While Torrent was in the library, his other sister, River, was having problems of her own.

C'mon Moray, give me the stupid scroll! River flashed desperately.

Moray stuck her tongue out at her younger cousin in reply and twitched her pale green tail. Nah-ah, you're going to have to suffer through Whirlpool's homework just like I did.

River fumed. She had to turn in a math assignment to Whirlpool the next day, and she had no idea how to complete her homework. Moray bragged that Whirlpool had tutored her in the same subject last year, and that she had a fully completed copy of the assignment, but she refused to give it to River.

When I'm queen, I'm going to make you take classes with Whirlpool for the rest of your life! River threatened.

Moray scoffed, puckering her snout in faux pity. You're never going to be queen. Orca is going to challenge Coral before you. You'll just have to live as a weak, powerless sister of a queen for the rest of your life, however short it might be. I, on the other claw, am going to be a Council Member to Queen Orca.

River growled and bared her teeth in anger. She wouldn't take this from Moray anymore. River roared through the water and leapt at her cousin, claws outstretched. She landed, scratching at Moray's gills.

Moray suddenly turned around, and a hunk of tail came flying at River's skull. It hit, knocking her across the small room. River lay on the ground, clutching at where Moray hit and squinting an eye. Moray snorted. How can a runt like you expect to defeat Coral when you can't even touch me?

Moray swam away until the last glint of green-grey scale disappeared. River got up off the stone floor and looked at her royal violet claws. She couldn't ever fight her mother or Orca for the throne, she'd be torn to bits within seconds. Moray was right, River was the runt of the family.

River wouldn't cry. A queen didn't cry. A queen was strong, and would stand up to her enemies. And right now, that was her schoolwork. Concocting a plan to take the throne from Orca's grasping claws could wait.

The SeaWing princess thought about what to do. If she couldn't complete her homework, and Moray wouldn't help, she had to ask someone else. Whirlpool taught Torrent together with her, maybe he could help. As much as she hated asking a brother who fraternized with her enemy (Orca, of course, Moray was just Coral's niece and didn't deserve the title of enemy), River didn't really see any other options at the moment.

River swam down to Torrent's room. She hadn't seen him much recently, her brother was taking care of Orca. Maybe Orca would get sick and die, so River would be able to challenge Mother unopposed and in her own time. But that was too much to hope for.

River knocked on Torrent's door. She thought she might have heard a rustle of water inside, but she wasn't sure. She waited a few moments, but there was still no response. Torrent didn't appear to be in his room at the moment. River thought for a moment. Torrent was a better student than her, he had probably already completed his homework for tomorrow. If so, River could look at it and copy it. She grinned; she was such a great problem solver.

She slowly opened his door. Fortunately for her, it had no lock. Torrent, are you there? she flashed. There was no answer. She stepped inside the room and looked around. Sure enough, there were a few scrolls scattered around the room. There was one still open on his bed. River swam over to it, hoping that it would be Torrent's homework.

Suddenly, River thought she heard another rustle of water by the bed, like there was something in his room. She looked around quickly to make sure Torrent hadn't returned. He hadn't. It was probably just a stray fish or something that had gotten into the palace. She looked over at the scroll. It appeared to be about animus dragons and their souls.

River felt a pang of frustration. She had hoped so badly to be an animus at the ceremony. If only she was, she could enchant her something that would let her defeat Coral or Orca and become queen. She clenched her teeth in anger.

Not seeing Torrent's homework on the scroll, River moved on to his desk. There was a scroll rolled closed on it that looked promising. River opened it and smiled. It was the math homework that she needed. She took out her own homework scroll and opened it. Quickly as she could, she copied over the answers. Once done, she rolled the scroll close and put it exactly as she had been. She then turned to leave the room.

River noticed something strange on the floor, a feather. She wondered how a feather got down here, there weren't any birds that lived in the ocean. Did Torrent bring it back from the Summer Palace? Frowning, she picked it up and looked closer at it. Something about it just felt off, and touching it sent a cold shiver through River. It just seemed too perfectly made, no kinks or bends. It gave River a strange sense of déjà vu, like she had seen something like it before. She remembered the rock that she had found on the beach during her Talons of Power Ceremony. It was similar to that.

She shrugged and kept the feather between her talons. It was just a neat feather, that was it. Maybe the water preserved it well. Even though she felt a pang of doubt at her theory, River left Torrent's room to head back to her own. She didn't want to get caught by anyone.

Torrent opened the door to his room, Orca following close behind him. With a scramble of feathers, Griffin swam under Torrent's bed, leaving behind only a trail of feathers.

Griffin? Torrent asked. What's wrong?

Griffin peeked his head out, looking relieved. "Sorry, I was worried it was the purple dragon again."

The purple dragon? Orca asked. Does he mean River?

Torrent thought about it for a moment. As far as he knew, River was the only purple SeaWing living in the palace. Did she have midnight-blue stripes and starbursts beneath her wings?

Griffin paused, then nodded, confirming Orca's guess.

Why was she in here? Orca asked.

"She came in, read a scroll on your desk, then left." Griffin showed Torrent to the particular scroll.

Torrent sighed. It was his math homework. River must've been trying to copy off it. Did she see you? he asked Griffin.

Griffin shook his head. Orca was relieved; questions would be asked if Griffin was found, and Orca's powers would probably be discovered.

"She didn't see me, I hid, but she found one of my feathers." Griffin replied. This was worrying. What if River found Griffin and put the pieces together? No, she couldn't do that, Orca reassured herself. That's far too unlikely.

We should move Griffin down to my room, Orca flashed. It was stupid of me to suggest putting him up here; my room has a lock, and Torrent and I are really the only ones that go by it.

