Azul sat at his desk, fingers tracing the smooth curve of delicate shell pendant in his hands. It was small—a spiral of pale blue and pearlescent silver, something unassuming, something beautiful. He had chosen it carefully, combing through his collection for the perfect one. He’d wanted something that could withstand time, that could endure.


    His hands worked with practiced precision, though his chest felt tight, every movement pulling at something deep and raw within him. He wove the enchantment carefully, threading healing magic through the shell’s natural shape, reinforcing its structure with quiet, steadfast protection. No matter where she went, no matter how far her world was from his, this would remain. If she needed it, if she was hurt, the magic would take hold, easing pain, mending wounds, and protecting her from things that upset her in the night….


    He himself was no stranger to what it was like being vulnerable in your own head. There wasn’t much he could do for himself but drown himself in the progress of his own dreams—which, to be fair, was highly effective. But for Yuu?


    “All this time, and this is all I can give you, Yuu,” he murmured to the pendant.


    His fingers curled around the finished necklace, the weight of it impossibly heavy in his palm. The cord was soft, smooth, comfortable. He exhaled, closing his eyes.


    There was nothing else to be done. He couldn’t ask her to stay. It would be ungentlemanly to place the weight of his feelings upon her shoulders. She had a home beyond this one, a family beyond him; however, he could ensure she left with something of himself.


    Even if he would never know if she used it.


    Even if it meant she would never need him again.


    Fingers trembling slightly as he wove the final bit of magic through the necklace, Azul’s hands, typically so steady, now felt strangely full and heavy handling the little thing. He let out a breath, feeling a small, fleeting sense of satisfaction.


    But before he could finish his moment of contemplation, the door to his office swung open with alarming force.


    "Azul!" his mother’s voice echoed through the room like a sharp, biting wind. "If I didn’t know better, I’d say you’ve been… avoiding me.”


    Azul’s heart gave a startled jolt, and his reflexes kicked in. Instantly, he tucked the necklace under his hands and slipped it up one of his sleeves. Then, he straightened, wearing his usual practiced mask of calm.


    "Fortunately, Mother, you do know better, is that not so?" he said, trying to mask the slight panic in his voice. “I was expecting you in an hour. You’re early.”


    "Early?” His mother, a formidable figure in both size and presence, swept into the room with an air of barely-contained excitement. Her long, white hair swirled around her shoulders, and her sharp, calculating eyes scanned the room before settling on him. She clapped her hands together with a grin that was equal parts smug and authoritative.


    “By an hour,” he repeated smoothly, tucking his hands beneath the desk to give himself a chance to better secure his gift.


    "Perhaps I am, then,” she admitted, surprising Azul, not for the first time in the days since she’d come to stay with Octavinelle.


    Typically, Crowley would have banned a parent from staying in the dormitories. In Azul’s case, however, it had been one of Nerissa’s first tests to see if Azul could arrange things to the contrary. He had obviously passed that test, but had found occasions to regret it nearly every day since.


    Nerissa Ashengrotto was….helpful, for want of a better term. She of course had found little fault in the way he managed things—she herself had taught him those skills. However, she’d been embarrassingly loose-lipped with the purpose of her visit. She had come recruiting—and not just for him. In just a few days since her arrival, it seemed like half of Octavinelle had signed employment contracts with her for after-graduation—”for us,” as she’d told him behind the scenes.


    Azul, however, had no intention of returning to the sea, a point which he had made quite clear. Every interaction with her, in fact, had irked him more. He of course could solicit his own employees when the time came. Moreover, she was using the trust that his dorm had against him. The Ashengrott name—his name—was one that Octavinelle had come to respect.


    Despite her ample strength and potioneering genius, Nerissa was poaching. There was no other word for her behavior.


    “I admit, I’m early,” she confessed. “I just thought you might like some time to prepare, my dear.”


    He narrowed his eyes at her.


    “Prepare, Mother?” He sighed. “I presume you’ve come to tell me ‘for what?’”


    Like a cat with a new plaything, Nerissa’s smile widened.


