One moment, her laughter echoed through the coral arches of the mermaid kingdom as she raced through the labyrinthine tunnels with the young girl. And now she's surrounded by strangers, and they don't look too kind. Diana's heart raced as the masked shark folk closed in around her, their movements fluid and predatory. One moved to the front of the group, his posture menacing.
"Are you Diana?" he asked, his voice cold and commanding, revealing a dialect she wasn't familiar with.
Diana narrowed her eyes, trying to maintain her composure despite the fear that gripped her. "Depends on who's doin' the askin'," she replied, her voice wavering slightly. Her fingers itched to scratch at her throat, the ringing in her ears growing louder. The pain made her head feel like it was filled with cotton
