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“Alright, we’re all here,” Kayden declared, shutting the door and leaning his back against it, closing us into the room we now shared. “What’s up, Noah?”

“Well—” I began.

“Before we get into it,” Ace interrupted, with his eyes fixed on Zane. He was sitting backwards on a wooden chair, an arm slung along the top of the backrest. “What the fuck is going on, Merman? You’re as shifty as a rat in a prison.”

“Nothing,” Zane replied, shuffling onto the bed. He smiled broadly, like a clown at a circus, his hands fidgeting in his lap. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Going on, ha!” He pointed his thumb in Ace’s direction and laughed. “Check this guy out. Worrying like a worm on a fishing line.”

“Are you sure?” Fallon asked, sitting down beside him and placing a hand on his thigh, steadying his jostling knee. “You are a bit jumpy.”

“As sure as a sea snail,” he replied with a firm nod. “All’s above board, Starfish.”

I raised a brow at him. “Zane.”

“Noah,” he mimicked, tugging Fallon to his side.

A warmth settled in my stomach, my unease dissipating.

Fallon breathed out a sigh and Ace’s shoulders dropped.

Had he just used his magic on us? Surely, he wouldn’t have…

I shook my head. Now was not the time to question those I could trust. There were enough enemies out there that I shouldn't turn on those closest to me.

Zane clapped his hands. “Can we get on with this pod meeting? It’s the first of many. Should we mark the occasion somehow? A little scuba diving in Starfish’s reef?”

“Now’s not the time,” Kayden said, though his eyes were heated as they focused on Fallon. “Zane’s clearly still deranged, so let's just get on with it. Noah, tell us why you brought us all here before the merman decides to take his clothes off.”

I pulled the earth coin from my pocket, holding it between two fingers. “Remember when I told you about this coin?”

“Yeah.” Fallon nodded. “I’ve been keeping an eye out for the emblem but haven’t seen it around. I was really hoping it would be here somewhere.”

“It is.” I flicked the coin in the air, catching it in my other hand. “It’s hanging in Master Jeremiah’s office.”

“Jeremiah?”

“Yeah, it's part of a print on display,” I told them, grabbing a chair and sitting down. “I spotted it when I was walking past this morning with Ace. Not only that, but there was also a motto, ‘veni, vidi, vici.’ ”

“What does it mean?” Fallon asked, scrunching her nose.

“It’s Latin,” I said. “I came, I saw, I conquered. It’s a pretty famous phrase from back on Earth. Been around a few thousand years.”

“Well, that’s a nice, peaceful motto. So, the hooded attacker, Jeremiah, and the guy Zane spoke to in the helicopter after the first trial are all connected and planning to take over the world,” Kayden surmised matter-of-factly, holding up a finger for each listed person.

“Do we think Jeremiah killed Victoria, too?”

“I’m on the fence.” I shrugged before leaning forward and resting my hands on my knees. “There’s no proof that he did, but there’s enough evidence to know he's guilty of something. I'm sure of that much.”

“Motherfucker,” Ace growled, rising to his feet and almost knocking his chair over in the process. “That conniving little twat.”

“Let’s go, Twiggy,” Kayden ordered as he opened the door. Ace made to follow him, and I was in the right mind to do the same. The evidence was stacked against Jeremiah. Either he killed Victoria, or he knew who did. Either way, we were about to find out.

“Wait!” Fallon shouted, halting everyone’s steps. “Shut the door and everybody sit the hell down.”

“He’s either the guy who murdered your sister or he knows exactly who they are,” Kayden said, voicing my thoughts as he shut the door. “We can’t let him slip between our fingers again. We need to act.”

“I know,” she replied, frowning. “And it’s taking all my control not to race out of here and hunt him down, but now isn’t the right time.

The Overseer is so close to announcing the ruler of Terrulia.

We can’t mess that up. Not to mention Jeremiah is working with my father, so we have to play this smart.

I want revenge for what happened to Victoria more than anything, yet there is more hanging in the balance here.

If one of us is crowned, imagine how much more we could do.

All the power we would have. We’re too close to fuck it up. ”

Ace sat back down with his hands clasped on the chair’s back. “The vault, then.”

Fallon nodded. “It’s our main priority. We need to get the weapon Cormac was so desperate for. If none of us become ruler then it will be invaluable against the Drakes and House Jupiter.”

“We’ll do it the night of the ball,” I told them, the plan turning over in my mind. “We should be able to slip out unnoticed. The Overseer and Masters won't be anywhere near the main building.”

“Back in time for one of us to get a shiny crown,” Ace added. “I like it.”

