《Cry of the Mer Extras》


 1. Arrival

    It was dark and cold, save for tiny slits no thicker than a fingernail that danced stripes of light over the young Mer''s body. She shivered. She was tiny, and yet the dark cage was smaller still, forcing her to curl into a tight ball to fit properly. It was not hard to cool up, but after so long remaining motionless, her muscles were beginning to ache.


    Her pen lurched sharply and Kera whimpered. She dug her nails into the thick, porous barricade that surrounded her on all sides. It was like the twigs and driftwood that sometimes floated along the surface, but much stronger. It creaked as she dug into it and she winced as slivers bit into the pads of her fingers. She pulled her hands away.


    When they¡¯d first dropped her inside, the humans had dumped large, sodden heaps over her to keep her moist, but she was breathing dry air. Dusty, heavy air that hung in her lungs and choked her with a lingering smell of rot. Her confinement jerked again, the force throwing her bodily into the side and soliciting a fearful warble from deep in her throat. Her deep blue scales knocked against her chin and she grit her teeth to keep from biting her lip or tongue.


    While the crate was previously in motion, this time the jerking had been to pull it to a halt and Kera sat with her heart thinking wildly within her chest as she strained for any noise or indicator. She no longer had a concept of time, sealed up in the dark like this, but it felt like ages passed before her shaking started.


    The tremors gradually worsened until there was finally a sharp splintering sound and light flooded her field of view, forcing her to squint. Her azure eyes blinked several times to clear her vision, but once it had, she almost wished it had not. A large pair of hands, coated in a strange, thick brown material were descending towards her. She shrunk back and hissed softly, her lips pulling back to reveal tiny fangs. The child''s attempt was rather pathetic and did nothing to impede the hands'' approach.


    Kera whined low in the back of her throat and tried to shy away but there was nowhere to go still trapped as she was. The hands clamped tightly around the base of her tail, crushing the sides of her fin where it met the scales and she cried out, the sound barely louder than a squeak.


    Her heart was pounding desperately within her chest as she was lifted and swung around out of her cage in a single fluid motion. Kera''s eyes swam in her head as her surroundings spun. She bucked weakly in the clenched grasp suspending her upside down. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes at the deep ache spreading through the top of her tail, which was not meant to support the rest of her weight. Terrified clicks spilled unbidden from her lips as she was swung one more and released. She dropped the short distance and connected with the ground ¨C which was coated in a smooth, hard surface that was unlike anything Kera had ever felt before and was could to the touch ¨C with aloud smack as her forearms hit first, followed by the clack of her scales as her tail crashed down behind her.


    Kera winced and then scrambled backwards, curling her throbbing tail close to her side and gazing around. She hissed again, showing her teeth like she had been taught, but she could not stop the tears that welled in her eyes and distorted her vision. She did feel very threatening.


    Clearly the humans did not find her overly intimidating either because they all simply stared at her with varying levels of interest. There were five of them ¨C including the one who had grabbed at her ¨C all standing around. There were two in her immediate view, and the one was still behind her casting a shadow over her, while the final two stood more to either side, flanking her. She felt just as penned in as she had in the wood box and the twitch of her cerulean fin betrayed her stress.


    One of the humans stepped forward. A burly Male with no hair - except for a brown bushy bunch that sprouted around his nose. Kera found it an odd spot but then, humans and Mer were very different. He was cloaked in a long white garb ¨C they all were ¨C and had his hands stuffed out of sight into holes on either side. He towered over her and stared down his long nose with hard blue-black eyes that made her cringe. His voice was loud and deep as he barked at the others in a language she did not yet understand. Mer were usually able to rapidly understand a dialect, even if it took them longer to replicate it, but Kera was still very young and often struggled with the feat.


    A conversation struck up and Kera could not help but swivel her head in the direction of each new voice that joined in. The humans all loomed over her and their garble was eager and boisterous, and it only wound her nerves tighter until her quivering began anew.


    Then the final voice joined the talk, piping up behind her with a low, sinister tone that chilled Kera''s heart. She started when the man began to talk and slid a bit further away. The moment she moved, she had five pairs of eyes staring at her. Tears slipped from the corners of her eyes to drip down her cheeks as she sunk low to the ground and cowered.


    The human that initiated the conversation broke the silence once more. Kera managed to catch a single word. Begin. Begin what? She swallowed the lump in her throat and chewed her lip until it slit and the sharp tang of her blood spread over her tongue. Part of her wished she had not understood. The humans began to disperse, though most seemed reluctant. One lingered, another male with strange pieces of sea glass covering his eyes, held in place by a rigid strip perched on his nose. He had his head cocked as he watched her, and she shuffled beneath his gaze. There was none of the hungry eagerness the others had displayed and instead it was a calm wonder that lurked in his hardened gaze, as though there was strategy to figure her out. She did not like this curiosity any more than she did the others and she bared her teeth uselessly once more.


    The human began to chuckle and with a shrug of his shoulders, turned and walked away. His departure left her alone with the human that brought her in. For a moment, she had almost forgotten about him until his hands squeezed down around her tail once more. She cried out as she was dragged across the ground and then hoisted up and dropped bodily onto a hard smooth surface that clanged loudly when her scales connected with it. She tried to twist and curl back up again, but his hand was like a vice as he shoved her down and pinned her by the back of her neck. Spittle flew from Kera''s lips as her tail thrashed and she wrenched at her head in an effort to get free. She hissed , but it was a desperate noise clogged with fear.


    The man clucked his tongue and squeezed at her neck until Kera gagged on her lack of air. Each breathe was a wheeze and she could barely get anything into her lungs. Feeling dizzy, she collapsed and fell limp as her vision spun with angry black dots. Only once she was completely still did his grip loosen enough for her to grasp and fill her lungs.


    Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.Kera''s breathing remained ragged and shallow as her stress levels elevated. Her vision spun and her body caved to the fear, falling to a limp dead weight against the frigid surface that raised bumps along her skin. She had never felt so alone or afraid before and desperately longed for her mother¡¯s warm, comforting arms to gather her up and hold her until she calmed and the nightmare faded away. As thick straps were pulled over her back and tail and tightened to hold her down, Kera closed her eyes and tried to imagine being back home. The sound of her mother¡¯s steady heartbeat, her smooth kelp green scales warm against Kera''s cheek. Her father planting a hand on her head, making her feel loved and protected. She grasped for her comforts against the stark horror that had become her reality. While it brought her a brief reprieve and rush of warmth, her moment was shattered by a loud squeak as the surface she was on lurched into motion. It was a bumpy ride and Kera whimpered and tried to push against the bindings holding her down, but the child was not physically strong enough to resist and helpless against whatever the humans intended with her.


    <hr>


    Later that night ¨C at least she thought it was night; it was dark and quiet but she could not see the sky to know if it held sun or stars ¨C Kera lay shaking and alone. She was back in the water and for that she was grateful ¨C she did not like being dry or held out of the water where she could barely move and everything stood high above her like threatening beasts. Every time she closed her eyes, her mind flashed back to what had happened.


    They had taken her to a bright room with a harsh light that hurt her eyes. There had been so many hands, but they felt funny. They had been coated in oddly colored substances that smelled off and rubbed along her flesh in an almost sticky manner. They had pulled at her arms and her tail, forcing her limbs to bend in all directions until it hurt. They had seemed especially fascinated with how her tail moved. Kera had squirmed the whole while, hissing fearfully at them, but it had only made them squeeze her tighter. One of the humans had pulled her arm a little too far and hard the wrong way. She heard the snap only a heartbeat before she felt it, but Kera had never screamed so loud before. Raw agony had ripped up her arm and left her sobbing.


    After they had broken it, the humans forced her to lay still under a noisy white box that flashed bright lights in her eyes, and then they had stared at a black thing with bones on it that made her shudder. She had cried when they moved her broken arm some more, but they had pressed it to her chest and coated it in a thick hard shell that prevented her from bending it. It squeezed too tight and she wanted to chew at it still, but they had coated it in a sticky goo that tasted very poorly and forced her to back off.


    The humans had plucked some of her scales and jabbed her with a thin pointy object that pulled her blood into a tiny container. One of the humans had sliced his thumb on her fang when they had pried her mouth open to look at her teeth. It would have been satisfying if he had not backhanded her like it was her fault. Her face still stung from the blow.


    But the worst thing was when they focused on her fin. They had pressed it flat and the man who brought her in had used a sharp, shiny spine to slice a piece off. It had only been a tiny piece, but it had been agonizing. If she felt along the edge, she could find the but that was a little too flat and smooth, unlike the rest of her fin edge that had lots of ground as and tiny bumps. It burned mightily whenever she moved it which was why Kera was lying flat with her belly against the cold glass of the new, clear cage she was being kept in. The water was shallow enough that if she sat up, she would be breathing air again, but at least it was larger that the wood cage. She could swim about two strokes in any direction if she wanted.


    She shivered. She wanted to go home. Kera had been starting to understand the human language a lot more by the time they had left her alone. Although most of what they said made little sense because she did not know the objects or ways of land, it did not seem they had any intent in releasing her. They wanted to study her. Kera was frightened of what that meant. She wanted to tell them to put her back in the ocean, that she wanted to find her family again, but she could not. She could learn to mimic their words if she wanted, but she did not want to speak to them. Her parents had warned her to stay away from the people of land because they were greedy and destructive with an insatiable curiosity. They felt the need to take apart everything they did not understand until they did. She had seen it today. Once they had found out her tail could bend and flex, they had wanted to try it with the rest of her body, and she had earned a broken bone for their efforts she did not want to know what they would do if they learned she could understand any language after a small frame of time. They might RIP open her head or ears to try to figure out why.


    Kera had always been wary of humans after the warnings the adult Mer always gave, but now they were nightmarish monsters come to life and they terrified her with what they could do to her.


    Kera abruptly sat up, bursting through the surface of the water with a gasp. She could not take the dead, stale taste of the lifeless water anymore. She bit her lip and felt more tears brim in her eyes as she hugged her good arm around her waist. She began to rock back and forth, finding little other comforts in her surroundings. Squeezing her eyes shut, she began to murmur to herself in the soft clicks of dolphin whistle, the language she knew best. ¡°Mommy, she whimpered. ¡°Please, I want to go home. Come find me. I need you.¡±


    With no one else to talk to, she spoke to the emptiness, repeating herself for a little while with tears flowing down her cheeks. After some time, Kera was startled put of her trance by the sound of footsteps. She spun around with wide, horrified eyes, convinced it was another human come to drag her back for more ¡®samples'' and hurt her again. Instead, she caught the retreating expression of wonder and thoughtfulness on the older man who had regarded her like a riddle earlier. He was gone in a few heartbeats and she was alone again, but she could not shake the look on his face from her mind. She was young, but she was not stupid ¨C at least, she did not think she was ¨C and he seemed like he had just discovered something he liked. But she had not done anything new, had she?


    As she thought about it, another sound reached her ears. It was faint and grainy, like spoken with hands covering the mouth, but above her was a faintly musical voice. It was speaking in human tongue, but did not appear to be speaking to anyone directly. Instead it sounded like singing. Had it been there the whole time? Kera gulped and sunk low in the water until it hugged the bridge of her nose just beneath her eyes. She stared at the door the man had left through. She knew that sometimes Mer could get pulled from speaking in one tongue to another without realizing if they heard it had she been speaking in his language? Had she just made things so much worse for herself?

 2. Home

    A loud blaring ring broke through the tranquility of the dark apartment. Groaning, Sophie rolled over and slapped a hand down on her nightstand as she fumbled for the source of the sound. It was her phone. Her fingers curled around it and dragged it closer. The clock on the front screen showed that is was just after two. She winced and swiped the screen to answer the incoming call before pressing the device to her ear. ¡°Hello?¡± she inquired groggily.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to call so late, Miss Brooks,¡± came the response.


    Sophie pushed herself up a bit more in bed, a frown creasing her lips as her eyebrows dipped inward. ¡°Jerry? Is something wrong?¡± she demanded. There was no other reason the night guard at the front gate would be calling her directly.


    There was a hesitation on the other line. ¡°I think you¡¯d better come down here,¡± he admitted. ¡°I don¡¯t even totally know how to explain.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be right there,¡± she agreed. She hung up and threw the covers off, sitting up and the rising from the mattress. She was filled with a sense of urgency she could not quite explain away. There were rarely any problems the guards could not handle on their own, she was rarely ever called to handle matters ¨C and never at night ¨C but Jerry had sounded freaked and the uncertainty was spooking her too. She didn¡¯t bother with getting dressed properly, instead simply grabbing a long open coat and hastily stuffing her arms into it as she made her way out into the hall. She kicked on a pair of sandals and hurried out the door.


    As she approached the front gate, Sophie found Jerry standing outside, shifting his weight from foot to foot. He was short, with a buzzed head, and despite working the nightshift always came crisply dressed. She admired his dedication and loyalty over the years. He was one of the oldest standing employees she had, aside from Lewis, but Lewis didn¡¯t count. He opened the place with her.


    Now, however, Jerry looked disheveled and stressed, rubbing the back of his neck. The second he noticed her, his eyes widened and he hurried over. ¡°Miss Brooks, I¡¯m sorry to call so late, but I didn¡¯t know what else to do. I had to let her in, I couldn¡¯t just leave her-¡±


    Sophie held up a hand to silence his frantic rambling. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Jerry, just tell me what¡¯s going on? Who are you talking about?¡± she urged. She would deal with whatever the situation was after she was informed.


    Jerry sighed and rubbed the back of his head again. Finally, he beckoned with two fingers and she silently followed him back to the small hut beside the gate. ¡°She just showed up asking for you,¡± he stated as he stepped out of the way. Sophie¡¯s frown deepened and she pulled her coat tighter, crossing her arms to keep warm as she stepped up into the hut.


    She pulled up short instantly at the sight before her and her heart sunk into the pit of her stomach. Sitting in Jerry¡¯s chair, with her feet swinging, was a young girl that Sophie had come to consider a niece. She was swinging slightly side to side in the swivel chair with her head bowed. Sophie frowned and crouched down, placing a hand on the arm of the chair to hold it steady. ¡°Katie?¡± she inquired.


    When the nine-year-old looked up, her hazel eyes were red and puffy, and her nose was running.


    Sophie¡¯s heart broke a little more. ¡°Sweetheart, what are you doing here? How did you even get here?¡± She reached up and tucked a fly away behind the child¡¯s ear. Her brown-blonde hair looked like it had been tugged into a hasty ponytail, and now was pulling all free. Katie lived twenty minutes away by car, and Sophie was beyond horrified to find her here alone.


    She waited patiently for an answer. Katie sniffled and rubbed her nose on her sleeve. ¡°Mo-mommy,¡± she whimpered. Her voice cracked and she began to cry again, fat teardrops sliding down her rosy cheeks. She was probably exhausted.


    ¡°Where is your mother, Katie?¡± Sophie pressed. Roxanne had been far more distant than Sophie would have liked. She was never a kid-person, and Sophie knew she had taken Michael¡¯s death hard, but she still had a daughter who needed her and depended on her. She tried to call and visit after the funeral as much as possible, but despite them all being close friends in high school and through college, Roxanne had grown distant after marrying Michael and she had no desire for Sophie¡¯s company now. She¡¯d started to miss Katie as the weeks went by, and was worried about how the two were getting on.


    Katie shrugged and more tears spilled from her eyes. She hiccupped and picked up the small pink purse sitting in her lap, then held it out towards her. ¡°She t-told m-me to gi-give you th-this,¡± she sobbed. The second Sophie took it, Katie covered her face in her hands.


    Sophie glanced down at the purse and her frown morphed into a grimace. So Roxanne knew Katie was here. That left an incredibly rotten note in Sophie¡¯s mouth. She needed more of the story than Katie was clearly capable of giving. ¡°Okay. Katie, honey, I have to go talk to Jerry quickly. You stay right here, okay?¡± she requested. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back, alright?¡±


    Katie sniffed again and nodded. ¡°Okay,¡± she whimpered.


    Sophie patted her knee and then reluctantly stood up and backed out of the booth.


    Jerry was standing there, leaned against the side with his foot tapping against the pavement and his face mashed into his hand. He still looked freaked, so Sophie laid a hand on his shoulder, then quietly apologize when he spooked and stood ramrod straight. ¡°Miss Brooks! I¡¯m sorry again, but I didn¡¯t know what else to do. I let her in and made sure she was alright, but a kid out here at this hour, I just¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Sophie assured him. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m glad you called me; you did the right thing. Can you tell me what happened? She was by herself; her mother wasn¡¯t with her?¡± Sophie pressed.


    Jerry shook his head. ¡°No. I mean, I saw a car drive by pretty quick a couple of minutes prior, but I can¡¯t say for sure who it might have been. She came trudging up to the gate with her little purse and that,¡± Jerry paused to nod as a small purple rollaway suitcase that was propped against the wall. ¡°She looked terrified and half asleep, and she started asking for you. I barely heard her the first time, she spoke so quietly. I asked her where her parents were, and she started to cry! I just figured it was better to get her in here off the street before pressing anything else. Someone really ditched just her here? Who is she?¡±


    Sophie sighed and ran a hand through her disheveled curly hair. It was sticking out in all directions and she wanted it off her face. ¡°Her name is Katie. Her father was a dear friend of mine, and I knew her mother from school as well. Michael died recently and it¡¯s been a hard loss. Roxanne isn¡¯t really the motherly type but I never imagined she might pull a stunt like this.¡± She shifted her weight and glanced at the small purse in her hands. ¡°I guess I should actually see what¡¯s in here. Apparently, Roxanne told Katie to give it to me.¡±


    She unzipped the purse and reached inside, finding a sloppily folded stack of papers wedged inside. Frowning, Sophie smoothed out the pile and found the top page to be a letter. She squinted in the low light provided from the guard booth. Jerry stepped forward and held his phone up with the flashlight turned on, illuminating the flowing cursive. It was definitely Roxanne¡¯s handwriting. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said, nodding at Jerry. He hummed in acknowledgement and held the phone a little higher for her.


    Sophie scanned the letter quickly. It was hastily written, with sloppy lines that had her squinting to make out a few words.


    Sophie,


    Sorry for the late hour, but this simply couldn¡¯t wait until morning. These last few weeks have not been easy, but I¡¯ve had a lot of time to think, and I¡¯ve decided to move back home to L.A.


    Sophie paused in her reading with a frown, confused, until she remembered that Roxanne had moved to the area with her father when she was fifteen. They all expected her to move back when she graduated high school, but then she and Michael got together, and she stayed. Her mother¡¯s family all still lived up in America. She shook her head and kept reading.


    I¡¯ve caught a red-eye and the house is already taken care of ¨C though I¡¯m leaving you a key if you need to get in there for any reason in the next few days ¨C so there¡¯s no reason for me to stay. I realize that I¡¯m putting you in a tricky situation and you¡¯ll probably think lesser of me for this, and that¡¯s fine, but I¡¯ve made my decision. I¡¯m not a mother, Sophie, I never was, and I never wanted to be. Katherine was Michael¡¯s. He wanted kids and I was willing to compromise, but I did my part in the first nine months. He took one the rest of the responsibility and that was fine with both of us, but I¡¯m not prepared to take that burden on now.


    Stolen story; please report.


    I know that sounds selfish and shallow, and perhaps it is, but I do think that Katherine will be better off in a different environment, with someone who wants to take care of her and love her. If she was older, it might have been a different situation, but she¡¯s still young and I want to return to focussing on my career. She would just get in the way and would never get any of the attention a child probably needs. As bad a person as it may make me, I have no desire to stick a child in a corner to grow up alone while I give my heart to my job.


    I realize that this is very sudden, and I would not blame you if you did not want the responsibility either, but I know she likes you and you her, and you¡¯ve always wanted kids. Her birth certificate is in the bag, as well as the adoption papers, you just have to sign them. You¡¯re already listed as her godmother, there shouldn¡¯t be an issue, and if there¡¯s any problems, you can find the number of a lawyer I hired to help arrange everything. But, if you do decide that it¡¯s not a good time or you aren¡¯t prepared to take her in, I¡¯ve already spoken with an agency, just give them a call and they¡¯ll pick her up.


    Goodbye, Sophie. Take care of yourself,


    Roxanne.


    Sophie was stunned. She reread the letter to make sure she actually understood what was written on the pages. Roxanne was gone ¨C she wasn¡¯t coming back ¨C and she didn¡¯t even have the decency to call or walk Katie to the gate and make sure she got in okay. She¡¯d dumped her on the sidewalk and sped off.


    Sophie grit her teeth. ¡°Dammit!¡± She twisted and beat the flat of a fist against the wall of the hut. She rifled through the documents and the purse, finding the rest of the promised things. It only bothered her more that Roxanne seemed to have put ample thought and effort into this, but couldn¡¯t be bothered to muster any concern for Katie¡¯s actual wellbeing.


    ¡°Everything okay?¡± Jerry inquired hesitantly.


    Sophie sighed and shook her head. ¡°I could kill her right now, but it doesn¡¯t matter. Right now, I¡¯ve got a distressed kid to look after. Katie¡¯s going to be staying with me for a while,¡± she decided.


    ¡°How long is a while?¡± Jerry asked. His tone was dark, like he already knew ¨C or at least suspected ¨C the answer.


    Sophie merely nodded. ¡°A while,¡± she repeated. She didn¡¯t want Katie overhearing and getting even more upset.


    Jerry¡¯s expression darkened further, and he nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll help you carry the suitcase up if you like.¡±


    ¡°I would appreciate that,¡± Sophie agreed. She carefully folded all the documents back into the purse and stepped back inside the guard booth.


    Katie looked half asleep with her elbows on her knees and her chin cupped by her palms, but her eyes were still red and puffy, and she looked back up when Sophie came back in. ¡°Auntie Sophie? Where did mommy go? She told me to come inside to see you.¡±


    Sophie grimaced and she knelt down in front of the girl again. ¡°Roxanne had to go away for a while,¡± she said, selecting her words carefully. ¡°For work; you know how she sometimes has to take trips.¡±


    ¡°Lots of times,¡± Katie murmured, and Sophie¡¯s heart squeezed at the girl¡¯s blunt, forlorn tone.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s hard, honey. But you¡¯re going to hang out with me this time, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Katie agreed. Her voice was small, and her shoulders slumped.


    Sophie clucked her tongue sympathetically. ¡°Hey, what if I call your school tomorrow and excuse you for the rest of the week, huh? I¡¯ll take off work, and you and me will just hang out and have some fun, okay?¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Katie inquired.


    Sophie grinned. ¡°Absolutely,¡± she agreed. ¡°Come on, sweets, lets get you upstairs; it¡¯s late.¡± When Katie nodded, Sophie stood up and wrapped her arms around Katie. As she hefted her into her arms, she felt Katie wrap her arms around her neck.


    ¡°I can walk,¡± Katie protested softly, her warm breath tickling Sophie¡¯s ear. The woman carefully adjusted the girl in her arms and hugged her closer.


    ¡°I know,¡± Sophie replied. ¡°But I want to hold you.¡± She gently rubbed circles on Katie¡¯s back through her sleep shirt as she carried her out of the booth and back across the park. It was silent, save for the buzz of various filters and the occasional puff from a dolphin blowhole. The noise had Katie tensing in her grasp and Sophie couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. No fear of the sharks or rays, but the dolphins of all things were what frightened the child.


    Once they were back in the apartment, Sophie set Katie down and turned to thank Jerry for his help. His lips were pressed to a grim line, but he nodded and wished her luck before retreating back down to his post. Sophie closed the door and released the breath she didn¡¯t know she was holding in a heavy blast. She took a moment just to lean her forehead against the door before pulling herself together and standing back up again. She made her way into the open floorplan that made up her living room, dinning room, and small kitchen.


    Katie had clambered into a chair and was slumped down on the dinning room table. There were tears making steady tracks down her cheeks again.


    ¡°Katie?¡± Sophie reached out and placed a hand on the young girl¡¯s shoulder.


    Katie sniffed and dragged the sleeve of her pajama shirt under her nose. ¡°She didn¡¯t even say ¡®goodbye¡¯,¡± she whispered.