    “I’ve arranged a meeting in your lounge with the Banejaw Council—yes, they’re coming to see you personally. They’re curious about your little venture, darling. You’ve impressed them."


    Azul blinked in shock. “The Banejaw Council? Here?”


    Just weeks ago, he’d have leapt at the chance. He’d have done a jig on the desk and ordered a mountain of fried chicken in celebration. But this was Nerissa, and this was not on his terms.


    Before he could question her further, she continued, her excitement mounting.


    "They are bringing with them a panel of investors, all eager to meet with you after your graduation. They want to know everything about your future plans, Azul. Everything. They want the intimate details—your vision, your goals. Not a single one of them isn’t interested in what you plan to do next." She paused, eyeing him with a challenging glint in her eye. "Now, tell me, what are your plans, exactly?"


    Azul felt the tension in his shoulders tighten.


    “Mother,” he hissed, shock aching through his limbs. “A meeting like this takes months to prepare for, not minutes! And as I’ve told you repeatedly, my ventures won’t stay under the sea. They will be almost exclusively on land. There isn’t a single unclaimed territory left underwater, but up here—”


    Taking a deep breath, Azul leaned back in his chair, trying to maintain an air of professionalism despite the prickly sensation running up his collar.


    “Mother, my plans remain the same. I’ll be continuing my work running restaurants, of course. But I also plan to diversify. I’ve been working on a concept for a private apothecary—specialized in rare and enchanted ingredients for healing. It’ll be part of a new kind of specialty bar, one that combines the finest cuisine with potions with effects tailored to whatever the guest requires. A niche market. Unique.”


    His mother’s eyes glittered with interest. "You see? You are ready. No lengthy presentation would persuade them, but a promising venture such as that…is all you will have to say.”


    “If I take that to a board of investors with no projections, no concrete promise, no PLAN, mother, then the idea will have drowned before it even grows fins!”


    Azul was genuinely annoyed.


    “Mother, I appreciate what you’re trying to do—I do—but timing in business is crucial—”


    “You think I don’t know that, boy? Who taught you that principle?” Nerissa snapped. “What I am trying to get through your soft little skull is that the timing IS now. It seems your cousin made good on his promise early. The tariffs are down. COmpetition is already flooding Atlantica. These next few weeks could cement the Ashengrotto name, or they could bury it, and that largely rests—boy—ON YOU.”


    He closed his mouth. Stunned. This was not his plan. It was not his timetable.


    “What today will mean is connections, Azul,” his mother carried on, placing her hands on the other side of his desk as she leaned over him. “You know how important it is to have the right connections when you’re dealing with such delicate matters, Azul."


    Azul bristled inwardly.


    “Don’t forget, it’s not just about what you offer—it’s about how you present it. You’re going to need the right image, the right staff, the right reputation."


    He nodded, already mentally working through the logistics. He would need a team of reliable individuals—people who could handle the intricacies of both the restaurant and the apothecary without revealing too much for now. For today, they needed to pretend like they knew more than they did—fortunately, that was Jade and Floyd’s specialty.


    "Of course, Mother," he said evenly. "I’ll be sure to keep that in mind."


    He fidgeted with his sleeve. Opportunities often tended to happen so fast that the moments threatened to pass him by. The past—Yuu—was slipping through his fingers. The future—a successful livelihood—was beckoning. His mother’s abrupt entrance had completely derailed his plans. He had wanted to give the necklace to Yuu before everything got too complicated, but now... everything was in disarray.


    Azul’s mother, satisfied with his response, smiled sweetly—too sweetly, only managing to make her look lethal.


    Was this how people on campus saw him? He shuddered.


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    "Good. You’re finally thinking ahead. The world is watching." She paused, her expression sharpening. "But remember, your future doesn’t belong to just you anymore. You’ve got….people….to look out for. Be ready in an hour—oh, and Azul?"


    “Hm?”


    “Do change out of your student uniform before they arrive.”


