All things considered, Thalia is pretty cute when she’s angry.

“They don’t seem so bad,” Ryan says, strutting out of the

classroom and slinging his arms around Thalia’s waist. He picks her

up, and they’re suddenly in their own world, away from the merrows,

the princesses, the sea witch, and my championship. They’re in high

school.

Layla looks away from them guiltily. I wonder if she’s thinking

about Alex. Maybe she’s thinking about Kurt. She sure isn’t thinking

about me, the way she keeps avoiding my face. “Maddy really said she

doesn’t have it?”

I nod. “Yep.”

“Explain to me why you can’t give the oracle something else.”

Layla reaches over to my chest and picks off a bit of lint. She

smooths the fabric on my chest, absentmindedly, then pulls her hand

away like she didn’t realize what she was doing. I wonder if she can

feel my skin grow hot at her touch.

Kurt answers, “That seems like the best idea, but all the other

champions will be taking similar gifts-from family jewels to promising

their firstborn children. This is specific. The Venus pearl is

something that was taken from her.”

“So then don’t give her something else,” Layla corrects herself.

We’re in front of Ms. Pippen’s English class.

Jerry runs out of the room. “Pippen’s a no-show.”

“Again?” Thalia goes.

“Figured I’d wait a few more minutes in case the sub shows and I

can get attendance in, but she’s not here either.” Angelo runs past,

saying something about “red-hot girls in school in the caf.” He jets

down the hallway, chasing the hot mermaid trail.

•••

Under the cacophony of students shouting, singing, or just being

general pains in the asses is the same lullaby hum of the princesses.

If I weren’t so irritated, I’d say it was the greatest thing I’ve ever

heard-it makes your heart sigh and burn all at once.

We take a smaller table away from the swim team. On a regular day

it would be considered a huge diss to leave your team’s table. Today

they’re all fawning over my mermaid cousins and don’t even notice.

That explains the way everyone was behaving in the halls before. Well,

except that you never really know with Angelo. If I don’t do

something, the whole school may end up either making out or duking it

out.

Over at the swim team’s table, Gwen and the mermaid princesses

have formed a makeshift court with Gwen at the epicenter. Their

shoulders peek from their sheer dresses, and their legs-which would

normally be hidden beneath layers of scales-are crossed and exposed by

the slits of their skirts for the enjoyment of every guy, girl, and

pervy lunch monitor in the cafeteria. Their gem-like eyes, so much

like mine, watch their surroundings carefully.

“I’ll be right back,” I say, ignoring Kurt’s warning not to do

anything irrational and to remember this is all court politics.

Gwen settles her stormy gray eyes on me. They’re lined with black

makeup. She arches an eyebrow, which is kind of funny, because she’s

so blond and fair that it doesn’t look like she has eyelashes or

eyebrows unless you’re up close. “Have you been formally introduced

yet?”

I smile as charmingly as I can. “Can’t say I have.”

“That over there is Violet, Adaro’s cousin. She’s got the

prettiest purple hair in her region. This is Kai, Brendan’s aunt.

She’s a bit shy, but she’ll come along. And that’s Menana, a

freshwater princess from the Rocky Mountain lakes. She’s like our very

own Pocahontas.” They wave with their fingers, some more interested

than others. Then again, I shouldn’t mistake interest for amusement.

I feel like I’d rather take my chances with Nieve than try to calm

down a horde of mermaids. Like my dad says, hell hath no fury like

when your mother doesn’t get what she wants. And here I am with a

pissed-off wannabe queen and her posse.

Bertie notices me for the first time. His eyes are glassy, but

there’s a joker smile plastered on his face. “Man, I wish I were part

of your family.”

No, you don’t.

“I need you to please call them off, Gwen.”

“Whatever do you mean?” She stares at me so innocently that I

almost want to believe her.

“I’m half human. Not half stupid.” Most of the time.

“You’re not king, Tristan Hart.”

“My grandfather-”

“Your grandfather isn’t king anymore either. So for now we’re all

free to do as we wish.”

“Yeah!” Angelo pumps a fist in the air. “Who made you king of the

world, bro?”

“If you want to do it that way…” I grab Gwen by the waist and

throw her over my shoulder. She beats her fists against my back, but

she’s not trying very hard. I take her to a corner of the cafeteria

and set her down. She smooths out her dress and her hair, but doesn’t

hide the smirk on her face. The table whistles and cheers at us.

“The way I hear it, my ex-king grandfather makes everyone with

powers reveal themselves. From where I’m standing, no one knows about

you and your little voodoo tricks.”

She looks like a girl who’s just been caught smoking and I’m

threatening to tell her dad. “It’s not voodoo. Voodoo is filthy,

unnatural magic. I’m organic.” She presses her hands on her chest. She

really needs to stop doing that.

“I don’t get it. Why did you help your future husband lose to a

girl?”

Her full pink lips curl into a smile. “He’s-a jerk, as you people

say. Why did you help hurt my future husband?”

“He was alive, Gwen. Something was down there with us, and it got

him. Look, I’m sorry about Elias. I didn’t think it would go down that

way. But this is now. We’re not on Toliss. You’re on my land. I’ve got

enough to deal with without worrying about any of you drowning my

teammates.”

“I thought you were all swimmers,” she purrs. She looks off to the

left and chews on the inside of her lip. I get the feeling she could

do anything she wants right about now, like blow my head off or set me

on fire with the heat in her eyes. I can smell her power. I didn’t

know that power had a scent, but hers does, like firecrackers being

lit. Instead she sighs softly. “I’m sure Elias just took the tunnels

out of the island to avoid the humiliation of losing to a human.”

“So here’s hoping he’s out there trying to beat me.” I cross my

fingers in her face and repeat, “ The princesses .”

She traces a finger along my jaw, and all of my parts tingle.

She’s truly beautiful once you get past the immense bitch part. “Maybe

they’re wrong about you. Maybe you do have it in you after all.” She

saunters back to the girls and whispers to Violet of the purple hair.

There’s a collective sigh from all of them, and suddenly the air feels

lighter. The humming dies down. All around the cafeteria, kids who

were kissing, fighting, standing up and shouting, look around as if

they’ve forgotten what they were doing and why.

I nod thanks to Gwen, who gives me her cheek.

“Congratulations on your first political negotiation,” Kurt says

as I sit beside him.

“She really gets under my skin,” I say, reaching over to Layla’s

plate of fries.

She pulls it away and my fingers grab at the air. “Seemed like

more than your skin.”

“I don’t like my girls with a side of crazy, thank you.” Even

though the effect of Gwen is still lingering in my pants. Stupid

mermaid princesses.

“I don’t get it,” Layla goes. “Why are they here if none of them

even look your way?”

“I resent that.” I grab one of her fries while she’s not looking.