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Dad leads us to a large room. It could hold hundreds. And though it’s mostly empty, it’s horribly intimidating. I move closer to Mom as Dad holds his head higher and makes his way to the front of the room where two jewel-encrusted chairs sit on a platform.

He picks up a trident and holds it in the air. “Finally, you’re mine.”

The golden weapon grows brighter and waves of light shine out.

A grin spreads across Dad’s face. “Can you feel that power?”

Mom inches toward him. “I can see it.”

“But can you feel it?” He holds it higher, the light shining brighter.

“I can. It suits you, darling.”

He plops into the bigger of the two seats and pans his palms toward the rest of the massive room. “Imagine it tonight. So many of our royal subjects will be gathered here as I make my first speech as king.”

She looks around and smiles. “It’s going to be everything you’ve always dreamed it would be.”

He’d always dreamed about this moment? That can’t be. They always told me we’d live out the rest of our lives on land. But now they’re saying they’ve been planning for this?

I swim toward them. “What do you mean?”

“About what?” Mom sits on the second seat and her expression clouds over. She wipes her eyes.

“You’ve been dreaming about this?” I ask.

Dad rests his trident on the ground. “Of course, daughter. My father was king. My brother was the only thing in between me and this throne since our father died.”

“But you said—”

“Never mind anything from before. This is our new life.”

My stomach rumbles loud enough to be heard all over the castle.

Dad arches a brow and looks like he’s holding back a laugh. “Looks like we should eat before sending you to the academy.”

“Already?” I exclaim. “I haven’t even had a chance to settle in yet! Haven’t seen my room. I need a nap after swimming all the way here. I can’t think about school today.”

He waves his hand toward me, then turns to the side. “Servant, bring us a meal.”

I glance over and jolt when I see a man standing behind the platform. He blended in perfectly. I examine the room and notice a handful of servants I hadn’t seen before.

Could anything be creepier?

Dad motions to one I didn’t even see. “Grab a chair for the princess.”

“Yes, your majesty.” He bows and scurries out of the room.

I turn to my parents. “You aren’t really sending me to the academy now, are you?”

Mom rests a hand on Dad’s arm. “Drake. We just arrived.”

Dad taps the trident on the floor. “Exactly why she needs to hurry on over.”

Irritation runs through me. “That makes no sense whatsoever.”

The servant returns with a chair and helps me sit on it next to my mom.

Dad runs his fingers down the golden rod. “It makes perfect sense. You’re the princess—heir to the throne—and you’ve spent most of your life away from Valora. You need to learn our culture and everything else about the city, and the best way to do that is at the Dark Sea Academy. It’s where all the royalty has gone for generations.”