We’re a cursed land.”

“Cursed by-?”

“King Karanos. Your grandfather.”

I look down at my lap. “Of course. But you’re not exactly

merpeople. Unless you have tails somewhere down there.”

Yara lifts her chin. She wants to smack me but can’t. If I’ve

learned one thing these past few weeks, it’s that sea people take

their secret meetings seriously. “We are older than the children of

Poseidon. We are of the river. We are eternal.”

“So you can go from water to solid. But you’re not merpeople. But

you belong to the Sea Court.” I nod, trying to make sure I got it all

straight.

“You make our trials sound trivial,” Grumble says.

“I’m not. I’m trying to understand.”

“When the silver princess rebelled and attacked the crown,” Isi

says, “we were caught in the middle. We helped her control her magic,

and as punishment, the court claims one of our daughters every mortal

year.”

“And we have to hide here and lose more kin to the beast,” Karel

adds.

“That charming thing that almost ate me and Dylan?”

“The Naga. She is also part of our punishment. She eats more and

more of our warriors when the dark falls over the Vale.”

“None of you can kill her?”

They shake their heads in unison, but it’s Isi who speaks. “She is

cursed to roam the forest until we are freed of her by a direct child

of Triton.”

Their eyes settle on me. Is it getting hot in here? “Me.”

If it gets them to help me with the Sleeping Giants, save Layla,

and beat my enemies, I’ll go get that beast right now.

“What are we doing here then?” I unsheathe Triton’s dagger. “Point

me in the right direction.”

Grumble chuckles. Then it catches on with the others, even the

woman under the veil, and all four of them are seconds from melting

into laughing puddles.

“I wasn’t being funny.”

They go on laughing.

“I’m serious!”

“Our warriors have been after the Naga for endless days,” Isi

says. “Do you think a boy could do better?”

But I know the answer she wants. She wants a yes, because I’m

pretty sure this boy is the one they’ve been waiting for.

“You just said-”

“We said ‘a child of Triton,’” the veiled woman says in her raspy

voice. “That is you.”

“So-”

Isi cuts me off. “That doesn’t mean you’re ready to go against the

Naga.”

“I’ll get ready. As we speak, Nieve is doing more and more damage.

She’s taken over Toliss Island.” I point to the tent door, but I might

as well be pointing to the North Pole because direction means nothing

here.

“The Silver Queen will get nowhere without that-”

They look at my scepter.

No, but if I don’t show, she’ll get Layla. Break her.

“Tonight we will welcome you to our people,” Isi says, holding her

hands out to touch my face. “Then you will give yourself to us, body

and soul, for training. Your world is not going anywhere without you.

Not while you’re here. Do you accept?”

I’m not sure if they are the kind of people you shake hands with.

But I know that words mean a lot more in these strange worlds than

they do back home. “I accept.”

The village is riled up after our arrival. The electricity in the

air reminds me of the minutes before prom. Girls with crowns of leaves

and branches walk past me whispering behind their hands. They could

make themselves invisible, but they want to be seen. And I’ve never

been one to shy away, so I offer my best Tristan Hart smile.

The judgy elders don’t follow me out of the tent, which makes them

the worst hosts in the Vale of Tears.

Or they trust me enough not to raze their village when left to my

own devices.

Even though I’m miles away from Coney Island, I still feel like

one of the freaks on display at the sideshow. Hundreds of eyes follow

me as I walk through the tents, along paths lined with smooth stones.

When I hear my name, I freeze. I’m dreaming. I have to be.

Brendan and Kai-clean and clothed in the green leather of the

tribe-push their way through the scattered throngs of villagers to get

to me.

“You’re alive!” I say, seconds away from pulling them into an

after-school-special group hug. But I’m keenly aware of the villagers

watching our every move.

“Can’t let you have all the fun, now can I?” Brendan says, patting

my back. “Arion?”

I shake my head. We look down at our feet. Kai holds on to my hand

and squeezes for a while.

“Have either of you seen Dylan?” I ask. “I found him on the outer

ring. How did you guys get here?”

They lead the way through the clearing. They’re so-happy.

Unburdened. How can they be, with all that’s going on?

“Dylan is pillaging the food supply,” Brendan says. “Cousin, this

place is marvelous. These people are marvelous. Everything is-”

“Marvelous?” I finish for him.

He nods rapidly. His turquoise eyes are glossy and dilated.

Perhaps it’s all this fresh air.

“I’ve nearly forgotten,” Brendan says. “It’s time for the falls!”

“Time for what falls?” I pull him back from the direction he’s

going and close our triangle so I can whisper.

“We’ve been invited by the daughters of the tribe to attend. Come

now.”

“We can’t go to any falls.” I hold his arm so he won’t run off.

“We have to figure out what’s going on here.”

Brendan slings his arms around Kai and me. His smile is

infectious. “What did Isi tell you?”

“She said they would welcome me to the village tonight and then

start my training to kill the beast.”

He smacks my back. “See? Let’s go to the falls.”

“Why don’t you go,” Kai says playfully, “and I’ll take Tristan to

our tent. We’ll meet you there.”

Brendan gives us a thumbs-up then sprints down through the trees,

his red hair a beacon in the green.

“Did he smoke their magic mushroom?” I ask Kai.

“It’s this place, Tristan,” she says. “Ever since he was a guppy,

he’s talked about finding fantastical worlds outside our own, just

like this one. Isn’t it beautiful?”

“It’s something all right,” I mumble to myself.

She leads me to a tent just like the one we left. There are furs

and cots that look inviting.

“Isi has been very kind to us,” Kai says, sitting on one of the

four cots. “The minute we got here, we told her you wouldn’t be far

behind. What happened there?”

She points to my sternum harness hanging on my shoulder.

“They were just being very welcoming,” I say, using the same

wondrous tone she was.

She rolls her eyes, a habit she picked up from Layla. “Take out

the weapons, please.”

I do and hand her the leather straps. She pulls a thick needle and

thread from a wooden box in the corner of the room. There are other

supplies there-fresh fruits, a wooden comb (not that I need one

anymore), and folded throws. It’s a five-star magical-island hotel.

I sit beside her while she sews. “Kai, what do you know about the

trident?”

She sticks the needle into the leather and snaps the string with

her teeth. “I told you all I know when you put me in that Wonder Wheel

contraption that nearly killed us. Why?”

“I’ve been having these dreams. It’s like I’m watching Kurt and

Nieve and I’m right there, but they can’t see me. Sometimes it hurts

when I wake up, like a side effect.”

Kai pricks her finger and curses. “I’m not very good at this.”

“Just leave it.”

“I can’t. It was made for you.” She shakes her head. Threads the

needle again. “I can’t say why you’re having visions of the other