    Sophie¡¯s heart broke a little further and she wrapped her arms around Katie from behind, resting her chin atop the crown of her head. ¡°I know. I¡¯m sorry, Kate; she shouldn¡¯t have done that, it wasn¡¯t very nice. But it¡¯s going to be okay. You need to get some sleep and things will be better in the morning.¡±


    Katie had slept over a handful of times before ¨C usually whenever Michael and Roxanne had gone out for a date night that they predicted would run late. Katie was usually pretty good about going to bed when she was told, even if she took a while to fall asleep when not in her own bed. But tonight, she shook her head and broke down in heavy sobs.


    Sophie knew it was likely a mixture of stress and being overtired, but she patiently gathered Katie back into her arms and rocked her while patting her back. It took several minutes for Katie to calm down and her cries to pitter off into the occasional hiccup or whimper, and Sophie had a large, sodden patch on her shirt by the end of the ordeal, but she didn¡¯t pay it any mind.


    Katie was clinging to her and shivering at this point, and Sophie hated to send her straight to bed like this. ¡°How about a snack?¡± she suggested. ¡°Are you hungry?¡±


    Katie nodded, so Sophie sat her back down in her chair. ¡°Could I please have a piece of toast?¡± she inquired as she sat, her legs swinging under the seat of the chair.


    Sophie nodded and leaned forward to kiss the crown of Katie¡¯s head before brushing past and making her way into the kitchen to drop two pieces into the toaster and set the kettle on the stove.


    Once she had Katie set up with two jammed pieces of toast and a mug of hot chocolate, she nodded in the direction of the hall. ¡°I¡¯m going to go make your bed, okay Katie? I¡¯ll be right back. You just holler if you need anything, okay?¡±


    Katie was silent as she munched on her snack, but Sophie saw her nod and felt comfortable enough to leave the girl alone for a few minutes.


    She pulled fresh sheets and pillowcases out of the hall closet and stepped into the cream-colored guest room she had. She stripped the bed down and fluffed the pillows, remaking it with fresh, crisp white linen. Over the next few days, she would take Katie shopping for some new things and d¨¦cor for the room, since it was going to be hers now.


    It was sudden, and she did not feel well prepared at all to take on a full-time child, but she was not going to abandon a girl who was essentially her niece to enter the foster system alone and unwanted. She wanted Katie, and though the circumstances were horrid and made her want to strangle Roxanne, Sophie was glad the girl was with her now. She always feared the idea of something happening to Michael and Katie being left with just Roxanne. Not that she thought Roxanne would ever truly seek to physically harm Katie, but she didn¡¯t have to. She just had to not love her, and the damage would be bad enough. When Michael died, Sophie had quietly considered taking Katie for a little while to give Roxanne space to grieve and then get her act together to take care of her daughter, but when she was pushed away, Sophie assumed she might not even get to see Katie again. She and Roxanne had not been on the friendliest of terms for over a decade now.


    It would be hard, and Katie wouldn¡¯t understand for a while what had happened and why, but Sophie was glad she¡¯d have the opportunity to give Katie a better future full of love and nurturing. She owed that to Michael at the very least ¨C to take care of his child ¨C and it was hardly a true sacrifice to make.


    Once she¡¯d deemed the room ready, Sophie made her way back to Katie¡¯s side. There was nothing but some golden crumbs left on her plate and a little bit of hot chocolate left in the mug. Katie had her head down on the table and was blinking sluggishly at her as Sophie approached.


    ¡°Alright Kiddo, let¡¯s get you into bed,¡± she decided as she lifted Katie up from the table and held her tight. Katie¡¯s fingers curled into her shirt and Sophie tensed when she heard the girl start to sniffle again. ¡°Katie, please don¡¯t cry; it¡¯s okay, I promise,¡± Sophie assured her.


    ¡°Auntie Sophie¡­can I sleep with you tonight? Please?¡± Katie begged, her voice cracking as she spoke, while fat tears brimmed in her hazel eyes. The way she asked made it seem like she expected to be refused, and Sophie quickly assumed that she had directed the same desperate request at Roxanne many times over the past few weeks. Losing her father had taken an obvious toll on Katie and it was breaking Sophie¡¯s heart.


    Katie was lonely.


    She sighed softly - more with relief that it was a request she could easily accommodate than anything - and squeezed Katie close. ¡°Of course, you can,¡± she murmured.

 A Day at Play

    ¡°Oof.¡± Her breath was driven from her as Riley was forced into the sand with a shoulder wedged into her gut. Half wheezing, half laughing, Riley shoved her opponent off of her and wiggled away. A wide grin had split her lips and she stuck her tongue put at her friends. The twins, Corey and Coden, hovered side by side. They looked identical with their messy red-brown hair that drifted around their ears, with stormy eyes and faces full of freckles. Their skin was pale and mottled with brown and grey spots, and tails of red clay glistened dully in the morning light. Each of them had a short, rounded fin, entirely translucent save for the bright red veins that webbed through them in a fanning pattern. The only difference between the two was a short, wide scar down Corey''s cheek from splitting his face open on a particularly jagged piece of coral.


    It was Coden that had fallen on her, and she pouted at him. ¡°That was not very kind,¡± she mocked as she propped closed fists in her hips and stuck her tongue out further. At eleven cycles, they were two years older, but she held her own well enough when they wrestled. They always claimed to let her win, but she felt it was more they did not like that a younger had tied with them in a one on one. In a group tangle, she tended to lose, but she was determined to one day come out victorious in that too.


    Corey tilted his head and pursed his lips. ¡°Aww, what is the matter, Rae? Can you not handle a hit today?¡±


    Riley¡¯s nose crinkled at the nickname and she shook her head. ¡°Do not call me that, Corey,¡± she protested.


    But it was the wrong thing to say because a wide grin flowed across his features and his brows dipped in mischievously. ¡°Sorry, Raelyana,¡± he corrected.


    Riley growled and bared her fangs. She hissed and launched herself at him, barrelling into him and knocking him over down into the rocky sand. He grunted in surprise, but she grabbed hold of a rocky outcropping for balance so he could not throw her off. She pressed her other hand down against his throat and stared at him with hardened eyes and a firm frown. ¡°My name is Riley,¡± she warned him.


    He thrashed for a moment before sighing in exasperation. ¡°Fine, fine, Riley. Let me up,¡± he huffed. She relinquished her grip and rose off of him. ¡°I do not know why you are so sensitive about it though.¡±


    Riley shrugged and brushed it off. She hated her birth name, and had decided she wanted to change it last cycle, but she was having a hard time convincing others to indulge her. Her mother was against the change and more members of her family were inclined to respect her mother''s wishes than to acknowledge Riley''s own. But it was different with her friends ¨C her cousins and peers ¨C and it meant a lot to her to be who she wanted around them. It was sometimes the only opportunity she got, when she was with them.


    ¡°I just do not like it, okay?¡± she pressed. Both boys nodded their understanding. They were punks ¨C she was too ¨C but there was a difference between pranking and bullying. She did not imagine they would harass her about it again.


    ¡°Where is Akailen?¡± Coden asked as he gazed around them. He cupped his hands around his mouth and hollered her name.


    ¡°I am here!¡± Akailen called back. A heartbeat later she came darting up over the swell of the shelf. Her mother of pearl tail dazzled with a near blinding sheen as it caught the light. Her split fins of bone white flapped wildly through the water. The were oversized, but Akailen was always assured by the adult Mer that she would grow into them. They made her swimming a little clumsy and she always had a hard time stopping if she got going a bit too fast. It made Riley grateful that her own dual fins seemed to grow with her rather than giving her problems.


    Akailen pulled to a stop beside them, but not without bumping into Riley''s back so her chin jutted put over Riley''s shoulder. ¡°Sorry,¡± she mumbled.


    ¡°It is alright,¡± Riley assured her with a smile. Akailen returned the smile and her eyes sparkled. The were a soft green, like shiny pieces of sea glass. Her russet hair was pulled off her face with a tie of twisted kelp roots so that it hung down her spine to her hips. Akailen''s hair grew incredibly quickly and her mother was constantly taking a jagged shell to keep it under control. Less than half a moon ago, it has been chopped just below her shoulders.


    Riley¡¯s own blonde hair was at her shoulders, just slightly longer than the brightly colored bangs that framed her cheeks and chin. Her mother had recently forced her to sit and have it cut, even though it had only been down to her chest. Riley still had a sour taste in her mouth about it. It was only hair ¨C it grew back ¨C and she did appreciate that it did not catch or get in her face as much when shorter, but she hated never being given the choice. Her mother had never seemed to understand her, and Riley often felt like a disappointment.


    ¡°What should we play?¡± Akailen''s lilting voice broke Riley of her brooding. She gave herself a shake and refocused on the conversation.


    Corey shrugged. ¡°Track and tag?¡± he suggested.


    His brother shoved him and shook his head. ¡°Not if Riley''s tracking.¡±


    Riley puffed up her chest. She did not quite understand how the others were not just as good. She only had to taste the water and their trails lingered in her gills, and she could feel the pulses of their heartbeats when she got close enough. The water always buzzed with it, but she could tune it out whenever she wanted. She did not know why they did not tap into it too, but it still made her feel good to excel at the game despite being the youngest in the group.


    ¡°We could race,¡± Akailen proposed. ¡°To the far side of the reef. I want to try my luck; I have been practicing.¡±


    Riley grinned. ¡°I would take that challenge.¡±


    Corey and Coden both nodded, but it was Coden that spoke. ¡°We could test the gorge current after. It is on the far side; our race will take us right there.¡±


    Akailen seemed to deflate a little. ¡°I thought we were supposed to stay away from there; it is not safe.¡±


    Corey shook his head and waved away her concerns. ¡°It is fine. The adults only say that because they want the smaller merlings to keep away. We are fine.¡±


    ¡°It does sound like fun,¡± Akailen admitted.


    ¡°Then let us go,¡± Riley agreed eagerly.


    They had all just twisted into racing formation when Riley paused at the sound of her name. When she heard it again, she turned to see who was calling her. ¡°Riley!¡± the excited squeal belonged to her younger cousin, Kera, who was hurrying towards them and waving her arm in the air. Riley glanced around for her aunt ¨C who rarely left the four-year-old along for long ¨C but she was nowhere in sight. Kera must have slipped away on her own.


    Behind her, all her friends groaned at Kera''s approach.


    ¡°Riley, where are you all going? Can I come?¡± Kera¡¯s stumpy tail was working hard behind her and when she finally got close enough, her wide eyes were full of pleading excitement. ¡°Please?¡±


    Before she could answer, Riley felt a twinge in her side that made her wince. She glanced away from Kera to find Corey tugging on one of the tiny fins that grew from her hips. They were no bigger than her closed fist and were half expected to fall off as she got older ¨C though Riley desperately hoped not ¨C and very sensitive. She tugged from Corey''s grip and frowned at him.


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.¡°Get rid of the baby, Riley. She cannot come with us.¡±


    ¡°I am not a baby,¡± Kera protested softly. ¡°I can keep up, I promise. Please, Riley?¡±


    Riley sighed. She loved Kera, but her friends did not, and she did want to play with them. She glanced back down at Kera''s hopeful face. ¡°Kera¡­you should go back to Aunt Becca before she worries about you. You are too young for this game, but we will play tomorrow okay? I promise.¡±


    Guilt squeezed at her as she watched Kera''s face fall. ¡°You said that yesterday,¡± Kera muttered softly as her shoulders slumped.


    Riley paused for a moment and thought back. Kera was right and she had made that promise previously. Nodding her head, she made her decision. ¡°You are right,¡± she agreed. She turned back to her friends and shrugged. ¡°Go on without me; I can catch up later.¡±


    ¡°Seriously?¡± Coden rolled his eyes. ¡°Fine, whatever. See you later then.¡±


    Riley shrugged off their annoyance; they would forgive her. She always kept her promises. When she turned back to Kera, she found the little Mer droopy eyed and slumped in on herself. She was staring at the sand. ¡°Sorry,¡± she whispered. ¡°I did not mean to make your friends leave. Riley, why do they never want to play?¡±


    Riley sighed and draped an arm across Kera''s shoulders. She pulled her close and rubbed a fist over her head until Kera squealed with laughter and wiggled in her grip. ¡°They just do not know how great you are. One day, you will show them.¡±


    Kera wrapped her arms snuggly around Riley''s waist and nuzzle her. ¡°You are my most very favorite.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Even better than Nero?¡± Riley teased. Kera shrugged guiltily, but her smile was wide as she shook her head. Riley laughed. There was no one ¨C save her mother ¨C that Kera loved more than her older brother.


    And Kera was perhaps the only person that Nero genuinely engaged with and spoke to. Not that he was unfriendly or unkind, he was simply shy and quiet and reserved. He preferred to keep to himself and simply watch life rather than engage with it. At least, that was how it seemed to like to Riley; she did not understand how he could prefer that, but she respected it. Most of the time. Not really at all; it was fun to harass him. Riley grinned and gently prodded Kera¡¯s sides, tickling her until she was giggling again. ¡°Where is your brother?¡± Riley inquired with her tongue poking between her teeth cheekily. ¡°Perhaps we should go find him?¡±


    Kera¡¯s face lit up and she nodded eagerly. ¡°Yes! Then we can all play!¡± Kera tugged on Riley¡¯s arm. Riley giggled but followed along as Kera attempted to tow her. In reality, her grip was not very strong and Riley was following under her own power. She loved her little cousin, but Kera was very small and weak. Her Aunt Becca said it was because Kera was born too early and that¡¯s why she was so tiny, but that she would grow in time. Riley had heard her mother whispering about the fact that Kera should have died when she was a baby ¨C not because anyone wanted her to, but because she had been too sickly for anyone to believe she could survive. It was why Aunt Becca always kept Kera close, and the other children would often get in lots of trouble of they were anything but gentle with her. Riley imagined that was where some of their resentment festered from, but she enjoyed Kera''s sweet smile and happiness too much to mind playing simpler games she had long outgrown. It made Kera too happy for Riley to refuse.


    They swam over the reef together and it was Kera who veered off first. Riley grinned. Keera could always find her brother, and Riley thought she would make an excellent tracker in the future.


    They found Nero off by himself, coiled loosely around a fat red coral tube. This thick gray tail swishes occasionally through the water and he lifted a hand to bat some of his shaggy ashen hair out of his face, but beyond that, he sat stoic with obsidian eyes that stared off over the reef to gaze at nothing in particular. His browned skin had a tone to it that reminded Riley of smoke. She had seen the great plumes of it that belched from flames only once in her life, when a particularly dry season had lit one of the nearby islands ablaze. It had been fascinating.


    Nero was one of the only Mer Riley knew who had a rough, calloused skin of stretched sfascinlike a shark rather than the smooth plated rows many others tended to have. He was not unique in his tail, but it was a less common sight. Thick red stripes curled over his hips and part of his muscular tail, and two small fins jutted from the front side of the limb, down near the tip. He truly did remind her of a shark.


    ¡°Nero!¡± Kera called in delight as she scurried across the expanse between them and flopped on his back. Her fingers curled around the dorsal that stretched from his spine and she pressed her cheek against his shoulder.


    The tiny fins at Riley''s hips flitted open and closed as she dropped down into the sand beside her cousin and she grinned widely.


    Nero raised one eyebrow as he regarded her. ¡°what do you want, Riley?¡± he inquired with a sigh. Riley''s grin only widened at the sixteen cycle Mer and poked her tongue out between her teeth.


    Kera beat her to an answer, however, as she pushed up to land on Nero''s head instead. She rested her chin on the crown of his skull and her fingers slid in his hair until she was half covering his eyes while her tail trailed down his back. ¡°Nero, willy you play with us? Please?¡± she begged while tugging on his ear.


    Riley nodded. ¡°Yes, Nero, play a game with us,¡± she taunted as she slumped bodily against him. A flick of his arm shoved her off. He was silent for a moment as he reached up and dragged Kera off his back and over his head. She squeaked in surprise as he effortlessly pinned her to the sand and began to tickle her sides.


    Kera''s laughter became shrill as she twisted and squirmed to get away from him. ¡°Nero, no! No tickles! Noooo,¡± she howled as her tiny gill slits flared and flapped frantically. She pushed at his hands until he let her go and she shot put from the reach of his grasp. A second later she was back and hanging off him again. ¡°Please, big brother? One game?¡±


    Nero rolled his eyes, but the faintest hint of a smirk ¨C the closest thing to a smile one could get from him ¨C twitched at the corners of his mouth. ¡°Alright,¡± he caved. ¡°One game of seek out.¡±


    Kera cheered and threw herself down into the sand while watching him expectantly.


    ¡°Seek out a curly shell,¡± he instructed. Kera twisted around, stirring up particles as she dashed off with a wide smile. Riley sat back a moment. Seek out was hardly ever and advanced game and there were hundreds of curly shells scattered within eyesight along the reef. She would rather give Kera a head start and allow her to win.


    Then she found her face pressed into the sand as Nero''s tail connected with her back and bowled her over. ¡°Why are you still sitting there?¡± he crouched.


    Riley did not respond and instead hastily swam off in pursuit of her younger cousin and a shell.

 4. Lost

    Her chest heaved, lungs expanding desperately, but she only sucked in thin, dry air that hung in her lungs and made her cough. Sweat dripped down her brow and tears pooled in the corners of her eyes.


    ¡°Again,¡± the voice of one of the scientists came ¨C cold and clinical ¨C like a knife straight to her heart. There was a sharp buzzing noise and then her back arched, her convulsions subdued by the thick restraints biting into her flesh as the tiny wires they had stuck to her boy sparked to life and sent painful currents shooting through her muscles.


    She gritted her teeth and slumped back on the frigid metal gurney as it finally stopped. Her fingers twitched with lingering energy and she gasped for air again. She longed for the water, to submerge where it would flow over her gills and soothe the dry ache in her chest.


    ¡°Again.¡±


    She was beginning to hate that word as more volts were pumped through her flesh. Her lips parted in a silent cry and her tears finally began to flow. Though there was no scream to mark her agony, her convulsions grew more violent until pain roared in her limbs. She had been silent now for a while ¨C though she could not recall why or how she had lost her voice ¨C and since it fled her, the scientists and their experiments had grown more brutal. It seemed as though that was because they no longer had too bother with the noise of her cries, but deep down she knew the real reason. The man ¨C the one who took so much pleasure in her pain ¨C had always seemed to delight at the sound of her scream. Some days it felt he was forever trying to rip it back out of her. She wished he would realize that it had well and truly abandoned her.


    The shocks kept coming, until she was panting heavily and her vision was blurred, and she was convinced she could take no more. Then Dr. Patron stepped forward. He was always present, and her heart rate accelerated as he approached.  She had never felt such fear or hatred towards another living being before, but the surplus of negative emotions that swelled in her heart towards him was enough to choke her.


    He grinned widely as he stared down at her, trapped and pinned as she was, and reached out a hand. She cringed as his fingers approached, but his tough was tender as he stroked her cheek and tugged a long lock of hair behind her ear. His malicious grin only grew as his lips moved. ¡°Again.¡±


    The Mer winced as her scales clacked sharply against the tiled floor and the force of impact jarred her bones. The door squealed noisily on its hinges behind her before slamming shut. She was left alone with only the sound of retreating footsteps. Her arm shook as she lifted her hand to wipe a little drool from the side of her mouth. This was the third time now that they had taken her and done that procedure. She never understood why, though they talked about things like heart rate and muscle contraction and electronic pulse readings, though she knew none of what it meant. Just that it hurt.


    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    When her body stopped shaking, she pushed herself upright to gaze at her new settings. She was in a room with small, smooth blue tiles on the floor and concrete walls. It was a small room, and halfway through the floor dropped away into a shallow pool. She had been left here before, though she did not know why they liked to put her in here when her tiny tank was more portable. They often kept her in the small tank with wheels to move her around. There was no room in the tank and she had to remain bowed and curled, and her tail often cramped terribly. She would often spend the time tilting her head and twitching her wrists to keep the few things she could move from cramping as well. This pool was not much of a size improvement, but at least it allowed her to remain stretched out rather than curled in a tight ball.


    She would have to drag herself over to the water, though, and she did not have the energy yet. Time no longer had any meaning to her. She did not know how long it had been since she had seen the outside world, and she could barely even picture what it looked like. She remembered so little now. She had grown, so a few cycles had to have passed at least. It felt like an eternity since her voice had abandoned her, and now she had only tiny fragments of memory to cling to.


    Her azure gaze widened as a thought occurred to her. For as long as she could remember now, she had whispered, and later mouthed her name to herself every time they left her alone. No one knew it here, no one called her by anything, and as she started to forget, she began repeating it so she would always know who she was. But she had been so exhausted and sore the last couple times, she had forgotten to do it. Now, when she parted her lips, nothing came. Her heart pounded in her chest and she wracked her brain, but the familiar sound and shape of the name was gone. She floundered for a moment, and then her vision blurred as tears brimmed behind her lids. There was nothing. The last shred of identity that she had nurtured and protected so dearly was gone.


    Other names flashed in her mind. Creature. Thing. Monster. Demon. Devilfish. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the horrible, echoing terms that echoed in her head. These were the names they had given her, the terms they used to describe her. The scientist that hurt her most liked that last one a lot. She had always countered with her real name in her mind, but now she had nothing to combat the terrible oppression of her new life.


    Her head bowed and her chest heaved. It was terrifying and crushing, to be without a name. She felt herself floundering in a sense of loss and confusion. She no longer knew who she was. Any hopes or dreams she had once harbored were gone. She did not know what brought her joy or what she liked to do. The only things that lingered were a desperation for escape and a relief whenever she was left alone. Solitude meant less pain.


    The Mer raised her head and stared at the dark, unblinking eye of the wall-box that watched her. They always watched her in this room, though it had taken her a while to figure it out. Chewing on her lip, she twisted and dragged herself across the floor and slipped into the cold water in the tank. It was chilly and tasted stale, but she dunked below so that they could not see her begin to cry.


    There we go. Last chapter was ALL fluff. I can''t have you lot thinking I''m going soft now can I? Actually, it was just more to introduce the time between Kera and Luna. One identity died in that facility and another was born, but there was a long stretch in between. I''ll say it again though, I do take requests for these things, so if there''s specific moments in Cry of the Mer that are just mentioned and you want to actually see, or scenes from other points of view, or just concepts from the backgrounds of characters you want explored, leave me a comment and I''ll do my best to accomodate everyone''s desires.

 5. Extraction

    The water in the tank sloshed as it jerked to a sudden stop and the Mer within had to brace her hands on the glass to avoid being heavily jostled. She hated being moved around like this, but supposed it was better than being hauled around by the tail. They had done that a lot when she had been small, until she grew enough they risked damaging it too much. Not that it had ever been meant to support her weight above the water. She gazed around the room she had been brought to and her heart squeezed with anxiety.


    There was a tall table with thick restraints hanging from it. They swayed slightly, the gleaming buckles glinting as they were struck by the harsh overhead lights. Above the table was a box shaped device, white with a black stripe running across the side. Various beams and hoses and wires were strung from it and the Mer shied away as much as her small tank would allow. She knew this room and this device, and she hated it.


    She flinched when the door opened and a pair of black boots and dark pants filled her view. She craned her head to see a man staring down at her. This was not the man who usually came ¨C not the one who loved to hurt her ¨C but the other one, who always studied her and watched her just a little too long with a different expression. His was curiosity, like she was a puzzle to be solved. It made her uncomfortable. Perhaps what was worst about him was that she did not know what to expect.


    Over time, she had come to learn the patterns of the bad-man. He hurt her ¨C they all did ¨C but he took immense pleasure in it. Almost seemed proud or gloating about the accomplishment. She feared him above all else. But he liked to punish her more than he simply enjoyed causing her pain. If she lay limp and meek and gave in to the inner sanctum of her mind, he got angry. It was always worse when he was angry. He would rip into her mercilessly and drag her from mental sanctuary until she was shivering and sobbing and unable to move.


    It only happened twice before she learned to fuss ¨C never too much ¨C but to hiss and thrash and give his interns a hard time. She would get in trouble then, be punished, but it was always more bearable than when he was angry.


