The shape was female, but she never would have passed for human. Her hair was kelp, and snails and small crabs moved about in it. Her body was fluid and blue-gray, covered by a gown that moved continuously, like waves coming to shore—and was the source of the sounds of surf and gulls.

He had taken Lizzy to the shore a few times to look for shells. He had found the Atlantik alluring, but he had never wanted to bet his life by going out on that water—and that was before he had learned there was something sentient that could command that water.

“Ocean,” Simon said. “Welcome to the Lakeside Courtyard.”

He’s not comfortable with her being here, Monty thought, watching the Wolf struggle to maintain a sufficiently non-furry human shape. Or maybe he doesn’t want to look human in the presence of such a dangerous form of terra indigene.

“The Sharkgard, Orcasgard, and I have enjoyed the stories that have flowed from this place in recent times,” Ocean said. Although quiet, the voice held depth and the memory of the storms just past.

Simon’s ears suddenly shifted to Wolf, and he made a frustrated sound as he struggled to get his ears back to human shape.

She smiled at Simon, and the sound in the room became the soft murmur of gentle waves kissing sand. Then she looked at the three humans, and the smile faded and the sound of storm surge returned.

Stepping up to the table, Vlad unfolded a large map. “As you requested. I hope it’s adequate.”

Ocean nodded but she continued to look at the three men standing tensely on the other side of the table.

“This I command,” she said. “No ship that sails from Thaisia will touch Cel-Romano. That place is closed to the humans here. Defy me, and no ship from this land will survive me.”

Captain Burke quietly cleared his throat. “What about other places? Brittania, for example.”

Ocean turned her attention to Simon. “Wolf?”

“Captain Burke’s kin from Brittania helped us when we asked,” Simon replied. “We have no quarrel with the humans who live there.”

“Then I will permit ships to sail between Thaisia and Brittania. And Felidae and Afrikah since they did not spawn enemies of our land kin.”

“What about Tokhar-Chin?” Monty asked, wondering if a Wolf would be considered “land kin” to something like her.

“It does not touch my domain. You would have to ask the guardian of the Pacifik about that place,” she replied.

Had he really wanted confirmation that there was more than one of these creatures? Well, now they all knew.