Page 89 of In Rising Tides

“He cares for his son,” Lyra deflected. “The elves are different from what we have been taught.”

Nerida glanced towards the window again, partially turning her back on Lyra.

“The sea sings to those who can listen. To those of us with magic.”

Lyra leaned closer to better hear the words.

“But I wouldn’t need to hear her to know what power you have. I saw you kill that boy.” Lyra sucked in a breath. “With nothing but your voice.”

Lyra backed away as if she could block the words from reaching her.

Nerida faced her again. “You have infinite power, Lyra. And I gather you know nothing about it?”

This conversation had gone very differently from how Lyra had pictured it going.

She had thought it would be difficult, but difficult in the way that her sister would not be forthcoming.

Lyra wasn’t expecting it to be so superfluous and render her speechless.

“I-I ...” Lyra reached again for the necklace that was no longer there. She grimaced as she floundered for the words.

Nerida eyed the room and then took a seat at Lyra’s vanity, gesturing for Lyra to take a seat as well.

Lyra sat on the edge of her bed and twisted her fingers together.

“Let’s start at the beginning, shall we?” Nerida prompted.

Lyra clamped down on her lower lip. “I don’t even know where the beginning is.”

She didn’t remember anyone seeing her wield her magic before, but the memory was so old and tattered in her mind it would come as no surprise if pieces of it had been lost over time.

“Have you used it before?” Nerida asked.

This was a dangerous conversation. It could see them both killed if the wrong people heard.

Lyra’s eyes slid closed. Fear permeated every facet of her being.

This could very well be thelastconversation she ever had.

Nerida raised a hand, stopping the spiraling in Lyra’s mind. “This conversation stays between the two of us. I know we’re not as close as sisters should be, but you are of my blood.”

This was, in fact, the longest conversation she had ever had with Nerida before.

“You don’t have to tell me everything. But tell me enough so that I can help you.”

Lyra’s brow furrowed. “Help me?”

Nerida’s eyes slid from Lyra to the door. “I know you don’t trust me. And why should you? You barely know me.” Lyra nodded her agreement. “You were right that I despised what happened earlier. If I could do something about it myself, I would. But I can’t. So I’m doing the only thing I can do, the only thing I’ve been able to do most of my life, and that is to wait—for you.”

“For me?” Lyra pointed at her chest.

Nerida shook her head as if she were shaking some sense into herself. “You are the only one who can change Atlantis, and I’m going to help you do it. Starting with teaching you how to wield your magic.”

Lyra’s jaw fell open, and a gasp escaped her lips. “What?”

“You heard me correctly. Too long have mermaids suffered. They tried to erase our people from history, and you, with the gifts of Tiandra, will set it all right.”

Tiandra.