The King's eyes widened, and the surrounding water rippled violently as his trident hovered over the slick eel. His deep voice, thunderous with disbelief, cracked through the chamber.

  "You gave away something so sacred... to this?"

  Shui Yi's chest tightened, and her breath caught in her throat. She had never seen him so furious. His regal form towered over the eel, his power churning like a cyclone rising, creating waves that splashed against the corals. His gaze locked onto the eel, burning with scorn.

  "What is wrong with you, Shui Yi? Why would you give anything to a mere eel, a creature of the shallows!" His voice cut through the chamber like a vortex.

  Her heart ached with each word, a heavy weight pressing against her chest. The sting of his disappointment washed over her, harsh and unforgiving. She wanted to defend herself, to explain, but her voice trembled and faltered, trapped by the crushing force of his anger.

  "Father, it wasn't..." She reached out, her voice barely a whisper, trembling with fear, "I didn't know who he was..."

  "You didn't know?" His roar surged the whirlpool around him.

  She choked on her words, suffocating as she backed away, trying to steady herself. "He wasn't breathing... I just wanted to help..."

  "Help?!" The torrents began to churn around him, turning into violent waves. "You gave your life force to an eel?! I don't care if it wasn't breathing. You're worth so much more than this critter—your sacred pearl, your essence—everything you are, tied to this disgusting beast."

  "I swear, Father. It was an accident. I didn't know how it happened."

  "Enough!" His voice thundered. The sand beneath them quaked with the force of his agitation, sending ripples through the sand.

  "How could you be so foolish?"

  She froze, paralyzed by the flurry of her father's outrage. His disappointment smothered her, and she shrank, feeling like a tiny sea urchin. The surges around them mirrored his frenzy, rising and falling in turbulent waves that crashed against her.

  "Father, please," she whispered, her voice barely audible as the ocean pressed against her like a heavy burden. "I swear by the sea, it wasn't intentional..."

  The King's turmoil reached its breaking point. With a violent snap, he raised his hand, a shockwave erupted, and a hurricane surged violently to a maelstrom. The eel, caught in the overwhelming force, was sent skidding across the floor, sliding helplessly.

  Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

  ***

  As the trident rose, her heart pounded, her fear matching the rise of the violent deluge. The princess braced herself for the full brunt of her father's ire. But there was a subtle change—a quiet presence that steadied her faltering breath.

  Her voice cracked, each plea sinking into the depths of her shame, but no words could mend the rift between her and her father. She opened her mouth to speak again but faltered. The water around them churned like her thoughts—turbulent, uncertain. Just as she braced herself for what might come next—

  Long Fei imperceptibly flicked his tail, which shifted the currents around them. As the eel slid across the floor, he positioned himself between the princess and the gale of the monarch's outburst, offering a silent promise of protection.

  ***

  Shui Yi gasped, her heart pounding as she reached toward her father. "Father, please… I didn't mean to… Please, listen to me. I didn't—"

  His eyes no longer filled with the gentle wisdom that had once guided her; consumed by the violent storm of his nature. The sea surged around him, a tempest, reflecting his temper. The walls ripple with his anger, the sand beneath them shifting from his wrath.

  "An eel!" He boomed, rattling the corals of the chamber. "For Ocean's sake! This creature stole from you."

  His hand tightened around his weapon, and the waters hissed in warning. His tail whipped through the chamber, sending out ripples with a mighty outcry. He darted toward the eel, his trident cutting through the bubbles. The gushes around his spear began to crackle with dark energy, swirling forcefully, discoloring the surroundings.

  "Father, no!" Shui Yi cried, her voice desperate, as she reached out to him. "Please, stop! He's not what you think—he's not—"

  But her words were lost in the roar of the storm he had become. In that instant, she could see it in his eyes—his disappointment, his disbelief, as the churning waves beneath them rose to a violent crescendo, matching the tumult within him.

  "Begone!" He bellowed as he thrust his trident forward.

  ***

  Before the trident could strike, Shui Yi flung herself forward, placing herself between the King and the eel. Her arms spread wide, desperate to shield the creature from her father's wrath.

  The King's eyes widened in shock. He was forced to pivot his weapon at the last moment. It sliced through the roof above them with a deafening crack, sending debris tumbling in a torrential cascade.

  His towering form immediately moved to shield his daughter, raising his trident to clear the falling debris.

  One jagged shard struck his head, and blood trickled down his brow. But without hesitation, he used his trident to push the debris aside, clearing the path. Then, swiftly, he carried her to safety and leaned her against the coral.

  "Stay still," he commanded, his voice low and strained.

  She nodded, stricken with guilt. She had acted recklessly—she had injured her father.

  ***

  Confident that his daughter would not intervene, the King glared at the eel, his eyes burning with a cold wrath that intensified by her impulsive act. Her reckless interference had already sent tides of frustration crashing through him, the sight of the creature before him—supernaturally tethered to his daughter had stripped away all his patience.

  With a sharp exhale, he clenched his fists, his grip tightening around the handle of his trident. His fury manifested a storm, swirling and churning violently around him. His blood boiled with the intensity of his anger, and the tide recoiled at his ire.

  His muscles tightened as he drew back his trident, every fiber of his coiled like a weapon. Then, with a roar that echoed through the depths, the trident shot forward, a strike of fury.