THE RETURN OF THE WATER GODDESS

CHAPTER 4 THE FORBIDDEN CHAMBER

Seraphina woke to the sound of waves.

Slow.

Steady.

Almost peaceful.

For a moment, she forgot where she was.

Then she remembered.

The palace.

The storm.

The strange messages written in water.

The painting.

Adrian.

And the man beneath the sea.

Cassian.

Her eyes opened.

She was lying in a bed she didn't recognize.

Adrian sat in a chair beside the window.

He looked exhausted.

"You've been unconscious for hours," he said.

Seraphina immediately sat up.

"What happened?"

"You collapsed."

"After I saw him."

Adrian's expression changed.

"Cassian."

Seraphina nodded.

"You know who he is."

"I know what my father told me."

"Which is?"

Adrian stood.

"That Cassian was the last Water King."

Seraphina stared at him.

"My father."

Adrian nodded slowly.

"But there's something else."

"What?"

"He wasn't supposed to be alive."

A strange silence filled the room.

Seraphina looked toward the window.

The ocean was calm.

Too calm.

"If he's alive," she whispered, "why was I told he was dead?"

Adrian didn't answer.

Seraphina looked back at him.

"Because someone wanted me to believe it."

"Probably."

"Who?"

"I don't know."

She studied his face.

"You're keeping something from me."

Adrian looked away.

"So are you."

"I don't remember my past."

"I know."

"Then what am I hiding?"

Adrian looked directly into her eyes.

"Your dreams."

Seraphina's breath caught.

"How do you know about them?"

"I've seen them too."

Neither spoke.

Then Adrian slowly held out his hand.

A faint mark appeared on his palm.

The same symbol Seraphina had seen on herself.

She stared.

"Where did you get that?"

"It appeared after I saw your name on my window."

Seraphina's expression changed.

"My name?"

"Yes."

"When?"

"The night you arrived."

She stepped closer.

"What did it say?"

Adrian hesitated.

"Seraphina."

Her heart began pounding.

"And then?"

"Nothing."

"You know that's not true."

Adrian's jaw tightened.

"There was another message."

"What?"

He looked at her.

"Before he finds you."

Seraphina went still.

"Who?"

"I don't know."

A sudden knock interrupted them.

Captain Elias entered.

"Your Highness."

Adrian turned.

"What happened?"

"The king wants to see you."

"Why?"

The captain looked at Seraphina.

"He says she must leave the palace immediately."

Adrian frowned.

"Why?"

"He wouldn't explain."

Seraphina stood.

"Then I'll ask him myself."

King Alaric was waiting in the throne room.

His expression was cold.

Seraphina walked toward him.

"You want me gone."

The king didn't deny it.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because you're dangerous."

Seraphina laughed bitterly.

"I don't even know who I am."

"That is exactly the problem."

Adrian stepped forward.

"Father."

The king raised his hand.

"Do not interfere."

Seraphina looked at him.

"You know who I am."

The king's silence was enough.

"Tell me."

"No."

"Why?"

"Because the truth will destroy you."

Seraphina's eyes narrowed.

"Maybe I deserve to know."

The king stood.

"You deserve to live."

Something about the way he said it made Seraphina uneasy.

"Who was Cassian?"

The king froze.

Adrian watched him carefully.

"Where did you hear that name?"

"You know where."

The king looked toward the guards.

"Leave us."

Everyone exited except Adrian.

The doors closed.

The king lowered his voice.

"Cassian was not simply your father."

Seraphina waited.

"He was the ruler of the underwater kingdom."

Seraphina's heart pounded.

"And?"

"He was betrayed."

"By whom?"

The king looked at Adrian.

Adrian stiffened.

Seraphina followed his gaze.

"By whom?"

The king said nothing.

Seraphina's eyes widened.

"You think Adrian betrayed him?"

"No."

The king's voice was almost a whisper.

"I think Adrian's bloodline was responsible."

That night, Seraphina couldn't sleep.

She kept thinking about the king's words.

Adrian's bloodline was responsible.

She didn't know what that meant.

But she knew something had happened between their families.

Something terrible.

She walked through the palace corridors.

She didn't know where she was going.

Yet her feet seemed to know.

She stopped before an enormous painting.

A woman stood beside a waterfall.

The same woman from the library.

Her.

Seraphina touched the painting.

The wall suddenly became cold.

A whisper came from behind it.

"Seraphina."

She stepped backward.

The painting moved.

