“We’ve got to get out of here,” Galen says, pulling and testing the chains above his head. “We’ve got to find Emma before he does.”

Reed shakes his head. “The chains are bolted in, man. I sat here and watched him drill it myself. The wood’s not rotten enough to give.”

Galen beats his head against the wall. “We can’t stay here. I can’t stay here.”

“What, but I can just put on some sunscreen and relax?” Reed spits. “That’s grand of you.”

“You don’t understand,” Galen starts. Then he tilts his head. “Or maybe you do understand. Maybe you know everything. You are Reder’s son, after all.”

“Oh, geez, let’s just be as indirect as possible. Yes, I know, okay? I know he wanted Emma to help unite Neptune with the underwater kingdoms. And I don’t expect a Royal like you to understand. And for the record, Emma knows that I know. Everyone knows. So you don’t have to worry about bringing that up when you try to drag my name through the mud.”

Galen scrutinizes Reed’s face, looking for any morsel of a lie. He finds none. He decides to push further. If Reder wants to unite Neptune with the underwater kingdoms, then what does Tyrden want? “You’re telling me you didn’t know your father held me prisoner?”

“You said Tyrden did that to you.”

“He was acting on orders from your father.”

At this, Reed laughs. “My father would never trust Tyrden with any kind of orders. That guy’s crazy as a raccoon in daylight.”

Tell me about it. “What do you mean?”

“Did Tyrden happen to tell you that he used to be the leader of Neptune? That the citizens voted him out in favor of my dad?”

No, but he did tell me democracy wasn’t working lately. And that Reder wasn’t as good a leader as everyone thinks he is. The whole pictures paints itself in Galen’s head. “Why did they vote him out?”

Reed shrugs. “It was before I was born. All Dad will say is that he was more like a dictator than an elected leader. I’ve heard some people call him cruel.”

Sounds about right. “Why didn’t your father force him to leave?”

“You can’t force someone to leave just because they have a personality disorder. We have to abide by human laws on land, remember?”

A shame, to be sure. “Tyrden wanted me to call my brother. He wanted me to get Grom to attack Neptune. To tell him that Reder was holding me and Emma as hostages.”

Reed licks his lips. “Did you do it?”

“Of course not.” Galen rolls his eyes. “He wants your father dead.”

“We’ve got to get out of here, Galen. We have to warn my dad.”

“I left a message with my brother. I told him not to come to Neptune.”

“Oh, well that’s nice. We should just stay here then. Do you mind passing the cookies?”

Galen grins. Finally, they have something in common with each other—the urgent need to get back to Neptune.

A problem that leaves them both speechless. Both of them survey the room, as if in a contest to see who can come up with the best escape plan first. In all truthfulness, Galen has nothing. Mr. Kennedy had been very thorough in selecting strong chains and bolts for his prisoners. So thorough that none of this could have been chance.

His presence in Neptune.

The trap in the river.

The obviously predetermined location to house his victims.

Not a plant or flower in sight.

If Mr. Kennedy is a botanist, Galen is Triton himself.

Which wouldn’t help him escape anyway.

“I have an idea,” Reed says, his features brightened by what Galen recognizes as naive hope. “Is it true that you have the Gift of Triton?”

Galen blinks.

“Oh, don’t be shy about it now.” Reed rolls his eyes. “Emma swore me to secrecy. And anyway, we need to combine our skills to get out of here, don’t you think?”

Jealousy seeps through Galen’s veins, burning every part of him like the venom of a scorpion fish. Every second Galen has spent away from Emma, every inch apart they’ve been, Reed has filled in with his own presence. His questions. His flirty smiles.

Galen pushes the thought aside. “Oh? Why don’t you use your gift to send a few fish to untie us then?”

Reed bangs his head against the wood behind him. “What is your deal, man? Don’t you want to get out of here?”

Galen pulls his knees up to his chest, as if they can protect his heart in some way against what he’s about to say. “Tyrden showed me pictures of you. With Emma,” he chokes out. The words feel like tiny sharp fish bones in his throat. This isn’t the time to confront Reed and he knows it. But what if I never get another chance?

Reed stiffens. “What? How?”

“It didn’t look like you cared much about privacy.” In all honesty, it would be hard to convince Galen that Reed didn’t actually pose for the camera. “You’re saying you didn’t know?”

“Of course I didn’t know!”

“How could he get that close without you noticing him?”

Reed shakes his head, looking every bit as confused as Galen feels. “I never noticed Tyrden. He must have someone else working with him. Someone who could get close to me and Emma without setting off any alarms.”

Galen concedes with a half nod. Or you’re an idiot. “Yes, there were others at first. He wasn’t the one who actually took me. There were men with trucks. Full-blooded Syrena. When I woke up, I was with Tyrden.”