    But this other man, this one was different, and she never felt well after his experiments. She hated them the most. She peered at him warily as he pulled on a pair of metal link gloves. He always used them when he dealt with her. She growled when he pulled the lid off and curled into a tight ball. There was not much room, but when he reached his hands in, she whipped her tail out and connected with the side of his arm. He had already been pulling back, so she did not  do much damage, but he still shook his hand and muttered a word that she did not understand. It was spoken with venom, however, and he glared at her. On instinct she shrunk back.


    He stepped back out of the room and returned shortly after with another person. A bit of a heavier set girl with short blonde hair around her chin and a face full of freckles. The Mer recognized her as one of the younger workers who cleaned the floors and equipment at night. She must have been the first person he found.


    The Mer blared her fangs again, her heart racing. She did not fuss with this man, she genuinely resisted his machine that made her feel so pained and poorly for a long time, on top of everything she had to endure usually. He had given up before and she held the hope he would do it again.


    Not this time, however. His helper pulled on a pair of the same gloves and they both advanced on her. There was not enough room in her tiny tank to avoid them both. She hissed again, but then the girl was grabbing her tail. She winced ad the hands pinch the sides of  her fin against the metal links. She could not turn to strike, and the man had her around the waist in a heartbeat. His other arm looped under her chin, causing her to gag slightly as they hauled her up out of the tank.


    She had a bit more energy at the moment and it had awoken her often dormant fight response. The Mer bucked in their grasp, contorting her body until the girl lost her grip on her slippery scales and they were forced to drop her. She winced at the sharp noise produced as she struck the ground, but she quickly straightened herself out and pushed herself away from their feet.


    The man lunged for her and she snapped at his outstretched hands. He jerked back and grumbled more to himself than to her. ¡°So you¡¯re going to be difficult today, then?¡±


    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!The Mer merely hissed at him in response.


    He ran a hand over his balding head, then shrugged. He made a gesture to the girl that the Mer did not understand. She frowned and her hesitation cost her as the older girl''s weight dropped down onto her at the butt of her tail. The Mer hissed and thrashed as she attempted to buck the girl off. She turned with her fangs bared and the man was waiting for her. She had her mouth open in a snarl and he jammed a thick rubber wrapped bar into her mouth. It caught behind her fangs and she reared in surprise. Hands pushed her down while more dragged at her face as they tied the bar into her mouth.


    The Mer hissed again, but she knew it was pointless. Now that she could not bite, they were no longer worried about her. She fell limp as they picked her up again, the fight draining from her as they held her tightly. Any further resistance was pointless and would land her in trouble.


    They flopped her down on the table and her head was guided into a plush framed hole. She felt hands squeezing at her tail as it was dragged straight out until her bones felt stretched, and then was locked into place. A strap was pulled tight across the base of her skull and another over the ridge of her tail where the scales melted away into her skin. She chewed her lip, fear fluttering her heart in her chest, but she did not move.


    ¡°Good girl,¡± the man praised, giving her a pat on the head. She gritted her teeth and lay there, effectively unable to do anything else. Her eyes closed as she heard the machine start up. The high pitched whine hurt her ears, but it quickly faded away and was replaced with a loud buzzing.


    The Mer was shaking by the time the overhead box portion had lowered and pressed against her back. The bottom was coated in a straight line of tubes that aligned perfectly down her back to sit in the spaces between each of the ridges of her spin.


    Tears dropped down her cheeks, the air whistling in her nostrils as she inhaled. A second later, the pain came as the machine made a sharp beeping noise and then hissed. Multiple needles pierced down the length of her spine and her body went ridged. The pressure continued to increase and the Mer''s lips parted in a silent scream. As it went on, she began to feel ill, dizzy and weak.


    After what felt like an eternal stretch, there was a clicking noise that jarred her back and poured white hot agony behind her eyelids, and then it released and the needles pulled free.


    When the straps were removed and she was lifted off the table, her head lolled and she reached- though there was nothing in her gut to purge. Exhaustion rolled over her in waves and her body was shaking. She was lowered to the floor and she tried to brace herself on an arm, but it quivered and then buckled and she collapsed. Her chest was heaving and she felt as though someone had reached inside and torn her insides out.


    The man crouched down in front of her and hauled her up, looping an arm around her chest to hold her dangled in the air with her tail trailing on the floor. The bar was tugged from her mouth, but she did not have the strength for that to mean anything. She saw a flash of pink and then a rubbery bulb was pressed to her lips. The man pushed it into her mouth and then an overly sweet fluid flowed over her tongue. It was not very good, but she was starved and weak, so she gulped at it as best she could.


    ¡°There,¡± the man muttered. ¡°That wasn¡¯t so bad.¡±


    He lifted her and dumped her back in the water. She curled her tail and sunk to the floor of the tank, still breathing heavily. ¡°Lexi, take her back now please. Make sure she¡¯s marked off-limits. I took a lot and she needs to recuperate. We¡¯ll be moving her next week. Go in and give her another one of these every hour until she starts to give you a hard time, then you can stop. It¡¯ll be a while before she¡¯s up and moving again, and I want to make sure her counts are kept up.¡±


    The Mer was exhausted and barely registered the words, but one thing stuck in her mind as the assistant began to wheel her back out. Move me where? What else new could they possibly find to do to me? She had been moved around before, and it was always terrible. She did not want to know the answer of what was planned for her next.


    Slumping against the glass bottom, her eyes dropped shut.

 6. Companionship

    The young Mer was used to blacking out. She was familiar with opening her eyes and finding herself in new places ¨C often with new pains and aches ¨C after the scientists had poked her with a needle. It was a frequent occurrence, and it often left her with a massive headache or sense of dizziness.


    This time, as she pushed herself up from the glass floor she had previously been sprawled against, she found herself in a large tank. A frown pulled at her lips as she gazed around. She had come to learn that her captors never did anything ¨C especially anything good or kind ¨C without a reason. There was usually a catch to things that could be viewed as ¡®gifts¡¯ and this was far more space than she ever tended to receive. Her fin flicked with anxiety as she studied her surroundings for a hint at what was to come. The tank was taller than it was wide, with a series of vertical steps along one side that led to a platform that stretched partway over the surface of the water. There was no lid, and she could surface if she wished ¨C though she did not ¨C which was also strange. They normally did not like to allow her the chance to leave the water unless they were supervising and dragging her from it to cart her off somewhere.


    There seemed to be another tank beside hers, and the platform stretched over both, but it did not look like she could access it without leaping over the barrier. She scowled as she stared up at it. She was sure that she was capable of making such a jump ¨C it was not very high ¨C but it had been so long since she had this much space and she was not sure she knew how to perform that feat.


    With a shake of her head, she gazed beyond the clear barriers of her confines. The room was large and mostly gray, with all sorts of equipment she did not know or understand. She doubted she would have liked any of it, however, so she did not care to know what any of it did. She appeared to be alone, though she also had the sinking suspicion in her gut that something was going to happen. If she held her breath and listened very hard, she could hear past the noisy burbling of the tank¡¯s filter out into the tunnels that lay behind this particular room. There were lots of people making lots of noise as they tromped quickly through the halls. They only rushed when they were working on something big. Their excitement was usually her dread, and it made her want to curl into a tiny ball even though she knew that with no cover she had no way to hide.


    She remained where she was for a long while, her fin tapping up and down against the floor as a way to release some of the nervous energy building in her. Gradually, the outside sounds faded away, and she was truly left alone. Chewing her lip, she cautiously pushed up off the floor and swam a few laps around the tank at a midway depth. Despite whatever consequence may befall her later, it felt so good to have the space to stretch out her cramped, kinked muscles. She was not even sure how she could still swim with how much time she would spend in a too-small tank with hardly enough room to stretch her tail out to its full length. Though she never had any real concept of time, she would lay with her hip dug into the glass until fire burned the length of her body and she would desperately shuffle or roll to the other side in an attempt to stave off the worst of the motionless locking of her muscles.


    The Mer rolled from her front to her back and twisted her body to its limits until it hurt, and then sighed with relief as the knots deep inside finally began to loosen. For longer than she cared to remember, it had been like an itch she could not reach to scratch, paining her and making discomfort her constant companion. Discomfort and fear were her unwanted friends, but the only ones she had. She hated them, but she supposed it was better than feeling nothing at all.


    She swam a few more circles, and then slowly drifted back down to the floor with flaring gills as she panted. It was so hard to move now, to waste any energy at all when she had so little to give anymore. They used to feed her properly ¨C at least she assumed else she probably would have perished instead of growing ¨C but for the last long while, she was more familiar with constant fatigue and roiling hunger ¨C more friends she did not want ¨C than she knew was healthy. If she ran her fingers down her sides, she could feel each rib straining against her flesh as her skin grew too taut to hold them in properly. It was the same with her hips, and the rounded bones in her elbows and wrists.


    She sighed and gritted her teeth together until they creaked within her skull. She just wanted to swim, to finally have the chance, but no matter her desires, her body lacked the strength for even simple tasks. She huffed silently and a stream of bubbles jetted from her lips to flutter to the surface. Resigned to her situation, she pulled her tail up closer for warmth and laid her cheek on one arm. If she was still alone after a short nap, perhaps she would have the energy to exercise more.


    ***


    A loud bang echoed through the water and the Mer¡¯s head shot up as she was startled from a fitful slumber. She curled her tail even closer and pulled herself down into a ball. She knew she was safest on the floor ¨C where it would be more of a hassle to reach her at this depth ¨C but as the noises grew louder, her anxiety spurred her to move, to flee even though she had nowhere to go, and she shoved away from the glass bottom and back to the wall furthest from the door. She sucked in water and hovered there with her back pressed against the barrier as she stared with her pounding heart drumming in her ears. She shook her head in attempt to clear the internal throb that was muffling the sounds she wanted to track.


    When the doors finally opened, the Mer bit her lip hard enough that the sharp, bitter tang of her own blood coated her tongue and a small pink-red wisp flowed up in front of her gaze. She shuddered and watched as a group of workers filtered into the room followed by two scientists pushing a gurney. It did not look empty, but she could not get a good enough look with all the bodies in the way. Her heart stalled at the faces of the men in the long white coats. Dr. Patron. The name rung in her head, though she had never spoken it ¨C or anything, really. Not in a very long time ¨C but it was easy to recognize the man that haunted her dreams. She hated most that her pain seemed to be a game for him, one that he forced her to play lest she face further, even more unpleasant consequences. She despised the game, and its rules. There was no way to escape the pain, but she had to swim a careful line between giving him a reason to punish her so he could play and taking things too far so that he grew truly enraged.


    For so long she had wanted to simply curl up, retreat inside her head, and forget the world around her. She had tried before, to succumb to the ever-present feeling of numbness that lurked in the edges of her mind. But whenever she fell limp that way, he found some new, horrible way to drag her back to reality in ways that would leave her shaking and crippled for several sleeps. She found no enjoyment or satisfaction in mock lunging or showing aggression to him or his interns, knew it would get her nowhere, but she had to play the game. He made sure she played, always.


    Though admittedly, he had been around a little less lately. She would have loved the reprieve if it were not for the scientist beside him now. The one that watched her differently. He played no games and most often ignored her, except when he wanted something. She shuddered and her back flared up at the reminder of last time. Not much time had passed since he last hauled her off to the machine. The loud one with so many needles that stabbed her spine and made her feel weak and drained and so sore for so long. She was not sure which of them was worse to have come for her.


    Right now, they did not spare her so much as a glance and she drifted back down to the ground to coil into a tiny ball as they turned away from the tank and began fussing with a strange sling of fabric that a crane had lowered for them. She hoped if she stayed small and still, their attention would not be drawn to her.


    They were putting something in the sling. The Mer studied them carefully. There was a bright flash of purple that dotted the walls in little glittering lights. It was the same way her tail did when it caught the light. The Mer frowned and despite her fears, uncurled enough to lean closer. She could not have seen what she thought, surely? It was some sort of trick. It had been far too long. She was alone. Always alone. In some ways, it was better that way even though it cracked the heart she fought so hard to preserve.


    A loud cranking noise reverberated in her ears as the crane¡¯s cable began to retract, pulling the sling up with it. There had been no fuss with loading it, and the Mer began to wonder if whatever was inside was deceased. But then it wiggled and the sling jerked about as it was swung up over the top of the other tank and hung in place.


    There was a sharp clicking sound and then one side of the sling fell open and allowed the occupant to plummet with a call of surprise.


    The Mer watched with wide eyes as the figure hit the water with a splash and promptly sunk like a stone. It was another Mer. She looked older ¨C though not by much ¨C and certainly bigger and stronger and healthier, and the young Mer shied back at the implications. She knew nothing now of her people or how to behave. Would this one grow angry with her presence? Was this a trick to toy with her hope, only to tear it away as she was beaten into submission by one of her own? It would not surprise her if the scientists played that game with her.


    The other Mer had a long, slender tail that glittered with vibrant violet shades, and her fin was wider and flatter than the young Mer¡¯s own. Her hair was just as long, and surrounding her in a massive, dark brown plume, while dark dots splattered over the tanned skin of her face. The comparison to the young Mer¡¯s own pale, veiny skin was striking. There was something off about this other girl though. Her eyes were wide with fright and she was flailing her arms through the water with her cheeks puffed up. Her fin waved side to side, but she did not go anywhere. Did she not know how to swim?


    That was a strange notion to the young Mer, given she was older and her healthy appearance seemed to indicate she was recently caught, though she showed none of the aggression towards the humans that she would have expected from one of her kind.


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    The scientists were talking, and the young Mer focused for a moment on them to catch part of their conversation. There was a woman with them, and she was speaking.


    ¡°I really think we should get Ka-Bailey out of there; she doesn¡¯t look so good.¡±


    The young Mer¡¯s gaze whipped back to the struggling Mer and a sharp thorn of jealousy jabbed her in the gut. Why did this one get a name when all she had known for as long as she could remember back were cruel jabs?


    Beast. Animal. Monster. Devilfish. Thing. The young Mer curled her fingers into fists so that her nails dug into her palms. The prickles of pain helped stem the flow of taunts that jeered in her head. She had been without an identity for longer than she knew, and it weighed heavily on her.


    Her jealousy faded away as she continued to gaze at the other Mer. There really was something wrong with this girl, but her eyes were bloodshot and she was growing pale, and her struggling was weakening. She was drowning. Her gills were closed.


    Though the young Mer had never experienced the instinctive response to being underwater failing her, she knew it was happening to this other. She could not breathe water while there was air in her lungs.


    Without truly considering what she was doing or the consequences of her actions, the younger Mer knew she had to do something, so she shoved off the floor once more and raced for the surface. Had there been time to process it, the jump may have felt exhilarating, and so different from anything she had been allowed to do in the past.


    She could hear the woman screeching as she plunged back down into the opposite tank and dove for the bottom. The other Mer looked rather limp now and there was not much time. The girl struggled weakly as the young Mer wrapped her arms around her belly from behind and began to squeeze. The Mer wheezed and bubbles floated from her lips, but she still had not opened her gills. What was wrong? Why was she not breathing and swimming the way she should? Had the scientists done something to her? The younger Mer did not understand and she was not sure how to help. She brought her hands up to cup the other Mer¡¯s neck, her nails grazing behind her ears where her gills should be.


    After a moment they finally, finally opened and the young Mer clapped a hand over the other Mer¡¯s mouth. She knew if the girl gasped for a breath now, she would swallow the water wrong and choke. She waited a moment until the Mer squirmed and then carefully parted her fingers. She pulled away entirely when bubbles streamed from the other Mer¡¯s gills and she finally seemed to be breathing on her own.


    Now that the crisis had passed, horror flooded up in the young Mer and she darted away, mentally cursing her own stupidity. She had gotten too close, she had grabbed, she had jumped. There was so much she had done that she should not have, never would have, and considered wrong. The scientists would get mad, she knew they would. This Mer could have attacked, and still might, and despite there being something off with her, the young Mer knew that she possessed neither the strength or ability to handle herself in a fight. She would only face more pain.


    She wanted to leap back into her own confines and hope the other Mer would not feel inclined to follow, but the first jump and the burst of adrenaline had drained her of her energy reserves once more, and she wound up simply sinking to the floor of the current tank and panting. Fear wracked her body and aided the fatigued shivers causing her to quake.


    When she glanced back to see if she would be pursued, she found the older Mer still struggling to leave the floor and swim. She was moving her tail wrong. It looked painful, the bizarre jerk of her limb as though she did not even know how it was meant to move.


    The younger Mer hesitated as she caught her breath and then slowly returned to the other Mer¡¯s side. The Mer was staring at her with the same glossy fear that the young Mer felt, and it helped relax her a little. At least it did not seem like the older wanted to attack. Still, she kept her motions slow and studied the other for any clues in her body language that she was displeased.


    The purple Mer¡¯s scales were smooth and cool in the younger¡¯s hands as she carefully grabbed hold at the base of her fin. She slowly bent it back and forth in hopes of reminding the other Mer to swim. It was probably stupid of her. The scientists were watching, and she hated to give them something new to look at; that often meant they would get curious and they would hurt her more. And teaching this newcomer to swim only made her more mobile so she could attack if she wanted. But the young Mer knew how it felt to feel trapped and helpless, and knew it had to be so much worse if one could not swim properly.


    As she worked the fin, the purple¡¯s eyes filled with understanding and her fin began to move on its own, so the younger let go. She reached higher up and touched the Mer¡¯s tail in another place, and kicked her own to make a point. She took the older Mer¡¯s hand and pulled her forward, and then the girl began to swim finally. It was slowly and awkwardly, but at least she was moving. Despite her reservations and her exhaustion, the younger Mer kept pace with her and used the tips of her own fin to keep the other¡¯s from spasming in random directions.


    Gradually, the other Mer picked up more speed and was changing directions on her own, and the younger fell behind. Her gills were flaring with exertion and her hands were beginning to shake, her vision growing blurry. She had moved too much.


    As she stopped, the other Mer drifted closer. Her arms were spread wide and while it was possible that she only meant to hug her, terror flooded her veins and she found a small scrap of remaining energy to dart for the surface.


    Once back in the tank she had originally been in, the young Mer glanced back and saw that the older did not seem to be inclined to follow her. With a sigh of relief that made her heart ache, the young Mer collapsed on the floor of her tank with a heaving chest. She did not want to sleep now, not when she felt so vulnerable, but her heavy eyes gave her no choice as they slid shut and everything else faded away.


    ***


    The young Mer rarely slept deeply enough that sound would not rouse her, but it was also not often that she overworked herself that much. So it was not the sound of people talking or entering the room that woke her, but rather the smell. There was the strong scent of food permeating the water, and it made her belly rumble noisily. The young Mer winced and clutched at the shriveled flesh of her middle. She opened her eyes and sat back up off the ground where she had sprawled. Her neck was cricked from such an awkward sleeping position.


    She glanced up towards the platform at the top of the tanks. The other Mer was there, with her head above the surface, and the young Mer recognized the scent of the other woman, as well as her voice. Was she talking to the Mer? Why?


    Whether or not they were talking, the woman was feeding the purple Mer, and the young one fought to keep her jealousy at bay. It was not fair that the healthier one was being favored, but it was also not her fault and she deserved whatever comforts she could gleam because they were few and far between in this place.


    The young Mer parted her lips to scent better and found the scientist ¨C the one who toyed with her ¨C up with the woman. She shrank away in horror. The two were talking, asking about being done with something. Then there was a splash and two fish skeletons began sinking into her side of the tank. The woman was exclaiming about that being all she was being fed but ¨C as ashamed as she felt ¨C at least it was something and the young Mer fell on both ravenously. There was still tailfins and heads, and while it was hard, thin meat that would not be very filling, she tore at it because she would starve if she did not. Her tongue stung as sharp shards sliced at is as she cracked the bones to lick for any marrow she could get at, and her belly gurgled with a need that drove her to a frenzy.


    She did not hear what else was said, or see either human retreat, but when she looked up, the two Mer were alone once more. She could see the other looking at her, and then there was another splash and something else dropped into her tank. It was another fish, but this one was untouched.


    The young Mer was staring at it with disbelief. The other Mer had thrown it, had surrendered her meal ¨C or at least part of it ¨C and the young one could not understand why. She glanced over, but the older was no longer looking at her, but instead curling up at the bottom of her tank. She hesitated once more, but her hunger drove her to take the fish and continue eating.


    The flesh was juicy and salty, and for once when she bit, she had a mouthful. She only made it halfway through the savory piece before she began to feel full. Her shrivelled stomach did not fully know what to do with a proper meal, but she forced herself to finish it off regardless. She never knew when she would next get to eat, and would never waste food.


    When all that was left was a handful of cracked open bones, the younger Mer swam up and tossed the scraps up onto the platform. Only a few instincts had lingered with her from before this place, but something drove her to discard the remnants. Never eat and sleep in the same place lest it attract predators. Not that those who hunted her were spurred by food or warded away by barrenness or warning displays.


    Now that her hunger was sated fully for the first time in ages, the young Mer only wanted to rest and hope that when she woke, she might feel better than she had in a long time. She shivered as she lay down. The water had begun to grow very cold, and her frail form had no fat to keep her warm. She huddled into the closest corner of the tank to pen in as much of her body heat as she could.


    Sleep evaded her no matter how she tried as she lay there. Her shaking had grown worse and her fin and fingers were numb from the cold. Her gills worked slowly and each breath hurt. She was in a limp state between sleep and wakefulness, but every time she started to drift, horrors lurked behind her lids to torment her awake again. She did not know how long it went on, but she did not feel the water shift, did not know the other was there until warm hands brushed over her shoulder.


    If the silent young Mer could have yelped, she would have as she jerked up and rolled to look behind her. The purple Mer was settling down beside her, and there was a soft smile on her lips and understanding in her eyes. The young Mer¡¯s heart stalled in her chest, first with fear, then disbelief and hope. The other Mer was so warm in the cold and she had come over to freeze. Why? The young Mer desperately hoped it was because they were equally starved for affection. She so desperately wanted a friend. An actual living, breathing companion rather than the haunting emotions that lingered with her normally.


    For the first time in a long, long time, a warm emotion sparked in her chest that she did not understand at first, and a smile pulled on her lips. She was happy. She did not remember when she had last been happy. Had not known she could still feel such a pleasant emotion. Taking a leap of faith, she laid back down and snuggled into the other Mer, craving her warmth.


    It did not matter if it upset the purple or if she attacked, it would be worth it if the younger could just have this one moment of perceived affection. She needed it, had needed it for so long she had not even recognized the need for what it was.


    The purple Mer did not attack, and instead shifted closer and wrapped the younger in an embrace. She bit her lip so she would not sob and shatter the moment, and finally, finally, sleep came for her. A slumber not spurred by exhaustion and not riddled with terror, but rather a deep, dreamless sleep brought on by security. She wondered if there had ever been a time she had felt safe, but she did not care. She felt it now, and that was all that mattered as her conscious mind flickered out.

 Big Brother

    Nero flipped his tail and darted out over the reef. He was swimming low enough to the ground that he could trail his fingers through the sand, and every lash of his fin stirred up more silt. He was pacing, and he knew he should not be doing so over the sandy stretch where his pod tended to sleep. It was never fun to get grains of sand lodged in one¡¯s gills, so purposefully stirring the water was frowned upon, but he could not slow the instinctive motion agitation was spurring him into.


    He knew he should leave, find a quieter place on the other side of the reef where he was less likely to disturb anyone. The last thing he wanted right now was to endure a scolding lecture or a feelings talk. He twisted and began to swim in the opposite direction without paying much attention to where he was going.


    His parents had been distant lately. It was not so much that he was cross or lonely or feeling neglected. Quite the opposite most of the time. At twelve years old, he was caught in between the ages where he was treated as a helpless youth or respected as a competent adolescent. He had been going with the hunting parties for the better part of two seasons, and they were finally allowing him to properly join in. Next hunt was meant to be his to lead, but he had passed on the opportunity to go on the last one.


