Something in his tone made Sera’s fins prickle. He was up to no good, she was sure of it.
“Or better yet,” he continued, smiling slyly, “by fighting to the death!”
At his signal, the doors to the stateroom were thrown open, and a merman swam through them.
“It’s a trap, Sera!” Desiderio shouted, swimming to her side. Yazeed was right behind him.
Sera snapped into action. Her hand went to the hilt of the sword. Her body tensed as she prepared herself to fend off her worst enemy.
But it wasn’t her uncle or Traho who swam through the doors.
It was Mahdi.
SERAFINA LIFTED HER CHIN, affecting the haughtiest look she could muster.
It took every ounce of control she possessed not to race to the merman she loved and throw her arms around him. Instead, she had to pretend to hate him. To show even a flicker of warmth toward Mahdi was to put his life in the gravest danger. Her uncle undoubtedly had spies in Guldemar’s court, and a report of what transpired between them would surely reach his ears.
“Principessa, you’re alive!” Mahdi said, faking surprise.
“No thanks to you,” Sera retorted. Her eyes were icy, her tone glacial. But behind the pretense, she was worried. Mahdi was thin. There were shadows under his eyes. His color was off. Something was wrong. She risked a glance at Yazeed. His eyes were on Mahdi, too, and she could see from his expression that he felt the same way.
Stickstoff, however, noticed nothing amiss. He was too excited over the prospect of bloodshed.
“Isn’t this wonderful!” he crowed, clapping his hands. “We can solve this right now. Serafina, you will represent yourself, of course. His Royal Highness, the Emperor of Matali, is here as emissary for his realm, and the realm of Miromara. You both have swords, do you not? Excellent! The first one who cuts the other’s head off wins. The Meerteufel will be happy to do business with the survivor.”
Goblin courtiers clapped their hands and pumped their fists. There was nothing the Meerteufel loved more than violence. Shouts of “Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!” rose in the water.
Guldemar himself watched, but said nothing.
Sera was the first to speak. “I did not expect such treachery from the Meerteufel,” she declared.
“No treachery,” Stickstoff countered. “You wish to strengthen your alliance with the Meerteufel. The emperor wishes to end that same alliance and establish one of his own. This poses a problem for the Meerteufel, but a fight will solve it. Fighting is the way to solve all problems,” he added sagely.
“I will not fight,” Sera said. She unbuckled the scabbard that held her sword and threw it to the floor. Then, in her most regal voice, she addressed the court. “Under Regina Isabella, my mother, Miromara was not governed by the sword, but by the rule of law. And so it shall be by me. The traitors who now lead the realm—my uncle Vallerio, his wife, Portia, their daughter, Lucia…and this turncoat”—she spat the word at Mahdi—“will be tried in court when I retake my throne. If found guilty, they will be executed by the state, not by me.”
Boos went up from the courtiers. Guldemar raised an eyebrow but remained silent. Sera had the feeling that he was weighing her response.
Sera…troops…
The voice was crackly and loud, and it was inside her head.
Sera startled at it, then fervently hoped no one had noticed. It was Mahdi. He must’ve cast a convoca under his breath, she thought. It would be a weak one because of all the iron in the stateroom—in Guldemar’s throne, the many weapons, the very walls.
Mahdi, she called back, is that you? There was no answer. What did you mean by troops? Are death riders nearby?
“Principessa, what are you saying?” Mahdi asked, feigning shock. “I’m not a turncoat. And I certainly don’t want to fight you. I want to take you home.”
Mahdi, what’s wrong? Sera asked urgently.
Danger…capture you…
Sera laughed contemptuously. “If my cousin’s not a traitor, why has she taken my throne?”
“Lucia has graciously agreed to rule—at her father’s request—because she thought you were dead. We all did, Principessa. How wonderful to discover we were wrong,” Mahdi said.
There’s something going on with you, Mahdi. I know there is. I can feel it!
Nothing…you, Des, Yaz…out of here…
“That is a lie,” Sera countered. “My uncle knows I’m alive. He wants me, and my Black Fins, dead.”
“Indeed!” Stickstoff interjected, trying to fan the waterfire. “Isn’t that why Vallerio seeks our help, Mahdi? And our troops? To slaughter Serafina and her fighters?”
Mahdi chose his next words carefully. “Vallerio wants to defeat the Black Fins, yes, but only because they threaten the stability of the realm,” he protested. “He never had any idea that Serafina was with them. None of us did.”
“Another lie,” Sera said.