“Princess Waterlily,” a mocking voice calls out as we swim toward the ramp to my bedroom. “Fleeing the scene of the disaster?”

Giggles bubble across the hall as I turn to face three of the last merpeople I wanted to see . . . ever. The terrible trio. They have matching looks of delight on their overly made-up faces.

“Don’t they ever leave the palace?” I mutter under my breath. “Astria, Piper, Venus,” I say, “what an unexpected surprise.”

“Great white,” Astria gasps with a disgusted sneer. “What happened to your hair?”

My cheeks burn, but Peri comes to my rescue.

“It’s the latest thing.” She smooths her fingers through the blue strands. “Mother says every mergirl will be doing it by next month.”

Being the daughter of the most popular dressmaker in the kingdom has perks when it comes to fashion. The terrible trio exchange a glance before Astria dives back in on her original attack.

So much for my reprieve.

“We heard about the council meeting,” Astria says, her voice dripping with mock sympathy. “Did the foreign kings and queens really storm out in protest?”

“So dramatic,” Venus says.

Piper echoes, “Dramatic.”

I shake my head. “No, that’s not what happened.”

It’s not too far off from the truth, but they didn’t exactly leave in protest. More like in disgust.

“That’s not what we heard,” Astria argues. “Did Queen Dumontia really put you in your place?”

“No, she—”

“What do you know about it?” Peri blurts.

Astria’s piercing gaze shifts from me to Peri. I watch my best friend, spine stiff in either terror or courage, face down one of her fiercest enemies. I’m proud of her, even though her clenched fists are shaking against her hips.

“Did you suddenly grow a backbone, parasite?” Astria sneers.

“Or maybe,” Venus counters, “you’re just borrowing Princess Waterlily’s.”

“Borrowing.” Piper nods enthusiastically.

Peri drifts back an inch. I nudge myself closer to her side, letting her know she has my support.

“I will not sit silent while you disparage the name of the crown princess of Thalassinia,” she says, her voice tight with emotion. “She deserves your respect.”

I reach out and grab Peri’s hand. She is a loyal friend, and I know how much strength it’s taking for her to stand up to her childhood nemesis.

“Respect is earned,” Astria throws back. “And not by calling a council of kings and queens in which all the kings and queens flee in anger.”

“Anger,” Piper parrots.

“Shut up, Piper,” Astria snaps.

Piper’s eyes widen as she blinks in shock. This can’t be the first time Astria has turned on her own.

“You don’t know anything about it,” Peri insists.

Astria floats closer, until she’s just inches away from us. “I know that if our princess had spent more time with the royal tutor and less time falling in love on land, she might have done a better job with her first official duty.”

I’m not sure who is more stunned: me, Peri, or Piper, who is still reeling from Astria’s shutdown. For several long seconds we’re all silent.

I don’t know what the others are thinking—except Piper, who probably isn’t thinking much of anything—but I’m processing a mix of shame and anger and absolute frustration. Partly because I think Astria is right, partly because everything that happened in the last few hours has built up to the point where I just have to let it out.

“Enough!” I shout.

Everyone floats away from me. At first I think it’s because of my outburst, but then I realize the water around me is swirling. I don’t notice at first, the motion is so subtle, but then I feel the whirlpool forming.

I take a moment to absorb the sensation. I knew that ascending to my new title would come with new powers, beyond the ordinary mer powers of transfiguration and controlling water temperature. I just didn’t know what controlling the movement of water would feel like. It feels . . . exciting.

It also feels dangerous.

This is how ships disappear on smooth seas—mer powers gone out of control. I clench my jaw and force some calm into my mind. Peri’s hand squeezes mine, and I look at her. Her gray-green eyes are wide—not with shock, but with awe. She knows exactly what’s happening.

The connection with her brings me back into control. I drag in a deep breath and let it out before I continue, making sure I keep my emotions in check while giving the terrible trio a big piece of my mind.

“Don’t you have something more worthwhile to do,” I ask Astria, “than grub around the palace looking for gossip?”

She opens her mouth to answer, but I don’t let her. This is my moment, and I’m going to say what I’ve wanted to say for years.

“You think I’m out of touch with the world down here?” I curl my tailfin. “You have no clue. The oceans are changing, mer kingdoms are suffering, and our kin are dying.”

Astria’s facade falters.

“Are you doing anything to help? Or are you wasting your energy picking on mergirls you think won’t fight back?” I continue, pushing away from Peri and edging Astria back toward her companions with an extra surge of water—I can definitely get used to this new power. “Well, that ends now. If you want to be welcome in this palace, you will treat the merfolk within with respect. Or I will make sure you never enter again.”