    Nero was startled from his thoughts by a sharp tug on his dorsal. It jerked him to a stop, and he growled. He hated when people grabbed it. It had grown from his back last cycle and was still incredibly tender. His mother told him it would firm up more as he grew and bother him less, but for now he was very sensitive about having it prodded.


    ¡°Stop that unruly noise, Nero,¡± his Aunt Iliene¡¯s command was laced with stern disapproval.


    He glanced up at her and rolled his shoulders in an attempt to dislodge her hand. ¡°That hurts, Aunt Iliene,¡± he protested.


    ¡°It should,¡± she scoffed in response. Her pale pink fins smacked against his tail as she lashed them. ¡°Perhaps then you would learn to listen. You know you are not allowed to stray from the reef, where did you think you were going?¡± she scolded. Her piercing dark blue eyes were full of disappointment and it made Nero bristle.


    He shook his head and gazed out beyond her. He was nearly at the edge of the shelf. ¡°I-I did not realize,¡± he admitted.


    For a moment, his aunt¡¯s features remained stern. Her short blonde hair was waving around her face and she took a moment to tuck it back off her face. Then her features softened slightly. She released her grip on his fin and smoothed his hair back. ¡°Nero, I know the last quarter moon has not been easy for you; it has been frightening for all of us, but you cannot simply pace around stirring up the silt and wandering around lost in your head.¡±


    Nero¡¯s tail lashed and he hissed in frustration. None of them understood.


    His aunt clucked her tongue and grabbed his shoulder firmly. She pulled until Nero lost his balance and plopped down into the sand. He was about to protest before she sunk down beside him.


    Nero reluctantly curled his tail. He did not want to endure a feelings talk like the one he knew was coming, but he also had no real excuse to leave and doubted Aunt Iliene would allow him to regardless. He did not like talking about his emotions. He barely understood them himself without fumbling trying to explain them to someone else who inevitably would not understand. Nero preferred being by himself. He did not speak often or much, company made him uncomfortable, and conversation was more exhausting than hefting rocks all day.


    ¡°Have you talked much with your mother and father?¡± Aunt Iliene inquired.


    Nero shook his tail and pulled his tail up close to his torso. He had not wished to disturb them anymore than necessary. He had been so excited at first, when they had told him. They were having a baby, and he was going to be a big brother. He was never very good with others, but his mother and father had seemed so overjoyed and so certain that he was going to be good at being a big brother that he had wanted to try. But things had gone wrong so quickly. His mother¡¯s maternity fins had grown slowly and stunted, and she had fallen ill even as her belly rounded. As time stretched on and his mother got sicker and sicker, Nero had been convinced that she was going to die.


    He had begun to loathe the creature growing inside of her. He was not sure how it could possibly be a baby if it was so cruel as to take his mother from him. While his father had fretted over her, Nero had grown to loathe the feelings festering inside of him. He despised how frightened and helpless he felt, that there was nothing he could do to help her. All the negativity had rotted into a hatred for the baby. It was not a fair trade.


    Everything had gotten so much worse when it was born. Two moons too early. His mother had been in so much pain. He had swum to the edge of the reef to escape it and still it had haunted his ears. He had never understood how this could happen to a healer. His mother always seemed to know everything, from drawing the poisons from a red stripe fish sting, or soothing the burns of a jellyfish tentacle. He had believed there was nothing she could not fix, so why could she not protect herself from a parasitic pregnancy?


    The water had tasted of blood around her afterwards, and despite all the complications, she was still fighting to keep the infant Mer alive. He had heard the whispers around their pod that the baby was born too small and far too early, and that there was no way for it to survive, and that Rebecca was only needlessly exhausting herself. Nero hated the baby for causing so much strife for his family, and was furious with his mother for risking herself further in an effort to save it.


    They have been distant, his mother preoccupied with the baby and her own exhaustion as she continued to weaken, and his father consumed with protecting her and caring for her in all the ways that he could. Nero was far from unwelcome, but he was angry and he worried he would voice his emotions and make things worse.


    ¡°You should go to them,¡± his aunt advised. ¡°Your mother and father love you, and I am sure your presence would be appreciated. Why are you avoiding them?¡±


    Nero shrugged. He did not wish to tell her the truth. ¡°Is she going to die?¡± he asked. He choked on the words as he said them. It was the first time he had voiced the possibility. He glanced up into his aunt¡¯s dark gaze.


    Her expression softened further and she draped a hand over his shoulders to pull him closer. He squirmed slightly, having not expected nor truly desired to be held close. He pulled away from her magenta scales and she did not stop him. ¡°My sister¡­your mother is very weak right now, Nero. The pregnancy took everything she had, and it is still taxing her to hold on as she is, but she is grieving.¡±


    ¡°The baby is going to die?¡± he pressed.


    Aunt Iliene sighed. ¡°It is in poor taste and spirit to discuss such morbid things, but yes. It was born too early, and too small. The heartbeat is weak and grows ever weaker. The baby will not live long; it has not even the strength to feed.¡±


    ¡°But then why?¡± Nero hissed. He shook his head and wrapped his arms around his torso. ¡°Why is she still fighting so hard for it? She only grows sicker.¡±


    His aunt pulled him close again and lifted his chin to force him to hold her gaze. ¡°Your mother is grieving, Nero,¡± she reminded. ¡°It is a terrible thing to lose one you love so dearly. Your mother has always wanted to be just that. She would sacrifice anything for you, you know. She has to let go and allow the infant to die, yes, but she is not ready to give up. She will, in time, or nature will make the choice for her. Rebecca is stubborn, Nero, and desperate to save an innocent life, but she is rational at heart. She will accept the inevitable, and your father will ensure she does not push herself too far. But in the meantime, it would do her good to have you close. You are her son, and she loves you very much. You should go to her.¡±


    Nero looked away. He was not sure how to feel about this heart to heart. It was the last interaction he had been anticipating from his aunt. Aunt Iliene had been bitter and distant for many years. He had not seen the soft side of her personality since he was a very young child. She used to be warm and outgoing and fun, and he had enjoyed her presence. Everything had changed after her daughter was born. She had grown strict and hostile, and cared more for what she considered proper than she did for the wellbeing and happiness of those around her; especially any young Mer and her daughter in particular. It was refreshing see some of her former nature resurfacing, even if he was still awkward with the conversation.


    ¡°I do not want to get in the way,¡± he admitted.


    ¡°You will not,¡± Aunt Iliene assured him. ¡°Your parents will be relieved to have you close, and it is better than sulking about the reef disrupting the sand and disturbing everyone else, yes?¡±


    ¡°I suppose,¡± Nero agreed. He shifted so his tail was bunched underneath him. Perhaps it was time he went to his mother and father¡¯s sides. ¡°Thank yo-ack!¡± Nero was cut off as a weight slammed into his back and slender arms wrapped around his neck.


    ¡°Hello, Nero!¡± a happy voice giggled.


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    Nero scowled and shook his back to dislodge his young cousin. ¡°Get off,¡± he growled in annoyance.


    ¡°Raelyana!¡± Aunt Iliene¡¯s voice turned sharp and her eyes blazed with fury as she glowered at the young girl. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    Nero glanced back at the small, six cycle Mer. Raelyana¡¯s eyes cast downward and her colorful fins twitched. ¡°I-I,¡± she stammered as she wrung her fingers together. ¡°I just wanted to play.¡±


    ¡°It is incredibly impolite to barge into other Mer like that. You are not some witless adolescent hammer shark, now apologize,¡± Iliene snarled.


    Raelyana¡¯s pale blue eyes were wide and shiny as she turned to face Nero with a slumped posture. ¡°I am sorry, Nero,¡± she murmured. ¡°For swimming into you; it was rude of me.¡±


    ¡°It is alright,¡± Nero grumbled. He was annoyed with her, but Raelyana was harmless. Too energetic for his preferences, but he knew she meant well enough, and her mother was far rougher on her than she deserved.


    ¡°Do not slouch like that, Raelyana; it is poor form,¡± Aunt Iliene scolded. ¡°Now get home, you should not be wandering around alone like this.¡±


    ¡°But Mother, I-¡±


    ¡°Now!¡± Iliene commanded. ¡°Nero, you as well. The last thing your parents need is to be fretting about what you are getting up to wandering the reef. Now go. Raelyana, move it.¡±


    His aunt turned away and began to swim off, and just like that, the moment was shattered. Raelyana hiccupped and bubbles shot from her gills.


    ¡°I am sorry, Nero,¡± she whimpered. She darted over to him and hugged his waist, and Nero tensed.


    He shifted awkwardly and then patted her on the head. ¡°It is okay, Rae,¡± he assured her. ¡°You had better go.¡±


    He waited until Raelyana had disappeared over the rise after her mother before he sighed. He felt bad for her and he was pretty sure most of their family agreed; they just respected his aunt too much to say anything. But she had made one valid point; he had avoided his mother and father for far too long and it was time to rectify that.


    He turned and rolled his shoulders as he rose in the water. There had been far too much tugging on his dorsal, he was going to be sore the next day. He stretched and some of the ache alleviated, and then he swam off in search of his family.


    He found them on the other side of the shelf, resting in the groves of some sand dunes. His father looked up first as he approached, and nodded at him. He was sitting with his tail curled to one side and his fins flicking softly. His mother was leaned against him. Her maternity fins had continued growing after the birth, and darkened to a pink-gray shade. They were now folded tightly over her chest. Her arms were curled up underneath them, but she smiled and raised one out towards him as he approached.


    ¡°Nero,¡± she greeted with a rasp that broke off in a cough that wracked her body. ¡°There you are. I have been worried.¡±


    He took her outstretched hand and settled down into the sand beside her. ¡°I did not mean to worry you,¡± he replied.


    His mother clucked her tongue and shook her head. ¡°Come now, Nero; surely I do not yet look so frail that I cannot have a hug from my son?¡±


    Nero hesitated and glanced at his father, who nodded. Nero leaned forward and wrapped an arm around his mother¡¯s shoulders. His father reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder too.


    His mother hummed with content, then stroked the side of his cheek. ¡°These last few moons have been hard on you. I am sorry,¡± she murmured.


    ¡°You have been very brave over everything,¡± his father agreed.


    Nero shook his head. It was not about bravery, and he did not feel very courageous about the past quarter moon. ¡°Mother, please, I fear for your health,¡± he began as he cupped her hand in his own. ¡°Everyone is talking about the baby and how it is very weak, and how this is hurting you. They have been saying it would be better to-¡±


    ¡°Nero,¡± his father warned in a stern tone.


    ¡°It is alright, Ixion,¡± his mother cut in. ¡°Let him speak.¡±


    ¡°I just¡­I do not want to lose you,¡± Nero begged. It hurt to admit what was in his heart, but he squeezed his mother¡¯s hands and brought them to his cheek.


    His mother nodded. She pulled her hand free of his grasp and cupped his face. ¡°I know what they are saying, Nero. And it is natural for you to be afraid; I am touched by your concern, but I promise it is not necessary. The baby is fine. She is small and weak and premature, yes, but she is going to live. She has begun to feed and will continue to grow. The pregnancy and birth has taken its toll on me, but I will recover.¡±


    ¡°The baby is going to survive?¡± Nero clarified.


    His mother nodded. ¡°For now. Nature can be cruel, and she is not a healthy infant, but for now, yes. She will live and with a little luck, she will grow healthy and strong.¡±


    Nero¡¯s heart stalled in his chest for a moment. He wanted to be happy, but he still felt so much bitter uncertainty and resentment. His mother¡¯s gills were flaring with exertion and every movement looked strained. She pulled her hand back in order to cover her mouth as another cough wracked her form.


    ¡°But will you?¡± he demanded.


    His mother¡¯s gaze softened, and she nodded. ¡°I will be alright, Nero. Cast aside your worries,¡± she assured him. ¡°Be happy, Nero. You are a brother now, and you have a little sister now. You were so excited before. Surely a little hardship has not changed that?¡±


    Nero hesitated and looked away. It had changed things.


    ¡°Nero, your little sister is going to need your love and support,¡± his father urged. ¡°She is going to need all of us. You have always been a quiet, reserved child, but you have a big heart for those you choose to let in. All we are asking is that you give the baby that chance.¡±


    ¡°Would you like to meet her?¡± his mother offered. She carefully sat up a bit and bowed towards his father. ¡°Ixion, would you?¡± she requested. His father leaned close and pressed a kiss to her temple before reaching gently between the fins curled tightly to her torso. As he did, the fins shifted and loosened so he could get a better hold. When he pulled away, he was holding the smallest child Nero had ever seen.


    ¡°You can hold her,¡± his father offered. Nero hesitated again, and then held out his arms.


    ¡°Just be gentle. Support her head and hold her close to your body,¡± his mother coaxed.


    Nero carefully obeyed her suggestions and pulled the infant close to his torso. Her skin was pale and pinky, and her head was coated in very fine brown wisps no longer than his fingernail. Her head fit perfectly in his palm, and her tail had no scales. It was not like him, however, with his rough protective hide. Her skin was soft and delicate, and her tail was tinged a deep blue. ¡°She has no scales,¡± Nero murmured.


    ¡°Not yet,¡± his father agreed. ¡°But she will. They usually grow within the first few turns of the moon and sun, but hers are growing more slowly. And even when they do, they will be soft and flaky for a while. It is why it is so important to be gentle, and why baby Mer spend so much time nestled within protective fins. You know this.¡±


    Nero gulped and nodded. He was not overly big himself, but the baby felt so tiny that he feared he would hurt her. Her tiny fin was light blue and heart shaped, with two dark blue circles with white eyes in the center. She was pretty.


    As he stared at her, Nero could not help thinking about his former resentment. It was hard to hate something so small and delicate, and he thought of Raelyana. The girl was willful and disruptive and she annoyed him, but she did not deserve the hardships and hassles she got from her mother. He could not imagine what it must feel like to be so young and to feel so unwanted. What sort of life was he destining this infant too if he chose to loathe her for something she had no control over? She did deserve as best a chance at life as they could offer her. She was slumbering in his arms, and his heart melted.


    ¡°What is her name?¡± he asked as he glanced up at his parents.


    Both of their faces were glowing with pride, but his mother¡¯s eyes shone with pure joy as he made the inquiry. ¡°Kera,¡± she replied with a bright smile. ¡°Her name is Kera.¡±


    Nero looked back down as the baby stirred and made a very faint whimpering sound. Her fin flapped up and hit him on the arm on the way back down. It barely felt like being tickled by a waving strand of kelp. That did not surprise him, as her fin was barely as large as his hand.


    As she shifted, her eyes slowly blinked open and Nero found himself staring at the brightest blue he had ever seen. It was like looking at the brilliant crystal hues of a tranquil lagoon. The baby stared up at him silently before her lips parted to reveal pink gums, and she cooed softly.


    Nero¡¯s smile widened and he shifted his grip to waggle a finger at her. ¡°Hello Kera,¡± he whispered. ¡°I am your brother, Nero. You worried everyone, you know; gave us all a scare. You are so tiny¡­¡± he murmured, talking more to himself than to her, really. ¡°But you do not have to worry, because I am bigger, and I will help keep you safe, little sister.¡±


    The baby Mer blinked sleepily up at him as he spoke, and he wondered if perhaps she would simply fall back to slumber. He knew babies tended to sleep a lot.


    Instead, her lips opened wider into a gaping grin and she squealed and her fin flicked again. Nero grinned openly with her.


    The baby¡¯s smile only lasted a few heartbeats before it crumpled and she began to cry. Instantly, Nero¡¯s smile fell, and he shifted her carefully as she fussed, worried that perhaps his fang filled smile had spooked her.


    ¡°Oh,¡± his mother clucked her tongue and chuckled. ¡°Here, Nero, give her to me. Oh, darling, do not look so spooked; you did nothing wrong. She is probably just hungry. She is still very little, remember.¡±


    Nero nodded and felt a little better as he carefully passed the baby back to his mother. Within heartbeats, Rebecca had her fins curled gently around the infant once more, and the cries slowly died away.


    ¡°She smiled at me,¡± Nero whispered.


    His mother pursed her lips and smiled, but shook her head. ¡°Nero, she is too young yet to express emotions like that. It would not have been an actual smile, but I am sure she will smile at you plenty in the future. You are going to be such an amazing big brother.¡±


    Nero shook his head. ¡°She really did,¡± he protested. He knew his mother ¨C as a healer who had helped with the birth of many little Mer ¨C was not likely to believe his claim, but he held it close regardless. Most of the younger Mer were intimidated by him because of his dark coloring and quiet attitude. All of them except for Raelyana, but he was pretty sure her bubble brain feared nothing. It felt wonderful to see the little Mer smile at him.


    ¡°Perhaps she did,¡± his mother conceded. ¡°I am sure it means the two of you will be the very best of friends.¡±


    Nero nodded eagerly. She was so little, but he decided he desperately wanted her to like him as she grew. ¡°We will,¡± he agreed. ¡°You are right, she is going to need us, and I want to always be here for her,¡± he vowed.


    His mother smiled and his father nodded, and then Nero found himself being dragged into an embrace. Usually he would squirm and protest, but just this once he let it be. They were a family, and he felt reassured that everything was going to be alright again.

 What Stays the Same

    His pod often travelled, circled several currents over the course of a cycle or two, but Nero quite liked the network of caverns they had been staying in for the past half-moon. Though he sometimes missed the sun and stars, there were pretty crystals and striped rocks that glowed softly in the dark, and all sorts of strange, small fish that scuttled by along the corners of the tunnels. He enjoyed chasing them down. Some he would release, others he would catch and bring back. Every little bit of hunting helped.


    Today was calm, however, and Nero found himself lounging comfortably on the ground. He had found a buried flat rock that had been rubbed smooth and felt pleasant against the rough skin of his tail. Without scales, Nero¡¯s tail grew a thick, dense hide. It shed every few cycles in long, itchy strips, and he still had some flapping pieces of leathery hide clinging to his tail that were still to tender to just rip free, so he enjoyed lounging and rubbing his tail against the smooth groves of the stone to ease the itch.


    His mother and father were relaxing on the sandy floor of the cave not too far away. They were sitting a few tail-lengths apart and were coaxing Kera into practicing her swimming between them. Infant Mer were usually swimming short distances by the time they approached their first cycle, but Kera was nearly to her second now. It had taken a long time for her to hit various milestones in her early life. Her speech was limited, her swimming awkward and clumsy, and it had even taken moons longer than it should have for her scales to grow in. She was still small and frail, and she tired easily, but none in their pod had anything ill to say about her. Not when Kera almost always had a huge smile and her bright, happy giggles often permeated the water.


    Despite her uncertain start in life and the stunt in her growth, Kera was thriving now. She was always a happy kid and Nero adored watching over her. He watched as she stumbled across the gap into his father¡¯s outstretched arms. Nero smiled when Kera¡¯s fin lashed and she squealed with delight as their father swept her around through the water and praised her. Then he turned her back towards their mother and urged her to go back. As soon as he released her, Kera sunk like a stone through the water and had to flap her tail franticly so she would not crash into the sand.


    Nero covered his mouth so that his amused snort would not be overheard. He knew young Mer often had trouble keeping themselves stable in the water ¨C did not quite know how to control their swim bladders ¨C but it was always a little amusing to watch. Instead of returning to his mother, however, Kera twisted in the water and began crossing the clearly, heedless to Rebecca¡¯s urging calls for her. Her smile was wide and her cheeks were puffed as she rose and fell in the water, bobbing closer and closer to him.


    He pushed himself upright as she got closer and opened his arms to his little sister. She had managed to work up a little bit of speed and could not stop in time, and she crashed into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and bowed his head to nuzzle her cheek while she giggled and squirmed. ¡°Are you alright, Kera?¡± he checked.


    ¡°Nedo!¡± she hummed as she settled in against his chest. ¡°Got you!¡±


    He hummed back and rubbed a hand over her spine. ¡°Yes, you did,¡± he agreed. ¡°You are swimming so good now.¡±


    Kera pushed against his chest, so he loosened his grip on her and she pulled back enough to stare up at him with wide, sparkling eyes and a solemn purse to her lips. ¡°I big now,¡± she told him with a slow nod of her head.


    Nero grinned and it pulled a wide smile onto Kera¡¯s face too. Her tiny fangs were still coming in, but the rest of her little teeth glistened as she gaped up at him. ¡°Yes, you are, baby sister,¡± he agreed as he tousled her short brown hair.


    Kera stuck her tongue out at him and huffed some bubbles in his face. ¡°No, Nedo!¡± she protested. ¡°I not a baby.¡±


    ¡°You will always be my baby sister though,¡± he told her. He poked a finger into her tummy and began to tickle her until she squealed and swatted at his hands.


    ¡°No! No, Nedo! Bad, top,¡± she protested in between giggles. ¡°Not a baby.¡±


    Nero chucked and pulled her close to his chest again. He purred deep in his chest and felt her begin to relax in his arms. She grew tired easily, but had been getting more and more energetic over the last few moons and it made Nero hopeful that she was going to grow and catch up to her age. He worried about her. ¡°How about my ¡®little sister¡¯ then?¡± he asked as he continued to rub her back. He snuck a glance at his mother, but she was simply smiling and watching them from afar. She did not usually like having Kera out of her sight for too long. ¡°Would that be okay?¡± he added as he returned his attention to the toddler cuddled up against him.


    She nodded and cooed softly as he continued to hug her. ¡°That okay,¡± she agreed. ¡°Love you, Nedo,¡± she murmured with a yawn before beginning to drift off in his arms. He settled back down on his rock, letting his tail sway softly to help ease some of his shedding irritation, and held her close. She usually wound up napping during the day anyway, and unless his mother came over to collect her, he was in no hurry to be rid of her warmth. He had been skeptical and bitter during his mother¡¯s pregnancy and birth, but now, Nero would not trade his ¡®big brother¡¯ title for anything in the world.


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    ***


    Nero smiled softly as he gazed down at Luna. He knew she was having a hard time with Katie still gone ¨C they were all concerned over the other girl ¨C but Luna had enough anxieties as it was. He still wished sometimes that he could pull her back to her youth, strip away all of her pain and suffering of the last several cycles. He had failed his promise as her brother to protect her, but he wanted to make good on it as best he could now.


    It was late, and Karina was sound asleep beside him, but his younger sister was the one holding his attention now. She normally slept curled up with their parents, though he wondered if it was to make up for lost time or if she just finally felt safe when she was with them. She had a lot of nightmares, and she had woken everyone else more than once with them, but it grew less and less difficult to rouse her and calm her down from them as they adjusted to the fact that it was a struggle she faced now. She was sweet and special, and though she was still stunted and far too scrawny for his liking, she had grown and yet, for part of his mind, she never stopped being what she once was.


    He assumed she must have had another bad dream or been distressed in some way, because at some point, she had crawled over to him and was now passed out with her head on his tail and her arm draping over his side. He reached down and smoothed back some of the long locks of hair that had fallen in her face.


    As he did, her eyes fluttered open and she blinked in confusion. He quietly shushed her and tangled his fingers in her hair. She hummed as he rubbed her skull, so he sat up ¨C slowly to avoid waking Karina ¨C and pulled his sister up into a proper embrace. ¡°Are you alright?¡± he inquired in a low whisper.


    Luna nodded and leaned her head against his chest. ¡°Yes,¡± she whispered back. It was a lie, he could taste it on her, but he did not wish to press her immediately for a truth he already knew. She was scared. He squeezed her close and began rubbing her back like he used to when they were both younger and she would nap beside him. He was not sure if she subconsciously remembered or just liked the sensation, but she melted in his embrace and wrapped her arms around him. ¡°I am sorry if I disturbed you.¡±


    Nero shook his head. ¡°No. Never,¡± he replied. ¡°I know it has been a long time and we do not yet know each other well again, but I never stopped caring for you, never stopped missing you.¡±


    The words caused a sharp, sour tang to fill the air between them as Luna¡¯s sorrows slammed into him. ¡°It was not me,¡± she muttered back. ¡°It is not the same. I am not the same.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you are,¡± he argued gently. ¡°You may not remember much of our youth or have any connection to the name given to you at your birth. But Kera and Luna are just names. It has been a long time. You have grown, you have suffered, and you have struggled, but a name does not define who you are. Your name may have changed, your memories, but your soul is the same. You are the same sister of mine who was born into our world thirteen cycles ago. The same sister who smiled up at me the first time I held her despite everyone saying you were too young to do so. The one who would stumble through the water to me while learning to swim and force me to take naps at your age because when you were little, you insisted on napping with me or not at all half the time. Who I would tow around by my dorsal and would giggle in my ear the whole time. I know you do not remember much of that, but I will teach you all over again if you wish. Who you are has not changed, Luna, only your name and what you have been through. But I have hope that you will heal if given time. You needed time when you were a baby and you need time now, and that is fine. For me, it is like getting to know my baby sister all over again,¡± he admitted.


