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Higher and higher they moved up the pillar, with D.C. giving a faint groan and even Bear murmuring his concerns about how safe their bubble-like elevator was.

Repressing a smile at their distress, Alex locked eyes with Blake and saw that he wasn’t trying to hide his humour, but rather grinning wickedly. He sent her a sly wink, knowing she was just as amused.

When they reached the top, Alex was transfixed by the sight of the city stretched out at their feet. Nialas appeared all the more incredible from the bird’s-eye view their position at its centre afforded. She only tore her eyes away when Glyn cleared her throat, gesturing for them to follow her into a glass-walled, circular room that spanned the very top of the tower.

In the centre of the room sat four Flips, two male, two female, behind a marble bench, all of whom were staring unblinkingly at Alex and her friends.

Feeling like she’d entered an underwater courtroom, Alex looked to Blake for guidance, but her focus moved to Glyn when she left them to take the only remaining seat behind the bench.

The five Flips all looked at each other and began to make humming noises in the back of their throats. Alex realised they were communicating, but her inner translator wasn’t interpreting the hums, which meant Xiraxus had never learned their language. Not surprising, since they lived underwater and he in the clouds. But that left Alex feeling fidgety as she waited, thankful when the hums stopped and the Flips faced forward again.

“We offer greetings to you and your fellow representatives, Ambassador Blake,” said the male with yellow tribal markings seated in the centre of the five.

Looking at him more closely, Alex realised that sheknewhim. He’d come to the academy last year and spoken to her Species Distinction class.

“Tork?” she said, remembering his name and unable to contain her surprise enough to wonder if there was some kind of etiquette she should be following.

The Flip—Tork—looked at her with bright, thoughtful eyes. “You are a student at Akarnae.” His gaze swept over D.C., Jordan and Bear. “You all are.”

Shocked that he remembered them, Alex only nodded.

“What, may I ask, are you doing here?”

It was exactly the opener Alex needed, but now that she was before them, she didn’t know where to start.

She turned helpless eyes to Blake and he, fortunately, took the lead.

“Honourable members of the Clan,” he said, “I would like to introduce you to my companions: Alexandra Jennings, Jordan Sparker, Barnold Ronnigan and Del—uh, Deluh Coselle.”

Blake’s near slip with D.C.’s name would have been entertaining if it hadn’t been so potentially catastrophic. With their visit risking political complications, the last thing Alex needed was for the Flips to know the human princess was one of their number.

“Warm greetings to you, representatives,” the other male said with a polite dip of his head, his blue tribal markings complementing his luminescent green skin. “I am Neiko, and these are my fellow Clan leaders, Ayva and Eefi,”—he motioned to the two unknown females, one who had pink markings and the other purple—“and of course, you already know Tork and Glyn.”

Alex bowed her head in turn with each consecutive introduction, wondering at the end why Glyn—aleaderof her people—had been sent to collect them in person. But perhaps that was the way of the Flips; she didn’t want to risk asking and appearing more naïve than she already was.

“Thank you for agreeing to meet with us on such short notice,” Alex said, stepping forward. She was grateful that there were no other chairs in the room since she was already looking up at them, seated as they were behind the tall, judicial bench. It would have been even more intimidating had she been asked to sit.

“Vee ver led to believe zer vas an urgent matter zhat needed our attenzion,” Ayva said, her words heavily accented. “But you are no more zhan younglings. Students, still, if vhat I ’ear is correct.”

“I assure you, what I have to sayisurgent, and itdoesneed your attention,” Alex said, her tone careful but also firm. “My age shouldn’t factor into my credibility as a witness.”

“And yet, you come in ’ere already mizleading uz to believe you are reprezentatives of your people,” Ayva said, “vhen you are nozhing but children to zhem.”

Before Alex could offer a defence, Blake jumped in.

“Clan leaders, you have known me for a number of years now,” he said, stepping up beside Alex. “My companions may seem young, so I understand you might not be inclined to trust them. However, I’m asking you to trustme. What they have to say is of vital importance. Please listen to them.”

Humming arose as the Flips looked at each other and communicated in their wordless language. A minute or so passed before they turned forward again.

It was Eefi who addressed them next, her voice almost as timid as Glyn’s. “Speak, humans, and we shall listen.”

Releasing the breath she hadn’t realised she’d been holding, Alex felt D.C. reach out to quickly squeeze her hand in support. It was enough to give her the courage to begin her tale.

“So it wasn’t a total win.”

Alex looked up at Jordan who was sitting across from her in the food court and said, “It wasn’tanykind of win. I’m surprised they didn’t make us swim back up to the surface, considering how fast they wanted us out of there.”

She picked at her food, frustrated by the failure of their morning. While the Flips had accepted her announcement that Aven was now ruling Meya, they didn’t see how that was any concern to them, given that their city was protected so deep beneath the ocean. As such, they had been wholly unreceptive to her warnings, even so far as humming out their laughter—something Alex hadn’t needed a translator to understand.