I simply had to keep him alive until the furor was over, and we could surface.

Aramus knew this was my strategy, thus he held my head to his as I did the same and locked his long legs around my scaly hips.

We could do this, together.

I could help him survive.

I would help him survive.

All we had to do was hold on.

On this thought, he was ripped from my arms.

My underwater scream formed large bubbles as I began to flip my fin to regain my hold on my king, but I got nowhere, and not only because I froze at what I saw before me.

Hands had seized me under my arms.

I turned my head to the side and looked angrily at one of the mermales who had a hold on me and was drawing me deeper into the sea.

My watery words I knew he could hear.

“He cannot breathe!” I screamed, violently trying to pull at his hold.

The mermale remained facing forward, his grip on me unbreakable as we swam deeper.

“The pressure!” I shrieked.

The male just glanced at me and carried on swimming.

I tugged and fought as we followed the males dragging my husband into the depths of the ocean, my heart beating a fierce tattoo, my mind sending messages to my friends to come and save me.

Save me.

And my husband.

Save us…

From my people.

I saw the dolphins, and the octopi, even a few whales in the distance.

But I did not think to call out to them as I also saw the manner in which Aramus’s body floated in the hold of the mermales before us.

“No!” I screeched.

He could not be dead.

Please, no.

He could not be dead.

My mind scrambled.

How long had he been separated from me?

Too long.

Oh, Medusa.

He could not be dead!

I struggled with all I had against the hold on me.

“You will calm, maid,” the mermale on my other side demanded.

“You will let me go!” I shouted.

“You are not queen here, Ha-Lah,” he told me.

No, I was not.

Sirens dammit.

“By the gods, by Medusa, by the sirens,” I chanted, so fraught, I paid no heed to the dim light I could now see shining from below.

Where we were heading.

All right.

I had to think.

My beloved was the Sea King.

The Mer would not kill the Sea King. His line was chosen by the gods. Triton and Medusa would be furious.

My people would do naught to anger the gods. Especially not Triton and Medusa, whose loved created the Mer. Mer revered Triton and Medusa almost past reasoning.

I knew, for I was Mer and I did too.

Thus, they must be taking him to air, and doing it swiftly, for they swam much faster than us.

These thoughts assailing me, it was only vaguely I noted the ocean floor as it became awash with bright blooms of sea anemone, not as if they grew naturally, but as if we were entering a garden.