Chapter 154
We come to a small alcove, and Cora stops abruptly, turning to face me. “The bloodline,” she says, her voice quiet but weighted, “it always comes back to the bloodline, Phoebe. One unbroken chain spanning millennia. Our lineage is our power. Without it, our clan is doomed to fail.”
I frown, gripping my crutch tighter. “But why? I get it, we’re Electra’s heirs, chosen by the goddess or whatever. But if you’re saying the fate of the world rests on a bunch of random people, it just doesn’t make sense.”
“Not random people,” Cora snaps, her sharp gaze locking onto mine. “We are her heirs. Her lineage. Direct descendants of Electra. The power is ours because it can belong to no one else. The more of us there are in the line of succession, the stronger the chain. The stronger the chain, the more power we have at our disposal. And we need that power if we’re going to face Leviathan’s wrath.”
I tilt my head, my skepticism clear. “So, when you said we need your sister…”
“If my sister is alive and has access to her power,” Cora says, her tone growing more intense, “then it’s crucial we get her back to her home. If we want a chance at defeating Leviathan.”
Her conviction rattles me, but I still have questions gnawing at the edge of my thoughts. “Is that why you never told my mom and me about any of this? Because we were weak links in a chain of succession?”
Cora exhales, her shoulders sagging slightly. “I didn’t tell you because neither of you were born Enkian—not even your mother. When I came out of that chrysalis, I was human through and through, searching for a way to reconnect to my previous life. But Melody…she was free of this pressure and expectation, and I realized I wanted her to stay that way. If I could prevent it, I didn’t want any of what remaining family I had to suffer the same responsibility I had to—especially not once I discovered that all of this was leading to Leviathan.”
“You could have walked away from all of this, but you didn’t,” I say, a tinge of accusation in my voice.
“Someone had to lead the Twilight.” Cora’s voice is firm and resolute. “Only mermaids can be conduits for the gods. And between you and Melody being born human, and believing my sister was lost to me, I was the only option for Electra’s heir—or so I thought. Now, Phoebe, you are the heir, and Delphinium and I are your line of succession. We are your chain. Your power flows through us, and if we are not whole, your power cannot be either.”
Her words send a chill through me, despite the warmth of the caverns. “If Electra’s line ends, her power dies with us,” Cora continues grimly. “If that happens, I doubt the other clans would have enough strength to fight off Leviathan’s kin.”
“Why can’t the other clans combine their power to stop Leviathan?” I ask, genuinely puzzled.
Cora shakes her head, her lips pressing into a thin line. “That would require access to their full lines of power. Many clans have broken bloodlines like ours. Others guard their heirs under lock and key, hoarding their power. Half the clans are so entangled in political infighting that their lines of succession remain unresolved.”
I nod slowly, her words sparking a memory. “Wake told me about his own line. He said he’s in some sort of competition with his brothers to become Dagon’s heir. The first to return with a mate wins the power.”
Cora’s mouth twists in something between disgust and amusement. “And with a line as long as Dagon’s, that wealth of power is immense. Certainly, one some would deem worth fighting for.”
“I thought all the lines started at the same time,” I say. “Aren’t they all equally old?”
“They did,” she confirms, “and they are. However, not all lines are equal in their efficacy. The Abyss is unique in that a majority of its ruling family is still alive.”
I pause, her explanation clicking into place. “The more people in the line of succession, the more power is at Wake’s—or their heir’s—disposal.”
“Correct,” Cora says simply.
“So,” I ventured carefully, “is it just us? You, Delphinium, and me?”
Cora falls silent for a long moment, her gaze distant. When she speaks again, her voice is quieter, almost hesitant. “I want to be honest with you from now on. I would like us to be a team.”
I blink, surprised by her candor. “I’d like that, too. So…why do I sense a ‘but’ coming?”
Her expression tightens. “There are aspects of my past that are ugly. Reasons why we ended up where we are, and problems I don’t know if I’m ready to face—even after all these years. My family is the source of those problems.”
I notice the way she says my family, not our family, and it’s clear she’s still trying to shield me, to keep me separated from whatever darkness haunts her. For once, I decide not to press.
“I can wait until you’re ready,” I say, offering a small smile. “Lord knows I’ve had enough practice with Wake. But…can you at least tell me, are there a lot of them?”
Cora hesitates before nodding. “More than most. Not quite as many as the Abyss, but enough to make Electra’s power one that others will covet. At least, that’s how I remember it. Sometimes, when I see the power you wield…things might be different.”
She doesn’t elaborate, and I can tell she’s done speaking about her past.
“Then that settles it,” I say, straightening my shoulders. “When we get out of here, we settle the village and take the fight to Enigma. We’ll get her back, Grandma. I promise.”
Cora reaches out, giving my arm a squeeze. “I believe you.” Her voice softens, but her eyes harden with resolve. “But those creatures…if they’re the source of the earthquakes freeing Leviathan’s kin, then we need to find whatever is driving them and put an end to it. You’ve only seen the tamest of Leviathan’s kin so far, the youngest and smallest. There are far worse yet to come, ones this world is not prepared to face.”
A chill runs through me. “Then what do we do? How do we stop them?”
Her gaze meets mine, steady and unyielding. “I need you to go back into the ether,” she says, her tone resolute. “I have a mission for Khale and Wake.”
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