Back at the palace, Sera overhears a conversation between her mother and Vallerio, her uncle. Sera realizes that Lucia Volnero had been right and that Mahdi had changed. Neela is telling Sera about a weird dream she had when they find Mahdi and Yazeed asleep under a huge coral after a night of partying. Sera's best friend, Neela, arrives and they sneak out of the palace.

Thalassa, the canta magus, comes to help Serafina practice her songspell, but Serafina is unable to focus, worried about the rumors that she has heard about Mahdi. Serafina wakes up from her dream to her Furry father, Sir Regina Isabella, berating her about her. In Peru it is the day of Serafina's Wedding. The mermaids must go to the River Olt in the black mountains, where the leader, Baba Vraja, will explain everything to them. Their chanting is revealed to be a prophecy, calling six mermaids to come together and defeat an evil monster before it is too late. There’s also plenty of romantic tension with handsome mermen, strife between merls (that’s girl mermaids) from rival regions, and some powerful female friendships amid the fast-paced plot, filled with wondrous magic.A group of eight river witches are chanting in a circle around a blazing blue waterfire. 'Best-selling Donnelly (Revolution, 2010) builds an alluring mermaid civilization and history, filled with painterly descriptions of Sera’s underwater palace and its unearthly architecture, her sumptuous wardrobe, and the menagerie of half-human, half-marine animal denizens. Despite the high stakes and a few frightening moments, the story is never overserious it’s just right for readers who have grown up with, but aged out of, The Little Mermaid and the Disney Fairies franchise.' - Publishers Weekly Themes of conquering fear and believing in oneself are woven throughout, along with an acknowledgment of humans’ environmental impact on the sea and its inhabitants. Readers will eagerly await future volumes and the answers they will provide.'- VOYA Quick-witted, loveable characters and a well-planned fantasy world make this an all-encompassing book. Friendship, trust, and responsibility are major themes as Sera struggles to grasp that she is really her kingdom’s only hope.

Donnelly then adds layers of complexity to the tale and weaves her story into that of Atlantis. It starts with a common enough concept: a royal girl who is worried about her betrothal and about love. 'A fantastic addition to the genre of mermaids, this book will also appeal to readers of action and those who appreciate usurped leaders taking back their kingdom.

Deep blue waterfire saga