"Lumia, I understand you want to go see what's happening, but I know what I'm talking about: it's better to bring him with us."
"Master, we don't have time for this. It'll be dawn soon, and I'm sure my father will call everyone for breakfast."
"Shh..." Thalassa signaled the princess to be quiet.
Both had reached the guest area where Xana and Cassian had been taken. The mermaid looked at the multiple doors with an uncertain expression. She tilted her head slightly to the side, signaling Lumia to start searching from that end while she went to the opposite side. The blonde woman with sky-blue streaks made a reluctant grimace but headed toward the first door on her side with resignation. She slowly opened the door and peeked inside: nothing. She sighed in a contradictory way — both relieved and annoyed — and moved on to the next one.
Thalassa had already checked hers as well, but she shook her head when she saw the wolf woman, who was barely visible drooling on the pillow. She closed the door slowly, making sure not to wake her, and moved to the next room.
As she continued checking them one by one, her eyes widened when she heard Lumia's sharp scream.
"Ah!" The princess fell backward, and Thalassa ran over to see what had happened.
Cassian peeked out at the same time, blocking the view into the room. He was shirtless, wearing pants that had been put on carelessly.
He raised an eyebrow at the older woman, who narrowed her eyes and tried to look behind him. However, Xingyue had already disappeared the moment Lumia opened the door — or at least that's how it seemed.
«These two women…» the younger sister muttered from her hiding spot. «Daring to interrupt my time with Master... I'll definitely make them pay if we ever meet again.»
Meanwhile, Thalassa helped the princess up from the floor and shot Cassian a withering glare. He continued looking at her with a raised eyebrow and an unreadable expression. She pushed him back into the room and dragged Lumia in by the hand.
"May I know why this thing opened my door in the middle of the night without knocking? Or did you give up so quickly that you even brought me a gift?" he added in a mocking tone.
The blue mermaid already knew it was best to ignore him when he said things like that.
"Please get dressed," she pleaded.
But he made no move to put on a shirt and instead replied:
"I thought I told YOU to handle problems that aren't corroded beasts, Thalassa."
"Just come with us. You won't have to do anything."
"Why do you want me to come with you? And where are you going, anyway?" Cassian glanced briefly at Lumia before turning his gaze back to Thalassa.
Thalassa's expression twisted strangely, and she looked down nervously.
"Just get changed! We're going to the West Zone."
"Mmm, I suppose that could be interesting."
But Cassian's attitude this time seemed to make the other woman explode.
"I don't understand anything, Master. Why do you let this man talk to you like that? You're the most talented mermaid we've seen in a long time. You were named Royal Tutor by my father, and even Azure's most important general would give anything to marry you. I understand if you let Ereon speak to you that way, but this human?!"
Realizing her last comment might sound like she was judging him solely for his race, Lumia softened her frown and added:
"Sorry, but I don't think you've made the best first impression. So far, I've only seen my master treat you well, so I don't understand why your responses seem so far from what she gives you."
He raised his eyebrows in surprise as a crooked smile appeared on his face.
"Has anyone ever told you that you have two personalities?" He paused for a moment when he saw the princess make a doubtful face, then composed himself and continued looking at her defiantly. "I'm surprised how you can go from total shyness or softness to a rare kind of determination and sharpness."
"You haven't apologized to my master," she replied dryly.
Cassian looked toward Thalassa.
"Let's go, before the little girl decides her authority is enough to demand something from me."
"I'm a princess! They said you're the son of a count, not even a count yourself, just the son. Am I being that unrealistic?"
"Does your position give you power?" he asked.
Lumia's eyes widened, and her mouth closed in silence. Why had she let herself get carried away like that? She had almost criticized him for his race and now for his social position — everything she believed was wrong about the people she had always fought against.
Her master didn't seem bothered by how he acted either. She bit the inside of her cheek, and her eyes watered for a moment.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, on the verge of tears.
Cassian raised his eyebrows in surprise again, this time looking at Thalassa with a strange anxiety.
The royal tutor approached the princess to comfort her.
"Don't worry, you didn't do anything wrong, Lumia. It's this man who's out of line. Come on, let's go. Mireya must think we betrayed her if things keep going like this."
...
In the depths of the ocean near Azure...
A low, stifled sound escaped between clenched teeth.
Nereon sat upon a throne of black marine stone, body taut, breath uneven. In the privacy of his mind the image of her returned again and again, her foot resting lightly upon him, the weight of her presence alone enough to unravel every last shred of his composure. He did not need to touch himself. The mere thought of belonging completely to her was already dragging him over the edge.
A rough, broken groan tore from his throat as the wave of pleasure crested once more.
Then a velvety, absolute voice cut through the haze inside his head.
"Nereon."
His eyes snapped open. Instantly the haze vanished, replaced by pure devotion.
"Yes, my goddess. My ears are yours."
Clarisse rolled her eyes while smiling with sadistic pleasure.
"What's taking you so long? You returned to Azure some time ago. Why haven't I received any good news from you yet?"
"My goddess, almost everything is ready, but you have to understand that King Oreon is not weak, and besides..."
She frowned and asked impatiently:
"Besides?"
"A dragon arrived in Azure. I didn't know if you were aware of that."
"Oh? Why would one of them go there? They clearly know they shouldn't touch what's mine."
"I don't know, my goddess. That's why I've been cautious. The dragon seems to have come alone, and I've been feeding a sea beast that, with the help of corrosion, could reach transcendent level. Together with me, you won't have to lift a finger."
"Ha." Clarisse let out a dry laugh. "Well done, slave."
She cut the communication without warning. A cruel smile formed on her perfect lips. The woman leaned back against her golden throne, and her eyes shone with malicious light as they narrowed. Her mere presence seemed to freeze the air around her, exuding a suffocating aura of absolute power.
«I suppose I'll have to go see Idris... Why is one of his moving differently from what was agreed?»