A hidden doorway opened.

Darkness waited beyond it.

She should have called for the guards.

Instead, she entered.

The passage descended beneath the palace.

The walls were covered in strange symbols.

Some looked familiar.

Others made her skin crawl.

She reached the bottom.

There was a door.

Unlike the others, this one was covered in water.

Seraphina touched it.

The water moved away from her hand.

The door opened.

Inside was a circular chamber.

At the center stood a stone altar.

And on the altar was a crown.

A crown made entirely of pearls.

Seraphina stared.

She knew that crown.

She had worn it before.

A memory suddenly appeared.

She was standing before thousands of people.

They were kneeling.

Someone placed the crown on her head.

Then a voice said:

"Your Majesty, the sea belongs to you."

Seraphina gasped.

She touched her head.

"Who am I?"

The answer came from behind her.

"You already know."

She turned.

Adrian stood in the doorway.

"You followed me."

"I was looking for you."

"How did you find this place?"

"I didn't."

He stepped inside.

"The palace led me here."

Seraphina stared at him.

"What does that mean?"

Adrian looked at the crown.

"I don't know."

He walked closer.

The crown began glowing.

Then something impossible happened.

The pearls changed color.

White became silver.

Silver became blue.

And then the crown lifted itself into the air.

Seraphina stepped backward.

The crown floated toward her.

Adrian reached for her.

"Don't touch it."

But it was too late.

The crown landed gently on Seraphina's head.

The chamber exploded with light.

Seraphina screamed.

She wasn't in the chamber anymore.

She was underwater.

But she could breathe.

Around her stood an enormous city.

Palaces made of crystal rose from the ocean floor.

Thousands of people moved through the streets.

And every single one stopped when they saw her.

They bowed.

"Queen Seraphina."

She turned.

A man approached.

He wore a silver crown.

His eyes were the same strange blue as hers.

"Cassian."

Her father smiled.

"You finally came home."

Seraphina couldn't move.

"But you're dead."

Cassian's smile disappeared.

"Who told you that?"

"The humans."

"Never trust them."

A shadow appeared behind him.

Cassian looked frightened.

"Listen to me carefully."

"What?"

"You were not killed."

Seraphina stared.

"You were hidden."

"Why?"

"Because someone wanted your power."

"Who?"

Cassian looked behind her.

His expression changed.

"He's coming."

"Who?"

Cassian reached toward her.

"Your husband."

Seraphina froze.

"My what?"

A voice echoed through the underwater palace.

"Seraphina."

She turned.

Adrian was standing behind her.

But he wasn't the Adrian she knew.

He wore a silver crown.

His clothes were covered in blood.

And he was holding a sword.

Seraphina's heart broke.

"No."

Adrian walked toward her.

Cassian shouted:

"Run!"

The vision shattered.

Seraphina woke on the floor.

Adrian was kneeling beside her.

"Seraphina!"

She pushed him away.

"Don't touch me!"

Adrian froze.

She stared at him.

"You were there."

"In the vision."

He didn't answer.

"You were wearing a crown."

Silence.

"You had blood on your hands."

Adrian's face went pale.

"I've seen it too."

Seraphina's voice trembled.

"You killed me."

"I don't remember."

"You killed me!"

"I don't remember!"

Their voices echoed through the chamber.

Then the crown fell from Seraphina's head.

A c***k appeared across the floor.

Both of them looked down.

Water began pouring through it.

Adrian drew his sword.

"Get behind me."

Seraphina didn't move.

The water rose.

Higher.

Higher.

Then something emerged.

A hand.

Pale.

Covered in ancient markings.

It gripped the edge of the stone floor.

Adrian raised his sword.

A man's voice came from beneath them.

"Don't."

Adrian froze.

The voice continued.

"I have no desire to hurt my daughter."

Seraphina stopped breathing.

The hand disappeared.

The water began retreating.

But before it vanished completely, a face appeared beneath the surface.

Silver eyes.

A familiar scar.

Cassian.

He looked directly at Seraphina.

"Come home."

Then the water disappeared.

Seraphina stood frozen.

Adrian slowly lowered his sword.

Neither of them spoke.

Because they both understood the same terrifying truth.

Cassian wasn't coming for the kingdom.

He was coming for his daughter.

And somewhere beneath the palace, something else was waking with him.

Something that had been waiting for a thousand years.

Something that knew exactly who Adrian really was.

And it had just learned that Seraphina remembered.