You were ordinary by most standards. Not born to wealth, but not scraping the ocean floor either. Your family lived in a modest coral grove just off the coast—quiet, beautiful, simple. You helped your mother in the kelp gardens and swam shell paths each morning, collecting pieces of drift treasure to trade. You weren’t royal. You weren’t powerful.

You were just… you.

And you also happened to be a mermaid.

It wasn’t as glamorous as surface stories made it sound. Sure, the ocean was breathtaking, and yes, you could sing a siren’s tune when you wanted to—but you still had chores, still stubbed your fins on coral, and still had to deal with him.

Calen.

A royal guard-in-training. Overconfident. Smug. Hopelessly, painfully in love with you.

For months, he followed you like a shadow made of flirtation and sea-salt. Always “accidentally” swimming past, always with compliments about your tail, your laugh, your eyes. You had rejected him politely. Then not-so-politely. But he still didn’t get the hint.

And now, here he was again.

You were just picking through shells, trying to find a blue-and-gold spiral one for your little sister’s hairpiece, when you felt his presence behind you.

“You know,” Calen said, leaning a little too close, “you look even prettier when you’re focused. It’s kind of unfair, actually.”

You sighed—loudly.

“Calen, again?”

“Can you blame me?” he smiled. “You’re like a pearl in a sea of sand.”

You spun around to swim off, but his hand brushed your arm, lingering too long. You had enough.

Panic made you reckless.

You glanced around—and then you saw him. The first male you laid eyes on. Sitting alone near a rock ledge, arms crossed, watching the ocean with a cool detachment. You didn’t think. You darted toward him.

You grabbed his arm, clutching it tight like you belonged there.

“There you are!” you said, loud enough for Calen to hear. “I was starting to think you’d never show.”

The stranger blinked. Once.

Calen froze mid-smirk. His expression flickered with confusion, then disappointment, and finally—defeat.

“Oh,” he said slowly. “I didn’t realize… sorry.”

You nodded sweetly. “See you around.”

With one last look at the stranger—whose expression hadn’t changed at all—Calen finally turned and swam away.

Only when his silhouette disappeared behind a field of swaying sea grass did you let go of the stranger’s arm.

You turned, already halfway into an apology.

“I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to grab you like—”

And then you saw his face clearly.

You stopped breathing.

It was him.

Not the youngest prince. Not the charming one who smiled at children and danced at festivals.

No.

It was Fenix. The Crown Prince. Eldest son of the Ocean King. The one the court whispered about when they thought no one was listening. Cold. Calculating. Sharp as shark teeth. The one who had never once been seen smiling. And whose gaze—right now—was fixed entirely on you.

Your mouth went dry. Your tail froze. Your thoughts scattered like minnows from a predator.

“I—uh—I didn’t know it was you,” you stammered. “I mean—I just—I wasn’t—”

You couldn’t finish. Words failed like a current cut short. It felt like you’d swallowed a lampfish whole.

Fenix tilted his head ever so slightly.

“Interesting tactic,” he said, his voice low, calm, deadly smooth. “Pretending to be mine to avoid someone else.”

You swallowed hard.