The hand remained there.
Still.
Pale.
Covered in tiny golden markings.
And on the finger was a ring I had seen before.
Angela's ring.
My eyes widened.
"Mom…"
Angela stepped backward.
The woman behind the gate laughed softly.
"You recognize it."
I looked at Angela.
"You gave her that ring?"
Angela shook her head.
"No."
The voice behind the gate answered.
"She gave it to me."
The gate opened another inch.
A woman slowly stepped through.
Her long silver hair floated around her face.
A golden crown rested on her head.
Her eyes were the same deep blue as mine.
I couldn't move.
She looked at me.
Not at my crown.
Not at my power.
At me.
"My little girl."
My heart slammed against my chest.
"Who are you?"
She smiled sadly.
"I am Seraphina."
Marina gasped.
"No."
Azrael lowered his weapon.
"Seraphina…"
Shawshank moved closer to me.
"Who is she?"
Nobody answered.
Seraphina looked at Angela.
"You promised me."
Angela began crying.
"I tried."
"You promised you would protect both of them."
Both.
My mind caught on the word.
"Both?"
Seraphina looked at me.
"Yes."
I felt dizzy.
"Who is the other?"
Seraphina's expression changed.
"My first daughter."
I stared at her.
"Then what am I?"
She stepped closer.
"My second."
Silence.
I looked at Angela.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
Angela covered her mouth.
"I was afraid."
"Of what?"
"That if you remembered who you were, the sea would find you."
Seraphina reached through the gate.
"But it found you anyway."
I stepped backward.
"No."
Seraphina frowned.
"You don't believe me."
"I don't know what to believe anymore!"
My voice echoed through the kingdom.
"Every time I learn something, another secret appears!"
Shawshank touched my shoulder.
"Bjei…"
I pulled away.
"I thought Marina was my mother."
"She is," Seraphina said.
I turned toward her.
"What?"
Seraphina nodded.
"Marina gave birth to you."
Marina's eyes filled with tears.
"But your soul carries the bloodline of my kingdom."
I stared at her.
"So you're not my biological mother?"
"No."
"Then why do you call me your daughter?"
Seraphina smiled sadly.
"Because I was the first guardian assigned to protect your soul."
The words confused me.
Shawshank suddenly looked at Azrael.
"You knew all of this?"
Azrael didn't answer.
Shawshank's expression hardened.
"You knew."
Azrael sighed.
"I knew enough."
Shawshank stepped toward him.
"You let us believe Bjei was connected to all these ancient creatures without telling us the truth."
"I was trying to keep her alive."
"By lying?"
"Yes."
Shawshank's voice cracked.
"You've been lying my entire life."
Azrael looked at his son.
"I lost people because I told the truth too late."
"And now you're doing it again."
Before Azrael could respond, the sea suddenly became violent.
Seraphina turned toward the darkness behind the gate.
"No."
"What is it?" I asked.
She looked frightened.
"The creature is awake."
The gate began shaking.
A deep roar echoed from behind it.
Seraphina grabbed my hand.
"We have to leave."
"Where?"
"Your world."
I stared at her.
"My world?"
"The land."
Shawshank stepped forward.
"Why?"
Seraphina looked at him.
"Because the boundary is already breaking."
Another crack appeared.
Then another.
The underwater kingdom began collapsing around us.
Buildings shook.
Glass windows shattered.
Creatures fled through the streets.
Marina shouted,
"Everyone to the eastern passage!"
Angela grabbed my hand.
I looked at her.
"Mom."
She stopped.
"I still love you."
Her face crumbled.
"I love you too."
"But when this is over…"
I swallowed.
"…you're telling me everything."
She nodded.
"Everything."
I turned toward Shawshank.
He was watching me.
"Are you coming?"
He smiled.
"Wherever you go."
I reached for his hand.
Our fingers intertwined.
Then Seraphina looked at us.
Her expression suddenly became serious.
"There's one thing you don't know."
I sighed.
"Of course."
She pointed toward Shawshank.
"He cannot cross the boundary with you."
My smile disappeared.
"Why?"
"Because he isn't completely human."
I looked at Shawshank.
He looked confused.
"What does that mean?"
Seraphina whispered,
"Shawshank was born beneath the sea."
"I know."
"No."
She shook her head.
"You don't understand."
The golden markings on Shawshank's body began glowing.
Seraphina continued.
"He wasn't only born beneath the sea."
She looked at me.
"He was created to guard the boundary."
My heart dropped.
"And if he crosses it?"
Seraphina's eyes filled with sorrow.
"He may never be able to return."
Shawshank looked at me.
I looked back at him.
Neither of us spoke.
Then the gate exploded.
A wave of darkness rushed toward us.
And from inside it came the creature's voice.
"Take him to the land, Bjei."
A pause.
"That's exactly where I want you both."
My blood ran cold.
Because suddenly I understood.
The creature wasn't trying to stop us.
It wanted us to escape.