"That's your father."
Marina's words destroyed every thought in my mind.
I stared at the creature emerging from behind the ancient gate.
My father?
The creature was enormous.
Its body was covered in dark, ancient scales. Long silver hair floated around its face, and two enormous eyes glowed through the darkness.
I couldn't move.
"That thing is my father?"
Marina grabbed my hand.
"Bjei, don't go near him."
The creature's eyes moved toward me.
"Daughter…"
His voice shook the entire kingdom.
Shawshank immediately moved in front of me.
"You're not touching her."
The creature looked at him.
"Shawshank."
Shawshank froze.
"How do you know my name?"
The creature's expression changed.
"You carry my blood."
My heart pounded.
"What?"
Marina began crying.
"Bjei, there are things I should have told you."
I turned toward her.
"Then tell me now!"
She looked at the creature.
"That is Azrael's father."
My eyes widened.
"What?"
Azrael stepped backward.
For the first time since I had known him, he looked genuinely afraid.
"Father…"
The creature smiled.
"So you finally remember me."
Azrael's voice trembled.
"I thought you were dead."
"I was imprisoned."
His eyes returned to me.
"Because of her."
He pointed toward the queen.
The queen's face became furious.
"Do not blame me for your weakness."
"You betrayed the deep."
"I saved it."
"You enslaved it."
The two stared at each other.
I looked at Grandmother.
"Who is he?"
Grandmother answered quietly.
"His name is Malachai."
The name seemed to make the water itself tremble.
"He was the first ruler of the deep."
I looked at the creature again.
"Then why did everyone say Azrael was the ruler?"
"Because Malachai disappeared."
I looked at Azrael.
"You knew he was alive?"
Azrael didn't answer.
"Azrael!"
He finally looked at me.
"I thought he was dead."
"You lied."
"I was trying to protect you."
I laughed bitterly.
"Everyone keeps saying that."
Marina stepped closer.
"Bjei…"
"No."
I pulled away.
"Everyone has protected me with lies."
The creature called Malachai stretched his hand toward me.
"Come to me, daughter."
Shawshank tightened his grip on my hand.
"She isn't going anywhere."
Malachai's eyes darkened.
"You dare stand between me and my daughter?"
"I will."
"Even if it costs you your life?"
Shawshank didn't hesitate.
"Yes."
I looked at him.
"Shawshank…"
He turned toward me.
"I meant what I said."
"What?"
"I choose you."
Before I could answer, Malachai roared.
The entire kingdom shook.
Shawshank fell to his knees.
I caught him.
"Are you okay?"
His face was pale.
"I don't know."
Malachai looked at him.
"Your blood remembers me."
Suddenly, Shawshank's golden mark appeared.
It was identical to mine.
I stared at it.
"What is happening?"
Elara whispered,
"The bloodline is awakening."
"What bloodline?"
She looked at both of us.
"Yours and his."
I stepped backward.
"No."
Elara shook her head.
"Not the way you're thinking."
She looked at Malachai.
"Malachai's blood created the first magical bond beneath the sea. Shawshank inherited that power through his family."
I looked at my own mark.
"And me?"
"You carry Marina's sea soul, Azrael's ancient bloodline, and the first keeper's power."
I swallowed.
"So I'm connected to all of them."
"Yes."
Malachai suddenly smiled.
"That is why you are stronger than every ruler who came before you."
The queen stepped forward.
"She is not your daughter."
Malachai looked at her.
"You know the truth."
The queen's face tightened.
"You don't deserve her."
"And you do?"
She raised her hand.
Darkness exploded across the kingdom.
Malachai roared and pushed it back.
The collision sent a shockwave through the water.
I was thrown backward.
Shawshank caught me.
"Bjei!"
I looked at him.
"I'm okay."
Then I heard a whisper.
Not from the queen.
Not from Malachai.
From my own mind.
Open the gate completely.
I froze.
The golden mark began glowing.
Shawshank noticed.
"What's wrong?"
"I can hear something."
"What?"
I looked at the gate.
"It wants me to open it."
Marina's face went pale.
"No."
"Why?"
"Because once you open it completely, nothing will be able to close it again."
I looked at the queen.
She was watching me carefully.
Then I looked at Malachai.
He wasn't afraid.
He was waiting.
I finally understood.
Everyone wanted me to open the gate.
The queen.
Malachai.
Azrael.
Even the sea itself.
But nobody had asked what I wanted.
I stepped forward.
"I won't open it."
The entire kingdom went silent.
Malachai stared at me.
The queen smiled.
"You're finally learning."
I turned toward her.
"What?"
She whispered,
"Never trust anyone who tells you that you were born for a purpose."
My heart stopped.
For once, the queen wasn't threatening me.
She was warning me.
Then Malachai's enormous hand reached through the gate.
And behind him, something much darker moved.
The queen looked terrified.
"Bjei…"
I turned.
She whispered:
"Run."