The sun has sunk into the sea for three days and Cinder has absolutely no idea where her brother is. She has a million and one guesses, of course, and all of them irritate her as much as her unofficial engagement to Prince Kai of the Common Merkingdom.
Not that she'll share any of those guesses with her father.
"Where is he, Cinder?" King Kingsley demands, entering Cinder's dressing room without announcing himself. "Iko, leave us."
Iko, Cinder's best friend and merlady in waiting, thrusts the brush into Cinder's hands before darting away nervously.
"You know I'm not his keeper, Father," Cinder hedges, dropping the brush and adding a starfish to her thoroughly combed hair. Despite Iko's efforts, her brown locks still look stringy and flat in her reflection. But no matter. If she looks less than perfect today, perhaps Prince Kai will refuse her hand in marriage when they finally meet.
"This is a day of utmost importance for our kingdom. Your brother is due to swim with the royal guard in only an hour and is nowhere to be found. I cannot have our formation out of order when King Rikan arrives!"
"I know, Father. Thorne knows how important this is to you…and to me." She curls her lip as she turns away from him. Thorne knows how important it is, that's for sure. Missing the day of her introduction to Prince Kai will mean losing ammunition to tease her for years. "I'm sure he'll be here soon."
"When was the last time you saw him?"
Cinder cannot face the king. It's too tempting to tell him the truth. The last time I saw him, Father, he was kissing a human. He embraced her like he would one of the many mermaids of the court.
She didn't like lying on principle, but perhaps she could bend the truth. Her brother did it for her too, after all. "He was flirting with someone, Father. Perhaps he swam away with her."
"The guards have searched the coves in the kingdom. None of the mermaids he usually spends his time with have seen him."
"She…wasn't anyone I recognized. Perhaps they are shy to admit their affections."
Her father snorts, looking for an instant like the son he so despises. "Thorne? Shy about his affections? He does nothing but flaunt them for the entire kingdom to see."
Cinder swims closer and places a hand on her father's wrist. "You should not be so hard on him all the time."
"I will not be hard on him when he learns to hold up the responsibility that is bestowed upon him as prince." He looks at her with a pointed gaze. "He has much to learn from you."
She swims away again, back to her mirror. Her father is naïve if he thinks she is any better than her brother, with her secret stash of human books on engineering that she's collected at shipwrecks, her many escapades with Thorne—not limited to gambling—and her desire to do anything but marry a merman she's never met.
But the king knows none of that about either of them. He only knows that Cinder is crown princess and this, somehow, makes her better. Only a few minutes separated their birthrights, and sometimes she wishes it could be the other way around. Instead, she has her duties and Thorne has his.
But Thorne is arrogant enough to be a king and too prideful to just be a soldier.
"If you see the mermaid he was with, please inform me immediately."
Cinder stiffens but pulls the brush to her hair again slowly. "It could be anyone in the kingdom."
"The entire merkingdom of Angeles is here in the capital today."
"Very well. I'll inform you immediately if I see either of them."
Cinder knows she won't have anything to inform him of, though. If Thorne isn't back by now, he won't be back. And if he's not back…then where is he?
"I'm sorry to burden you with these small details on this important day, but you know as well as I that nothing can go wrong today. One small detail out of place could mean Prince Kai choosing Princess Winter of Artemisia over you."
Shells. If only he would would pick Princess Winter.
But her father holds a secret that few know: the border of Angeles grows weaker and weaker as the Sea Witch expands her territory. If Angeles can form an alliance with Common, they might have a chance at defeating the Sea Witch once and for all. Cinder knows that this is more than enough reason for her to marry Prince Kai. Her father has been working on this alliance since her birth.
It's another reason she shouldn't risk her life—or Thorne's—going out into the open sea, and she knows it. But once she's queen, there will be no excuse. She'll never be able to venture out without two kingdoms knowing where she is at all times.
"I know, Father. I've been practicing my welcome speech with Iko."
"Yes, let's make sure it goes well."
He waves his trident once, in a show of acknowledgement, and swims away, leaving her to her troubled thoughts of Prince Kai and the whereabouts of Prince Thorne.
If her brother has not returned by the time the sea darkens once more, she will tell her father where she really saw him last. By that time, her fate with Prince Kai will be sealed and the king will have nothing else to worry about.
