I wait for it to answer—it always seems to take a few moments before they notice me—but it remains silent. I need to get closer and touch it. But how am I supposed to do that when it’s surrounded by water?

“It’s Lor. Will you talk to me too? I spoke with your . . . friends.”

“What are you doing?” Linden demands, coming up next to me. “Why are you whispering?”

I jump at the intrusion and whip my hand away.

“I wasn’t whispering,” I say.

“You were,” she replies, still not buying my shit.

I shrug. “Sometimes I talk to myself. I don’t even notice I’m doing it.”

Linden glares at me, and I do my best to look innocent.

“Linden,” Cyan says, his tone bordering on threadbare, as though he’s tiring of her attitude as well. “I think we can allow the girl her thoughts.”

Linden shoots a look at the king, her eyebrow arching, clearly wanting to disagree, but she lets it lie.

“Come,” she says. Then she starts marching away. When I don’t immediately follow, she stops and pins me with a dark look over her shoulder. I cast one more glance at the Alluvion Coral, cycling through a hundred ideas of how I might access it before following her pointed footsteps through the palace.

I’m escorted to a gorgeous room that contrasts vividly with my prison cell. Maybe I should be grateful they’re not making me sleep down there, at least.

After Cyan bids me goodnight and Linden threatens to feed me to the sharks, I’m left alone, though she informs me two guards are stationed outside. Great. I’ll have to earn enough trust to be allowed free movement around the palace. Or I’ll have to deal with the guards in a possibly messy way.

My room overlooks the ocean, reflecting under the light of the moon. It expands as far as I can see, and I clutch the diaphanous white curtains and breathe out a sigh laden with anxiety and exhaustion. I’ve lost an entire day already, and I can practically feel the tick of the clock vibrating under my skin, echoing in my ears like a hammer striking glass. The Coral. I need to find a way to talk to the Coral.

Can you hear me? I ask in my head. Nadir. Are you there? Are you okay? I miss you. I love you.

We had so little time to explore the possibilities of our mate bond. Does he need to be close to hear me? In the same room? I’m assuming he does need to be alive, and I try not to let his silence add to my worries. Zerra promised she’d keep him safe while I carried out her unreasonable task. While I have no actual reason to trust her, I also don’t have much choice.