Rhodoreef

29. The New Dawn

She glided down the hallway, flanked by the guard. Magenta drapes trailed behind her like the oral arms of a jellyfish. From the polished picture frames to the sparkling water, everything was resplendent.

The noise lapped against her long before she reached the destination.

The hallway opened into the mezzanine of the atrium. An undulating balustrade hemmed it in and formed a barrier that kept the shallow pool at bay. A large screen stood suspended from the ceiling, projecting the live recording. Hal Moray Massa, Talmus Mora and other state officials sat on high-backed chairs. They turned at her approach and bowed their heads.

Dea swam up to the podium set up for the occasion and looked down onto the atrium.

It was now brimming with people, including camera crews and the Royal Guard. Among those in attendance were more state officials and the Youth Council. Purple tapestries cascaded down columns, displaying the royal crest. The fountain stood at the center—as grand as ever under the flood of illumination.

The sound levels abruptly dipped, echoing against the walls before decaying. Cameras swiveled along with many heads, and lights trained on her, glaring white on her retinas.

"Citizens of Calliathron," Dea announced, her amplified voice sweeping over the space. "I speak to you today as your new queen."

The very air tingled with anticipation against the soundscape of rushing water. Cameras whirred, accompanied by the occasional beep of equipment. She couldn't help detecting the subtle undercurrent of unease—like the calm before a storm.

"As you probably know, I may appear before you as a royal, but the blood of the people runs in my veins. I was not raised in a palace. My grandmother raised me in a mobile home in the suburb of Hirigale. I won a scholarship to enter Olivine Girls' High School at fourteen, and it was during this time that Cyclone Taraha struck the reef not far from where I lived." She paused, closing her eyes for a long moment. "I've observed the disturbing signs of change before this, but as I watched the destruction and the frantic rescue efforts that night, I had an epiphany. It was up to us young people to live with this, and it was up to us to do something about it."

The words stirred a hushed response from the members of the Youth Council.

Dea continued, "If I could communicate with my mother and father on this day, I would tell them that I am here to follow their footsteps and work selflessly to ensure that Calliathron thrives for generations to come. I would tell them that I am here to build upon their legacy to ensure that every merperson reaches their fullest potential under our age-old policy of sustainable development. I would tell them that I pledge to be a steward of the oceans just like they were and protect its creatures—from the tiniest reef fishes to the giants of the deep.

"However, we face the most difficult time in the history of our civilization. The waters are warming, climate disasters are increasing, corals are dying and marine life is disappearing. These problems have festered over the years, and we can no longer turn a blind eye.

"And that is why the wreath I wear today is both a great honor and a fearsome responsibility."

The twin cascades of the fountain splashed into the pool. The water chimed crystal clear in the silence of the atrium.

"Sheltered in this pocket universe of coral, it is easy for us to imagine that these problems can still be traced to natural causes—or they're simply too complex to stem from the actions of one species, which lives on land, no less," Dea said, her gaze moving over the many upturned faces. "Recent events and new knowledge have led me to the incontrovertible conclusion which I refused to believe up until now. The problems we face today are the symptoms of one disease. Humans."