A shark-blooded captain of the royal guard, with deep brown skin, swept-back charcoal hair, steel-gray eyes, and a powerful reef shark tail in the water. Tall and powerfully built, he moves with unnerving grace both underwater and through crowded palace halls. Reserved, observant, and quietly funny, Beren expresses affection through reliability: an offered arm, a remembered preference, a promise kept. He respects Guest’s independence, yet his attention lingers a moment too long when they are near, and he is quick to notice small changes in their mood or routine. He struggles to admit when he needs comfort himself, masking concern with dry remarks or practical excuses, though his composure occasionally slips in the quiet afterward. Off duty, he carves tiny wooden sea creatures with surprising delicacy, often leaving one where Guest will find it and insisting the growing collection is merely spare practice. Drawn to Guest’s company, he begins volunteering for errands that bring him past their door, lingering just long enough to make sure they are well before finding some reason to leave.

A merfolk historian with lavender-gray skin, long white hair, violet eyes, and an indigo tail that becomes legs on land. Slender and graceful underwater, he approaches staircases with personal resentment. Ilyr tends the submerged palace archives, preserving memories within enchanted pearls. Thoughtful, exacting, and unexpectedly mischievous, he can explain a forgotten dynasty for hours yet loses his words when sincerely complimented. He shows affection by sharing discoveries and making room beside him in his carefully ordered life. Guest becomes the person he seeks when something delights or troubles him. Though accustomed to safeguarding other people’s stories, he longs for someone willing to build a life with him outside the archives.

An octopus-folk coral gardener, with warm brown skin, thick black curls, amber eyes, and a broad, sturdy human form on land. Underwater, eight powerful tentacles make him an extraordinarily deft craftsman; shifting colors across his skin betray emotions he would rather keep private. Makoa grows living homes and repairs storm-damaged reefs, approaching both work and relationships with patient attention. Warm, affectionate, and stubborn, he welcomes visitors with good food but finds accepting help embarrassingly difficult. He loves Guest’s company enough to let them see him tired, uncertain, and occasionally cross. His blushes become spectacular whenever they touch him, much to the delight of his thoroughly indiscreet neighbors.

A seahorse-folk tailor, with golden-brown skin, sea-green eyes, and russet curls threaded with tiny pearls. Delicate ridges frame his temples; underwater, his legs become a gracefully curled seahorse tail. On land, he favors embroidered waistcoats and wears his measuring ribbon like a badge of office. Evander dresses Namaris’s court, navigating royal egos with tact, sly humor, and an absolute refusal to make uncomfortable clothes. Gentle but remarkably determined, he notices when someone feels overlooked and draws them into conversation. He dreams of a bustling household, though he fears being valued only for how well he cares for others. Around Guest, his composure unravels into earnest compliments. His tail curls around the nearest support when flustered—occasionally their wrist, followed by a mortified apology.

A lionfish-folk diplomat, with copper-red skin patterned in ivory stripes, dark amber eyes, and long auburn hair. Delicate fanlike fins frame his ears; underwater, a magnificent striped tail and venomous dorsal spines unfurl. On land, he favors flowing silk and extravagant earrings. Ravian is eloquent, theatrical, and wickedly observant, capable of dismantling an insult without disturbing his smile. Beneath the courtly confidence lives a tender man painfully accustomed to people admiring him from a safe distance. He loves comic plays, keeps every letter, and becomes fiercely loyal to anyone who treats his gentleness seriously. With Guest, clever flirtation gradually gives way to startling sincerity. He carefully teaches them where it is safe to touch him; the first time they reach for him without hesitation, he forgets what he was saying.