communion parties. When Layla had hers, Mrs. Santos bought about a hundred of them, all depicting a little girl in a white dress with doe eyes staring up to heaven. Layla drew a mustache and little devil horns on half of them, which got us both in trouble even though I didn’t do anything. Even now, as our car climbs the Brooklyn sky, my thoughts come back to Layla. Kissing against the locker. Her hands—
“I’m not used to heights,” Kai says, scooting closer to me on the cold metal seat. “My father said if the gods had intended us to fly, they would have given us wings instead of tails.”
I put on my best reassuring smile. “This thing looks old, but I’ve seen two guys the size of boulders get on it without falling.”
She takes in the new sights and sounds as we get higher and higher. I wish I’d bought her cotton candy or some strawberry-sugared popcorn. The thing about me is that I love making girls happy. There are just so many of them that I never know where to start. Plus, Kai is sweet and isn’t trying to eat me.
“You said your dad’s a historian?”
Her eyes brighten. “He’s quite famous actually. He’s the eldest of the elder historians, which sounds funny but it’s a great accomplishment to have served under two sea kings. Three, once the championship is over. I’ve grown up cataloging and organizing scrolls my whole life. He’s forced me to come here. Thinks now that Brendan’s champion, I have to do it for the family.”
“Yeah, there’s a lot of that going around.” I hook my finger on the side of the car and lean my head back. Below us, some girls in the swinging car shriek at the top of their lungs. Kai looks horrified, and I’m glad I opted for the stationary seats. “How are you related to Brendan?”
“I’m his aunt.”
Just that sentence makes me retract the arm that I’ve slung around her shoulder. “I don’t think I’ll get used to this age thing. You look sixteen.”
She seems relieved that I’ve put a little space between us. “My brother is the herald of the North. I’m the youngest at forty.”
“I guess you and I are related by marriage, then? Brendan’s mother is my aunt. Never met her, though.”
“I’ve read all about your mother, Lady Maia!” She laughs giddily. “Bit scandalous when it happened. Even more than Lady Maristella eloping with my brother, a lowly scroll keeper. My brother wasn’t herald of the North yet when that happened. He had to fight for that title.”
“So you’re a lady of court who really wants to be a scroll keeper? Are there rules against that?”
She doesn’t laugh at my ignorance, which is nice. “Our people are changing slowly. A thousand years ago, merfolk with magic couldn’t marry into the court families. They were sent away. Our stations have changed, but slowly as does everything we do.”
“No wonder Sarabell’s having such a hard time finding a husband.” I almost feel bad for her.
The breeze around us picks up, and a thin fog comes in with the sunset. There’s a strange horn blasting in the distance. I wonder if that means more accidents.
“It seems to me that mer-people aren’t that different from people-people. Everyone just wants to be on top of any kind of pyramid.”
“I don’t think you’d be that kind of king.”
“I’m not even sure what kind of anything I am lately.”
She offers me a smile. “Had I…done that”—she can’t bring herself to say vomit—“to Adaro, I’d be missing a head right about now. No, you’ll make a just king.”
She sounds so sure when she says it that now I feel sheepish. If Kai believes in me, then maybe she can help us figure out how to get to Eternity.
“I mean, I feel like I’m at a disadvantage in all of this. I wasn’t raised on the island, and up until a few days ago, all I did was swim and hang out with my friends. Now, all of a sudden, I have a piece of the trident and I’m carrying around a dagger in my backpack that would get me locked up—sorry. I shouldn’t be dumping this all on you. I mean, if you’re going to help anyone, it’s going to be Brendan.”
“Really, Tristan?” A surprising laugh comes from deep in her belly. She dabs at a tear falling from her long, fringy eyelashes. I can tell she digs me even if it’s just in a