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I started at the mention of Kona’s father "Why would she care about Malakai?"

"He worked with Cecily for years to iic, Cecily’s plan, but if Malakai hadn’t fed her as much of his power as he had … Well, a lot of people believe your mother would never have succeeded"

"Now isn’t the tiarded her cal else, but to be honest, I wasn’t listening I was too busy reeling fro reveal Cecily hadn’t imprisoned Tiamat by herself She’d had help Selkie help From Kona’s father of all people

I didn’t kno I felt about that One, because of the way everyone always treated le-handedly bring Tiamat to her knees Part of that, I knew, came from the prophecy they believed was about me, but I’d always assumed the other part came from the fact that Cecily was my mother One of the ht Tiamat down once Was it such a stretch, then, that I could do it a second tireed, even if I didn’t feel powerful, I could at least understand where people were co out she didn’t do it alone … that just leftthat I didn’t have a chance Like everyone really was expecting the i that had never been done before

Even worse, I couldn’t help wondering about Kona I kneas strong, knew he had a lot of power on his own But was one of the reasons he was my boyfriend simply that he knee had to co Tia ridiculous Letting a bunch of stupid assumptions undermine my confidence in him Kona had always been there for me, had never let uessing hih, Hailana’s conviction kept running through my head, that there was no way Kona would ever marry a nonselkie, no way his father would ever allow him to put a half-breed mermaid on the selkie throne

Was there a kernel of truth to it? Or was I just allowing my fears, my own doubts about myself, to latch on to the most reasonable explanation I could find? I didn’t know, and froood job of hiding those anxieties

So I did what I foundmore and more down here: I buried my worries deep insidea brave face On showing everyone in this world that I really was okay And ifbut, then that was no one’s business but mine

"Tempest" Violet’s voice was tentative "Just because your mother had help doesn’t mean--"

"It’s fine, Violet" I cut her off

"Tempest, really--"

"I said, it’s fine We’re not actually here to discuss my delicate emotional state, are we?" I injected as e Was it rude? Maybe But I was struggling just to keep my head beloater I didn’t need anyone else to know that, though

I glanced down the table at Hailana--I couldn’t helpI wanted was for her to think I was seeking her approval She gave it to , as if I had passed yet another one of her incoht, Teht," she said, her voice ringing with authority

Although itto explore those vulnerabilities Sabyn again, this tihts that I’d never felt before One I hadn’t given hie anyway

Of all the disturbing things that had happened to ht hours, that freakedwith us," Hailana continued, her voice weak but still ringing with authority "She has no particular grudge with Stormy Point--"

"Except that they’re our allies," interrupted Veracruz

"Yes, except for that," Hailana acknowledged "She hit the out, always looking over our shoulder waiting, so that we juical warfare"