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Librus released Jade’s arm. “What I am saying is that Seidon is the single most powerful Awakened person in the world, and he is a complete wild card—so it was better to isolate him from us altogether. He will not assist Mariana in genocide, but that doesn’t mean he’ll stop her.

And it certainly doesn’t mean he would aid us in a coup against his allies.

But he’s too much of a bleeding heart not to interfere in some way, which is bound to cause us trouble.

So no, I didn’t lie to you when I said he would interfere with our cause.

Though if you chose to interpret my words in a way beyond how I meant them, that is hardly my fault. ”

A vein in Finn’s temple throbbed. “I am not a game piece on your board, cousin. I do hope you remember that.”

Librus took her by the elbow again, and his high emotions sent tingling magic into her veins. She could hear Arden’s imagined voice in her head. We always knew you were special. Blessed by the Triada. Use what he’s given you, Jade.

What she’d been given…it wasn’t magic, had never been magic. But that didn’t mean the Triada hadn’t given her gifts. Just as she’d always contended. She didn’t need the magic she’d never wanted. She was who he’d made her. And where he’d sent her.

She focused on that tingling, drew it in, and watched the images that flashed through her mind.

They were once again wild and furious and blurred, like memories. More feelings than words. More impressions than detailed images. And she was ready. She didn’t let them crash over her like before, confusing and chaotic. She grabbed hold of them. Stilled them. Studied them.

Librus, already a grown man, told to bow before the newborn prince.

Librus, in his priest’s robes for the first time, utterly ignored by the royal family at a state function.

Librus, power surging through him so powerfully that Jade could barely hold back a gasp.

Librus, standing before…Mariana? Their hands clasped. Promises between them.

The images fled as quickly as they’d come, and Librus was pulling Jade down the corridor, oblivious to the fact that his fury with his cousin had spilled into her. Oblivious to the dread snaking through her system. To the questions pounding at her skull. To the breath that wouldn’t come.

He meant to double-cross the prince. That was what those impressions meant, wasn’t it?

They reached her room, and Librus guided her inside, even paused to give her a warm smile. He means to keep you for himself . Electra’s words pounded, merging with her sister’s imagined ones. Use what he’s given you, Jade.

She reached up and dared to rest her hand against his cheek, silently begging Storm to forgive her.

Begging the Triada not to count this deception against her.

“You’ll convince him, won’t you? To let you take me to the island?

I want to help. I hate feeling useless.” She stroked her thumb over his cheekbone.

Warmth turned to fire in his eyes. He rested his hand over hers, pulled hers away a bit, and pressed a kiss to her palm.

Had Storm done such a thing, it would have made her toes curl in delight. This made her heart pound, yes, but not with desire. Not with love.

She knew well she was playing with fire, trying to manipulate the manipulator. How did she dare? She was little more than a child, he was over a century old. He’d see through her in a heartbeat.

Except he didn’t. Because he saw what he wanted to see. He saw her doing, feeling, becoming exactly what he’d been working these two months to make her. “I’ll convince him,” he promised. “Be ready—it will have to be soon. We cannot let Mariana’s coronation come without your powers unlocked.”

She nodded and squeezed his fingers. “I’ll be ready.”

He smiled down at her, eyes gleaming. Two months ago, she might have thought that gleam was of friendship. Of a desire for peace.

She knew better now. The gleam was of victory, that whatever plan he’d made, it seemed to be playing out exactly as he wanted.

He squeezed her fingers back and then released her. Hurried out the door and locked it behind him.

Jade let out a long breath and sank to a seat on the floor, rubbing a hand over her forehead, where it felt like those images from his mind had seared her.

He didn’t just mean to “keep her,” like Electra had said. He meant to double-cross his prince. And…then what? What had that deal been that she’d glimpsed, between him and Mariana? There had been no words, no details. Just the feeling.

His satisfaction. His ambition. His certainty that this was the next step to the throne.

That was what he wanted. What he’d probably always wanted—the throne.

But…how? How did he mean to grab it? By force?

Or…perhaps by an older method. He and Mariana were cousins, yes, but not close ones.

Perhaps that agreement had been a betrothal of his own.

Jade didn’t doubt that Electra was right about his intent to keep her , but that didn’t mean he meant it in any honorable way.

A man who would betray his family like this, who would scheme and manipulate to this degree, clearly didn’t consider himself bound by morality.

Jade lay back so that the cool tiles embraced her. The ceiling met her eyes, its undulating waves of light dancing across it from the reflection of the waters outside the dome.

Should she tell someone?

Who could she even tell? Finn was certainly no ally of hers, and she didn’t even know anyone outside the trio she saw every day.

Electra? Jade huffed out a breath. No. If this was Librus’s scheme, if he meant to double-cross Finn, then Electra must be in on it.

Jade slung her arm over her eyes. She had no idea what to do next, if there was even anything she could do.

But a few things were as solid as the tiles beneath her.

The wall was down—that meant King Seidon was on the move.

And if both Mariana and Finn feared what his coming meant for their cause, then it could only be to Jade’s advantage.

She wasn’t vain enough to think that all her family’s pleading would be enough to convince the king of the largest empire on the globe to risk it all to rescue one kidnapped girl, no matter how close he and Papa were.

But it could provide an opportunity. Somehow.

It could create chaos. Perhaps enough of it that she could find an air tank, a diving helmet, and slip away.

Perhaps enough that she could take the requisite time to decompress and surface.

Perhaps enough that she could find a boat from Daryatla and convince them she was one of them, not a mer, and that they should help her get home.

Perhaps, even if he didn’t mean to, her king could help her escape.