    Luna frowned as she peeked up at him. Something in her gaze glistened hopefully and he knew then that she longed for her present and past to merge in her head, and he wished he could take all the memories he held of her and just push them into her mind. But he could not, so instead, he held her close. ¡°But Nero, I am not a-¡±


    ¡°Baby, I know,¡± he interrupted. He pressed a kiss to her brow and continued to rub her back. ¡°Not anymore, but there is one thing above all else that will never change, Luna. Do you know what it is?¡±


    When she shook her head against him, he hummed. ¡°I will always be your brother, Luna. And you will always be my little sister, no matter what else happens or changes, that will always be a truth, so never forget it.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Luna choked. There were tears on her cheeks, so Nero wiped them away with his thumb. Sleeping above the water was a strange notion, but he did not mind it as much as he thought he might. ¡°Nero? Thank you. I-I like having a brother,¡± she admitted. Her grasp on him tightened so he squeezed her back until a panicked giggle ripped from her lips and he had to gently shush her so they would not wake anyone else.


    ¡°And I love having a sister. Go to sleep now, alright? You are safe and I will watch over you.¡± He did not truly need to reassure her. She was already falling slack against him and soon her breathing deepened and the only thing that broke the silence was her occasional murmur in her sleep. It brought him back to all the times she used to fall asleep against him when they were kids. He had strived to be the best brother he could to her back then and he would do so again now. He smiled as he kissed her brow and shifted her so she was lying down between him and his mate. Karina would not mind. Nothing had changed. ¡°I love you, little sister,¡± he whispered.

 The Best of News

    Karina¡¯s heart was fluttering in her chest like a frantic fish thrown to shore by a larger than anticipated wave. It throbbed in the confines of her flesh and she brought a hand up to her scales and took deeper gulps of water as she tried to settle it. It did not work and she wriggled with giddy anticipation as she launched herself over the sand dunes and the reef. She could not keep the gaping grin off her face, though she knew she must look like a fool to the family as she raced by. The hunting party had returned and that was all that mattered. He was all that mattered, and she had to find him.


    She both loved and hated when Nero joined the hunting party, and he did it often. She was proud at his protective, nurturing instincts that drove him to hunt and support their entire family group, and he always brought her back little gifts or treats ¨C not that she required them ¨C but it was sweet that he sought to distract their time apart like that. And every time the hunt returned, Karina got to feel the exhilarated rush of getting to see him again. It freshly ignited all of her love for him again until she felt like giggling youngling all over again. But she hated to watch him leave, hated to be apart, and especially despised the churning fear that something could happen to him and she would not be there. So far he had never come home with more than a few scrapes and bruises, but she fretted over each one.


    Nero always offered for her to come along, but she was not a skilled hunter. She was clumsy and always seemed to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. She felt like a burden to the rest of the team, and she was never as comfortable with travelling away from their pod as she sometimes wished she could be, so she stayed behind. She would help Rebecca when she had patients, or sit and weave with Iliene when the perfectionist would tolerate Karina¡¯s lack of experience. She kept busy, tried to be as helpful as she could, but she always missed him regardless. Today, she was especially eager to see him.


    She darted over the reef, narrowly avoiding colliding with some of the other returning hunters, who mostly grumbled and rolled their eyes even as they smiled at her. She wove around them and tackled Nero as he was turning to face her. His dark eyes widened with surprise and he grunted at the impact as she bowled him over and hugged him fiercely. ¡°I missed you,¡± she told him. Her heart was still drumming eagerly in her chest. She had been waiting far too patiently for him to get back.


    His arms swept her up and squeezed her close, and she felt his chin come to rest atop her head. ¡°I missed you too,¡± he agreed. He rubbed a hand down her back and then pulled away. She laced her fingers in his and he pulled one of her hands up to kiss the knuckles. ¡°Are you alright? I just spoke with mother and she said you have been a little distant since last night. Did something happen?¡±


    Karina shook her head and her grin grew wider. ¡°I am fine,¡± she assured him. ¡°Better than fine. I just had to see you first. Had to show you first.¡±


    ¡°Show me what?¡± he prompted.


    Karina chewed her lip as emotion swelled like a tidal wave in her chest. Her eyes stung from the sheer height of euphoria washing over her. She rolled one shoulder back and raised her arm just enough to reveal the scaled sides of her chest. There, among the sunset orange of her scales ¨C barely the size of a closed fist ¨C was a milky translucent membrane beginning to grow. ¡°I noticed yesterday. You needed to be the first to know,¡± she reported.


    Nero¡¯s eyes widened and his lips parted with silent surprise. She could feel his powerful tail stirring the water around him as he hovered. At first, as he did not say anything or seem to react, Karina felt her heart stall in her chest as she thought maybe he was not as excited as she had hoped he would be. Worry gnawed at her gut. He had to be. They had joined ¨C had completed the final act of their bond ¨C almost a moon ago now. They would not have if they did not want the possible outcome.


    When Nero shook his head, Karina¡¯s heart fell further, but then she watched the small half-smile that touched his lips like it always did when something stunned or amazed him. He lifted his hand as if to touch one of the tiny white fins, but hesitated.


    ¡°It is okay,¡± she assured him. ¡°I cannot feel them yet, and you would not hurt me even if I could.¡±


    Tenderly, he brushed a hand over her side as he examined the one fin more carefully. She winced when she felt him tug softly on it, and gently swatted his arm. ¡°Well I can when you pull on it!¡± she scolded.


    Nero inclined his head and his smile grew. ¡°Sorry,¡± he apologized. ¡°I cannot believe it¡­you are really¡­.¡±


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    ¡°Yes,¡± Karina agreed, and her smile grew twice as wide as it had been yet. ¡°We are going to have a baby, Nero.¡±


    As soon as she said it, Nero wrapped his hands around her waist and pulled her close to him. She hugged him back, one hand rubbing over his dorsal before dropping to hold him too. She looked up at him and could see the joy sparkling in his obsidian gaze. She hummed in the back of her throat and found herself preening under his approving expression. She had never dreamed she could love him more, but she could feel their little miracle pulling them closer already.


    Nero¡¯s grip on her was tight, protective, and he bent his head to rub his nose against hers. She laughed and leaned her head on his chest. ¡°You made me wait,¡± she teased him. ¡°I have been itching to tell you since last night.¡±


    ¡°I will have to make up for that,¡± he agreed. She peeked up at him and he pulled her ever closer so he could kiss her. Her fins ruffled and she purred her content at their embrace. Nero always made her feel safe and loved and wanted.


    ¡°Are you happy?¡± she checked.


    ¡°I am always happy with you,¡± he mumbled into her hair as he buried his nose in it. ¡°But in this, I am overjoyed.¡±


    Karina smiled softly and nuzzled him. ¡°Good. I wonder how your parents are going to react.¡±


    ¡°You know my father,¡± Nero responded. ¡°He does not show what he feels, but you can bet he will spoil the little Mer like no infant has ever been spoiled.¡±


    ¡°And Rebecca?¡± Karina glanced up again. Rebecca made her nervous. She had been so accepting and incredibly warm to Karina, filling the void left behind by the loss of her own family. She had never blamed Karina or held any ill will over her son¡¯s prolonged absence. Karina hated the idea of ever disappointing the woman, but children were sometimes a sore subject with her. She still grieved the loss of her younger offspring. Karina had never met Nero¡¯s sister ¨C who had died many years before they joined up with Nero¡¯s birth pod ¨C but she knew that it made the topic of children a somber one. ¡°You do not think she will have a hard time with it, do you? I would never want to disappoint her or seem as though I am bragging or rubbing something in her-oh!¡± Karina was cut off as Nero captured her lips in his.


    ¡°You worry too much,¡± he whispered. ¡°She will not take it that way. You know how she is going to react.¡±


    Karina sighed, though her exasperation was fond. ¡°I am never going to get a moment¡¯s peace until after the baby is born, am I?¡± she inquired. Though it was still too early for her pregnancy to show, Karina found herself instinctively hugging her belly with one arm.


    ¡°She will fuss over you,¡± Nero agreed. ¡°You know how she is. But take heart; between my mother and I, you will never be lonely or at risk. My father will spoil our baby, but I am going to spoil you.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Karina poked her tongue out between her teeth and lifted her free hand to run through his thick waves of hair. ¡°How do you intend to do that?¡±


    Nero lifted a small woven net of seaweed strands and handed it to her. ¡°This might make a good start,¡± he mumbled as he leaned forward and nuzzled her neck. It tickled her gills and she chuckled.


    ¡°You do not have to bring me things,¡± she protested softly. Her protests went ignored however as Nero continued to simply hold her. Finally, her curiosity got the better of her and she peeked. There was a small pile of prawns at the bottom of the bag and Karina¡¯s breath hitched. Nero knew that she savored crustaceans above all other foods, and had a taste for shrimp. Prawns were her absolute favorite, however, and she rarely ever got to eat them because most hunting parties veered away from deltas and other brackish environments where they lived. Nero had gone out of his way for these.


    ¡°You did not have to do this,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°I wanted to,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Where did you even find them?¡±


    ¡°I was not expecting to,¡± he admitted. ¡°But the school we tracked took us past a large island with a river cutting through it. It should have been ocean water, logically, but there is enough rain here that the island core is fresh. There were not many, and I left most I found alone in hopes the population will swell. But you deserve a treat.¡±


    ¡°You are too good to me,¡± she hummed as she hugged him tightly. She required no gifts from him, simply treasuring his presence above all else, but Nero continued to lavish her regardless.


    ¡°We should tell my parents,¡± he decided. ¡°If you feel comfortable. Then you and I will have to celebrate.¡±


    Karina nodded. ¡°I do not think we could keep it a secret for long anyways. Rebecca always seems to know.¡±


    ¡°She has a talent,¡± Nero agreed. ¡°We will tell them then, and then I think we should take to the caves this evening.¡±


    Karina nodded. ¡°That sounds nice.¡± Their new reef was nestled off the deep shores of an abandoned island. No boats or water traffic came near, and there were no other pods despite the abundance of prey. Beneath the island was a network of deep-reaching tunnels and caverns. Karina was never the most fond of the dark, but there were crystal veins in the rock that glistened beautifully down there, and it would allow them to be alone with one another¡¯s company. With Nero, light or dark, there was no place that was not her favourite to be. His company was all she ever craved.

 A Personal Piece of Sunlight

    Nero flicked his powerful tail and shot off over the sandy dunes. Ahead, Karina¡¯s scales sparkled in the daylight and her bright hair flowed behind her as she lurched ahead just out of reach. She was quick, though Nero could probably catch her easily enough if he wanted. He did not, however. The way she would glance back at him with light brown eyes glistening with joy and a wide smile pulled across her lips kept him hanging back. She was enjoying the game far too much for him to end it by catching her, even if each narrow miss he feigned made her giggle and stick her tongue out at him.


    It felt good to stretch his muscles again as he pursued her. Though Nero was always content to sit and watch the rest of the ocean around him, he had never sat still as long as he had these past several moons. He had been gravely injured in a terrible storm that had launched him out across the waters, far beyond the range of his own pod. He had wound up in the care of a small stationary pod that guarded their reef jealously for fear of a larger group pushing them out. He was not sure what prompted them to care for him so generously, but under the attentions of a strict, grumpy older Mer who was just as prone to whacking him with a stick of dolphin bone if he shifted the wrong way as she was to actually treat his injuries.


    It had not been long after his arrival that Karina had begun to come to the small cave ¨C more a dark overhang of rock and sand half blocked off from the world by kelp ¨C where he was being treated. At first, she had come and silently aided her grandmother, then began to linger alone with him for longer periods of time. At first she did not speak ¨C it was as if she was concerned about disturbing his rest and healing process ¨C but once she worked up the nerve, it was like a tempest. Karina could talk for ages about anything and everything.


    In his time, Nero ¨C who tended to be far quieter and less social ¨C may have found in annoying and uncomfortable, but with Karina it was endearing. She seemed to catch on quickly that he was shy and struggled with making conversation because she never expected his opinion, never prompted him to speak if he did not wish to. She merely kept him company, as often and long as she could. He began to look forward to her visits, and the silence no longer seemed comfortable to him like it had all his life. It was lonely without Karina¡¯s presence.


    He had certainly startled her when he finally did work up the nerve and comment quietly on something she was saying. She had stopped mid-sentence with a slack jaw and wide eyes, and his subdued voice had actually seemed to scare her as she jumped. He knew she was just surprised. After a few heartbeats of silence, she had simply smiled, agreed, and resumed talking. Nero felt better after that about chiming in and now ¨C so long as no one else was around ¨C he would talk freely and easily with her.


    They had been on a few swims before. It was good for him to stretch healing muscles, and Karina was always eager to be his escort. She would link arms with him and guide him slowly over their reef, shooing away any of the three curious little merlings who would come racing up to explore the newcomer. Nero still felt uncomfortable with crowds, but he never admitted just how much his heart fluttered whenever Karina pressed up against him and locked their arms at the crook of the elbow. He would have been content if she never let go.


    He had gotten stronger quickly and was now swimming on his own and confident in his ability to take to travel currents. He could leave at any time, and he knew that many in Karina¡¯s family unit expected him to. He had his own pod, and theirs was a very different culture from his own, so no one anticipated him remaining. It was something that had hung in the air between him and Karina lately. She never brought it up, but he could tell she longed to ask. There was a certain sadness that sparkled in her gaze when she looked at him most times now, and he knew that she would not go with him if he left. But he had no desire to leave her. She had become the single most important thing in his life. He longed to return to his family, to see his mother and father and Kera ¨C who was previously the only soul who lit his smile ¨C and assure them that he was alright, but if it meant leaving Karina, even for a moon, then he would go a thousand cycles without seeing his blood again. She was more important, and he feared if he left, he would no longer get to enjoy her company as he did now; even if he were to return. He had made his choice, the only thing holding him back was the worry she would not choose the same. But it was time he worked up the courage to ask. He needed to know. They could not linger safely in a drift current forever.


    As she hollered out again, smiling back at him with that radiant grin, he lashed his tail again. Her cry of delight morphed into a call of surprise as he crashed into her, barrelling them over in the water until they crashed into the sand below.


    Karina¡¯s laughter was breathless beneath him, and bubbles trailed up from her gills as she squirmed. ¡°I guess you win,¡± she relented. She reached up and placed a hand on his chest. ¡°You can get off me now, you know,¡± she teased with her tongue poking out between her teeth. She pushed on him gently, but Nero was frozen in place.


    Her skin was pale compared to his own, like the pearly polish of clam shells, while he had a dark gray-brown hide of rougher skin that complimented his muscular dark gray tail. Karina¡¯s scales glimmered like the brightest orange of sunrise, and he loved it. He could not bring himself to move, for they were rarely physically closer than they were now.


    In his silence, Karina¡¯s eyebrows dipped forward and her smile twisted into a small frown. ¡°Nero?¡± she repeated. ¡°Is everything alright?¡±


    He shook himself from his daze and nodded. Reluctantly, he twisted to plop down in the sand next to her. Without his weight pinning her down, Karina sat up and brushed some sand of her midriff. ¡°That was fun,¡± she decided, her bright smile returning. ¡°You have gotten a lot stronger now. Grandmother says she has never seen such an effective recovery.¡±


    ¡°She also calls me a brainless mackerel,¡± Nero replied. ¡°I believe she thinks I am simply too stubborn to perish.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you are,¡± Karina agreed. ¡°But I am glad you are better. Grandmother is too. I think she just wants her alcove back.¡±


    Nero hummed in agreement.


    He watched out of the corner of his eye as Karina picked at a loose scale on her tail. ¡°My father said since you are better, you will probably want to get back to your own pod now. He and the others are planning to send you off with some supplies for the trip, so you should see him before you go,¡± she admitted with a strangle in her voice. There was a long pause as she took a few deep breaths. Nero let her work through whatever it was she wished to say. ¡°Will you be leaving soon?¡±


    ¡°Do you want me to?¡± Nero asked.


    Karina shook her head. ¡°No, I¡­¡± she broke off. ¡°Never mind.¡±


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    ¡°What is it?¡± he pressed.


    Again, she shook her head and bowed her chin. ¡°It is far too selfish of me to ever ask. Forget about it, okay?¡±


    Nero gently took her hand and squeezed it until she looked up at him. ¡°Ask,¡± he insisted.


    Karina¡¯s lip wavered into a pout and the crown of raised scales on her head flattened with distress. ¡°Please stay,¡± she whimpered finally. She put her other hand over the one of his holding hers, and he added his other on top. ¡°I¡­I would really like for you to stay. But I should not ask that; you have a family to get back to who love you and are probably very worried about you. I know that, I just¡­¡± she broke off again and sighed. Nero waited patiently. ¡°Our pod does not travel. We are too small and too vulnerable. I have never left this reef and I am afraid of the open ocean or I would beg to accompany you. This is all I have ever known and I cannot leave it. We nurture kelp and seaweed tendrils, and forage clams and crabs, and small reef fish, but we do not hunt. We do not navigate currents or know how to avoid the dangers of deep waters. In my family, we have always put security as the priority. My sister bonded for that security, not for the love of her mate. My little brother will likely do the same should he find someone. Our only contact with others is migrators, pods and travelers passing through. There is rarely the time to nurture a deeper affection. We can choose to go or one may choose to stay, but that is how we choose our mates or we do not at all. I do not wish to mate for such a shallow reason, or to be selected for ease by those who know our ways. I want to know what it is to love and bond before being joined. I do not know for sure what I feel, I do not understand it and perhaps my mother would label me a fool, but I had accepted I would live my life alone. Now, I would simply be very sad to see you go,¡± she whispered. ¡°You have made me feel I could have a chance. But I cannot ask it of you, it is not fair.¡±


    She leaned against him and closed her eyes, and Nero¡¯s heart squeezed at her distress. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her a little closer, absently tracing circles over her shoulder. ¡°When I was younger, I was fascinated with the sun,¡± he told her. She turned her head to look at him, and confusion sparkled in her gaze. ¡°I used to hover as close to the surface as my mother dared to let me, simply studying it and basking in its warmth.¡±


    He could tell by her squirming that Karina wanted to ask what his point was, but he rarely ever told her stories or talked at length at all, so after a moment, she settled against him and simply proceeded to listen. He appreciated it. He was not very good with words, but was glad she was willing to hear him out. ¡°I used to ask her about the night; about why the sun would set and it would grow dark. She always told me that the moon deserved to shine too and that if the sun blazed all the time, none of us would ever get any rest. She tells me that when I was very young, I used to hate that answer. I used to tell her that I wanted to hold a piece of the sun always, so that my life would always be bright and it would keep me warm even on the darkest, coldest nights when there was no moon.¡±


    Karina giggled softly beside him and he hugged her closer. ¡°Yes, she laughed too. She told me it was impossible and impractical, and would tell me to go back to sleep. I obsessed a lot less over it as I got older, but I think I always held onto that dream in the back of my heart; to someday find out what it would feel like to grasp a piece of sunlight.¡±


    ¡°That is sweet,¡± Karina replied.


    ¡°It was the silly desires of a child,¡± Nero countered. He turned to meet her gaze. ¡°Or so I thought. I do not know. But I do know that now that I have had the chance to hug the sun close, I never wish to let go. She is as warm and wonderful as I could have ever imagined, and my life has never shone with more radiance. I would be a fool to abandon that now.¡±


    Karina¡¯s eyes widened with shock and she shook her head. ¡°But Nero, I am not-oh,¡± she paused as he pressed a finger to her mouth. He hated when she put herself down. Karina always smiled, was always cheery and always quick to help others and show them kindness. But when she was alone ¨C or forgot Nero was still listening ¨C she would open her heart deeper and admit to her perceived flaws. She worried over beauty, shallow as she felt it was. She worried that she was too energetic, too happy, that it would annoy others. She was lonely and did not perceive herself good enough to ask for the company of others or to wish for companionship. He loathed that those dark thoughts dare eat at her heart and mind.


    He shook his head. ¡°You are,¡± he corrected. ¡°You are beautiful and bright, and you have reminded me of the sun when dawn first cracks since the first moment I met you, Karina. You are warm and accepting, and never seem bothered that I am quiet and shy and uncomfortable in groups. I would give anything, do anything, simply to see you smile. You are the brightest sun to me, you surpass the one in the sky, and I would hold you forever if you would let me. I know your pod joins for security, I respect that. I would hunt for you and protect you from any threat. You will never have to travel unless you wish it, and I would escort across the oceans if you did.¡±


    Karina shook her head. ¡°I do not need gifts or favors and promises of showered treats, Nero. I do onto want them. I simply wish to have the heart of my mate, and to feel cherished for who I am, and I want to give the same.¡±


    Nero nodded. He had already said more words and spouted more pathetic attempts at poetic, wooing words than he ever cared to utter. He wanted her to understand and did not fully know how to say what was in his heart. So, he gathered the courage that he had ¨C though a large part of him wanted to flee and not risk the friendship they had ¨C and he leaned a little closer. ¡°I ask only for the chance to love you,¡± he whispered before he bent his head properly and kissed her. She stiffened beneath him and a soft whisper of surprise left her lips, but it was cut off.


    Kissing her was as soft and sweet and wonderful as Nero imagined it would be, and after a moment, Karina relaxed and wrapped her arms around his neck. She fell back in the water and pulled him with her, and he raised an arm to cradle the back of her head. He broke the kiss reluctantly, but was rewarded with getting to see her warm brown eyes staring up at him with amazement and joy.


    ¡°But what about your family?¡± she asked.


    He shook his head and raised a hand to cup her cheek. He stroked the subtle flesh with his thumb. ¡°Perhaps one day ¨C if you feel comfortable ¨C we can visit so you may meet them. I think you would like them, especially my baby sister,¡± he admitted. ¡°But I would rather not part from you long enough to make that trip alone. I love my family, I do, but everything I need is right here. I have my perfect ray of sunlight. If she will let me hold onto her, that is. I believe she wanted to ask something.¡±


    Karina hesitated and chewed on her lip, rolling it between her fangs. Nero hoped she would not cut herself. She held his gaze with such longing that Nero almost forgot to feel overjoyed, instead feeling the urge to fix the emotional turmoil within her. ¡°Karina,¡± he breathed. He loved the sound of her name as he said it. It was his favourite word to say. ¡°It is okay to be selfish sometimes. I want to know your thoughts if you will allow me.¡±


    ¡°Please stay,¡± Karina begged finally as whatever was holding her back broke. She lurched up and threw her arms around him and began to sob softly. ¡°Please do not leave me, Nero. I want to stay with you always. I love you.¡±


    Nero hugged her close and sat back on his tail to cradle her in his arms. ¡°I will never leave you,¡± he agreed. ¡°My heart is yours, Karina. It has been for a while now,¡± he admitted.


    The surge of emotions that shone in her eyes was almost overwhelming to see, and he could not imagine how she was experiencing so many. Her head tilted and her eyes closed as she kissed him this time. When they parted once more, Karina sat up taller so she could lean her forehead against his. ¡°I would be honoured if you chose to hold onto me,¡± she agreed.


    With the permission granted, Nero¡¯s heart soared and he squeezed her to him until her laughter became an amused wheeze. ¡°Perhaps not quite so tightly,¡± she gasped. ¡°I promise not to flee.¡±


    He joined her in her laughter as he reluctantly loosened his hold just a little. He hummed deep in his chest as he hugged her. She was warm, and he knew he would never feel the chill of night or the cold currents again. Not so long as he had her by his side.

