Outside, the sun filtered down through the waves in long, golden ribbons. Clara swam beside her older sister, her voice bubbling over with excitement.
"I can't believe I'm finally going to start training ! I wonder if I'll learn how to summon storms… or maybe shape-shift into a whale ! Or shoot sea-light from my fingers !" Clara spun in the water dramatically, her tail splashing as she laughed. "Imagine me as a whale, Cleo ! I'd be huge !"
Cleo just kept swimming straight ahead, her face unreadable and her eyes fixed on the path. Clara floated closer, refusing to be ignored and bumped her shoulder lightly. "Come on, aren't you even a little excited to train with me e? It'll be like when we were little."
Cleo didn't look at her. "It's not my training. I'm just the escort."
Clara pouted, crossing her arms. "But you'll be there. Doesn't that count for something ? We can make it fun !"
"I'm only here because Father ordered me to be," Cleo said coldly, her voice clipping through the water like a blade.
Clara's smile wavered for a second, a flicker of hurt crossing her face, but she didn't stop. She was determined to crack that icy exterior. "Well, either way, I'm going to make the most of it ! I'm going to be the best student the Crystal Hall has ever seen !"
They turned the corner of a massive coral corridor and spotted Kai ahead, swimming alongside a few royal guards. He stood tall and steady, despite the white bandage wrapped around his broad shoulder. When he saw the sisters, he straightened his posture.
"Princess Cleo," he said with a respectful nod.
Then he turned to Clara and gave a deep, lingering bow. "Your Highness."
Clara's cheeks turned just slightly pink, a warm glow spreading to the tips of her ears, but she smiled brightly. "Good morning, Kai. Are you okay ? You look a bit stiff."
He unwrapped the bandage with a slight wince, revealing a nasty, jagged red cut. "Just a scratch from the rescue. It'll heal in a week or two."
Clara didn't wait. She swam up to him, placing her hand gently over the wound. Her touch was light as a bubble. A soft, soothing blue glow surrounded her fingers and, within seconds, the skin knit back together. The redness faded until the wound vanished completely, leaving his skin smooth and unscarred.
Kai blinked, flexing his shoulder in disbelief. "Wow… thank you. It doesn't hurt at all now."
Clara beamed, her heart racing. "No problem ! You saved the dolphins, remember ? So whoever puts other people first deserves to be healed as well !"
Kai nodded, his eyes lingering on hers. "Where are you both headed ? You look like you're on a mission."
Clara giggled and reached for Cleo's hand. Cleo didn't take it, her fingers remaining stiff, but she didn't pull away or stop her either. "We're going to train together. Just us sisters, some quality royal bonding !"
Cleo rolled her eyes, though the edge in her voice had softened just a tiny bit. "More like dragging me around."
Kai smirked, a playful glint in his eye. "Good luck then. You'll need it with this one."
Clara gave a little wave, feeling bolder. "You're excused, brave soldier. Go rest that shoulder."
Kai bowed, chuckling. "My Princess."
Then he turned and swam away with the guards. Cleo just looked at how her sister smiled foolishly after him and sighed, a long trail of bubbles escaping her lips.
****
The Crystal Hall,
The massive, pearl-encrusted doors to the Crystal Hall slowly opened, revealing a breathtaking chamber carved from shimmering sapphire and opal. Tall crystal spires spiraled from the floor to the ceiling, glowing with rhythmic pulses of ancient magic. The light here was different, purer, like looking through a diamond.
At the center, standing tall and wise with flowing robes of jellyfish silk and long, seaweed-green hair, was Mistress Nerida, the royal mage and elemental master.
She turned as they entered, her eyes reflecting the glowing crystals. "Welcome, Princess Clara. And Princess Cleo."
Clara gasped, her eyes sweeping over the radiant hall. "It's beautiful here ! It feels like the whole room is breathing."
Nerida smiled, her voice like the humming of a shell. "This is where the ocean's magic speaks the loudest. And this…" She waved her hand, and a platform of translucent crystal lifted gently from the floor. "Is where you'll begin."
Cleo floated near the back wall, arms crossed, watching with a board expression.
"Let's begin with something simple," Nerida said. "Shape the water, don't just force it. Feel its flow and let it move through you as if it were your own blood."
"That's easy, I've mastered shaping the water and creating whatever my mind thinks of," Clara hissed under her breath, a bit overconfident, but she still held out her hands.
The water around her rippled, twisted, then bloomed into a large, spinning flower with delicate, watery petals. She concentrated harder, her brow furrowing. She did it again, and the water quickly foamed, swirling into a perfect, miniature likeness of Kai's face. She stared at it for a second, then realized what she'd done.
Clara quickly splashed the water, destroying the image while blushing furiously and slapping her forehead. "Why are you thinking about Kai at a time like this ?" she muttered, her face turning a deep shade of coral.
POOF !
Suddenly, Mini and Pebs popped into the room, somersaulting through the magic-charged water. "Did someone say magic ?" Pebs squeaked, his eyes darting toward the crystals.
"We're here for emotional support and snacks," Mini added, holding a small shell filled with coral popcorn.
Nerida raised a silver brow but smiled. "As long as they don't interrupt the flow of energy…"
"Oh no," Mini said, stuffing his face. "We're excellent distractions, I mean, assistants !"
Clara laughed, her nerves settling and focused again. "Okay, what's next ?"
Nerida waved her hand and the water in front of Clara formed into three swirling, glowing rings. "Try to hold them all at once. Spin them. Do not let them break and do not lose your focus."
Clara raised her hands, her fingers twitching as she grabbed the invisible threads of the current. The rings shimmered and danced.
One… two… Splash !
The third one lost its shape and exploded right in her face, soaking her hair. Pebs laughed, nearly dropping his popcorn. "Ten out of three stars ! Great aim !"
Clara stuck her tongue out and tried again, closing her eyes this time. She felt the weight of the water. This time, she didn't just hold them, she spun the rings around her like hula hoops, floating through them like a playful dolphin. Soon, the entire hall became a playground of shapes and spells.
Clara's confidence soared. She created a massive water dragon that soared through the spires, its scales glistening. Then, she summoned a school of glowing fish that danced in a perfect, synchronized spiral around
Nerida. Finally, she crafted a massive, winding water slide that Mini and Pebs took turns zooming down, their tiny screams of joy echoing through the hall.
Cleo watched from the corner, her arms still folded tightly. But even she couldn't help it, she cracked a small, genuine smile when Mini accidentally launched himself off the slide and landed face-first into a soft jellyfish pillow.
Clara wiped sweat from her forehead, her heart racing from the exertion and floated down to the floor. "Whew… that was amazing. I feel so… full of energy."
Nerida nodded approvingly, her expression becoming serious. "You have a rare gift, Clara. But remember, raw power is like a wild current. If you respect it, it can help you. If you are reckless, it can drown you."
Clara nodded solemnly. "I want to learn to control it. For real. I want to protect the kingdom."
"Then we will train hard. And maybe one day, your magic will be as calm and strong as the sea itself."
Clara turned to Cleo, still catching her breath, her eyes searching her sister's face. "So… what do you think ? Did I do okay ?"
Cleo didn't say much. She pushed off the wall and swam toward the exit, but after a moment, she paused and gave a short nod. "It's a start. Don't let it go to your head."
Clara grinned, her tail swishing happily. "That's basically a compliment ! I'll take it !"