River always felt different. It wasn’t just her biracial identity or her unusual steel-gray eyes, eyes that shimmered like the sea. It was something deeper. Something unspoken. Growing up in the rough edges of Philly’s Tubman Towers, she found solace not in concrete or chaos, but in water. The ocean called to her in ways that defied logic.
Her mother, Rose, a hardworking mailroom supervisor, offered only vague answers when River asked about her father. “He chose his duty,” she would say cryptically. But what kind of duty makes a man vanish from his daughter’s life completely?
And River did not even know that the reality of her birth lay miles under the ocean. Her father was known as a mysterious man and she was more than a daughter. She was the princess of an underwater kingdom named Arcaccia, which kingdom ruled by a strong yet tired king, Armen.
Years ago, Armen had fallen in love with a surface-dwelling woman. Their union produced a daughter born of both land and sea. But political alliances in Arcaccia demanded his return and a marriage to Queen Celestria, whose ambitions stretched far beyond royal ceremony. River was erased from history, protected by enchantments, hidden from those who would use her bloodline as a weapon.
But secrets don’t stay buried. When a scribe’s vision reveals River’s existence, Queen Celestria erupts in quiet rage. Her son, Addam, was never meant to rule. River, older and more powerful by birthright, is the true heir. And for that, she must die.
As orders are whispered and assassins dispatched, River’s world begins to crumble. One stormy night at Sip N’ Read, the bookstore where she works, turns into a nightmare. Shadows stalk her. A storm splits the sky. And out of darkness, two unfamiliar characters arise: Addam, her half-brother, and Sylas, a royal guardian. They collectively drag her into a world that she did not know it.
The name of the river does not belong to the past. It poses a threat. The queen is passionate about defending her blood to the point where she lures her blood to death. But in the shadow, the pulse of a family divided by politics and time is heard. The river is not concerned only with survival. It is all about finding the love, choices and betrayals made in her life before she ever drew a breath.
Lies come to an end at the bottom of Arcaccia. The same invisible thread is that no one told her anything about her history, her father is absent, her mother is silent, and the queen hates her.
Thrown into a kingdom of bioluminescent coral and watercrafts that glide like shadows, River must navigate not only treacherous plots but the storm awakening within herself. Her body is transforming. Her eyes shift to black in moonlight. Gills form on her neck. The ocean isn’t just calling to her. It’s claiming her.
But even as she adapts, questions linger. Can she trust Addam? Is her father truly the benevolent king he seems to be? And most importantly, can she survive the queen’s wrath long enough to decide her own fate?
Below the Tides is not only the saga of lost kingdoms and royal blood. It is a strong story of a girl taking back the story that was taken away. A daughter unearthing the truth. A sister stepping into power. And a young woman learning that the most dangerous war isn’t always waged with weapons. It's waged with secrets.
River’s history was stolen before she could ever ask the right questions. Now she’s ready to write the ending herself.
Discover the legacy. Defy the fate. Dive into Below the Tides today.
Have questions or feedback? Reach out anytime—I'd love to hear from you. Let's connect!