Page 6 of Voice of the Ocean

The mystery was quickly solved as the king entered, royal armor gleaming.

Immediately the energy in the room shifted. Backs straightened. Eyes became alert. Celeste’s stomach clenched.Why is he here?She hated that he caught her by surprise. Hated how she now understood why Madam Auralia hadn’t kicked her out, given her father was on his way. And she hated that she wasn’t the least bit surprised he hadn’t mentioned anything to her about this at breakfast. The king probably didn’t want to appear to give his daughterpreferential treatment.

“It is my honor to introduce you all to His Majesty, King Tidus of House Neris. Your Royal Highness, thank you so much for coming to speak personally to our initiates. It is our great pleasure to have you,” Madam Auralia said, a smile on her face. Although the instructor maintained her usual stoicism, Celeste could see excitement twinkling in her eyes. Even if it was more common for the king to make public appearances than the queen, it was still a rarity. Staria’s queen was the head of the kingdom and military, but the king was her right hand. Her counterpoint. Her balance. Wherever he went, he represented the kingdom, same as the queen.

Her father smiled and bowed. “The honor is mine, Madam. I thank you for your most gracious welcome and for allowing me to interrupt your day.” He turned and scanned the group, never meeting Celeste’s gaze. She felt herself sink a little lower. “I have the privilege of presenting your first official mission with the Chorus. And your final test.”

At those words, the room thrummed with energy. No one spoke or moved, but they buzzed with nervous excitement. The initiation was supposed to be phases away. And yet suddenly the moment they’d been training for was unexpectedly here.

Before Celeste could wonder why, the king went on in his booming voice. “A ship was spotted today in the waters surrounding our kingdom.”

Celeste stiffened. That meant a Chorus scouting pair was on the surface that morning as well.

“It was reported that the human Raiden Sharp is aboard, son of King Leonidas.”

King Leonidas.

No... it couldn’t be. Cycles ago, King Leonidas had done something Queen Halia could never forgive. Of all humans, he was the one the Kingdom of Staria hated most—and feared. The last time a team of the Chorus went in search of him, none of them returned. Over the last cycle, several other Chorus scouts had gone missing, and reports of a ship with dark sails stalking their borders had become frequent. King Leonidas’s ship.

Celeste didn’t know much about the human king and his son, but she did know they were dangerous. Her eyes widened. The prince.Raiden Sharp. His name sang through her. But the human she had seen couldn’t have been the son of the bloodthirsty King Leonidas.

No wonder her father was here to deliver the news. The majority of the time, Chorus members simply patrolled the waters for threats. Encounters with a human ship were rare and unheard of so close to Staria. Celeste wished her father had mentioned any of this at breakfast.

“I will let your madam explain further.” King Tidus nodded to Auralia, and a small blush appeared on the siren’s face as she bowed. “I expect nothing but perfection from this team. Thank you for protecting the kingdom, and may the Goddess protect and keep you.” His speech finished, Tidus turned fully to Madam Auralia and bowed his head. “Thank you for your work, Madam. Good tides.” With that, he left the room as quickly as he had entered.

The restrained atmosphere of the room shattered into excited murmurs and gossip.

“Initiates!” Madam Auralia’s sharp tone cut through the noise, silencing the group. “You understand the importance of this mission. Every Chorus member has been called to join the Song. We need every siren we have to ensure this opportunity is not wasted. You all will be paired with a current member of the Chorus, who will be your guide. Missions like this are rare; we have time to mount an attack, and it’s important for you to get this experience. It will be dangerous, but it is the prince and not the king himself, and I think you’re ready. Don’t disappoint me.”

“Yes, Madam,” they responded in unison.

Madam Auralia took a moment to scan the initiates, her sharp yellow eyes pinning each one. “The Song is a gift. Tonight you join the Chorus for the first time. The safety of Staria rests upon your shoulders. Remember what you’re doing this for.”

CHAPTERFOUR

“I can’t believe we’re going to the surface today!” Maeve pulled her spear from her back. “At last we get to see action, you know?”

After Madam Auralia dismissed them to their combat training early, no one had been able to stop talking about the mission.

“I know.” Celeste looked at her own spear, passing it from one hand to the other. “I’m surprised they’re inviting us at all. They must be certain nothing will happen, right?”

They swam together to an open section of the courtyard to begin their warm-up. Although they’d done this countless times, everything suddenly felt new again.

“I thought you’d be more excited,” Maeve said, brows knitting. “You love going beyond Staria’s walls. What’s wrong? Are you worried?”

“No! No, I am excited. What’s there to worry about?” Celeste pushed memories of Raiden Sharp’s ink-black hair from her mind as she readied her spear. “Especially when you’ll be there,best in class.”

“Right!” Maeve grinned, lowering into fighting position. “They will sing songs of us for generations! The day the human prince was lured to his doom by the Chorus and theirprincess.”

Celeste had no time to react, for suddenly Maeve’s spear was flying at her head. She shifted, knocking the weapon away with her own. Then she pulled her spear to her body before lunging at Maeve. Her friend ducked out of the way, but barely.

“Distracting me with flattery will not work,” Celeste snarled in jest.

Maeve laughed, and they began again, running through their usual routine until their chests rose and fell from the effort. While Celeste had never been very confident with her Song, her skill with the spear was the one place in which she shone.

“Initiates, in line,” Captain Io interrupted.

At once the sirens stopped, swimming into line before their instructor, a large siren with cropped green hair. Io wore a bright smile as they gazed upon the initiates before them. Behind them, five sirens entered the courtyard, each dressed in armor with spears strapped to their backs. Although Celeste had never met them, she’d recognize them anywhere. Members of the Chorus.

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