumbling slightly—most likely from the ‘princess’ dig.

“Then we’ll do our best to act mature and avoid asking if they have a waterslide theme park we can visit while we’re down there,” Jordan promised, somehow managing to keep a straight face. “As hard as that will be.”

D.C. pursed her lips and, from way too much outsider experience over the last few days, Alex knew that if she didn’t intervene, Jordan would take that as an invitation to kiss his girlfriend, so she quickly said, “I guess this means we’re good to go, right?”

“Right,” Bear said.

“Right!” Jordan agreed.

“… Right,” came D.C.’s less eager but still willing response.

Alex nodded and did what only she could by calling out to the Library and asking, “Can you please show us the way to Nialas?”

As Sir Camden had promised, the corridor had only a few doorways in it this time, considerably less than when she had been wandering it with the knight, so Alex was able to see when a door clicked open only a few feet along from where they stood.

“I guess that’s our stop,” Alex said, walking forward. Only, when she arrived and was close enough to see through the doorway, she realised they might have a problem.

“So,” Jordan said, peering over her shoulder. “Anyone bring a snorkel?”

Alex stared through the barrier separating the corridor from the outside, seeing nothing but deep, dark water. Intrigued, she moved her hand over the threshold only to have her fingers come back dripping wet.

“Let’s try this again,” she murmured, taking a step backwards. Louder, she called out to the Library again, “It’s nice to see you have a sense of humour, but how about a doorway so that we canreachNialas? Preferably without having to grow flippers and gills first.”

Alex could have sworn she heard a quiet chuckle echo in her ears as another doorway opened a few more feet away. This one, Alex was relieved to discover, led to somewhere above ground.

“I know that place,” D.C. said as she looked ahead of Alex. “It’s the harbour at Tryllin. We could have just used a Bubbledoor if we’d known that’s where we have to go.”

Alex squinted through the door and, sure enough, she recognised the seaside boardwalk the two of them had walked along just a few months ago, the day after D.C.’s seventeenth birthday.

“Either way, no drowning for us,” Bear said with a satisfied nod.

“Not yet, anyway,” Jordan said, his tone way too cheerful given the subject matter.

Hoping she wouldn’t regret bringing friends along with her—and so far, the verdict was still out on that one—Alex stepped into the bright Tryllin sunshine. The moment they were all through the doorway and shielding against the sudden glare, a new voice spoke up.

“I was beginning to wonder if you would ever arrive.”

Whirling around, Alex was beyond shocked to see Jeera leaning casually against the harbour railing.

“Um…” Alex mumbled, having no idea what to say. “Hey?”

“This is so not good,” D.C. whispered, attempting to hide her royal self behind Jordan.

Alex feared her roommate just might be right.

“So, uh, what are you doing here, Jeera?” she asked when the Warden didn’t respond to her hesitant greeting.

“I could ask you the same question, Alex, but we both already know the answer to that.”

Alex decided to drop the act. “I know I was told to stand down, to just wait and see what Aven does. But I’m sorry, Jeera, I can’t do that. And if you try to stop me…”

She trailed off, not knowing how to finish her sentence. While she was confident she could take Jeera in a fight, that didn’t mean shewantedto.

“I’m not here to stop you,” Jeera said, pushing off from the railing. “I’m here to help you.”