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It had been almost three weeks since she’d been in the ocean. She didn’t fear disobeying her grandfather, as they’d long since left the warmer waters of her kingdom. Sirenidae couldn’t survive the cold waters of the north, so no one would be following them to report back.

Yet Mer still stayed on the deck of the ship despite how the healers took a short dip now and then. Just long enough to be refreshed even though they returned with blue lips and shaking limbs.

She’d done a lot of things she wasn’t proud of, but her honor wouldn’t let her break her word on this. She was a banished one. The sea would spit the likes of her right back out or swallow her whole.

Misery clung to her as she strained her eyes south, as if she could still see her home if she squinted hard enough, but the turquoise waters of Thalassa were gone. Along with part of her heart.

A raspy laugh escaped her at the thought, and she squeezed the smooth railing.

Mer didn’t have a heart left.

It had been torn from her chest when Ream died and then again when her grandfather had shackled her to her husband’s murderer. Only three things kept her going when despair threatened to drown her.

First, that she’d protected Sin and the rest of their kin.

Second, she finally had a lead on Ceto thanks to Sin. He’d managed to smuggle himself onto the Methian ship. A merchant had seen two of the missing girls on a ship bound for Methi. It wasn’t a lot to go on, but it was something. Two missing Sirenidae girls from different cities on the same ship? It wasn’t a coincidence. It wasn’t proof of anything, but at least it was a direction to go in. Mer didn’t know what she would find in the forest kingdom, but hopefully soon, she would have some answers.

And third, she kept imagining the Methian king’s demise. He’d pay for what he’d done.

Just like you have?

Her gaze dropped down to her hands, and she ran her thumb over the pads of her fingers. They seemed slick, as if covered in blood. There were things she’d done that would haunt Mer for the rest of her life, but she couldn’t go back and change the past. Only move forward.

Determination filled her. Mer would do anything to fulfill her husband’s last wish.

Even if he was a traitor. Even if he had lied to her.Evenif he had done horrible things.

It was her secret shame.

She still loved the man who’d betrayed her and their people.

He didn’t deserve her kindness, but she would do this one last thing.

Especially if it helped others.

It would put his memory to rest, and she could find some peace if such a thing existed.

A vibration went through the ship, and she frowned as the water rippled unnaturally across the waves.

What the devil?

Sailors began cursing around her. Mer tore her attention away from the odd ripples and glanced over her shoulder to see the crew fly into a flurry of movement.

Captain Velicu barked orders as she dropped down onto the deck, her sleeveless long coat flapping in the wind. Her reflective brown eyes met Mer’s.

“What’s wrong?” she demanded.

The stern female captain frowned, her golden face a mask of bad news. “Danger, my lady. You must get below.”

“Danger from what?” Mer asked, fully facing Velicu.

“Kraken.”

“A kraken?” Mer’s brows rose. They were the stuff of myths—old fish tales told to scare little tadpoles into going to bed early and to never wander too far. “You cannot be serious?”

“Deadly,” Captain Velicu deadpanned. “Let’s pray it’s not hungry.”

Her first mate, Jelei, joined the group, his attention on the captain. “There should be none this far south. We’re not even in their territory.”