Of Poseidon 02: Of Triton

lock the door to the back deck but it doesn’t mean he has to go out of his way to scare the snot out of me. I follow him to the living room and slink to the couch. “What are you doing here? Where’s Galen?”
    Nothing good ever follows silence like this.
    “Emma, I need you to come with me to the Boundary. Right now.”
    The dark hides his expression, but he sounds dead serious. I try to imagine Toraf dead serious and can’t. The Boundary? Galen had told me about the Boundary before. It’s where they hold the Syrena version of a court trial. It’s where people who are troublemakers go. “Why? What’s wrong?”
    “A lot. I’m not sure how he’s done it, what he’s promised them, but Jagen has turned both the houses against the Royals. There are Trackers and Archives who have sworn that they don’t recognize your mother’s pulse. And now Jagen has accused the Royals of straying.”
    “Straying?” I know what that means in human terms, but in Syrena lingo I have no idea.
    “Of adultery. Maybe not these Royals, but he says that some Royals down the line somewhere had to have strayed because how else would Paca have the Gift of Poseidon?” He scoffs. “I can’t really believe this is happening. How could they believe a slimy eel like Jagen?”
    Lightning hits close and I get a good look at Toraf. He’s as stressed out as he sounds. I let him talk, because it seems like he has more to say, and if not, he needs to vent. “The Royals can’t even leave the Boundary now because King Antonis—he’s your grandfather, did you know that?—tried to choke Jagen when he made up all these stupid accusations.”
    He’s your grandfather . Technically, I did already know that. I already knew the story of Nalia and Grom, and that Antonis, her father and the Poseidon king, accused Grom of murdering her. But that was out of context. That was when these people were strangers. That was before Mom was Nalia. I have a grandfather. I have a king for a grandfather. A king fish.
    I clear my throat. “So … This isn’t just about my mom’s identity. This is Jagen making his move to take over the kingdoms? And … you think he’s getting away with it?”
    “Yes. Exactly.”
    “But I don’t understand. What could I do to stop him? I’m just a Half-Breed.”
    “You can come with me and show them that you have the true Gift of Poseidon. That Nalia is your mother. It will prove her identity, that the Royals aren’t lying, and that they haven’t strayed.”
    “Won’t it technically prove that they have strayed? I mean, you know how babies are born right? That means my mom and my dad—”
    “I know how it works. And, uh, I don’t want to talk about it with you. And I’m pretty sure Galen doesn’t want me to, either. But I’m hoping Nalia can be forgiven for all of that, since she thought Grom was dead. But they don’t even believe she is Nalia.”
    I nod, but the action is lost in the dark. Outside, the storm seems to be losing momentum. “Galen sent you to get me?”
    The long silence gives me the answer. “He doesn’t know you’re here?” I ask, licking my lips.
    “He knows,” Toraf says softly. “But he thinks I’m bringing you back to turn you over to Jagen.”
    I swallow. “Are you?”
    I see his outline jump up from his chair. “No! It’s unbelievable how everyone is so quick to accept I’d turn on them. Have I ever turned on them? Not once! You should have seen Galen’s face when I told Jagen I’d bring you back. If he could get to me, he would have killed me, I know it. And Rayna…” A small strangled sound escapes him. “Triton’s trident, Emma. You have to come with me and make this right. They can’t go to the Ice Caverns thinking I betrayed them.”
    “I promised Galen I wouldn’t get in the water. Now you’re asking me to come with you and show all the Syrena I exist? He’ll freaking kill me. Mom will kill me. They’re both bent on keeping me a secret. They think it’s dangerous for me. Why don’t you think that?”
    I feel Toraf’s weight register on the cushion beside me. Just then, the power kicks back on. The whole house seems to buzz. Toraf has tears in his eyes. Tears. He takes my hand in his. “I’m not going to tell you it’s not dangerous for you. It is. But if we don’t do something, the Royals will be sentenced to the Ice Caverns. You’ll never see Galen or your mother again. I’ll never see Rayna again.”
    “But you’re mated to Rayna.