 The Pools Scrap

    ¡°Was that Baodoe?¡± Sophie turned as she heard Devin¡¯s inquiry and her heart stalled in her chest. She stood up as the other woman approached. She had an infant Mer in her arms. The baby had the same dark skin that Baodoe had and only some scales had grown in on the tail, but dark orange shimmered beneath the thin surface layer of skin and Sophie imagined it wouldn¡¯t be long until there was a proper layer of scales coating the fragile limb. Devin had the baby nestled in the crook of her arm and the other arm was looped under the baby¡¯s tail and also helping support the bottle of milk the infant was nursing from.


    ¡°Yes, it was,¡± Sophie replied.


    Devin smiled. ¡°Good. He¡¯s been so skittish the last few weeks, I¡¯m glad he¡¯s warming up a bit. Sweetheart though, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°He really was,¡± Sophie agreed. ¡°I think he maybe wasn¡¯t supposed to be over chatting with us though, he got called away pretty quickly.¡±


    Devin nodded. ¡°Here, would you like to hold him?¡± she offered as she stepped a little closer.


    ¡°May I?¡± Sophie checked. When Devin nodded, she reached out and carefully took the infant from her. The baby shifted and made a small, muffled mewling sound as his tiny fins twitched and his tail curled. His little fingers squeezed into fists and then he fell still. Sophie couldn¡¯t stop the wide smile that spread across her face. His skin was so delicate and soft that she was afraid she might break him. ¡°What¡¯s his name?¡±


    ¡°Svirnan,¡± Devin replied as she handed off the bottle. ¡°He and Baodoe are brothers.¡±


    Sophie tilted the bottle down into Svirnan¡¯s mouth and her smile grew even wider. ¡°I don¡¯t know if he wants this anymore,¡± she reported when the young Mer did not resume nursing.


    ¡°Don¡¯t take it away, he¡¯ll get upset. They¡¯re sporadic nursers. It usually takes him three or four hours to finish a bottle. Really, you¡¯re just giving my arms a break.¡±


    ¡°I certainly don¡¯t mind,¡± Sophie murmured as she held the baby closer. ¡°Is it okay for him to be out of the water that long? Where¡¯s his mother? Or father,¡± Sophie added when she remembered that male Mer could give birth. That was going to take a bit to wrap her head around.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Devin agreed. ¡°We try not to have him out of the water for too long, but it¡¯s good for him to be socialized and feel someone¡¯s heartbeat. We rescued Baodoe and his mother from a cosmetics company in Japan a few weeks ago. At the time, she was heavily pregnant and underweight and we were worried that she would miscarry. She was so hostile, even Az couldn¡¯t get through to her. Her entire focus had narrowed to a primitive survival state, trying to protect her young boy. She was so sickly I¡¯m amazed she survived her labour, but it was just barely and she died a week or so later.


    Svirnan spends most of his time in a special bath to make up the additional nutrients he¡¯s losing without his mother, and he¡¯s sickly from the drug trials they ran on her. Az was getting through to her in the end, enough to know names and try to explain she was safe, but I think her will to live was so broken that she didn¡¯t have any strength left to fight. Davyrence was one of a few we¡¯ve lost over the years, but our goal now is just to make sure her children have a better chance in life. We¡¯re pretty certain she was a mid-dwelling Mer because Baodoe¡¯s eyes glow in the dark ¨C which is a trait of the Mer from the depths ¨C and Davyrence had thicker skin to withstand higher pressure and colder climates, but neither of them resembled a true deep-water Mer. Svirnan here doesn¡¯t have those survival traits though; we¡¯re hoping to find a surrogate open-water pod to adopt him once he¡¯s healthy. Right now, he can¡¯t spend too long out of his pool or his body begins to fail,¡± Devin explained.


    Sophie¡¯s heart squeezed as she glanced down at the baby in her arms. He¡¯d been given such a terrible hand in life, right from the start, and yet was sleeping so peacefully in her grip. She pulled him just a little bit closer. She knew Mer infants depended on their parent¡¯s warmth and heartbeat for survival, and while she didn¡¯t know how long they were like that or how old Svirnan was, she did know he had to be lonely, even if he had limited ways of voicing it.


    ¡°Poor little trooper,¡± Lewis sighed. Sophie felt his arm press against her back as he pulled her close to his side and peered over her shoulder. ¡°You don¡¯t think his health complications will compromise his ability to survive in the wild in the future, do you?¡±


    Devin shrugged and shook her head. ¡°Only time will tell, really. We¡¯re prepared to raise him for the long run if we have to, but it would be better for him to go with a Mer family, so that¡¯s what we¡¯re aiming for. I wish we could return them to their birth waters, but we don¡¯t know where that was. The Mer are so varied and diverse that it¡¯s hard to pinpoint based purely on visual markers. The files on them were incomplete at best, so our only real range is somewhere in the South-Atlantic ocean, possibly off the west coast of Africa, but where or how deep, we¡¯ll never know. We¡¯d never find the original pod, if Davyrence even had one. I don¡¯t even know if she had a mate, whether they were captured too and perished or if they might still be out there.


    It breaks my heart, but these boys are realistically orphans and the best we can do is get them adopted. We have a pod here at the moment that want to take Baodoe with them. Jarcco over there has really taken a shine especially.¡± Devin gestured to the Mer who had called Baodoe away from them originally. ¡°And Baodoe spends most of his time now over there. He¡¯s pretty skittish of us and I don¡¯t blame him after everything he¡¯s been through. They¡¯ve asked about Svirnan too, but he¡¯s not healthy enough to leave yet.¡±


    Sophie frowned down at the baby. She hoped he would be alright and she didn¡¯t like the sound of the two brothers potentially being separated. ¡°Will they come back for him?¡±


    Devin shrugged. ¡°I really don¡¯t know,¡± she admitted with a shake of her head. ¡°As unfortunate as it is, Mer are constantly rotating their hunting grounds and migratory routes as the oceans change around them. This pod is here and in a position to take Baodoe with them. He and Jarcco have really bonded the last week or two, so unless he wants to stay, Carson and I aren¡¯t going to stop them from taking him, but they might not be in a position to take Svirnan too when the time comes. But I won¡¯t deny Baodoe the chance to settle with a pod and live a happy life just because Svirnan can¡¯t leave. The two barely know each other as it is and Baodoe is still young enough he may not remember these experiences and can just live a happy life with a new family and have that be all he knows.¡±


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    Sophie carefully lowered herself back down so she wouldn¡¯t jostle Svirnan, and crossed her legs. The baby stirred and mewled again before his tiny nose scrunched up and he opened his eyes. Sophie¡¯s breath hitched in her chest as pale gray eyes stared up at her with a lazy, content gaze. She smiled brightly and waggled a finger in the baby¡¯s face. She was rewarded with a kick of his little tail and another burbling coo.


    Lewis sat down with her and she leaned against him. Sophie tore her gaze away from Svirnan to smile at Lewis, who only chuckled and smiled back. ¡°Do I have competition?¡± he teased as he wrapped an arm around her shoulders.


    She elbowed him and shook her head. ¡°Of course not,¡± she murmured. ¡°But he is precious, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lewis agreed.


    Devin flopped down next to them and dipped one foot into the water and pulled the other one close to rest her arm on her knee. ¡°Not to dampen the mood, but we have a couple of things to discuss still. I left Lukshia guarded back in the breakroom. It feels wrong to lock anyone in somewhere, but in this case, I¡¯m not willing to take a risk of her disappearing on us. And I spoke to Michelle, I¡¯m genuinely appalled by how Riley had to experience this place, but it won¡¯t be happening again. She didn¡¯t want to risk re-sedating Riley because of how much longer it took for her to wake up compared to the others, she was worried it would put her system into shock. Michelle is a talented physician, but her bedside manner needs some work. I just didn¡¯t weigh the potential consequences of that properly, and for that I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll apologize to Riley as well, but she seems a little preoccupied at the moment.¡±


    At the comment, Sophie looked out over the water and found Riley hauling herself up a staircase of padded, stacked cubes. It appeared to be quite slippery with the water rushing down it, but Riley was making impressive progress and Sophie smiled. ¡°I¡¯m sure she doesn¡¯t harbour any ill feelings towards you,¡± Sophie assured the other woman. ¡°It wasn¡¯t really your fault anyway.¡±


    Devin shrugged. ¡°I have to take responsibility for it. Most of these Mer have put their lives in our hands, whether they think of it that way or not. If I hire people who make them feel unsafe, then I have made them unsafe by putting them in the presence of those people,¡± she sighed. ¡°But, for the moment, there¡¯s something else we need to discuss. I was wondering if you would allow Carson to accompany you when you go after Katie. Lukshia said she would take two people, and if Lewis means to stay here, I would feel more comfortable knowing you weren¡¯t alone and that you had someone with you with medical knowledge just in case. And honestly? I¡¯m worried about how much Lukshia knows. After all of this¡­I need to know if our existence is compromised. I won¡¯t risk the Mer we have living here and we¡¯re unfortunately not set up to move on a whim, we need to be prepared.¡±


    Sophie glanced out over the pool. It was impossible to get a count, but there had to be at least thirty Mer ranging from adults and some elderly lounging in the water and along the edges with just their fins trailing down, to children frolicking through the water and over the play structure.


    Most of the Mer seemed to be giving the three of them a wide berth, but Sophie hadn¡¯t missed the various curious glances that they¡¯d all been giving them the entire time she¡¯d been sitting on the edge. Despite their wariness of strangers, none of the Mer seemed to feel unsafe. Devin, Carson, and Az had clearly set out to create a safe haven and they¡¯d succeeded.


    ¡°Of course,¡± she agreed. She still couldn¡¯t shake the smallest needle of doubt still pricking at her heart, but they were depending on Devin and Carson ¨C she supposed that dependence was where her uncertainty stemmed from ¨C but even Riley had decided they were trustworthy and Sophie did trust her. She had no reason to refuse and understood their desire to tie up any loose ends that posed a potential threat. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯d rather not go alone¡­just in case.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Sophie hummed. Then tiny fins in her lap flapped up and Svirnan twisted his head, dislodging the teat of the bottle in the process. Milk dribbled down his chubby little chin and his face scrunched up as he began to whimper. His fists gripped at her shirt and the whimpering grew louder. ¡°Oh, honey, it¡¯s okay,¡± Sophie murmured. She cradled him closer and when he continued to fuss, she stood up to rock him on her heels.


    ¡°You need me to take him?¡±


    Sophie shook her head when Devin offered. ¡°No, he¡¯s okay,¡± she whispered. She very carefully shifted Svirnan from the crook of her arms and pulled him vertically against her torso. She hooked an arm across his tail to support him and began to gently pat his back.


    It was almost instantaneous that his fussing died away to softer, more content murmurings. His fingers fisted in her shirt and she could feel the tiny digits kneading at her as he settled in. Her heart melted and she kissed his little fuzz covered head.


    Sophie clucked her tongue. ¡°There we go. You just wanted a cuddle. That¡¯s better, huh?¡±


    ¡°He looks good on you,¡± Lewis whispered as he came up behind her and wrapped his good arm around her waist.


    ¡°He¡¯s not an accessory,¡± Sophie shot back with a chuckle as she leaned into his embrace.


    ¡°You know what I meant,¡± Lewis countered as he pressed a kiss to her cheek. Sophie hummed in response. Lewis was warm and she still appreciated him immensely.


    Devin picked herself back up off the floor as well and reached out to rub Svirnan¡¯s head. ¡°He actually does look good on you,¡± she stated. ¡°We¡¯ve dealt with infant Mer before, but Svirnan is a grab-bag of issues. He should be a little bigger and more active for his age, and he should have all of his scales by now. Not his adult ones, baby Mer have flakier, more fragile scales, but it is better protection. Instead, he¡¯s just lethargic most of the time, unless he¡¯s fussing and he¡¯s rarely soothed that quickly. His skin dries out and he gets dehydrated very quickly, and his body is atrophying despite our efforts. It¡¯s why we have to keep him in a special homeopathic bath for so much of the day or he gets really sick.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s terrible,¡± Sophie replied. She continued rubbing Svirnan¡¯s back, but now that Devin had said it, she could feel how dry and delicate his skin was. It made her want to dip him in the pool to help cool him off and keep his skin damp, but she wasn¡¯t sure if that would be good for him since Devin kept mentioning his water had very carefully balanced concentrations.


    ¡°It is,¡± Devin continued. ¡°But he¡¯s lonely and under-socialized and I can¡¯t fix it. He doesn¡¯t like many people ¨C human or Mer ¨C and we can¡¯t leave him in normal water or out of the water for very long, so some of us hold him when we can, but he¡¯s completely alone otherwise.¡±


    Sophie sighed. Svirnan had settled down rather quickly for her, but he was starting to squirm again. She picked his bottle back up and tried to entice him with it, but she had the suspicion that it wouldn¡¯t keep him calm for very long either. ¡°I bet he misses his mother,¡± she murmured. ¡°From what we¡¯ve heard, Mer parents keep their babies in near-constant skin to skin contact for the first chunk of their lives, right? If she was all he knew and now she¡¯s gone and he¡¯s got a bunch of different strangers holding him some of the time¡­is that bath you¡¯re keeping him in safe for others to be in?¡±


    Devin nodded. ¡°There¡¯s nothing dangerous, it¡¯s mostly just packed with extra nutrients his skin can absorb, and an aloe mix to sooth the skin problems. I¡¯m worried he was affected in the womb because Davyrence had the same problems. I¡¯m just hoping we can either cure it or he¡¯ll be able to fight it as he gets older.¡±

 Plankton Drift

    ¡°Karina.¡± Karina shifted in her sleep and curled into a tighter ball as the whisper of her name disturbed her. She was certain it was just the currents playing tricks on her ears, and she was far too tired to bother rousing to check.


    ¡°Karina!¡± The sound was a bit louder, more insistent this time, and Karina¡¯s eyes finally fluttered open when a warm hand was laid over the curve of her shoulder.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± she hummed as she slowly uncoiled from the curled position she had been sleeping in. Her jaws parted in a massive yawn and bubbles shot from her gills as she clamped her teeth together once more. She stretched her fins and then rolled from her side onto her back. Her eyes widened as she found Nero hovering directly above her. His dark purple-black gaze glistened in the pale moonlight filtering through the shallow water.


    ¡°Nero?¡± her brows furrowed and she pushed herself up as she gazed at him. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Instinctively, she looked around, but the rest of his pod were still slumbering peacefully. It had been almost two seasons now since they had joined up with his pod, and ¨C while the loss of her own family was still a raw, bloody agony tipped open in her chest ¨C Rebecca and Ixion, and all the others had been so overjoyed and incredibly welcoming when Nero returned, and they had given her a home without a second thought. It warmed her heart to feel like she had a place to belong. Not long after they had arrived, Nero¡¯s pod had cleaved in two. They had outgrown their reef and hunting had been getting harder with so many to feed. Many of the Mer had wished to remain at the main grounds and migration routes they had been born and raised with. Rebecca and Ixion had gone with the smaller group so they would not be without a healer, and they were still travelling in search of a more permanent home. Karina was still adjusting to all the swimming, but it was fascinating to get to see new creatures and parts of the ocean after growing up on the same reef all her life. Her pod had been stationary, and since they did not travel or migrate, her waters had been all she had ever known before Nero had brought her to his family.


    Since everything seemed fine, she could not fathom why he had woken her. As she started at him, he smiled and held out a hand. ¡°Come,¡± he requested.


    Karina glanced around again to make sure they were not going to disturb any of the others, then she took his hand and pushed off the sand. ¡°Where are we going?¡± she whispered as they began swimming away from where the others were resting.


    She squeaked in surprise as Nero wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close into an embrace. He nuzzled her neck and she hummed in content. Her eyes closed and she relaxed against him. ¡°I thought it might be nice to spend some time together,¡± he murmured as he pressed his lips to the crook of her shoulder. ¡°We have done so much travelling lately, there has been no chance to be alone.¡±


    ¡°It has not been all bad,¡± Karina reminded. She flicked her fins so he would not have to pull her as he led her further from where the pod was slumbering.


    ¡°No,¡± Nero agreed. He twined their fingers together and gave her hand a squeeze. ¡°But there is something I wish to show you.¡±


    It certainly piqued Karina¡¯s interest. She had gotten to see so many new things lately, and many of them took her breath away. Nero delighted in discovering new wonders for her to experience, and she felt so special that he took the time. She was getting to see so much of the world for the first time and made even the simplest of things feel so unique.


    The pod was currently resting near the edge of a shelf, and as Nero led her closer to the open water, Karina began to hesitate. It has always been a bit intimidating to swim in water where she could not see the sandy floor below her, but in the dark like this it seemed outright eerie. ¡°Where are we going?¡± she inquired.


    ¡°You will see soon enough,¡± Nero assured her.


    Once they left the shelf into open water, Nero dove sharply, and Karina squeaked in surprise as he towed her down with him. She chewed her lip as they continued swimming deeper. The water was rapidly growing darker as they descended, and she shivered. ¡°Nero? I am not sure I like this,¡± she murmured. She could no longer see her hand in front of her face, but Nero kept a firm grip on her hand. He gave it a squeeze as she voiced her anxieties.


    ¡°It is alright,¡± he assured her. ¡°We are keeping close to the shelf, and I can see. We will not be going much deeper.¡±


    Karina twisted to glance back up, but she could no longer see the ledge they had initially dove off from. She pursed her lips and pressed tighter to his side.


    ¡°Just watch,¡± Nero encouraged as he pulled her deeper.


    Karina frowned. She was not sure exactly what she was meant to be watching, given she could not see much of anything, but she reluctantly refocused her gaze forward as they swam deeper and deeper.


    She was given her answer mere moments later when the water around her lit up. In a period of a few heartbeats, the water went from a dark, empty shadow to a vivid bloom of light. All around her, a plethora of sparkling lights began drifting up towards the surface. Karina¡¯s lips parted with awe as she watched. The winking pieces of algae glistened in varying hues of blues and greens, and a few yellows. It was like floating through the expanse of sky above, surrounded by the millions of glowing stars. ¡°Nero,¡± she breathed.


    Nero snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her even closer. He sunk a bit further and Karina followed him, and after a moment, her tail brushed the sandy surface of a small ledge. She settled on it properly and leaned her head on his shoulder. A soft hum built in her throat as he hugged her.


    ¡°Well?¡± he prompted.


    ¡°It is beautiful,¡± Karina replied. She stretched out her hand and curled her fingers around one of the pulsing, blue, free-drifting plants. She pulled it close and then released it once more, watching it drift up past Nero¡¯s nose and illuminating his face before spiralling up out of reach. She grinned brightly.


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    ¡°I am glad you like it,¡± Nero hummed.


    ¡°I do,¡± Karina agreed. ¡°How did you find this?¡±


    ¡°I have migrated before,¡± he pointed out. ¡°I came down and checked last night when we arrived, but I already assumed the plankton would drift here. It does every night, but you see it best when you dive deep.¡±


    ¡°Well, I love it,¡± she decided. ¡°Thank you.¡± She leaned her head back down against him, and then shivered. ¡°I just wish it was not quite so chilly down here.¡±


    Instantly, Nero¡¯s other arm came around, grabbed her, and tugged her up onto his lap. She giggled as he wrapped both arms around her and nuzzled the back of her neck. ¡°You do not have to come up with a silly reason to want to be close,¡± he teased. ¡°I would hold you happily just because you wanted me to.¡±


    Karina rolled her eyes, but twisted to press her cheek to his chest, and then returned her attention to the dazzling light show still going on around them. A content yawn split her maw and she smacked her lips before relaxing against him once more. ¡°You are wonderful,¡± she murmured. ¡°It is so pretty.¡±


    Nero jostled her slightly as he shrugged, and one hand came up to rub her shoulder. She purred and nuzzled him back. ¡°They are nice,¡± he commented. ¡°But I have something that far outshines them.¡± He traced circles on her shoulder with the pad of his finger.


    Karina flicked her fins and scoffed quietly. ¡°Now you are the one being silly,¡± she taunted back.


    ¡°No,¡± Nero refused. ¡°You are a far greater treasure than witnessing the glow of the plankton drift, but I do cherish the chance to experience it with you.¡±


    Karina began to chuckle, and she twisted her head to gaze up at him. ¡°You were so shy when we first met,¡± she joked.


    Nero bowed his head and pressed his lips to hers. Karina¡¯s purr deepened and she could feel Nero¡¯s chest rumbling too.


    Karina raised a hand and cupped his face, and she felt his fingers tangle in her hair. ¡°I love you,¡± she mumbled into his lips.


    ¡°And I love you,¡± he replied. He lifted a hand to cradle her cheek and stroked his thumb over it. ¡°You bring out the best in me. I only wish you had more confidence in yourself. You are amazing, Karina,¡± he insisted. He sighed and rested his chin on her head. ¡°How are you doing?¡±


    Karina¡¯s heart sunk. ¡°That is a hard question,¡± she whispered back. Her chest tightened and a deep ache spread through her at the reminder of everything that had happened in the last cycle. She was happy with Nero, always, and she was content with his family, but it did not soften the pain of her loss near enough, and sometimes it was overwhelming.


    ¡°You do not have to keep it all caged up inside,¡± he reminded. ¡°I am always here, Karina. There are no secrets between mates, and I will always listen to the burdens of your heart. I feel the loss too, Karina, but I can only guess at how you must feel. Talk to me.¡±


    Karina shook her head, then kissed his cheek when his brows dipped with concern. ¡°Not now,¡± she whispered as she shifted to lean against him and resume watching the lights. ¡°Right now, I am just happy to be with you. I want to savor this moment, not sour it. Let us watch for a while.¡±


    Nero hummed in agreement and silence settled over them. Karina did not normally find silence comforting. She had spent a lot of time alone as a child, trying to stay out of the way and not draw attention. She loved her family, but she had not fit in will with those of similar age. Silence was often stifling for her, so she had learned to talk and smile at every opportunity she got, just to snuff out the quiet. But with Nero, for once the silence was different. It was soft and welcoming, and far from solitary.


    Nero was quiet. He rarely conversed openly, except with her. Even then, when it was just the two of them, it was common for the conversation to lull. Karina had nothing to prove and Nero always accepted her and made her feel desired and cherished.


    She flicked her fins as she watched the bioluminescent plankton continue its long journey from the dark, mysterious depths of the very bottom of the ocean. She could not imagine how cold and dark it must be down there. The weight of the water was surely crushing, and yet she knew from stories of travellers that there were Mer who dwelled that deep. They were apparently very different, with condensed bodies that glowed with pulsing lights just like the plankton.


    She was occasionally curious about them, but she had no desire to plunge down that far. Though she knew she would go anywhere and brave anything with Nero by her side. She always felt safest with him. He brought out the best in her too.


    She shifted off his lap and rolled onto her side to nuzzle against him.


    He chuckled and hugged her closer. ¡°You are tired,¡± he noticed.


    Karina flicked her fins and shook her head, even as she yawned. She hated that it was noticeable. ¡°No, I am fine.¡±


    Nero¡¯s laughter grew to a chortle. ¡°You are falling asleep,¡± he teased.


    She shook her head and reopened her eyes. She did not remember closing them. ¡°No, I am just comfortable. I am watching,¡± she protested, but the lights were beginning to fade as the plankton continued past them.


    Nero shifted, and then his arms were wrapping around her and shifting her. ¡°Alright, time to get you back,¡± he decided. He drew her close against his chest and pushed off from the ledge.


    ¡°Nero, no,¡± Karina protested. ¡°We can stay, I am fine.¡± She squirmed in his grasp. Her tail was draped over his arm, but he was holding her firmly and she would have to genuinely resist to break his grip. ¡°You do not have to carry me.¡±


    Nero kissed her cheek and continued swimming up. ¡°I do not mind,¡± he assured her. ¡°I get to be closer to you this way.¡±


    Karina¡¯s heart fluttered in her chest, but she still squirmed a little. She did not want to be a burden on him. She already had lower endurance and speed, and no hunting skills. She was fairly certain his pod quietly found her incompetent and simply said nothing out of respect for him. She wanted to prove she could be even slightly independent. ¡°But I-ump.¡± Her protest was cut off as he kissed her again.


