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“And you killed us!” Honour raged.

“I-I didn’t know,” Autumn whimpered. “I didn’t know what happened. We got hit on the side, and I was slammed against the hull. The next thing I know I woke up in medical at camp. Th-they told me there were fish that got tangled up with the collector’s limbs and some of our people had lost their lives because of the commotion.”

“Fish,” Honour spat, taking one tail flap closer, arm moving the last inch backward to cause a greater and more powerful strike.

“I believe her.” Soulara spread her arms out and stared Honour down. She’d seen it in Autumn’s memory. Everything Autumn said was true, including the lies the other humans told her.

“She’s one of them, Soulara. She’s here to kill our people.”

Is this what war really was? Pitting one against the other and seeing no neutral place where two or more could come together and exist. Soulara’s heart broke. If this was what war and anger and pain did to everyone involved—all sides—what good was it?

“I know.” Soulara heard the gasp from Autumn, but she couldn’t worry about that. Not yet. Not when one wrong move, one wrong word could send that spear directly through Autumn’s chest.

Soulara didn’t know much about the human physiology, but she suspected it would be as deadly a hit as it would for her own people. Honour would make sure of it.

“Then move aside and stop protecting her.”

“I am not protecting her, General.” Soulara straightened as much as she could as her tail curled beneath the shallow water, pushing against the sand.

“She’s our enemy, your highness.”

“Stop.” Soulara begged. “Stop this now. I’m not just your princess, I’m your friend, Honour, and if you truly love our people, you’ll lower that weapon and let me do my job.”

The words stilled the air between them. It took a moment for the reality of what Soulara said to sink into her mind. She wondered how long it might take to register in her heart.

“Of course.” Honour slowly lowered the spear, and it disappeared beneath the surface of the waves. Soulara’s command had been clear even if there were hidden meanings couched in the words.

Soulara wanted to take it back. She hadn’t meant to claim her title with such finality. Yes, they were just words, but words always had power. She had known that before she even knew how to speak. She had claimed her throne for the first time as an adult.

The throne she’d never wanted but was destined to have.

“Autumn.” Soulara slowly rotated, fluke moving her to face Autumn again. “To answer your question, yes, I am the Princess of Reine, my home. I’m not only a princess, but I’m the royal heir and will inherit my kingdom. I don’t speak lightly about your people stealing my water. They’re not welcome here.”

“They don’t believe me that you exist.” Autumn’s cheeks paled, and a small tremor ran through her limbs and body.

“Then help us. Tell us how we can stop them. They’re killing us slowly and quickly,” Soulara begged. Magic danced beneath her skin, eager to be called upon. She could have bewitched Autumn. She could have done that thing Autumn had original accused her of. But she knew in that moment, she couldn’t. Not again.

“We can’t trust her. She can’t help us.” Honour spoke with sharp clear words. The perpetual general talking to their troops.

“Honour, enough!” Soulara snapped. The silence between them was so loud, but Soulara couldn’t tear her eyes from Autumn. She had to know what Autumn was feeling.

“I’ll help if I can,” Autumn whispered.

But her timid voice didn’t fill Soulara with hope. Even if Autumn wanted to help, she wasn’t lying when she said she had no power in her world to make waves. But perhaps she could be used for information.

“Thank you, Autumn.” Soulara had never needed to fall back on her royal training with Autumn. Doing it now broke something fragile and delicate within her. They wouldn’t go back to who they were. The illusion of who Soulara was had been shattered, and Autumn would never see her the same way again.

“Soulara, I swear I didn’t kill anyone.”

Soulara couldn’t answer. She didn’t even know what to say. She stared long and hard into Autumn’s beautiful brown eyes, memorizing the lines of her face, her lips that were so soft and warm and willing, the heat of her skin that was such a contrast to Soulara’s, the softness of her flesh when Soulara had touched her.

Bolstering herself, Soulara turned toward the sea. For a second, she froze, wanting to turn back, wanting to find a way to believe Autumn, to know that somehow this would all work out. But her heart couldn’t come first.

Milan was wrong. She couldn’t follow her heart and protect her people at the same time. That had been exactly what split her parents apart all those years ago. Blinking away the tears, Soulara dove into the water and let it embrace her.

Honour’s presence traveled beside her, but Soulara didn’t make conversation, she didn’t turn her head and meet her general’s eye. The weight on Soulara’s shoulders increased with each flick of her tail.

Nothing would be the same again.