Just for Fins Read Online Free PDF Page B

speaking, everything Daddy told me about making a presentation to the council, everything Quince said to help me relax, knots up in my chest, and I start to feel like I might faint.
    I’ve never thought of myself as a coward—except where my crush on Brody was concerned, though that seems like a silly thing now—but I really don’t think I can do this. My muscles tense, and I’m ready to bolt for the door, when I feel a pressure on my wrist. I look down to see Tellin’s red-freckled fingers slip over mine.
    I stare at our hands, and it’s like a wave of calm washes up and over me. Instantly, my heart rate slows, and I can practically feel the adrenaline in my bloodstream oozing away.
    I look up at him, startled.
    He smiles, his eyes steady and reassuring, and I feel it. It’s like his calm certainty becomes mine.
    The bond. I smile back. I really needed this right now.
    Taking control of my emotions, I look up and face some of the most powerful merfolk in the seven seas. I suck in a deep breath, prepare the words in my mind, and open my mouth to speak.
    â€œWel—”
    â€œWhat in all the oceans is this about?”
    Everyone turns to look at the door, where Queen Dumontia—in all her icy-blue glory—is sweeping into the room like a wave into a tide pool. Her long, beautiful hair swirls around her, creating an aura of silvery white. The look on her face is as stark as the arctic world she rules. Stony and cold.
    My stomach backflips.
    â€œQueen Dumontia of Glacialis,” Mangrove calls out belatedly, his voice quivering.
    She tosses a dark look in his direction, and he quickly backs out of the chamber.
    â€œYou are right on time, Queen Dumontia,” I say, trying to keep the fear out of my suddenly tight voice. “We were just about to begin.”
    She washes her gaze over the room, maybe to find an empty seat for herself and her bodyguards, or maybe to give everyone a nasty look. When she spots a vacant chair between King Zostero of Desfleurelle and one of Queen Cypraea’s advisers, she swims over the entire table to get there.
    As she settles into her seat—the bodyguards taking their places behind her, in very military-looking stances—she mutters, “I can’t believe we had to answer the request of a mere child. Again.” She cuts a look at King Zostero. “Probably as much a waste of time as the one your brat called.”
    The silence of the room only makes her comments resonate more.
    In that moment, as scared as I am, I am also annoyed. I am not a child. I am a crown princess. It is my right—and my duty, in this instance—to call a council of kings and queens.
    If she doesn’t like it, then she can just deal.
    I clear my throat, drawing back the attention of the room. Even Dumontia reluctantly turns her gaze on me.
    I avoid that gaze as I begin.
    â€œWelcome, kings and queens of the Western Atlantic,” I say, maintaining my calm even as Tellin pulls his hand away. “Thank you for coming all the way to Thalassinia. I have called you here today to request your help. One of our sister kingdoms is in trouble”—I glance at Tellin and find him looking solemn and concerned—“but together I know we can help. Crown Prince Tellin of Acropora will tell you more about the problem.”
    I float back a bit to let Tellin share his part. I watch the gathered assembly as he talks about the dying ecosystem, the mass emigrations, and the bleak future of his kingdom. My emotions well up, and I expect to see matching tear-glittered eyes in the rest of the room, but I don’t. Everyone is listening attentively—even Dumontia—but they look kind of unaffected.
    Maybe they’ve learned how to mask their emotions better than I have.
    When Tellin finishes his part, I float forward and prepare to make the formal request.
    â€œAs you can imagine, Acropora is in desperate need of our help.” I look