I’m lucky to have been born into Thalassinia. I only hope I can help Trigonum in some small way and that I can convince them to help us in return.

The guards stop in front of an open doorway and gesture us inside. There, at the head of a long black table, sits King Bostrych. When he sees me enter, his round, bearded face cracks into a broad smile.

He has always reminded me of an old-time sea pirate. Tall and broad, with a round face and a big, bushy black beard. But always with a ready smile.

Several other members of his household, his family and maybe some key staff, are seated around the table.

“Oho, Princess Waterlily, Prince Tellin,” he calls out with a laugh. “Please, come in and join us. The feast is just about to begin.”

As if on cue, a trio of wait staff swims in with big dome-covered trays. They each take a position at the table and, in perfect synchronization, set down their trays and pull off the domes with a flourish.

Each tray is filled with a bounty of fruits and vegetables, both sea grown and from land trading.

I sense my guards staring eagerly at the offering. They are probably starving after the trip to Seaview and then the swim here. As much as I don’t want to impose, it’s lucky we arrived at dinnertime.

“Thank you, King Bostrych,” I say, smiling and nodding. “We appreciate your generosity.”

“Posh,” he says, waving off my gratitude. “I doubt you swam all this way for dinner service. Come, sit at my side and let us discuss your purpose here.”

Peri stays next to me as the Thalassinian and Acroporan guards take some of the open seats and quickly dig into the fresh feast before them. I nod at Peri, indicating she should join in as well—she must be just as hungry as the guards. But she shakes her head and comes with me as I swim nervously to the head of the table and take the seat to Bostrych’s right. Tellin takes the seat to his left.

“Don’t be nervous, Princess,” he says as I sink into the chair. “I won’t be holding the events of the council meeting against you. Say your piece, and I will listen with an open mind.”

I take a deep breath, clasp my hands tightly together in my lap, and begin.

“As you know, King Bostrych, I am concerned about the effects of ocean warming on the people and the kingdom of Acropora.”

He nods at Tellin and then reaches out to grab a handful of sea grapes. “Made that clear at the council.”

Tellin blushes, and I’m pretty sure I turn bright red too.

King Bostrych pops a sea grape into his mouth and bites down. I take it as a good sign that he’s still smiling and hasn’t ordered me out of the room.

“Yes, well, after that meeting I realized that the problem is much bigger than Acropora.” I fidget with the hem of my tank top. “The environmental issues are affecting all the mer kingdoms in different ways.”

“True enough,” he says after swallowing the sea grape. “We have our own problems here, to be sure.”

“I know,” I say, jumping on the opportunity to use some of the facts Peri told me earlier. “You have beach erosion and commercial fishing and oil and gas deposits that humans are just waiting to drill.”

“You’ve done your research, then?”

My cheeks burn. I won’t take credit for Peri’s work. “I’ve had help, your highness.”

“That’s all well and good,” he says, pulling a big fat eggplant onto his plate. “But that still don’t explain why you’re here.”

I reach behind me, holding out my hand, and smile when I feel the waxy curl of kelpaper.

“I’m here for two reasons, your highness,” I say, setting the survey and the petition Peri just handed me onto the table. “First, I want to create a detailed list of all the environmental challenges facing Trigonum.”

“Have you got a year?” King Bostrych asks with a humorless laugh.

“I know, it’s a lot,” I say. “But we can’t start to fix the problems until we know what they are.”

“I suspect that’s fair to say.” He pops another sea grape into his mouth and nods. “What’s the second reason?”

“We want to form an alliance,” Tellin explains.

My hands shake as I spread the papers on the table to reveal the petition. “An interkingdom commission on environmental concerns.”

King Bostrych looks downs at the papers with curiosity.

“What does this commission entail?” He looks up at me, and I see wariness in his dark-gray eyes. “Trigonum ain’t the richest kingdom in the sea. We don’t have sacks of treasure to throw around—”

“Oh no, no, no,” I interrupt. It’s rude, but I don’t want him to think I want money from him. “For today, all we want is your pledge of support. For you to say that you’re concerned about what’s happening in the oceans—in your kingdom and in others—and that you’re interested in figuring out a way to change things. Together.”

I hand him the petition so he can read the pledge for himself. Shannen helped me with the wording, so I know it sounds impressive.

“And after today?” he asks. “Signing a paper won’t do a lick to clear the pollution from our waters.”

“No, your highness, it won’t,” I reply.

“This is only the first step,” Tellin explains. “Once the commission is in place, it will become active. Part of its purpose will be to organize relief efforts. Then we get a protocol in place to call for aid from all the kingdoms of the Western Atlantic when disaster strikes, so that help comes faster and from more sources.”