The King called an emergency meeting after the earthquake, as the royal palace remained largely unaffected. The council chamber of Aetheroceanis, carved from gleaming coral and studded with pearls, was filled with an undercurrent of tension. King Maelis sat at the head, his expression grave, flanked by his children, Princess Aquifera and Princes Tritonis and Thassasalin. The iridescent scales of the mermaid royalty flashed in the dimly lit room as they settled around the long table. Lord Euphirius, the Supreme Chancellor, sat nearby, his usually serene demeanour marred by a furrowed brow.
Aquifera's usually serene and playful expression was marred by a deep frown as she addressed the council. "Lustridime has crossed the line," Aquifera said, her voice steady but sharp. "The attacks on our
