Page 43 of Surface Pressure

Two hours? Soulara clenched her fist tightly. That would give her enough time to briefly speak with her father and update him on what was happening and then leave for the meeting place. Because there was no way the Talons were going to be permitted into Reine. Not without a conversation to establish behavior first.

Soulara had never done something like this before. She’d witnessed her father having diplomatic conversations when she was forced to be there, but she’d never initiated or controlled them herself. Honour was expecting a response now, and Soulara realized belatedly that she hadn’t managed to tell Honour what to do.

“Where?”

“Half-moon rock.”

Soulara nodded sharply. “I’ll apprise the King.”

Honour took a left out the door while Soulara took a right and immediately swam toward her father. The conversation was brief and to the point, and he had no tips or tricks for her dealings with the Talons. He hadn’t spoken to them in his time on the throne.

Honour gave Soulara a rundown of Talon history and structure the entire time they swam there, a consort of troops following. Soulara wished Zendalia were there, but she was still on leave and recovering from her last run-in with a kraken. Her presence was sorely missed, but perhaps Soulara would be able to concentrate better without Zendalia there as a reminder.

Reaching up for the stone, Soulara focused on Nylah. A few images flashed through her mind, mostly water, dark and dirty, but nothing beyond that. There was no sign of Autumn yet. Honour slapped Soulara’s tail hard.

“What?” Soulara wrinkled her nose and glared.

“Pay attention, Princess. We’re coming to the meeting place.” Honour’s look was full of judgment.

Soulara hated that. But Honour was right. She needed her full focus for this meeting, and she couldn’t be thinking about or worried for Autumn.

They stopped suddenly. The light was dimmer down here, and the sense of foreboding in the water wasn’t putting Soulara at ease. She gulped and then relaxed as much as she could. She had her troops nearby in case anything happened, not that she was incapable of defending herself. And Honour was right next to her, advisor, general, and friend all in one.

“Princess Soulara, this is my contact, Nepham.”

Soulara bowed slightly as was tradition in Reine, realizing fully that wasn’t the case for the Talons. She kept silent as Honour continued.

“Nepham holds a position similar to mine.”

Soulara straightened. All those there were mermen. They were completely surrounded. For some reason it had slipped Soulara’s mind that Talon was patriarchal in ways Reine was definitely not.

“Greetings,” Soulara stated. “My General tells me that you have information for us.”

“Yes.” Nepham bowed slightly. He seemed pleasant enough for now, and that eased Soulara’s immediate discomfort. “The kraken is dead. Two humans were inside. I have it under good authority that you’d like the remnants.”

“Yes,” Soulara answered, not looking at Honour. She had to make sure that Nepham knew he was to talk to her and her alone. “We’d like to study them. See if we can find a way to destroy the krakens with technology.”

Nepham nodded. “You have more experience with technology than we do.”

It was a general assessment. Reine was the most technologically advanced of the tribes. Kaelin’s tribe was probably the least, based on the stories Kaelin had willingly shared.

“We’ll give it to you.”

“In exchange for what?”

Nepham put his hands out to the side. “Call it good will.”

Soulara’s stomach twisted sharply. Nothing like this was ever given out of good will. There was a catch—she just hadn’t found it yet.

“The krakens are a problem for all the tribes,” Nepham continued. “Many things are changing in the waters.”

“We may need to fight together,” Soulara slipped in there, testing the waters to see if the Talons were prepared for that. The divide had been hard on all the tribes, and they hadn’t come together since then. Small tribes here and there had come back and formed larger ones, but most had stayed separated from each other.

“We’ve never fought with the likes of you,” Nepham said.

“Nor us you.”

“Will you lead or your father?” Nepham looked at Soulara directly, his dark brown eyes piercing hers.

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