Torrent nodded. Orca was right. As much as he wanted to keep Griffin in his room, moving him would be much more safe.

Griffin himself looked a bit worried.

Don't worry, Torrent flashed, Orca is nice, and I can still visit all the time.

"That's not my worry," Griffin replied. "How long will it be before River finds out about me?"

Hopefully never, Orca replied, as long as we keep you hidden.

Griffin nodded, a little dismayed. He didn't appear to like the idea of being cooped up in Orca's room forever.

Alright, Orca flashed, this is probably a good time to move Griffin, since most of the family is eating dinner now. I'll go scout out the area, and Torrent, take Griffin and follow.

Moving Griffin down to Orca's room went all as planned, fortunately, and no one saw him. The three breathed a collective sigh of relief as they closed Orca's door behind them.

What should we do with Griffin during the meetings? Torrent asked.

Meetings? Orca replied, confused. What meetings?

Torrent had forgotten that Orca was sick, and no one would've told her about them. Queen Coral is meeting with Queen Moorhen and Queen Blister to discuss the war in a week. It'll be for two weeks at the Summer Palace, and she expects us to come along with her.

Orca frowned. Did Torrent expect to bring Griffin to the meetings with them? That seemed like a bad idea. Yet, if they didn't, Griffin would be alone in the Deep Palace for two weeks. She glanced over at Griffin; he had a hopeful look on his face as he looked up at her. Orca sighed.

We can bring Griffin with us, I suppose. I'll go to the Summer Palace a few days early with him, and find an unused room to put him in.

Griffin grinned, thankful that he wouldn't have to spend two weeks alone in Orca's room.

Great! Torrent flashed.

Orca suddenly had a great idea. I can enchant Griffin to be invisible to those who we haven't told about him, she suggested, that way he'll have no chance of being seen.

Torrent opened his mouth slightly, frowning in shock. Orca was confused. What was the problem with her plan? It seemed perfect.

No! Torrent flashed, almost angrily. No more enchantments! You know what the scroll said: you'll lose your soul and go insane! If we can hide Griffin without using your magic, then we should do it.

Orca clenched her teeth slightly. She didn't think she had lost that much of her soul; she hadn't noticed anything wrong. It wasn't like she had made that many enchantments, had she? But since Torrent felt strongly about it, so as long as Griffin was kept out of danger of being seen, she wouldn't enchant Griffin. Even though it would be so easy, and fully solve all their problems.

Fine, Orca replied, letting out a little bit more frustration in her voice than she intended. No magic.

Torrent breathed in relief. He didn't think Orca had lost too much of her soul, but every enchantment she made was another step down the slope to insanity, and he didn't know how many steps she had to go before she would fall off the edge and end up like Albatross.

Torrent's snout suddenly lit up. Maybe we could ask Moorhen and Blister about scrolls on animus magic! They're bound to have some, especially Moorhen. The MudWings have a few libraries, don't they?

Orca thought for a moment. She thought that they did. The MudWings hadn't had any animus dragons since Queen Fen, they murdered them all if they hatched, but they might have information. What if one of their scrolls held the secret to saving Orca's soul? Was that too much to hope for?

That sounds good, but what if the queens get suspicious? Orca asked.

In that case, I can just tell them it's for a school project or something like that.

Orca nodded. If there was a chance that it could save her soul and let her continue using animus magic, she would try it. Alright, that sounds good.

Great! Torrent replied. So the plan is that you take Griffin to the Summer Palace in a few days?

Orca glanced over at Griffin, who had remained quiet this whole time, and had an uncomfortable smile plastered over his beak. Yeah,she replied. You alright with that? she asked Griffin.

Griffin nodded in reply. "Sure, it beats staying alone for two weeks."

Fantastic! Orca flashed. So it's settled.

Rift heard a knock on his door. Maybe it was Gill, ready to take him out to the Summer Palace early? Nothing could ruin his mood now, it was only two days before the meetings which would change his life and set him on his adventure.

Rift opened up his door to see Angler, frowning. What? Rift asked.

I have someone to show you, Angler replied, pushing past Rift. Along with him came an ancient SeaWing that looked like she had seen better days. She had a wing and a leg missing, and clearly struggled to swim. Looking closer, Rift saw that she had a glass eye. She shivered, as if the water chilled her to her bones.

This is Trout, Angler introduced, she normally lives on an island abovewater, where it's warmer, but I convinced her to come down here for a visit.

Rift doubted it took much convincing. A prince's request wasn't usually refused. Why? he asked.

She was a soldier in a war with the MudWings many years ago, Angler explained, all of her wounds were obtained in battle.

Rift snarled. He saw what Angler was trying to do. Look, I don't care how many injured dragons you bring down here, I'm not staying in this dump for the rest of my life.

If the Deep Palace is your idea of a dump, Angler retorted, I doubt you're going to find much luck anywhere else on Pyrrhia.

You know what I mean! Now take this poor veteran back to the surface, and leave me alone.

At least hear her out, Angler pleaded. She came all the way down here just to talk to you.

To tell me words that I'm sure you put in her mouth, Rift flashed angrily, what were you going to have done to her if she insist I change my mind, I wonder? Now get out.

Angler frowned grimly. I hope you realize that you're making the wrong decision, brother. Is there nothing I can do to change your mind?

Out! Rift flashed.

Angler solemnly nodded, defeated. Fine. Have it your way. Thank you for coming down here, Trout, even if it was all for nothing.

Mmmmmm, Trout flashed slowly, swimming out the door.

Angler glanced back at Rift one last time before leaving. I'll always love you, you know, he flashed back.

Rift sighed. He didn't want to stay angry at his twin. He really didn't. I'll miss you.