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Maris quivered under the intense gaze until she looked away to escape it, only to be met by hundreds of different shades of blue eyes looking at her with hope, wonder, and exhilaration. Maris swallowed hard and moved away from Eyphah’s space. Everyone was expecting her to say something, and as much as she wanted to give them words of trust, Maris couldn’t think of a single thing to say.

“Princess? You are our princess, right?” An older man asked, taking one unsure step towards her.

“No! She is our queen! The one that will take us back to the Sea Kingdom!”A middle-aged woman bellowed, grabbing the old man’s hand and dragging him back.

“Where have you been all this time?”

“We thought we were left on our own.”

“Why have you been hiding?”

“What happened?”

Maris took a step back, but as she turned to look behind her, more Sealians gathered around her, waiting for answers.The beaming symbol cut the darkness, and the dimming fire by the center of the square. Taking a deep breath, she opened the palms of her hands and spoke.

“I know this is sudden, and you are all as surprised as I am.”

“You didn’t know you are our princess?” Cai made his way from the throng of people and stood before Maris. “How?”

Maris shook her head. “I am sorry,”she whispered, her lower lip quivering as she looked upon their faces. “I want to tell you everything, but I don’t think I will be able to answer each and every one of your questions.”

Cai nodded, and so did the people around him.

“I will answer them first thing in the morning. Please.” Maris moved her hand to the fire. “Celebrate the Night of the Nymph,” she trembled as her heart pounded rapidly inside her chest. “And as you fall asleep tonight knowing this, tomorrow will be a new day for all of us.” She bowed her head and turned to leave, only to have Eyphah block her path.

“Where are you going?”

With her forehead no longer shining the symbol of Poseidon, Maris didn’t answer; she pushed Eyphah aside and started for House of Arago, but a rough, thick hand grabbed hold of her elbow, pulling her back.

“Let me go! I need to go back to her!”

“She is no longer your concern! We are! We! Your people, the people from the Sea Kingdom! Not Skylians, and definitely not that woman.”

“Let go of me right now, Eyphah!”

“I don’t know what bullshit that woman has put in your head, but you…” Eyphah’s lower lip quivered. “You are everything we have been waiting for. All these years, we thought you were dead!”

Maris couldn’t tear away from Eyphah. The gathering tears in the other woman’s eyes made her shiver with an unknown force as the sudden realization dawned on her. Ever since Valda took her to the pool back at Oberon Castle, the idea of her having royal blood crossed her mind, but she never truly stopped to think how it could be possible. Her eyes drifted down to her own hands. She had the gift. She had the symbol… She was the heiress of the Sea Kingdom.

No, not the heiress.

She was the rightful queen.

Shaking her head, Maris shoved Eyphah away. She ignored the angered and curious gaze of the people around her. Disappointment and fear trickled down her very soul when she turned to look at each and every person in that square. They had called to her in hope, joy, and disbelief. What did she have to give them?

Nothing.

Maris had nothing to show for all the hope that glimmered in her people’s eyes.

“I need to think,” Maris said apologetically. “I need to talk to Valda.”

Eyphah scoffed. “What you need is to understand. You are our ruler, and we need you.”

“I know!” she bellowed, desperation and fear set deep in her chest. “I know! I know!”

“Then why were you hiding it from us?”

“I wasn’t!” Maris said, but Eyphah grimaced, and she knew that she did not believe her. “I didn’t know!”