    Azul''s stomach churned at this change in plans, but he managed to keep his face impassive. His future belonged to him. At least, that’s what he kept telling himself. Even though some ventures were already no longer an option for him, he felt pulled in two directions, so relentlessly he was sure he would snap.


    His mother, heedless of his inner storms, swept out of the room back the way she’d come, likely off to waste more of his personal cosmetic potions.


    “Eurgh!” he groaned, face falling into his hands.


    He could do this. Azul could negotiate in his sleep. He’d been practicing for something like this for years. It was going to be fine—AH!—but if it truly would all be ‘fine,’ then why was this awful sense of foreboding threatening to eat him alive?


    Fortunately, the denizens of fate did not suffer him a long wait, because just as he’d risen from his chair, the door slammed open once again, and in slithered his favorite pair of confidantes wearing matching expressions of… well, he wasn’t sure what they were expressing, but the Leech twins were grinning ear-to-ear, as if they had a shared malicious secret.


    “Well?” he questioned when they were before him.


    “Well?” Floyd snickered. “Well, he says. A world of suave greetings and potential comedic twin-related gold, and the man goes with ‘well.’ Things aren’t looking too good for that meeting already, Jadie…..speaking of which! “Aaaazul~! Did we hear the word investors just now?” Floyd draped himself over the settee, all but hanging upside down. “That’s such a grown-up word. Look at you, all fancy and serious.”


    Jade smoothed his sleeves as he sat beside his brother. “Indeed. It seems Madame Ashengrotto has been hard at work securing your future.” His tone remained light, but there was something in his eyes—sharp, assessing. “Or at least, a future.”


    Azul raised an eyebrow. The twins could see the suspicion in the situation, too, then.


    Good.


    “Must you two always appear unannounced?”


    “If we announced it, it wouldn’t be as fun,” Floyd said, grinning. “Unless you got us an announcer. That might be fun.”


    “I am not hiring someone to stand at my door and yell out names, Floyd,” said Azul. “That would be a phenomenal waste of money and my eardrums.”


    “So, Azul, as the tides of our future seem to be changing, we couldn’t let such an important discussion happen without our valuable input.”


    “And since we’re such devoted friends, you wouldn’t keep any secrets from us, would ya, Azul?” Though I’m sure Azul wouldn’t dare keep any secrets from us, would he?”


    Azul stiffened. That was a pointed comment. He cleared his throat.


    “Of course not. My mother has JUST informed me, meaning as of two minutes ago, that the Banejaw council and a panel of investors is coming to see us….it’s the sort of opportunity most merfolk could only dream of, and yet, I…”


    “And yet, you seem awfully preoccupied. Is something… amiss?” Jade said knowingly.


    Floyd feigned an exaggerated frown. “You wouldn’t be distracted right now, would ya, Azul?”


    Azul narrows his eyes. They were digging. And worse, they were right—he was distracted. The past few days had been a whirlwind of meetings, preparations, and his mother’s endless meddling. But through it all, one thought has gnawed at him like a persistent little eel—Yuu.


    He knew something was off. He’s felt it in the way she looked at the people she passed on campus—never really seeing them, and at the same time, taking in each face, as though she might never see them again. He heard the way her laughter carries a touch of melancholy, the way she lingered just a bit too long in places she never used to. And of course he had to notice. How wretched of him.


    Jade and Floyd exchanged a glance moving like a perfectly timed routine.


    “You think she—your mother—has ulterior motives?” Jade prodded.


    “I KNOW she has ulterior motives,” Azul groaned.


    “We might know….” Floyd sing-songed. “But you have to guess first.


    Azul pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’d rather not.”


    “That’s what I thought, Sulie!” Floyd announced, spine moving like a liquid as he fell further into the chair. Very responsible. Very professional. Very—” squints at Azul “—pale.”


    Jade hid a fake gasp behind a glove.


    “Oh dear, Floyd, you don’t think he’s been stressing, do you?”


    “Dunno. Maybe he’s wilting under all that responsibility. Wouldn’t be the first time.”


    Azul slapped both hands on his desk and glares at them. “I am not wilting.”


