I was still training, after all.

I’d eventually be stronger than Triton, but I wasn’t there yet.

“I’ll deal with her. Don’t let the water carry me off.” Rayna’s hand brushed my shoulder. “Be careful.”

“You too.”

She released me.

And with one smooth motion, she vaulted over the edge of the building.

I wanted to watch her roll or flip or whatever she was doing to get down to the sand safely.

But the selkies were already moving up the beach.

Which meant I had to focus.

I used another wave to clear the sand and stop Eila one more time before Rayna reached her.

A weapon had appeared in Rayna’s hand—a large spear that looked like it was made of water. But the end wasn’t just a single sharp metal point.

It had three.

She was using a fucking trident.

I really had entered The Little Mermaid.

Rayna collided with Eila, and the women rolled across the sand as they grappled. Their movements were strong and practiced, and fast enough that I didn’t have the time or energy to keep up with what exactly was happening.

A man I recognized waded out of the water with the now-larger group of selkies.

It was Owin, from the beach.

The kelpie who had tried to use his magic to seduce me.

Jackass.

Owin was headed straight toward me and moving faster than the others around him. He didn’t so much as look behind him when my next wave grew larger than the one before it—but in one powerful crash, he and the others were torn off the beach and thrown back into the ocean.

Minus Rayna and the selkie leader, who were still fighting.

I’d never been someone who enjoyed revenge, but it was hard not to feel satisfaction as my wave kicked Owin’s ass.

He wasn’t in the next group that emerged from the water.

Or the one after that.

“How are you doing?” Triton asked.

I didn’t answer him until my next wave swept across the sand. “Surviving. How are the squids?”

“Dead. We’re headed up to deal with the selkies now. A few of our warriors got lungfuls of ink, but others are hauling them back to the castle for the antidote. Can Rayna open the doors for them?”

“Not now. She’s fighting Eila on the beach. Eila’s a lot stronger than I expected, and I couldn’t knock her out and keep the rest of the beach clear.”

“I’ll send someone to handle the doors. How much longer can you keep your hold on the beach?”

There was a pause as I washed away another group of selkies. There were way more of them now, which didn’t seem like a great sign.

“I don’t know. Haven’t exactly done this before,” I finally said.

“How is your energy?”