Two days later, Ursula and Ganeon reconvened in the temple library.
"An interesting development, Ursula. Sebastian has asked the queen's permission to remain in Atlantica until the hearing and receive weekly counsel from one of the nautili. Could you arrange some introductions?"
"Of course! I know just the nautilus for Sebastian. How splendid."
Ganeon smiled. "It was a very interesting tour, by the way. I didn't get to tell you that."
"Thank you. Now!" Ursula clapped and rubbed her hands together rapidly. "You wouldn't believe what the cuttlemaids found!" she said. "Easily a dozen things. More weapons. Trinkets and strange little devices they didn't understand. Even jewelry," she snickered. "Everything has the handshake image imprinted on it somewhere, along with the trident and 'A'. The vain fool!"
Ganeon stroked his chin. "I wonder what the devices do. And I wonder how the humans plan to exploit this relationship with Alphon," he mused. He was getting that faraway look in his eyes; the theorizing had begun. Less than a minute into their meeting, and Ursula was losing him.
"We'll find that out soon enough, Prince Ganeon," she said curtly. He refocused upon hearing his name. "The most urgent question at hand is: do we take the items now to secure the evidence and risk Alphon's retaliation? Or do we aim for the element of surprise and wait until the day of the hearing to seize it all, and risk losing these precious artifacts? He could easily hide these things in a new location before the hearing and then we would have only the knife to present to the Council."
"The knife itself is damning," Ganeon replied.
"True. But it'd be better to present a dozen things bearing the human-merman emblem. It would make a bigger impression on the Elders, and make it harder for Alphon to deny his illegal relationship."
Ganeon nodded.
"And yet, I'd hate to tip him off by taking things in advance. It would be better to unsteady him in front of the crowd. Let them see his genuine reaction to being outed. It's sure to be quite a show."
"That makes sense too. Where are you keeping the knife, though? Does he know that you have it? How can we be sure he won't get it back before the hearing? What if he comes after you again in an attempt to recapture it?"
"He might suspect I picked it up, but there's no way he can know for sure. And that's for the best. As of this morning, I've entrusted the knife to a friend that's holding some other things for me. Alphon will never be able to access their home, I assure you."
"Alright..." Ganeon said doubtfully.
"I'm not scared he will attack me again. Put it from your mind."
Ganeon frowned at her, and Ursula shot back a bright smile. "So are we in agreement? We will leave everything be until the day of the hearing, and then I'll gather the human stuff after he's left his quarters that morning and present it to the Council myself. If he hides it elsewhere before I can get to it, I'll still show up with his knife."
"That's what's bothering me," Ganeon blurted. "Are you going before the Council and telling them Alphon attacked you? That will lead to questions of why, which will lead to the revelation that you've been helping Triton. That you've become involved in royal affairs!"
"So?"
"Cecaelians aren't respected as highly in these other kingdoms, and their magic is feared. I'm afraid Alphon will cast you in a bad light and they'll think his actions were justified. He could use this to sidetrack the Council and make them question Triton's character."
"It's not really about me, though. It's not really even about Triton. It's about Alphon having this relationship with humans, which is universally forbidden in all the kingdoms. That's the point we must make. If talk turns to me and my...bias...towards Triton, we must pivot back to the real issue—the humans! And the danger Alphon has already put us in by communicating with them."
"Ursula," he moaned.
"What now?"
"If Alphon prevails at the hearing, this will cost you your life."
"I know that."
Suddenly, Ganeon was hugging her so tightly she couldn't breathe. She patted him awkwardly on the back.
"There, there. My bet's still on Triton," she said as she squirmed free.
The prince collected himself. "Mine is too, of course. But there's always a chance of being wrong."
"If we are wrong, Ganeon, we will probably die together."
In the silence that followed, he searched her face somberly—for what, she did not know. "It would be an honor," he finally said.
"I agree, this is a worthy cause. Attempting to save Atlantica, and possibly all merfolk everywhere, from your deranged brother? And doing our utmost to honor your father's last request? There are worse ways to go."
Ganeon opened his mouth, then closed it again, sighing.
"Let's remain optimistic, shall we? For Triton's sake as much as our own. Now that we've got our plan figured out, you should bring Triton up to speed on everything."
"I shall."
Ursula squeezed Ganeon's hand and swam away.