    ¡°Karina? Let me have this,¡± he requested.


    Karina smiled. She suspected he was only trying to make her feel better about it, and simply being overprotective in carrying her, but he was incredibly sweet. ¡°Oh, alright,¡± she huffed, though she could not keep the wide smile off her face.


    ¡°Stubborn girl,¡± Nero teased as he gave her another quick peck on the lips.


    She would normally rise to the challenge, but she was feeling lazy and he was warm. Deciding to cave on the mock argument, she snuggled into his grip and listened to the steady drum of his heartbeat. She was incredibly grateful to have him.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she whispered. ¡°For showing this to me, and for always being here. I have needed you so much, especially the last few seasons. I do not know what I would do without you.¡±


    Nero bent his head and pressed his forehead to hers, and she stared into his warm gaze. ¡°Karina, you are my world,¡± he insisted. ¡°I promised you that I wanted to hold you and never let go; I intend to make good on that.¡±


    Karina¡¯s heart swelled and she sat up just enough to hug him fiercely. ¡°Only if I get to hold you too,¡± she murmured in his ear.


    ¡°I would not want it any other way.¡±

 Family Reunion - Part One

    It had been a long journey. Once, Nero was used to travelling. He could go long distances with his pod or a hunting party, but even for him, this trip had been hard and far more taxing than he had ever anticipated. His heart was heavy with sorrow and regret, and more than a little guilt. Beside him, Karina was keeping pace, barely, but he was not swimming fast. Her head was bowed and she had been subdued and silent for almost two moons now. It had taken a long time to reach his family, between their combined grief and Karina¡¯s lack of endurance and experience for travelling, their pace was drastically slowed.


    He hated seeing Karina so distressed, but he knew she needed time. Still, it was hard to see the Mer he had fallen deeply in love with ¨C the one who was usually so bright and excited ¨C so down in the depths. He knew right now, Karina was surviving, not living. She followed him, she breathed, she slept, she fled if they needed to, she foraged and ate with him, but she rarely spoke anymore. He wanted to make it better for her, to gather her in his arms and assure her that everything would be alright, but he knew it was not alright and it would not be for a long time. He could barely comprehend the loss himself, much less imagine how to ease the agony of hers.


    Her entire family, her reef, everything she had ever known, was dead. Dead and gone in a single storm. It had taken several turns for the two of them to stop retching and be able to breathe again after minimal exposure. He had needed to drag her away screaming and flailing or she would have badly poisoned herself past a point of recovery. They had only made it so far before exhaustion had claimed them. The dark sludge pooled in their gills and made them weak and sickly. It had been hard, but they had pulled through. Nero had hunted for her and helped her get her strength back, and every time he had needed to part with her, he made it as quick as possible. He was terrified he would return to find her gone, fled back to the death that awaited her at her former reef. But she had stayed, staring past him with a haunted look in her eyes and her lips parted with unspoken dismay.


    When he finally managed to prompt her voice back, they had cried together and Karina had expressed her fears of where they were meant to go and what they were meant to do. He knew she did not understand why they lived when all the others had died. He had merely hugged her close and promised her that he would make sure she had a home again, no matter what. He had suggested finding his pod on a desperate whim and had been surprised when Karina agreed so easily, but he imagined she just did not have the strength to argue. She was hurting too badly.


    He was torn from his thoughts when he heard her sniffle. Karina had her head bowed and her mane was drooped, and her emotional distress tore at Nero¡¯s heart. Without hesitation, he gathered her in his arms and pulled her close to his chest. She squirmed in his grasp and he tightened it. She had been distant and it was not healthy. He knew she was angry with him, deep down, though she was not saying it, and he wished she would let that anger free instead of clinging to it packed in with her grief. ¡°Karina,¡± he murmured into the skin of her neck. He sunk down until they were resting on the sand. ¡°Please talk to me,¡± he begged as he cradled her.


    She shook her head and when she spoke, it was through gritted teeth. ¡°I cannot. It hurts.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± he agreed. ¡°But you have anger in you. I know you blame me and that is okay, I would rather you let it out and talk about it; this is not healthy and I am worried for you.¡±


    ¡°Nero, no. It is not fair. I know it is not fair, I just¡­¡±


    Nero gently hushed her and kissed her brow. ¡°It is okay,¡± he whispered. ¡°I know it stems from grief, Karina, but it still cannot stay and fester inside of you. I promise, it is alright to get angry.¡±


    She beat a fist against his chest and dropped her head against him as her body shook and Nero was bathed in the spicy scent of her anger. It was not true anger, he could taste it on her, it was superficial and formed of grief, desperate to blame something for her pain. ¡°Why did you not just let me go?¡± she cried. ¡°You dragged me back¡­I could have maybe gotten to them, gotten them out, they might have been okay. You stopped me. You stopped me and they are dead and I cannot take that back!¡±


    Nero nodded. He pulled her close and rested his chin on the crown of her head. ¡°We could not have helped them, Karina. We were exposed for a few heartbeats and you know how sickly it made us. They were exposed most of the night when a storm was churning the waters. They were likely already passed before we ever got back. If I had allowed you to venture deeper, you would have died.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it would have been better that way,¡± Karina muttered.


    Nero shook his head and kissed the top of her head. ¡°Perhaps it was only for selfish reasons that I pulled you away, Karina, and for that, I am sorry, but I was not prepared to lose you. I know you are hurting. I loved your family too, but my grief cannot compare to yours. Everyone you knew and loved¡­but someone should have survived that tragedy. They still live with you, you know that.¡±


    Karina¡¯s breath was wracked with shuddering sobs as her chest heaved. Then she shook her head. ¡°No. Not everyone I love is gone,¡± she whispered. Her arms encircled him and he squeezed her gently in response. ¡°I love you, Nero. You have been so understanding and patient, and I have been terrible to you these last few moons. You are hurting too and I have not made that any easier. I am not truly angry with you, it just hurts inside and I cannot bear it. I am sorry.¡±


    Nero hummed and rubbed a hand up and down her spine while she shivered in his arms. ¡°You do not have to apologize, Karina. I know you are not truly angry with me personally, you are mad at the grievous loss you just experienced. I am always going to understand, always going to be here for you no matter what, even if that just means holding you while you scream or bite or tell me you hate me. I will always hold you. I promised you that much.¡±


    She shuddered and finally fell slack against him. ¡°I could never hate you, ever,¡± she protested.


    ¡°I think you are missing my point,¡± he countered.


    Her laugh was strangled and choked with more sobs, and he could feel her finger tracing on his chest while bubbles drifted from her gills. ¡°This is not how I ever imagined I would meet your family,¡± she murmured. ¡°On top of everything else, I am afraid to.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Karina shrugged. ¡°I am afraid they will not like me. I am afraid they will hate me and blame me for you being gone so long. They must think you are dead, Nero, I cannot imagine how they will feel to have you return from that believed death with the Mer responsible for your absence.¡±


    Nero shook his head. He pried her away from his chest just far enough to bow his head and meet her lips. She shivered against him, but he held her tenderly and pressed their foreheads together. ¡°You are responsible for nothing. You did not keep me from them, you helped me in more ways than just aiding in my recovery. It might feel strange at first, but I promise, my mother and father, and the rest of my pod are going to accept you; you are wonderful.¡±


    ¡°Useless, you mean,¡± Karina sighed. ¡°I cannot fight or travel long distances easily, I barely know how to hunt, especially in open waters¡­What good am I to your pod?¡±


    ¡°We have talked about this,¡± Nero scolded gently. ¡°No one is allowed to talk about you like that, especially yourself. You are wonderful, Karina. You are kind and caring and helpful, and you are always willing to learn. No, you have not been exposed to as many survival skills as my pod usually teaches, but you are not useless and you will have every opportunity to learn. I know your heart hurts and you are grieving, but I hope you will give this a chance; we will never forget your family, but I do not think your parents would want you to live your life in sorrow now.¡±


    Karina was silent as Nero drew her back close for another hug. She placed a hand flat on his chest and forced a weak hum. ¡°Thank you,¡± she whispered. ¡°I know I will be happy, I do. I need time, but I will be happy anywhere with you. Just¡­stay with me, okay? I know you mentioned that you used to play a big role in your pod¡¯s hunting parties but please do not leave me, okay? I do not know if I can be alone right now with so many I do not yet know.¡±


    Nero kissed her again and stared into her desperate brown gaze. It was deep, like the shells of coconuts or the dark, sleek hide of a seal. He loved her eyes. He loved everything about her. ¡°I am not going to leave you, Karina. I will be right by your side every moment of every day and night until you feel comfortable and okay again.¡±


    Karina nodded and fell limp against him. ¡°Thank you¡­Nero, I just miss them so much.¡± That sour, bitter taste washed over Nero¡¯s senses and his heart squeezed. He ignored the cloying way it pooled in his gills and held her even closer. He began to pet her long, blonde hair, smoothing it back and pulling strands free of her pale orange mane. Karina¡¯s body began to shake and though her sobs were muffled, her distress echoed like a cacophony in Nero¡¯s head. He hated that she was in so much pain, but there was nothing he could do except hold her and assure her she was not alone until she wore herself out and slumped against him.


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    Once she fell silent, Nero shifted her so that he was hugging her shoulders with one arm and scooping up her tail in the other. She wiggled a bit in his grasp as he pushed from the ground and resumed swimming. ¡°I can swim, Nero, you should not have to carry me like this,¡± she whispered. The exhaustion in her voice had him ignoring her assurances. They did not sound very reassuring anyway.


    ¡°I am fine to carry you,¡± he replied. ¡°You know I love holding you close. You have been through a lot and deserve to rest. We will be there soon; before sunset at the latest.¡±


    Karina murmured something against him, but the fight had drained from her. He smiled sadly down at her and then continued on his way. She had a heavy heart and the burden was exhausting her. He missed her spark and her smile, but he knew it would take time for those to come back. He still loved her dearly and nothing was going to change that. He nuzzled her cheek as he swam and she blinked sleepily up at him. She had good moments and bad, and he hoped with time and love, the good would gradually outweigh the bad.


    ***


    He wound up making better time than he anticipated. He recognized the reef as he began to swim over it. His pod tended to settle here for a few moons out of the year and if he remembered correctly and nothing had changed, then they should have only recently arrived. That was good. A more stable home would help Karina adjust.


    ¡°Are we there?¡± Karina mumbled as she stirred in his embrace.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he replied.


    That seemed to rouse Karina a bit more and her eyes widened. Her brows dipped together and her lip sucked in as she began to chew at it. ¡°Nero-I¡­D-do we have to meet them all today? Could we wait until tomorrow, perhaps? I¡­I am not sure I am ready for this,¡± she admitted. Her mane drooped and Nero stalled in the water. He bowed his head to press a quick kiss to her lips before nuzzling her forehead with his nose.


    ¡°They will know we are here,¡± Nero admitted. ¡°They probably already do. I think waiting might only make our scouts nervous.¡±


    Karina sat up and Nero dropped his arms to allow her to rise properly. She worried at her lip some more and gazed around the empty stretch of reef. So far, they had not encountered any of his pod, but they would soon enough, Nero could taste it in the water.


    Karina lashed her fins and wrapped her arms around her torso. ¡°Are you sure this is okay? I have never ventured into another pod¡¯s territory before. What is your pod¡¯s etiquette?¡±


    Nero reached out a hand to her and squeezed her fingers when she placed her palm in his. ¡°Karina, I promise you that you have nothing to fear. I know you worry about rejection, especially after what happened, but my family is very welcoming. We would encounter many pods when we travelled when I was younger. Sometimes other migrating pods would join us in the currents for a while. You will not offend anyone and I will be by your side the entire while, okay?¡± With a flick of his fin, he closed the distance between them and caressed the soft flesh of her cheek with his thumb. She leaned into the touch. ¡°I love you,¡± he reminded her as he leaned close until their noses touch.


    Karina took a breath, and bubbles trickled out her gills and past her lips on the exhale, and she closed her eyes. ¡°I love you too,¡± she echoed. ¡°I am sorry, I am just more nervous than I thought I would be. I really want to meet your family, I do.¡±


    Nero nodded. ¡°I know. Let us go find them so you can stop stressing about how they will perceive you, okay? You have nothing to fear because while your worries will not come to pass, I would stay by you regardless, you do know that.¡±


    Karina forced a smile and her head tilted to the side before she nodded. ¡°I do,¡± she sighed. ¡°I just do not want it to come to that.¡±


    He hummed in agreement. ¡°Neither do I, but I think you are underestimating the potential for a warm welcome and building this ill perception of yourself. Karina, you are my mate, even if you were terrible ¨C and you are so far from terrible ¨C my family would respect that. The only time we would have expelled someone from our ranks is if they were aggressive or endangering others. Do either of those things fit into your perception of how this is going to go?¡±


    Karina smiled softly and shook her head. ¡°No,¡± she agreed. ¡°I have no desire to hurt anyone. But Nero, it is not about whether or not they will chase me off. You know there is a difference between tolerating me and accepting me. I am the reason you were gone so long. All this time, they have lacked answers or closure and have had to grieve an unknown. How can I not worry about how they will react?¡±


    Nero shook his head and sighed softly. There was no reasoning with Karina when her anxieties took root like this. Even he could never fully assuage her concerns. So instead, he took her hand again and held it firmly. ¡°We will face your fears together,¡± he decided. ¡°Like we will do everything else.¡±


    For a few heartbeats, Karina did not immediately reply. Then she took another breath and set her jaw. ¡°Okay,¡± she agreed. ¡°Let us go.¡±


    Nero gave her hand another gentle squeeze and then set out over the coral shelf once more. He pulled her with him, refusing to allow her to yield to the hesitation he could feel in every stroke of her fins. Despite the tragedy that had spurred them to come here, Nero could not contain the spark of excitement. He had been quiet and reserved and a little distant with his pod at times, but he loved them and he had never found it in his heart to admit how much he had missed his mother and his father, and his younger sister, Kera. He was eager for the reunion and introductions.


    As they swam, he began to wonder about his sister. She would be almost nine cycles now, he supposed. He wondered if she had hit a growth spurt yet. He certainly hoped she would forgive his prolonged absence. He had wanted to introduce Karina to his family ever since he began courting her. Though he had accepted they would be unlikely to leave her reef ¨C not for a very long time, if ever ¨C he had never lost the desire. He only wished Karina was not coming here under such duress.


    It was a large reef, but they finally found his family in a sandy clearing surrounded by dense coral. They appeared to be lounging on wide, flat rocks. The sun was just beginning to dip in the sky and Nero figured that several had probably just returned from a fruitful hunt. He was about to disrupt a meal, but Nero did not imagine they would mind too much as he opened his mouth and released a series of short, meaningless clicks out into the water to grab their attention.


    Several heads glanced up at them and though there was still a bit of distance between them all, Nero recognized many members of his family. There was silence for a moment, and then plenty of widened eyes and parted mouths, and fragmented conversations that all started up at once and Nero could not hear well enough to comprehend beyond broken noise.


    He found his mother and father quickly among the crowd and felt relieved when they were the only two who rose from the sand and began swimming towards them. A crowd might have been too much for Karina to handle at the moment. As it was, she was squeezing his hand in a desperate way that was squishing them painfully together. He did not complain though.


    Rebecca reached them first, and she slammed into Nero with enough force to knock him back in the water. The force pulled his hand from Karina¡¯s, but he did not have time to reclaim it as his mother squeezed him tightly enough to constrict his lungs. When she pulled away, she cupped his cheeks and though her smile was wide, there was a panicked desperation in her eyes. ¡°Nero,¡± she breathed. ¡°Oh, my baby¡­we thought¡­¡± she broke off with a shake of her head. ¡°It does not matter. You are here and unharmed.¡± She pressed a kiss to his brow and emotion swelled in Nero¡¯s chest. He had always tried to be independent, but he had not realized how much he had missed his family until this moment.


    He lurched forward and wrapped his arms around her. ¡°I missed you too,¡± he murmured. His mother¡¯s responding purr rumbled against his chest and it was several heartbeats before she pulled away from his embrace.


    She was only gone for a moment before Nero was being yanked into a second hug. His father¡¯s hug made his bones creak and he winced, but endured the display of affection. ¡°You scared us,¡± his father murmured. ¡°I went looking for you. There was no trace. What happened to you?¡±


    Nero shook his head. ¡°Later,¡± he replied. ¡°When we are settled, I will tell you both the entire story. For now, we need to rest, and I would like to introduce you.¡±


    He squirmed away to check on Karina, who had backed up a few paces and was hugging her arms around her chest. Her dark gaze was flicking between them while she gnawed on her lip, and her mane was lowered flat to her skull. He hurried to her side and wrapped an arm around her waist as he pulled her closer to his parents. ¡°Mother, father, I would like for you both to meet Karina; my travel partner and my mate.¡±


    He watched as Karina¡¯s face reddened and she waved slowly in their direction. ¡°Hello.¡±


    His mother¡¯s gaze lit up and a wide smile flowed across her face as she glanced between them. She shook her head. ¡°Nero, I never imagined you would find a life-partner so early in life. You have always been so shy. It is lovely to meet you, Karina. My name is Rebecca and this is Ixion.¡±


    Karina nodded and flashed a small smile in Nero¡¯s father¡¯s direction as well. Nero could feel the anxiety rolling off of her in every quiver of her body against his, in every shift of her gaze and twitch of her fins, and how her fingers curled into her opposite arm just a little too hard so that the skin creased and her fingertips turned the shade of bone. He rubbed her opposite arm and set his jaw. He could see some of his other family members beginning to drift a little closer and knew their curiosity would not be kept back for much longer. ¡°Mother, father, it has been a very taxing journey,¡± Nero admitted. ¡°Is there somewhere quiet we can all go to rest and I will explain things better then as well?¡±


    His father nodded and motioned with a hand. ¡°That is probably a good course of action. Come this way.¡±


    As they swam, Nero pulled Karina close and kissed the back of her head. He reclaimed one of her hands and gripped it firmly. ¡°Together,¡± he reminded in a whisper.


    She tilted her head back to smile at him and she nodded. Her mane was still flicking back and forth, but it was no longer pressed to her skull and she seemed to be calming. ¡°Together,¡± she agreed.

 AU. Childhood Friends

    Despite the early morning sun shining through the window, Katie was not ready to get up yet. Her nose scrunched and she twisted to bury her face in her pillow. It was a Saturday and there was no school, so she had every intention of sleeping in.


    Just as she was starting to drift off again, Katie felt the mattress dip and then a blast of hot air hit her in the face. She cracked her eyes open to see a pair of pale blue eyes staring at her. She had not been expecting anyone to be so close and it startled her. Katie shot up in bed and bonked heads with Riley as she did.


    The other girl fell backwards with a noise of complaint and then groaned loudly as she cradled the side of her face. Katie winced and brought a hand up to rub her aching forehead. ¡°Riley? What are you doing in here?¡± she complained.


    Riley flicked her colourful fins in Katie¡¯s face and huffed. ¡°I wanted to wake you up, not get bludgeoned by your rock of a skull,¡± she protested. She rolled over so that her tail was draped over Katie¡¯s legs. She could feel the prick of the other girl¡¯s scales through her thin blanket and she sighed. So much for sleeping in.


    ¡°You scared me, why did you not say something instead of leaning over me like that?¡±


    Riley shrugged. ¡°This was more fun,¡± she teased. Her tongue poked out between her fangs and she grinned cheekily.


    Katie scowled and threw a pillow at the Mer. ¡°Go back to sleep,¡± she complained as she flopped back in her bed and pulled the blanket up to her ears.


    ¡°No! Katie, come on! Get up!¡± Riley whined. Katie could feel her kneading at the blanket and sighed. ¡°I am so bored and mom says we cannot go out to sea until you are up. So WAKE. UP!¡±


    The pillow Katie had previously chucked at Riley now came down on the side of her head. Riley lifted it and whacked her again, and then a third time. On the fourth blow, Katie grabbed hold of the pillowcase and ripped it out of Riley¡¯s hands as she sat up. ¡°You. Are. So. Annoying!¡± Katie laughed as she smacked Riley back with the pillow.


    Riley¡¯s cackling laughter soon filled the room and Katie could not help falling into a fit of giggles alongside her. Despite her annoyance at being so rudely woken up, Katie could not find it in her heart to be angry. She had been living with her adoptive mother, Sophie, for the past two years now. Katie had once considered the woman an aunt ¨C as she and her father had been very close and Katie had grown up around Sophie ¨C but when her father died, Katie¡¯s own mother had abandoned her on Sophie¡¯s stoop and driven off. But Sophie had also been taking care of Riley for years before Katie had come to live with them. She had found Riley injured and washed ashore when she was a toddler. Though she had tried to look for any sign of parents or a pod, she had never found where Riley came from and could not send the girl back alone once she was healed. Riley was their best-kept secret ¨C Katie did not even know about her until she was a little over six years old ¨C but they had become fast friends over the years. It was hard to stay angry with her very best friend, even if the eleven-year-old Mer was a pain in the butt most of the time.


    Once their laughter abated, Riley jutted her lip into a pout and flicked her fins. ¡°Please, Katie?¡± she whimpered. ¡°I want to go out on the reef. I will tow you around and we can swim really fast,¡± she offered.


    Katie smacked her with the pillow once more. ¡°I do not need you to ¡®tow¡¯ me,¡± she scoffed. ¡°I can swim just fine on my own.¡±


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Riley countered as she stuck her tongue out again. ¡°You only swim ¡®fine¡¯.¡±


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    Katie scoffed again and flopped back on her bed. ¡°Just for that, I am going back to sleep.¡±


    She watched from the corner of her eye as Riley¡¯s expression morphed from amusement to dismay. Her eyes widened and her lips parted, and she lurched forward and shook Katie¡¯s shoulder. ¡°No, Katie, wait,¡± she protested. ¡°I-I am sorry. I did not mean it. You do swim well, honest. Please do not go back to sleep. Please, let us go swimming, it will be fun!¡±


    Riley leaned a little further over Katie, and Katie lunged up and wrapped her arm around Riley¡¯s neck and pulled her down against the bed. She rubbed a fist against Riley¡¯s skull while the Mer¡¯s tail lashed and she tried to tug free. Her breathless laughter pulled another giggle out of Katie, and she released her friend with a shove. Riley¡¯s face morphed to panic and she scrabbled her hands against the blankets as the push nudged her too close to the edge of the bed and she lost her balance. Katie only laughed harder as Riley fell with a muffled thump and wound up dragging the blankets off the bed with her.


    Katie crawled forward and laughed harder at the moving lump of sheets as Riley squirmed out from beneath them. Her golden hair was ruffled with static and stray pieces were sticking up everywhere. Riley huffed to blow her bangs out of her eyes and then she scowled up at Katie and stuck her tongue out. ¡°Bully,¡± she called up.


    Katie shrugged and grinned. ¡°You started it,¡± she reminded. She jumped down off the bed and dropped her weight onto her friend. Riley was shoved flat on her back and Katie pinned her arms and smirked down at her. ¡°Give in?¡± she teased.


    Riley bared her fangs and bucked her tail. ¡°Never,¡± she hissed back. Katie wanted to think she had the upper hand, but then Riley¡¯s tail curled around her one leg and when she bucked her hips again, Katie lost her balance with a yelp. Riley rolled them over until her heavy, muscular tail was pinning Katie down and she began tickling her.


    Katie squealed and tried to shove her friend off. ¡°Riley!¡± she protested between breathless gasps and laughter. ¡°Riley, stop it. No. Tickling is cheating!¡± she howled.


    Riley¡¯s grin widened and she waggled her brows. ¡°Do you give in?¡± she taunted.


    ¡°You¡¯re such a cheater!¡± Katie complained as she continued trying to squirm away from the assault.  ¡°Stop it!¡±


    ¡°I had better not have to come in there!¡±


    Katie and Riley both froze at the sound of Sophie¡¯s voice from down the hall. They exchanged a look and Riley immediately reared back off of Katie. Katie sat up and fixed her sleep shirt. Then she threw her arms around Riley just in time for the knob to wiggle and her door to swing open. Their mother stepped into the room with a quirked brow as she stared at the two of them with mussed hair, on the floor, hugging.