If the Sea Witch has Thorne, they can send two mighty armies to retrieve him.
Foreign yet familiar trumpets startle Cinder out of her nervous stupor. Iko and Tressa are at her side, fussing to make sure her shells are in place and holding everything up just right.
Iko adds a final touch of pearled strings to hang off the straps and fastens them at her midriff with one enormous pink pearl. "One of the couriers told me that pearls are Prince Kai's favorite decoration. Tressa and I have been combing the kingdom for more of them. This one is from Beijing Cove."
"Thanks, Iko," she says.
"The courier also confirmed that Prince Kai is the most handsome merman of the three merkingdoms," Tressa adds with a giggle. "Perhaps even more so than Prince Thorne."
The two of them squeal like some of the mermaids in court do when Thorne swims by them.
It is true, Thorne is as well known for being handsome as he is for knowing it. He has always had his pick of whatever mermaid would wish to have him—and he does his fair share of picking. The thought of someone who can rival his looks in court makes Cinder almost happy that Prince Kai is about to arrive on their territory. Her brother needs someone to put him in his place, and it certainly isn't going to be all those swooning mermaids.
"Instead of focusing on his looks," says Cinder, "or my brother's"—she gives them an eye roll—"why don't you ask this courier if Prince Kai is kind, wise…interesting? Someone worth marrying?"
"But of course he is, Your Highness," says Tressa.
Tressa, who is a merservant in status, has no concept of royalty though, believing like everyone else that good-looking monarchs must somehow unquestionably be kind as well. Cinder has studied the history of her merpeople since birth and also the history of the other two merkingdoms. There once was only one united kingdom and out of it did the Sea Witch come. Her beauty and sorcery led to the separation of the merpeople, but much of that story has only turned to legend.
Not all who are beautiful can be trusted with power.
"Of course," Cinder concedes anyway, sinking back into her thoughts. She wishes her brother were here beside her, for even though she would probably fight with him for scaring her these past three days, she knows his teasing humor would make her feel better. Or at least, make her focus on other things besides her insecurities.
But there is a vacant spot at the top of the royal guard. She can see it, almost at the left of the throne, where Thorne would stand. Where the captain would stand. It is not yet his title, but a prince among the guards must be honored at his rightful place—even if he has not yet earned it.
The trumpets sound the tone of her kingdom, and Tressa and Iko squeal again, bouncing up and down at her side. Cinder touches the tip of her crown and sucks in a deep breath. She can do this, with or without her brother. She will also assume the title she has not yet earned.
"I am the future queen," she whispers to herself, "more powerful than even my father with two kingdoms below me."
"Announcing Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Cinder of Angeles," says the seahorse herald at the door.
Then she begins to swim, with Iko a few strokes behind her, holding her head up grandly.
The Great Hall of Angeles is filled with many of their subjects, many of them her friends by now, and she resists the urge to wave for the sake of formalities. She joins her father, bowing before him, and then rests at his side. Iko stays ever behind her, now floating farther away from the throne to show her place.
Thorne's spot among the guard is still empty.
The trumpets sound once more, now with the sound of the Common anthem. The seahorse herald's voice booms: "Announcing His Majesty King Kingsley's honored guests, His Majesty King Rikan of Common and His Royal Highness Prince Kai of Common, heir to the throne."
The entire hall dips at the neck in respect but Cinder keeps her chin up. This is her future betrothed, after all, and she will not miss the first moment he comes into the Great Hall.
King Rikan comes first. He holds his head up almost sourly, like he is bored to be there. He is older than her father by far, with silver threads running through his otherwise jet-black hair. He is not unhandsome, though his expression takes some of it away from him.
He swims forward, and then, in comes Prince Kai.
He smiles widely, confidently, like these are already his people. Around his neck is a pendant, much like the one Thorne wears to distinguish himself as a prince among merpeople, but Prince Kai's bears the crest of the Common people. His hair is as dark as his father's, but young and wavy and thick, the kind that a mermaid would do anything to run her hands through. And the mermaids in her court have certainly noticed him already.
Her heart flutters in time with her fins. She'll never tell Iko or Tressa, but Prince Kai is handsome, and not just in a princely way. He reminds her of someone she might meet at the market and fall in love with just over his smile.