“You’re being awfully quiet, Merman,” Kayden said, looking at Zane who was sitting with his hands clamped between his thighs, his gaze fixed on anything but me. “Anything you want to add?”

“Nope, all sounds good to me,” he replied with a strange laugh.

“You’re being fucking weird.” Ace grimaced. “Act normal or tell us what the fuck is going on. Don’t make me electrocute you.” He snapped his fingers, sparks flying from the tips.

“I’m fine,” Zane said, pulling Fallon onto his lap as though to shield himself from the rest of us. “Stop being fussy fish and focus on the plan.”

Fallon frowned in his arms. “I think we need the others, Lou, Kendra, and Dick. They’ll want to help and we’ll need lookouts and a possible diversion.”

“Good idea, Starfish.” Zane slid her from his lap and jumped to his feet. “I’ll go round up the troops. Catch those fish in my net.”

“I can just message them on the Acadameet app,” Fallon replied, tapping the screen at her wrist.

“Can’t risk it,” he said, voice low as he looked around the room. “Too many eyes and ears around here. Don’t fret, super pod, I’ll be quick!”

Zane darted past Kayden, exiting the room before any of us could say another word. The merman was behaving stranger than usual, but knowing him, it was most likely something silly like him miscounting the fish in the lake and worrying that they had been kidnapped.

“Something’s up with him,” Ace said, his eyes narrowed on the door. “He’s weirder than fucking usual. If I didn’t know better, I’d say someone has gotten to him.”

“I trust Zane with my life. It’s probably just nerves,” Fallon suggested. “We find out who will be ruling Terrulia in a few days. Maybe it’s got him on edge.”

“The merman is too invested in this.” Kayden waved his finger in a circle, indicating all of us. “Now’s not the time to turn on each other, Twiggy.”

“Fallon and Kayden are right,” I added. “We need to be a solid unit. Zane’s eccentricity is only made worse by the stress of this place.”

“You know what else I’m right about?” Kayden asked, pushing off the door and striding towards Fallon. “Zane is going to take a while to find the others, so we have some time up our sleeve. I can think of a few ways to entertain ourselves.”

“Oh?” Fallon leaned back on her hands and looked up at him. “Do share.”

Suddenly, the room felt like an oven as Kayden dropped to his knees before the bed.

Fallon held his gaze as she parted her legs, a smirk gracing her lips.

She was so beautiful. So perfect. Heat rose in me at the sight of her and the way she looked at Kayden kneeling before her. She was a queen. Our queen.

I didn’t want to share her with anyone other than Kayden, Ace and Zane. Now was not the time, despite the need in me rising. Zane would be back at any moment with the others.

“They could be back any minute.”

“Shut it, Noah,” Ace growled, leaning forward on his chair.

“Is this what you want, beautiful?” Kayden asked, his hands sliding up Fallon’s thighs. “For me to lick you while Ace and Noah watch?”

“Yes,” she breathed, biting her lip.

Kayden chuckled, his head lowering towards her.

“I’m back!” Zane shouted, swinging the door open and causing Kayden to fall back on his ass. “Can you believe it? They were just downstairs. Talk about fate.”

Ace swore under his breath, glaring at Zane.

If looks could kill, we’d be searching for a place to bury Zane.

Fallon snapped her legs shut, quickly sitting up and tapping the bed next to her.

“Come sit,” she told Kendra and Lou as they appeared in the doorway.

I caught Kendra giving Fallon a knowing look, a grin tugging at her lips and causing Fallon to flush.

“Alright,” I began once Kayden had found his feet and somewhere to lean his brawny build against. He, like Ace, did not look pleased, and I had to admit I wasn’t happy about the change in events either. “We have a few things to fill you in on.”

I delved into our thoughts on the emblem, of their connection to Jeremiah and then our decision to prioritise the weapon Cormac had sent Ace here to obtain.

The trio listened intently, taking in my words, Dick’s face falling with every moment that passed.

The guy was unable to hide his true feelings, yet he was courageous even in the face of them.

“We’re in. What’s the plan?” Lou asked, looking around the room.

“We pair off,” Fallon replied. “Each team will have a role.” She looked up at me. “You go in first, sneak into the control room and access security. Open doors, bypass locks, and delete camera footage, stuff like that.”

“So simple,” Kendra mused.

“Ace has been working on cracking into the security system for a while, so it should be pretty simple after all his work,” Fallon replied, looking between Kendra and Ace. “Shouldn’t it?”

“I’ll go with him,” Dick said, sitting up taller. “I can help with that stuff.”

I nodded, giving him a tight-lipped smile. “Wouldn’t Ace be better with tech?”