Chapter 211
When the time comes to leave the sea, I am overwhelmed with a flood of emotions—longing and relief, excitement and fear, all crashing into me at once.
The ocean has become my home, and yet, the thought of breathing fresh air again, of feeling the sun on my skin without the filter of water, sends a thrill of anticipation through me. Still, beneath the excitement, there is an ache. A part of me knows that once we leave, nothing will ever be the same.
Wake finds me in the quiet of our quarters, his expression unreadable but gentle as he says, "It’s time."
I nod, swallowing hard, and follow him outside. Cora is already waiting near the palace entrance, her gaze flickering between us and the towering spires of Ao behind her. This city, these people, have become a part of us, whether we intended it or not. Leaving feels like severing a tether, and I’m not sure I’m ready.
Khale and Rhea stand together as we approach. The new Dawn King and his mother look regal, both looking at us with warmth and quiet certainty. There is no sorrow in their expressions—only trust.
Khale clasps my hand and then Wake’s. "Ao is in good hands," he reassures us. "And soon, Hale will be as well."
Rhea steps forward, placing a soft hand on Cora’s cheek. "You will always have a place here."
Cora nods, her lips pressed into a firm line. "And we will always return, when the time is right."
The goodbyes are brief but weighted. There’s no need for drawn-out farewells; we all know this is not the end. Still, as we turn to leave, I feel the ache deepen.
Cora leads us away, swimming swiftly through the familiar waters of Ao until the grand city fades behind us. She pulls a small device from her belt and scans the horizon. "The boat’s coordinates are set. Follow me."
We surface near the Nereid ship, breaking through the water with a final burst of momentum. The sudden shift from water to air is jarring, the pressure change making my ears pop. I take a deep breath, feeling the cool, salty breeze rush into my lungs, and for a moment, I just float, staring at the sky that feels impossibly wide and endless.
On deck, two familiar figures rush forward, towels and robes in hand. "Took you all long enough!" Rory calls out, grinning. "We were starting to think you’d grown gills."
Caleb chuckles beside him, tossing Cora a towel. "Welcome back to the world above."
Cora embraces them both, her posture easing as she greets them like old friends. Another figure steps forward, the lead researcher, Andreas. He crosses his arms with a bemused smirk. "Honestly, I was beginning to wonder if you’d ever resurface."
Cora shakes her head, squeezing water from her hair. "You and me both."
Then, as if suddenly remembering, she scans the deck. "Where’s Tai?"
Andreas rubs the back of his neck. "Most of the crew’s working on the Flounder. It took a real beating during a nasty run-in with a giant crab creature."
Wake tenses. "Elder Kin?"
Andreas’ eyes widen. "You wouldn't believe the bizarre monstrosities we've seen lately."
I sigh, exchanging a look with Wake. "Unfortunately, I think we would."
Before we can dwell on that thought, the deck door swings open, and Tai strides onto the deck, followed closely by Tyler. Tai’s eyes light up when he spots Cora, and he wastes no time wrapping her in a crushing bear hug.
"Look what the monkfish dragged in!" he crows. "Got your land legs back yet?"
I laugh, pulling him into a quick hug of my own. "Give us an hour or two, would ya? It’s been a while since we’ve been above sea level."
Wake steps forward, offering Tai a firm handshake. "You’ve been fighting the Elder Kin?"
Tyler smirks, leaning casually against the railing. "If you mean, have we been kicking their scaly asses? Then hell yeah, we have."
Tai shakes his head, correcting him. "We've been patrolling the waters around Hale, trying our best to keep them safe while their defenses are compromised. I won’t lie—it’s been a full-time job."
Cora’s expression darkens. "How often have they been attacking?"
Tai sighs, rolling his shoulders. "Every few days. Nothing that Silo and Arista couldn’t handle… for the most part."
Wake’s jaw tightens. "And the outliers?"
Tai lets out a tired breath. "Huge, nasty fuckers. Maybe three in total since you've been under. We took the Flounder out to assist, which did the job, but she’s in rough shape."
Cora doesn’t hesitate. "We need it to be dive-worthy as soon as possible."
Tai’s face shifts to concern. "Why? And where is Khale?"
Cora’s gaze hardens, her voice firm with unspoken urgency. "Gather the crew. It doesn’t matter what they’re doing—they need to be on deck in an hour. There’s a lot that they need to know."
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