“The past doesn’t matter right now. You’re not going to kill me to take my magic, so you need our help,” I said.

“We do.” She had to grit the words out.

“If I release you, I expect you to take all of your warriors back to your islands. The day after the Tide Change, you can return to negotiate with a group of your people. We will make a plan to end the monsters for what they’ve done to your children. Do you agree?”

She jerked her head. “Yes.”

Triton released his grip on me and covered the distance between them. He stopped just a few inches from Eila and said in a low voice, “If a single one of your warriors makes another move against my mate, ever, our deal will be off, and I’ll kill all of you myself. Are we clear?”

“Yes,” the woman whispered.

“Great.” Triton’s water tentacle vanished, and Eila landed smoothly on her feet after it dropped her. “I’ll throw all of you deep into the sea in about ten minutes. You have until then to warn everyone about the consequences if they act against us.”

“Thank you.” Eila’s gaze was on me when she said the words. “Your Majesty.”

She finally lowered her chin toward me, as if in respect.

My abdomen tensed.

We both knew Triton had wanted to kill her as soon as he found her pinning me down. If I hadn’t spoken for her, she would probably be dead.

She knew what I had done for her, and she respected me for what Triton wanted me to be from the beginning.

What I had inadvertently become.

Not just his queen, but the queen.

I nodded, and Eila took off at a run across the sand. It only took her a moment to wade into the water and dive down into the depths.

“You didn’t know about the monsters?” I asked quietly.

“No,” Triton admitted. “I wish I had. My people do hold a grudge against the selkies, but children of all species are treasured. We would never have allowed that to go on without intervention.”

“Can you handle the monsters, though?”

“Of course. I’m the scariest thing in the ocean, remember?”

I snorted, his words taking me back to the first day we met. “Sure.”

Triton chuckled, dragging me into his arms and hugging me tightly. I returned his hug. My eyes stung as the stress and weight of everything that had happened seemed to crash into me at once.

“I had to throw Rayna into the sea with the selkies. Do you think she’s okay? I⁠—”

“Wesson already has her. They said you saved her life.”

A relieved breath escaped me. My eyes stung more fiercely. “I guess maybe I did.”

“Evve tah, Sweetheart.” You’re perfect.

I choked on a watery laugh. “More perfect than a fever dream? Are you convinced that I’m real yet?”