Leah, the bold and determined princess of Sylvanar, has always known her duty: protect her kingdom at any cost. When her father arranges her marriage to the dreaded King Ignatius of Juvelia, the fire king feared by all, Leah accepts her fate, believ...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The water was cool against my skin as I flicked my tail, propelling myself through the vibrant coral reef. Around me, the others worked diligently, picking up pieces of the shattered shipwreck that had fallen among the corals. Every plank of wood and twisted scrap of metal removed brought new life to the reef, allowing it to heal and flourish again. My magic hummed in the back of my mind, waiting, ready to restore the corals once we'd cleared the wreckage.
"This feels right," I murmured to myself, watching the vivid colors shimmer beneath the sunlight filtering down from the surface. I could almost hear the corals thanking us as we worked to free them from the debris. It wasn't just service; it was a duty to the sea, to the life that thrived here.
Sasha swam beside me, her red tail fins flapping elegantly behind her. She was just as invested in our work, understanding, like me, how much the sea depended on our care.
"The reef's healing already," she said with a satisfied smile, her voice soft but full of energy.
I nodded. "Once we clear more of the wreck, I'll be able to fully restore the coral." My magic stirred within me, a familiar warmth ready to flow into the reef once we were finished.
I glanced at my siblings Kyros, Zephyr, Alaric, Nereus, Caelum, Solon, and Aeliana. They were all twelve.
Aeliana's tail was still not fully grown, and her orange and blue scales reminded me too much of our mother. Her laugh, when she wasn't crying, sounded just like hers. It was both comforting and painful.
Kyros, the first to break out of his egg, was focused on the task, his strong hands prying loose a broken piece of mast. Solon, on the other hand, had a sour expression plastered on his face, flicking his blue and silver tail impatiently as he pulled some broken crates out of the sand.
"Why do we have to do this?" Solon muttered, his voice echoing through the water as he sent a frustrated glance my way. "We didn't wreck the ship, so why do we have to clean it up?"
"Because the sea depends on us," I said, trying to keep the annoyance out of my voice. "The debris is suffocating the coral, and if we don't take care of it, no one else will."
"Thal's right," Kyros added, grunting as he hauled away another piece of the ship. "We owe it to the reef, especially if Thal's going to heal it afterward."
Solon sighed dramatically but continued working, his tail flicking in frustration. I exchanged a glance with Sasha, who hid a smirk behind her hand.
"Don't worry," she whispered to me. "He'll understand one day."
"I hope so," I muttered
Suddenly, a high-pitched scream tore through the water.
Aeliana.
Without thinking, I propelled myself toward her, my heart pounding in my chest. My brothers turned, panic flashing across their faces, but I was already halfway there.
