The Deepreef’s walls crumbled as Sophie, Kael, Marin, and a weakened Taryn fled through the tunnel. Sophie’s notebook glowed, its image of a moonlight crown burning in her mind. The sorceress’s words—the curse is mine—chilled her, but Taryn’s redemption gave her hope. Her mark pulsed, and Kael’s hand in hers kept her steady.

“The Tidecrown,” Taryn rasped, leaning on Marin. “It’s in the Starfall Grotto. It controls Thalindra’s tides. The sorceress wants it to finish the curse.”

Marin’s face was grim. “The grotto’s sacred. If she claims the crown, the seas will die.”

Sophie’s stomach twisted. Her stories never had stakes this high, but Kael’s warm grip anchored her. “We’ll stop her,” he said, his eyes fierce. “Right, storyteller?”

She nodded, her heart swelling. His belief in her was everything. They reached the Starfall Grotto, a cavern where glowing algae lit a pool of silver water. A coral pedestal held the Tidecrown—a delicate band of moonlight and pearl, pulsing with power. Sophie’s mark burned, and her notebook opened, showing the crown lifting a tide to the stars.

Lumi glowed brightly. “The crown amplifies your tides, Sophie. But only a true Tidecaller can wield it.”

Before Sophie could approach, the water churned, and the sorceress appeared, her cloak swirling. “The crown is mine,” she hissed, raising a dark wave. Shades surged, and Marin fought them off, Taryn aiding weakly.

Sophie and Kael dove behind the pedestal, their bodies pressed close. His arm wrapped around her, protective and warm, and she felt his breath on her cheek. “We’ve got this,” he whispered, his lips grazing her skin. The touch sent a shiver through her, and she turned, kissing him deeply, her hands gripping his shoulders. The world narrowed to his warmth, his taste, and the promise of them.

“For Thalindra,” she murmured, pulling back, her heart racing.

“For us,” Kael replied, his grin soft.

Sophie stood, weaving a tide that clashed with the sorceress’s. The crown glowed, amplifying her power, but the sorceress laughed, her cloak falling away. Silver hair spilled free, and eyes like shattered moons met Sophie’s—Elara, Moonhaven’s elder. Sophie’s heart stopped. The kind elder who’d welcomed her was the Moonveil Sorceress? Her notebook glowed, showing a tide breaking a false moon. Sophie understood—Elara’s promises had been a lie, twisting Thalindra’s magic for her own ends. The hints had been there—Elara’s intense gaze on her mark, the shadow in her eyes when she spoke of the vault. What did it mean, and could Sophie claim the crown before Elara drowned them all?

Cliffhanger: How is Elara the sorceress, and can Sophie wield the Tidecrown to stop her?

Chapter 9: The Tidecrown’s Secret

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