Page 1 of Cruel Tides

Claira

TWELVE YEARS AGO

Movement broke the quiet in the foyer the moment the palace doors swung open. I stared out from the safety of my alcove, stunned, wondering if one of my daydreams had somehow become real. Was something exciting actually happening in the palace?

Before I could pinch myself, two captains set a serving table up in the very center of the usually empty foyer where I spent my days. A line of chefs zipped by next, and I held my breath, amazed by what they carried.

I’d never seen so many fish.

Skilled hands delivered haddock to the table, one after another, until the gilded cage set in the center was stuffed full of wiggly fish.

Was a new festival starting? Even though the hall was filled with palace laborers, I didn’t dare ask.

Here, hidden away in my little alcove, it was easy to pretend I wasn’t really here at all. That was what my daydream had been about. Being away—wherever away was. But the more merfolk swam into the foyer, the more it felt like away had suddenly come to me.

A maid drifted by, and she set a sponge to work, scrubbing over the lantern above me like I wasn’t even beneath her. More maids swept into the foyer, and they wasted no time polishing every wall and even the ceiling, whispering among themselves about how soon the party would begin.

A party? I was so excited that I wanted to squeal.

Papa had told me all about parties. I knew how magical they were, with music and dancing and tables full of more food than an entire kingdom could eat. He said I was still too young to be invited to parties, but maybe if I kept quiet, no one would notice I was here.

I pulled myself into the very back of my alcove, hiding away from the maids as they worked around me. By the time they finished, the colorful gems on the walls twinkled like tiny lanterns, and just one look up at the sparkly ceiling was enough to make my head spin.

As quickly as the workers had appeared, they all seemed to vanish. I poked my head out of my corner, looking at the table full of food and noticing the glittering instruments sitting across the grand hall.

I’d never seen an instrument up close before. I was imagining pulling myself closer when the palace doors swung open again.

King Eamon was the first through the door, and I gasped at the sight of him. He was so large, even bigger than Papa, with his scales and armor shining as bright as the trident he held close to his side. Without even realizing it, I’d shrunk back into my corner.

A bright streak of gold zipped into the palace behind him, and I muffled a groan. Ugh. Lee was with him. I was wondering why he hadn’t come by to bother me yet today, and now I knew.

Although I thought myself hidden, the prince’s bright eyes fell right on me as soon as he entered the room. A smirk pulled over his lips, and I could already feel myself getting annoyed.

I was so close to seeing my very first party. If Lee ruined this for me, there was no way I would ever speak to him again!

A group of merfolk followed in after them, and I found myself stunned by how they looked. Everything about them was unfamiliar to me, from their warm tones to the wide scales on their tails. Beautiful frills trailed off their fins, ruffling like ocean silks behind them, and I glanced down at my tail, wondering if extra frills could help a mer swim.

When I looked back up, I caught sight of a merfry swimming in the very center of the group, tightly guarded by the merfolk around him. Dark curls fell over his eyes, and I could tell by the way he held his chin that he was nervous about entering King Eamon’s palace.

But who wouldn’t be? King Eamon was scarier than the biggest, toughest shark around.

My eyes fell to the merfry’s tail, and I could hardly believe it. It wasred.

I’d never seen a red?—

“Nerida,” a deep voice whispered from across the foyer, and I shot straight against the wall of my alcove with a startled yip. Papa gave me a smile as he shut the palace doors. He rarely came back to the palace during the day, and I hadn’t expected to see him. Today was sure full of surprises.

It wasn’t until he swam closer that I remembered the party and why I was supposed to be hiding. “I know you say I’m too young for parties, Papa, but please—” I paused. He wasn’t wearing his sash. My eyes shot to his spear, and there it was, tied up into a bundle underneath the tip. “Did you bring me something?”

Amusement glittered in his gray eyes, and he held his lips tight like he might not tell me, but Papa was the worst at keeping secrets. “Maybe I brought back a little something.”

I was practically vibrating with excitement as he dug into his sash. “I found an oyster on the swim back.” With a soft smile, he set it in my awaiting hands. “It’s from a very special place called the Red Sea.”

“The Red Sea,” I repeated, staring down at the oyster. I’d never heard of a red sea, but I knew it had to be a special place for an oyster this beautiful to live there. “Do you think there’s a pearl inside?” I asked, feeling hopeful.

Papa’s eyes glittered even brighter. “Now, Nerida, have I ever picked up an oyster that didn’t have a pearl waiting for you inside it?” He chuckled.

“Never,” I said, returning his grin. “Can I hold on to it? It’s so pretty, I don’t want to open it just yet.”

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