CHAPTER 39: AZURE BAY ADVENTURES – DAY 2 (II)

The Flying Fish Chase was a local legend.

Every few weeks, the tide would swell, and a school of shimmering fish would leap through the air in synchronized arcs. Rumor had it that if you touched one mid-leap, you could whisper a wish—and if the fish approved, it would vanish in a puff of glitter and grant it.

Total nonsense, according to Lucien.

Total romantic chaos, according to Jared.

Either way, everyone lined up along the rocky curve of the bay, watching the silver-blue waves churn and glimmer.

"They say if you catch one mid-glide and whisper a wish," Seraphina said mysteriously, "it just might come true."

"Is that scientifically true, mother?" Lucien asked, skeptical, even though it was already evident by his lack of zeal for the most part of this activity.

Seraphina only winked.

"Good enough for me!" Jared grinned, tying a bandana around his head. "Prepare for magic, wish-fish!"

"See that?" Felix whispered. "It’s starting."

Ripples danced across the surface like a giant sigh.

Then—whoosh!

The first fish broke the surface, twisting midair before diving back down.

More followed. Dozens. Then hundreds.

They glimmered with soft rainbow hues, leaving sparkling trails as they flew. It was like someone had poured stars into the sea and set them loose.

Leo vaulted off a boulder and reached up. Missed.

"Too slow," Lance taunted, leaping behind him.

Callum spun in a circle, arms raised, trying to catch one like it was a butterfly.

Evelisse stood back at first, mesmerized.

Snugglewuff leapt into the air with a bark, startling two fish straight into Jared’s face.

"I got two in the nose! Do I get double wishes?!"

"No!" Evelisse shouted, laughing. "You just smell like fish!"

One fish swirled above Evelisse’s head and hovered.

She held her breath.

Slowly, she raised her hands. "It’s okay," she whispered. "Come closer..."

The fish blinked. Literally blinked. With big round eyes.

Then—it booped her nose and zipped away.

"What?" she gasped. "Hey!"

"Princess," Fluffy said solemnly, "you’ve just been rejected by a magic fish."

"I wasn’t rejected. I was—strategically dismissed."

"That’s even sadder."

She pouted, but it didn’t last long.

Then she stepped forward again, hands outstretched.

One fish flew directly toward her, its scales glowing faintly violet. As it passed overhead, she jumped—not high, but just enough.

Her fingers brushed its fin.

It shimmered.

Paused.

Then disappeared midair with a ping.

A single silver scale floated down into her palm.

Her heart leapt.

"I... I think I made a wish."

"What did you wish for?" Marcus asked.

She looked down at the scale. It melted into glitter and vanished.

"I... don’t know," she said truthfully. "I didn’t have time to think."

Fluffy squinted. "Suspiciously symbolic."

"It felt... important," she whispered.

But before she could unpack that feeling, the next surprise took them off the beach entirely.

As the sun dipped toward the sea, a soft melody drifted from a crevice in the cliffside. It wasn’t wind. It was music—gentle and chime-like, as though the stones themselves were humming.

Evelisse was the first to hear it. She paused mid-sand-scribble and tilted her head.

"Does anyone else hear that?"

Felix lifted his head. "That... yes. It’s coming from over there."

Together, the children approached the cliffside crevice. It was narrow at first, just wide enough for a child to slip through—but it expanded into a natural tunnel woven with vines, glowing crystals, and sea mist.

The air grew cooler. Echoes of forgotten lullabies played like memory.

And then—

The tunnel opened.

The cave bloomed wide and circular, the walls smooth and curved like a pearl. But what stole their breath was the mural.

A painting stretched across the stone—massive, ancient, and glowing faintly with golden rune-ink.

It showed a radiant figure: a young girl with wide eyes, curls like flame, and a crown of starlight. In her hands, she held a gemstone the size of her heart—pulsing with threads of power. Behind her stood seven shadows. Protectors. Siblings?

Below her feet, waves curved. Around her head, a symbol shimmered: a crescent moon pierced by a single ray of sun.

A white fox floated at her shoulder.

Lucien stepped forward. "This is—"

"—The Princess of Light," Marcus finished softly.

"What is that?" Evelisse asked.

"It was in one of the old royal books," Felix whispered. "A tale passed through mother’s line. A girl born with starlight in her soul... destined to guard the sea’s blessing."

Callum squinted. "That girl... she kinda looks..."

Everyone turned.

And stared.

Evelisse stepped back, the light of the mural catching in her green eyes.

’No. No, it can’t—’

But it could.

And it did.

The painted girl looked like her.

Marcus’s brow furrowed. "That looks like you, Evelisse."

The others murmured in agreement.

Even Lucien frowned, studying the image closely.

"It’s uncanny."

Fluffy floated closer. "Well. That’s not creepy atall."

Evelisse took a shaky step forward, staring at the figure’s face.

Her face.

’What... is this?’

Beneath the mural was an inscription.

"She who holds light, binds peace.

Born in shadow, crowned in dawn.

When seas repeat, the child shall rise."

"That sounds like a prophecy," Felix said quietly.

"Or poetry," Callum offered.

Evelisse barely heard them.

Her fingers were trembling.

That girl—that princess—was holding a gemstone.

The exact shape of the one she had studied on in the royal archives.

The same stone the kidnappers whispered about in the dungeon.

Her stomach turned cold.

’Why am I here?’

’Why me?’

♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡

That night, dinner was quieter.

The mural weighed heavily on everyone’s minds, though no one said much.

Even Jared didn’t joke about it. Not once.

Evelisse pushed her food around with her fork. The sea breeze felt cooler than usual.

Fluffy hovered silently beside her, eyes narrowed.

The family tried to keep things normal. Marcus played a lute softly. Felix showed sketches. Seraphina led them in a silly toasting ritual involving coconut milk and twirling breadsticks.

Evelisse tried to smile.

But then—

A new plate was placed before her.

And sitting neatly atop her linen napkin—

Was the same glowing seashell from her room.

Perfect. Humming. Unbroken.

Her fork froze midair.

Everyone else kept chatting.

Only she seemed to notice.

’Nope. Nope, nope, nope.’

Internally, she screamed.

’I threw you under my pillow. I saw you hum. I told NO ONE.’

The shell sat there, vibrating faintly.

Like it had something to say.

Like it was watching her.

Fluffy looked at it. Then at her.

"Okay," he whispered. "This is officially a horror story."

Evelisse didn’t reply.

She just stared.

And the shell hummed louder.