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Mer released the sand as she slowly stood, her long hair rippling around her. It was on the tip of her tongue to refuse and accept the death sentence. She’dneveraccept the man who murdered the love of her life.

The loss of Ream threatened to choke her, the shame of saving his murderer almost too much to bear, but she pushed it down.

Think through the pain.

She nodded once, words caught in the back of her throat. Maybe this torture was a blessing in disguise. Killing the Methian king had been on her list since Ream’s death. This gave her the perfect chance to get close to him and make the monster suffer.

“Do you accept your punishment?” the king asked again.

Mer lifted her head and smiled serenely at her grandfather, despite the rage and pain boiling inside her chest.

“I accept.”

Her eyes felthot as she swam through the airy palace—the bleached coral walls gleamed softly in the light, but it had lost all its beauty. Now it just looked like a sad prison.

The warriors stationed at the oval abalone doors stepped aside without making eye contact. They knew better than to stop a princess, even a banished one.

Mer slammed through the doors that led to the throne room, leaving them to slowly drift closed behind her.Why even bother with doors under the water? Whether the sea king wanted to admit it or not, he admired things from the surface.

Smooth agate stepping stones caressed the bottoms of her feet as she walked into the throne room, her newly shorn hair floating about her face. It was too light—the comforting weight of her hair gone—just like her honor.

Get it together.

Her grandfather sat on his carved throne set inside the gaping jaws of a leviathan skull. As a child, it scared her, but now she knew it was just another intimidation tactic.

He didn’t look surprised to see her. His lips turned down slightly, but that was the only indication he gave that he felt anything at the sight of her.

She forced herself not to march up to him, and leaned her head back to meet his familiar pale magenta eyes that used to look at her with fondness, not apathy.

Silence stretched between them.

Mer felt herself tongue-tied. Her grandfather had always had this effect on her. His stone-faced mask had frightened her as achild, but he would let it melt away and always had a smile for her.

Those days were finished.

That man was gone, and in his place sat a king.

One she’d betrayed.You broke his heart.

Pain and guilt pricked her. She’d gone behind his back and helped the Aermians after he’d explicitly told her no.

She brushed a strand of her newly shorn hair from her face, feeling like it didn’t belong to her. Sirenidae prided themselves on their lustrous long hair. Short hair was a dishonor,one she deserved.

Her jaw clenched as the silence stretched on between them. Her grandfather always liked to play mind games, to gain the upper hand. Normally, she held out, but today, there wasn’t time.

“How could you?” she demanded, her voice wavering slightly.

“How could I?” His deep voice sliced through the room, an undercurrent of disgust hitting her fully in the chest.

It hurt.

Hold on to your anger.

“Marry me to him.” The Methian prince turned king. The murderer.

Her grandfather arched a white brow. “Your marriage was always mine to arrange. I allowed you to choose Ream because I thought the older widowed healer would ground you. Look how well that turned out.” Her stomach dropped to the floor, and her fingers curled into fists at her sides. “That traitorous wretch put ideas into your head. He poisoned you against me. It’s good that he’s dead.”

It felt like he’d slapped her.