    “Oh, good. I was worried we’d have to start watering you,” Jade said pleasantly.


    “Yeah, or repot ya in a smaller tank,” Floyd added with a cheery expression.


    Floyd managed to slide to his feet then, and flopped dramatically over Azul’s desk, hanging upside down once again.


    “Are you going to tell me your suspicions, or is this just to delay my getting ready?” Azul hedged.


    “Well, we’re pretty sure mumsie just wants your assets to make herself more competitive.”


    “I’d deduced that much myself.”


    “And she wants to force her sweet baby boy to come home more often.”


    “That was a given.”


    “And she wants to distract you from something else important going on right now.”


    “Which would be…?” Azul groaned.


    “We’ll get to that,” Jade said calmly.


    “Soooo, boss, what’s your plan? I mean, aside from ruling the restaurant world?”


    Azul shoved Floyd off his desk. “As I was just explaining to mother—”


    “—Oof—”


    “—I have been considering a specialty bar, incorporating a high-end apothecary to create an exclusive, refined experience.”


    Jade nodded approvingly. “An intriguing venture.”


    “And obviously something I plan to include you in. Solitary fish rarely survive, as they say.”


    Still on the floor, Floyd groaned. “Booooring. Medicinal bar? You’re not gonna make all your drinks glow? What’s the point, then?”


    Jade feigned deep thought—something that he excelled at. “Perhaps he’s waiting for a particular inspiration?”


    Azul narrows his eyes.


    “And what, exactly, do you think that is?” Azul queried flatly.


    Floyd suddenly popped up, once more far too close to Azul’s face, as he excelled at doing. “Oh, y’know. The thing that’s got you distracted.”


    “The thing that’s making you so… unusually thoughtful,” Jade added. “We just want to ensure that it’s properly important.


    Azul found himself fidgeting with the sleeve where he’d hidden Yuu’s necklace. He could feel his face heating up.


    Azul lied through clenched teeth. “Absolutely not.”


    Floyd wore an unnaturally long cheshire gin. Quick as an heel, he reaced out, and slipped the necklace out from Azul’s sleeve.


    “Reeeally? Then what’s this?”


    Jade smiled. “Ah. That answers that. How excellent; we were getting worried…”


    “It answers nothing,” Azul shot back, voice tight.


    Floyd hummed loudly. “Y’know, for someone who runs a business on deals, you’re real bad at bluffing.”


    “Which in this case its a good thing,” Jade mused. “Because what we have to tell you might throw a wrench in that rather illustrious future your mother has planned…”


    Azul shot up from his chair, losing patience. “Do you two ever say anything useful?!”


    Floyd stretched lazily on the floor. “Nah. Soooo, boss, you got anything important on your schedule today?”


    Grabbing his scarf and coat from the rack, Azul squinted suspiciously.


    “Why?”


    “Oh, we just thought you might want to… stretch your legs,” Jade added pleasantly.


    “I fail to see how that’s any of your business.”


    “Awww, but you wouldn’t keep us around if we didn’t like making things our business.”


    Azul crossed his arms, unimpressed. “What are you two getting at?”


    Jade and Floyd exchange a look, and then—just as Azul knew they would—they waited. Let the silence drag. Let it sink in. Let him squirm. And then, finally, Floyd dropped the bomb.


    “Oh, noooothin’ much, just that Little Shrimp’s about to walk through the mirror and disappear forever.”


    Azul’s stomach dropped like a lead sinker in a petri dish.


    “What?”


    Jade added, ever-so-helpful, “Ah, yes. She’s in the mirror room. Right now, in fact.”


    He had spent so much time preparing what to do. What to say. Convinced he still had days left to steel himself for the inevitable. But now? Right now!?


    Azul’s jaw dropped. “YOU COULDN’T HAVE LED WITH THAT!?”


    “Better hurry, Boss!” Floyd sang.


    Azul was no runner. In fact, he despised how difficult it was to move on land with an infernal, measly two legs. But, dropping everything in his hands, Azul ran for the mirror room, begging the seven to make sure he was not too late.