King Rikan and King Kingsley greet each other formally, beginning the customary exchanges of two merkingdoms that have long remained friendly yet separate. It is not expressly forbidden to travel between kingdoms, but it not something one does without necessity. There have been some interkingdom marriages, but none that would be of note to someone in a position of royalty. This alliance will be a first, a joining of citizens more than just a marriage of convenience.
Prince Kai stops in front of her and Cinder can hear Iko flipping her fins excitedly behind her. Cinder is caught off guard by Prince Kai's eyes and how rich and deep and brown they are. Her heart hitches, not just at the sight of them, but at the thought of how her brother will surely tease her over them. Her brother who is not here.
"Princess Cinder?" he asks, dipping into a low bow.
Cinder turns to her right just slightly, hiding the part of her fin that has been disfigured since birth. Perhaps she doesn't want Prince Kai to notice that she is less than perfect after all. At least, not until she has had a chance to speak with him.
"Your Highness," she says, keeping her eyes low.
When the formalities are done, they retire into the dining hall after swimming out of the Great Hall side by side. Prince Kai receives just as many deep sighs and giggles as her brother does. Cinder is careful to keep her eyes forward. She will not reveal any of her emotions in front of her father.
"I have heard many interesting things about you, princess," Kai says once they have started eating, his smile growing. "There are many tales of you and your brother that have reached my kingdom."
She fiddles with the pearl on her navel. "They must be rumors, Your Highness."
"Please, call me Kai."
"Kai."
"Tell me, where is the infamous Prince Thorne? Should he not be joining us for dinner?"
Unfortunately, those around them have just reached a lull in their conversation. Her father outwardly seethes, though Cinder wonders if anyone can tell but her. With an eerily calm expression, he says, "Prince Thorne has fallen ill and could not join us. We apologize for his absence."
King Rikan offers his condolences and well wishes for Thorne.
Prince Kai waves his hand. "I am only saddened that I shall not meet him on this visit. Of course, if the princess accepts my hand in marriage, there will be plenty of time for that."
Her father, seeming appeased, returns to his conversation with King Rikan. The other dinner guests murmur amongst themselves and Cinder knows why. 'If the princess accepts my hand in marriage...'
Prince Kai has made it seem like Cinder is the one who will need convincing. Like her father hasn't set up this engagement to be completely up to Prince Kai and his interests.
She relaxes a little. At least he is a polite prince. Feeling emboldened by the conversation around the room, she says, "How is that you have heard about my brother and me, when I have heard so little of you?"
Prince Kai glances around the room, as if to see who's paying attention. He wipes at his mouth, but keeps his hand over it and whispers to Cinder: "You are not the only one who has ever ventured into the open sea."
She startles, so much that she drops one of her steamed clams. It lands on the pearl on her navel and tangles with the strings. Red-faced, she fishes it out of her decorations as quickly as she can, then drops it below her.
Prince Kai is trying to hide his laugh. "Nice pearl."
But Cinder narrows her eyes. "I have never been to the open sea. It is forbidden."
"Ah," he says, a smirk on his lips, "it must indeed just be rumors."
"Of course they are."
"I'm sorry to hear that."
"You—what?"
"The rumors were that the crown princess is faster than even the fastest merman in her kingdom. But that princess was seen out in open sea during a race in forbidden waters."
Her heart begins to flutter again, but not because his smile is devastatingly handsome. It is because he knows something about her, something personal and hidden that she shares only with her brother—and of course, the mermen they paid off to not tell anyone that the race had ever taken place. He can hold this over her if he wants, threaten her even, but he's merely teasing her about it, like it's something he's excited about.
Most merman are not thrilled with her ability to outswim them. At least not in her kingdom. Most mermen would not condone swimming out to open sea. At least...not mermen other than her brother.
"Have you been out there?" she says.
His eyes shift to his father, then back to her. He takes a clam and chews, nodding subtly. Her eyes widen.
When he has finished chewing, he says, "Always in disguise, though."
"Have you…ever encountered anyone?"
"No one I wasn't looking for."
"Huh."
He chuckles. "Are you sure you're Princess Cinder?"
When she nods, it's hard to keep the smile off of her face.