    Katie stared up at her with doe eyes. ¡°We were just¡­telling each other jokes,¡± she lied. ¡°Riley laughed so hard she fell off the bed, so I came down here. We weren¡¯t wrestling or anything.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Sophie¡¯s brow rose higher and Katie sighed.


    ¡°We were wrestling,¡± she caved. Riley elbowed her. It did not matter though, Katie knew Riley would have caved if she had not. Their mother was wonderful, but she could also be scary, and neither of them could lie to her for an extended period of time or with any true seriousness.


    Sophie nodded her head and then jerked it towards the doorway. ¡°When I told you that you needed to wait, Riley, I did not mean come in here and wake Katie up. Now go, and let her get ready. You, up and moving now please,¡± Sophie instructed.


    Katie sighed and rolled her eyes before nudging Riley. ¡°I could have slept in,¡± she grouched.


    Riley inclined her head. ¡°True, but now you get to spend the day out on the boat and the reef!¡±


    Sophie chuckled and shook her head. ¡°You behave as though you never get to swim, Riley. The cove is literally out our back door, and you act so water-starved, you¡¯d think I force you to stay landlocked.¡±


    ¡°The cove is boring,¡± Riley whined. ¡°I have already explored it all.¡±


    Katie gave Riley another playful shove. ¡°You are relentless.¡±


    Riley lifted her chin and puffed out her chest. ¡°Yes I am,¡± she agreed.


    Katie could only stare at her before she cracked up laughing once more and fell over backwards, clutching her sides as she began to wheeze.

 Family Reunion - Part Two

    Nero hovered patiently in the water as his mother swam in circles around him and muttered to herself under her breath. Her fingers kept grazing his sides and her fin brushed his back more than once as she weaved around and inspected him. He knew better than to protest against the fussing. The stiller he sat, the quicker she would ease off.


    ¡°You have a lot of tension here,¡± she whispered as she pressed two fingers firmly between his shoulder blades, just above his dorsal. Nero stiffened as the muscles tightened further. ¡°We are going to have to deal with that later.¡±


    Nero dipped his head in agreement. ¡°Later, though.¡±


    ¡°I assume we are going to discuss how you got these when you tell us what happened?¡± she inquired next as she ran a finger along one of the thin scars wrapped around his torso. The wounds had been severe, but their mark had faded to twists of firm skin no wider than a single hair, a few of them along his sides and tails. He imagined they would fade completely in the next few cycles, but he was not surprised his mother had located them easily.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Rebecca hummed her satisfaction and pressed a hand to his chest. ¡°You are a little malnourished, but I will blame that on your trip. Other than that, you are in good health and I am just glad to see you.¡±


    Nero leaned forward and wrapped his mother in a firm hug. ¡°I have missed you both,¡± he murmured. ¡°I am sorry if I worried you all this time.¡±


    She purred and squeezed him back just as tightly. ¡°You are alive and safe, and you are here now,¡± she stated. ¡°That is all that matters.¡±


    His mother lingered for a moment more before she pushed out of his embrace and crossed the short distance between Karina and himself. Karina hugged her arms around her chest and tried to follow his mother as she began spinning around her too. He could hear her muttering to herself again and shook his head. After a moment, Rebecca clucked her tongue. ¡°You are even tenser than Nero is,¡± she murmured as she hovered behind Karina and placed a hand on her spine. ¡°Well, no wonder. Karina, can you lie down for me please? Just here on the sand, on your belly. Prop your upper half up on your forearms, but bow your head until your forehead is against the ground,¡± she urged.


    Karina shifted her fins nervously and glanced at him, so Nero nodded. His mother would not encourage it if she did not think it was going to help Karina. He watched his mate take a breath and then comply with the instructions, though her shivering returned as his mother hovered over her with a hand on her back.


    ¡°Ixion, mind your son, please,¡± she said.


    Nero frowned at the statement as he watched his mother trail her fingers down Karina¡¯s spine and pause at the highest arch. Before he could ask what she meant, his mother pushed down and up on Karina¡¯s spine with the flat of her hand. His mate gasped and her gills flared before she stiffened and a whimper escaped her lips.


    Though logically Nero knew his mother meant Karina no harm, he could not help the instinct that surged in him at the possible threat to his mate and he suddenly understood his mother¡¯s comment as his father grabbed him by the dorsal and wrapped his other arm around Nero¡¯s waist. ¡°She is alright,¡± he told Nero as he held him firmly.


    Nero watched his mother move further up Karina¡¯s back and push again, and this time, Karina remained stiff and her body shuddered before a sorrowful cry whistled past her gritted teeth. Nero pushed against his father. ¡°Let me go,¡± he growled.


    ¡°Be at peace, Nero; your mother is helping.¡±


    As his mate broke down into heavy sobs, his mother helped pull her up and into an embrace. Despite any of her previous anxieties, Karina clung to Rebecca like a lifeline and continued to sob openly. Nero could taste the grief flooding from her and it made him woozy with the need to reach her, but his father outmatched him in strength and his lack of true desire to battle his parents kept him from struggling aggressively.


    His mother continued to press on Karina¡¯s spine with her fingers while holding the girl close. She did not say anything to Karina, simply allowed her to cry as she normally tended to. He remembered from his childhood any time he or Kera were upset. His mother would hold them and allow them to cry. Talking and reassurances were for afterwards, once the tide of emotion stemmed naturally. His mother had never once shushed a child ¨C hers or a patient ¨C or tried to offer premature verbal comfort. She believed that allowing the emotions to flow uninterrupted was the healthiest way.


    Karina¡¯s cries became desperate and laced with hiccupping breaths that spurted bubbles from her gills in rapid puffs. It cracked Nero¡¯s heart to see her so distraught even though he knew she needed to release it all.


    When the emotional tide began to fade out, Karina was left limp and shaking in his mother¡¯s arms. Rebecca rested her chin on Karina¡¯s head and cradled her like she was still a child. ¡°Grief is one of the worst pains we can feel,¡± she whispered just loud enough for Nero to hear. ¡°You will never forget your grief, but the pain will ease with time.¡±


    ¡°I-I just-I just miss them s-so m-much,¡± Karina whimpered. His mother glanced up and nodded her head, and as she did, his father released him. He hurred to Karina¡¯s side and carefully extracted her from his mother¡¯s embrace into his own. Her nails bit into the skin of his back as she clung to him desperately and he nearly tripped over her tail while settling down on the sand with her, but he paid neither any mind. All that mattered was that she needed him.


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    ¡°What happened?¡± his mother asked in a hushed tone.


    Nero swallowed the rising lump in his throat and squeezed Karina when he felt her shiver. ¡°A bad storm crashed a human ship into the reef. It had been filled with dark sludge that poisoned everything.¡±


    ¡°You two were infected?¡±


    Nero nodded once. ¡°We were¡­away from the reef at the time, so our exposure was minor. We were sick for several turns from it. I lingered at the edge of the poisoned zone in hopes of finding other survivors, but I never saw anyone. We could not linger, so I brought her here.¡±


    His mother nodded. ¡°I am glad you are safe, but I am sorry for the tragedy that led to this.¡±


    Nero shook his head and held Karina closer. He kissed her brow and rubbed her back. ¡°Are you alright?¡± he checked.


    Karina was limp against him and she rubbed her face against his chest as she shook her head. ¡°I feel empty,¡± she whispered.


    Nero nodded and continued rubbing a hand up and down her back. ¡°That will fade¡­right?¡± he glanced up at his mother to pose the question.


    She dipped her chin down. ¡°Yes. It is merely the exhaustion bringing a hollowness. You might find you feel a little better once you rest. It is important to let the hard emotions free once in a while, despite how tiring it can be. The more they fester, the longer it takes for you to heal and the more the process hurts.¡±


    Within his embrace, Karina shivered, but she did not respond to the comment. When Nero glanced down at her, he found her eyes squeezed shut and her fingers twitching in half-closed fists. She was still shaking softly, so Nero pressed a kiss to the crown of her head. ¡°Take a rest,¡± he murmured into her hair. ¡°I have you.¡±


    When he glanced back up, his mother and father had settled on the floor of the sandy alcove with him. Both were watching him with warm, patient expressions, but he could see his mother¡¯s desire for answers in the way her fin twitched and she continued shifting her weight. Finally, the question came. ¡°Nero, what happened to you?¡±


    He winced and shifted Karina in his arms so they could both be a bit more comfortable, and then returned his attention to his parents. ¡°I got separated from the rest of the hunting group in the storm. At first, I was not too worried, we were all strong swimmers and I knew my way back. I would have simply hunkered down, but we were in open water, so I had to press on for the shelf. It should have been fine, an unpleasant struggle, but not one I felt unprepared to deal with.¡± He sighed and shook his head. ¡°But I was in a bad spot and the currents were pulling me three different ways at once. Once I realized what was happening, it was too late to swim free of the forming tempest tube. It was a disorienting experience. The water ripped at my skin and tossed me around, it was like being bounced back and forth between rocks. I do not remember most of it, I was knocked out rather quickly.¡±


    He paused to stroke his fingers through Karina¡¯s hair. He was not sure how well she was listening to the story. Her breathing had evened out but she did not seem to be fully asleep yet. He hoped that she would fall to unconsciousness. She needed to rest and he did not wish to burden her heart further with a conversation that might bring up painful memories.


    ¡°It is okay,¡± Karina whispered as he hesitated. ¡°I can handle it.¡±


    He hummed and continued stroking her hair as he redirected his attention back to his parents. ¡°When I woke, I was with Karina¡¯s pod. They are a stationary group and usually rather closed-off and wary of outsiders, but they helped me get well again. My injuries took a couple of moons to heal properly and in that time, I could move very little. Karina spent a lot of that time with me, talking to me and keeping me company.¡±


    Karina shrugged and pushed herself upright a bit more. She turned to face his parents, so he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back so she was leaning against his chest. She purred softly at the proximity, but he could see the way her cheeks had coloured slightly as his parents smiled knowingly at them both. ¡°It was hard to leave you there alone,¡± she admitted. ¡°I imagined you must have been as lonely as I felt. And it was nice to have company who did not seem bored or annoyed with me. I expected so many times for you to shoo me in the beginning.¡±


    ¡°Never,¡± Nero replied as he leaned his head over her shoulder to kiss her cheek. ¡°But the longer I stayed, the more reluctant I became to leave. I had fallen in love and I knew Karina was under a lot of pressure to take a life partner and that I would lose my chance if I left.¡±


    Karina nodded. ¡°My pod puts less priority on the emotional connection of bond mates. Since we are stationary, we do not meet outsiders often, and there was a pod that travelled through the area around the same time. I could have chosen to go with them for the security of a partner or tried to coax one of them to stay. I did not truly wish to leave my family. My reef was all I knew. As much as I wanted to remain with Nero, I would not have had the courage to leave,¡± she explained. Then she sniffled and hugged her arms around her chest. Her mane drooped. Nero hugged her more tightly and kissed the back of her skull in hopes of soothing the wave of emotion swelling in her. ¡°I am only sorry that my cowardice forced you both to believe your son was dead. I could not have imagined the pain I was causing at the time, but I can fathom it now.¡±


    His father clucked his tongue and shook his head. ¡°Do not apologize, Karina. I am heartened to know that Nero had someone by his side all this time. His absence was not your fault, nor something for either of you to feel guilt over. We are just glad you are both alright.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± his mother agreed. She closed the distance between them and cupped one of Karina¡¯s hands in her own. Nero smiled. He was glad Karina was going to get to see that she had nothing to fear. She was struggling with too many overwhelming emotions as it was. ¡°Karina, I understand your fears. I once worried about acceptance too, but I promise you will find it here. And while your loss is great ¨C and we would never seek to take the place of the family you have lost ¨C you have family in us as well.¡±


    Nero felt Karina shiver in his embrace, and then she lurched from it and wrapped her arms around Rebecca. She did not say anything, but his mother did not require anything to embrace his mate warmly. Her dark brown eyes were staring at him from over Karina¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he murmured as he leaned forward to rub Karina¡¯s back.


    His mother hummed in agreement.


    Nero sighed. There was a lot to adjust to and he imagined he was going to have far more company than he would tend to want as he got reacquainted with his pod members once more, but at least Karina could have a place to settle and heal, surrounded by people who would help her feel wanted and more comfortable. He would give her all his love, but he knew she needed more than what he could offer alone after everything they had lost.


    When their embrace ended, Nero pulled Karina close once more. ¡°Feel better?¡± he checked.


    Karina¡¯s smile did not quite reach her eyes, but it was more genuine than it had been in quite a while, and Nero could not help but smile back. They were going to be okay.

 AU. Swingset

    The sun was bright and warm in the cloud-frees sky, with only a faint breeze to keep the summer heat from turning sweltering. Karina loved days like this. Her class had let out early, so she found herself walking through the park to enjoy some of the afternoon sunlight. The breeze was tossing her hair in her face and she chuckled and shook her head to shake some of it free from her eyes. Perhaps wearing it down was not the smartest idea if she wanted to take a walk, but it could not be helped now.


    There were a couple of children clambering around on a large play structure of climbing bars, ramps, and swings, and Karina could see a few parents milling about supervising. She couldn¡¯t blame them; it was a lovely day to be out and about.


    Without thinking about where she was going, Karina found herself gravitating towards the currently unoccupied swing set. She smiled as she curled her fingers around the chains and sat down. She hadn¡¯t played at a park in a long time, but she¡¯d loved the swings the best when she was a child.


    She tipped back, hanging onto the chains, and scuffed her feet against the ground to push herself into motion. She wasn¡¯t moving fast, just rocking back and forth in the seat. She closed her eyes and enjoyed feeling the heat of the sun on her face.


    Then a shadow fell over her and Karina squeaked with surprise as she felt someone press against her back. She would have fallen if it weren¡¯t for the hands steadying her back. She opened her eyes and found a boy her age staring down at her. She sighed with relief.


    His shaggy dark hair was hanging in his dark eyes, so Karina reached up and brushed some of it behind his ear, then giggled at the strange appearance it gave his bangs. ¡°You startled me, Nero. Don¡¯t sneak up on me like that.¡±


    A rusty coloured blush tinged his darker skin and he cast his gaze down. ¡°Sorry,¡± he whispered.


    Karina shook her head and smiled at him. ¡°What are you doing here? I thought you worked today.¡± Nero worked extra shifts down at the wharf helping sort the catch and doing other odd jobs that they gave out. He didn¡¯t need to ¨C his family was in a decent financial situation ¨C but he must be saving for something because he grabbed as much extra work as he could.


    ¡°Half-day,¡± Nero explained.


    Karina¡¯s smile widened. Quiet as he was, she liked Nero a lot. He was good company and incredibly sweet, even if he was shy and had only stuttered at her at first. ¡°Hey, me too,¡± she replied. ¡°I was taking the scenic route home from class. I didn¡¯t expect to run into you at the park, though,¡± she admitted. It seemed like too many people for Nero¡¯s comfort zone.


    He jerked his chin beyond her, so Karina twisted to look for whatever he was indicating too. Then she noticed his younger sister ¨C how she had missed her earlier, she didn¡¯t know ¨C but Kera was swinging from the monkey bars. She was only six, but Karina had met her a few times and she was polar opposite her brother in personality. She was energetic and outgoing, and a little blunt at times, but in an innocent way. Standing just out of the way, was Nero¡¯s father ¨C Ixion ¨C who was watching his daughter carefully. ¡°Oh, family gathering then?¡± she observed.


    He hummed in agreement. The chains of the swing rattled as he grabbed them just below where she was holding on and pulled the swing back before releasing it. Karina couldn¡¯t help the laughter that bubbled in her throat at the nostalgic feeling of flying through the air. As she swung back, Nero pressed his hands gently to her back and pushed her to keep her momentum going.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this,¡± she assured him. But when she glanced back at him, Nero was grinning at her and he shrugged but continued to push her.  Karina hummed. It was perhaps a little frivolous, but it was fun and she was not going to complain.


    They lapsed into silence for a bit while he continued pushing her on the swing. With anyone else, the lack of conversation might have felt awkward, but Karina knew Nero was just quiet by nature and she always felt comfortable around him regardless.


    After a couple of minutes, Nero grabbed the chains and slowed her momentum to a halt, so she turned to look at him. His head was bowed and he was scuffing one shoe in the dirt. ¡°Karina, I¡­¡± She saw a deep blush darken his cheeks as he hesitated. ¡°I was wondering¡­that is¡­¡± He took a breath and sighed. Karina sat patiently while he gathered himself. It had been a while since he had been this flustered, but it tended to make him worse if she commented or tried to help him along, so she waited patiently for him to say what he wanted to. ¡°My family is having a g-gathering¡­barbecuing¡­I was wondering if maybe you would want¡­w-want to come?¡±


    ¡°Are you sure that would be alright with your folks? I don¡¯t want to intrude,¡± Karina checked.


    Nero¡¯s gaze flitted up to hers for a second and he nodded, before he flushed further and glanced back down at the ground.


    Karina¡¯s smile widened. Nero was possibly the sweetest guy she had ever met and a dear friend. Despite his social awkwardness, she found him to be a great listener, and he seemed to genuinely care about his friends and family. She enjoyed his company a lot. ¡°I would love to come,¡± she agreed.


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    Nero glanced up again and flashed her with a crooked, toothy smile. ¡°I c-could pick you up at n-noon if you wanted,¡± he offered.


    She smiled again. ¡°It¡¯s a date, then,¡± she agreed. As she spoke, Nero turned cherry red and choked, but he bit his lip and nodded before pointedly looking anywhere except at her. She felt her face enflame too and she glanced away as well. She was normally not so bold ¨C especially not with Nero ¨C but she supposed part of her was hoping he would openly agree. She liked him a lot, but wasn¡¯t sure it was fair to admit it. Sometimes it seemed like he might like her that way too, but she didn¡¯t want to pressure or rush him if he just hadn¡¯t worked up the courage yet. She¡¯d come to learn that Nero needed to do things in his own time, and she enjoyed their friendship nonetheless.


    In an attempt to ease the tension of the awkward silence that had fallen over them, Karina decided to probe for a few more details. ¡°What time should-¡±


    ¡°Karina!¡±


    Karina paused what she was saying and turned to look as Kera came racing over to her. Her long brown hair was tied up in twin braids on either side of her head, and she was wearing denim overalls over a baby blue tee, and her Velcro sneakers depicted little light-up stars all over them. The young girl danced eagerly from foot to foot in front of her. ¡°Hello Kera,¡± Karina greeted.


    The young girl grinned widely and waved. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± she asked.


    Karina shrugged. ¡°I got a little distracted on my walk home,¡± she admitted.


    Kera nodded at the explanation and chewed on the tip of my thumb. ¡°Did my brother distract you? He talks about you a lot. He likes you. I like you too, you¡¯re nice.¡±


    ¡°Kera,¡± Nero protested softly from behind them. Karina couldn¡¯t help but laugh.


    ¡°Well I like the both of you too,¡± Karina agreed. ¡°I think you¡¯re nice too, and your brother is a really good friend of mine.¡±


    The moment she said it, Kera frowned and shook her head. ¡°Nuh-uh,¡± she protested. ¡°He can¡¯t be your friend, he¡¯s my brother.¡±


    Karina chuckled and shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t want to take him from you,¡± she agreed. ¡°Do you think you¡¯d be willing to share?¡±


    Kera paused and tapped her chin. ¡°Okay,¡± she agreed after a moment. ¡°I can share. But you get five minutes!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how I feel about you bartering over me, Kera,¡± Nero scolded gently.


    Kera¡¯s tongue poked out of her mouth and she giggled in his direction. ¡°Five minutes!¡± she reminded before racing off back to her father¡¯s side.


    ¡°They¡¯re getting ready to g-go,¡± Nero admitted. ¡°If you were staying, I might stay with you?¡± he asked.


    Karina nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t mind the company if you have nowhere to be,¡± she agreed. Nero hummed in response.


    ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± he replied. ¡°And when you are ready to leave¡­I could walk you home if that¡¯s okay.¡±


    Karina leaned back in the swing until she was staring up at him with a lopsided grin. ¡°It¡¯s absolutely okay, but you don¡¯t have to.¡±


    ¡°I want to,¡± he responded. Her smile grew, but she sat back up straight in the swing. Nero was always a little awkward when they spoke, but with a little time, he¡¯d grow more confident in the conversation. It was like a cycle with him, but as time went on, she had been noticing that the initial stammering stage was growing shorter and shorter. Except for today, but he had seemed exceptionally flustered, so she counted it as a fluke.


    The silence was more comfortable this time, so Karina just enjoyed the breeze, the gentle creak of the swing chains, and the hooting and hollering of the children on the nearby play structure. His presence was nice, they didn¡¯t need to always be talking to exist comfortably, and she appreciated it. Karina tended to talk a lot because with most of her peers, she felt like if she wasn¡¯t talking or contributing, she wasn¡¯t heard or noticed. Nero never made her feel like that. It was probably wishful thinking, but sometimes she felt like he only ever paid attention to her when they were around one another, no matter what else was going on. Even if it was only in her head, he made her feel special and she relished the notion almost as much as she simply enjoyed his company and personality.


    ¡°Karina?¡± Nero broke her from her thoughts and she twisted to straddle the swing sideways so that she could look at him better. He had his head down again, and the sound of his shoe scuffing returned. ¡°I¡­I¡­¡± he sighed, but then surprised her by looking up and making direct eye contact. She maintained it and waited patiently while he chewed his lip. ¡°I like you a lot¡­as¡­as m-more than a fr-fr-friend,¡± he stammered. Her heart skipped a beat. ¡°Is¡­is that okay?¡±


    Karina felt heat creep back into her cheeks and she swallowed the lump in her throat as she nodded. ¡°Yes,¡± she agreed. ¡°I like you too, Nero. A lot. For a while now, I just didn¡¯t want to make you feel uncomfortable, so I never said anything.¡±


    Nero leaned closer to her. He was still blushing, but he seemed to have found some more courage because he was maintaining steady eye contact and he was no longer stammering. ¡°I wish you had,¡± he admitted. ¡°I am sorry it took me so long to find the words.¡±


    Karina shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± she assured him. ¡°I didn¡¯t know how to say it either.¡± She pulled her leg over to the other side so she was sitting facing him on the swing.


    He leaned in even closer and her breath hitched in her chest. He was close enough now that she could feel his warm breath on her face and their noses were almost touching. ¡°Is¡­is this okay too?¡± he asked.


    She had barely finished nodding when he leaned in closer and pressed his lips to hers. Her heart fluttered in her chest and she froze for a moment, before leaning in closer against him too. She could feel his nervousness in the way his breathing quickened and how shyly he was pressing to her, but she would be a hypocrite for calling him on it when she was experiencing the same. Despite it being a little clumsy and awkward, when he pulled away, Karina had to stop herself from grabbing him and pulling him back close. She imagined her face was just as rosy as his looked, but she smiled at him so that he wouldn¡¯t think she was embarrassed in a bad way.


    He coughed and looked away, and Karina found the ground incredibly fascinating. After a moment, he walked behind her and resumed pushing her on the swing. She wasn¡¯t sure if he just needed something to do or if he wanted to pretend the awkward part of their moment hadn¡¯t happened, but she didn¡¯t protest. She held onto the swing with one hand and brought the fingers of her free hand to her lips. Then her smile grew the biggest she imagined it ever had. Yes. It was definitely okay.

 AU. An Unexpected Encounter - Part One of Four

    She was not supposed to be here. Riley knew that she would be in so much trouble if she were to be caught here. It was much further from her pod¡¯s settling grounds than she was allowed to go and also incredibly dangerous. But Riley¡¯s curiosity was getting the better of her. The water had a sweet quality to it that was strange, and a little thin, but it was not hurting her. It merely made breathing slightly strange.


    Riley had never been in brackish water before. The reduced salt content as the fresh and sea waters mingled felt strange on her scales, and she found she sunk easier without paying express attention to her buoyancy. The water was incredibly shallow without much colour, and her fins stirred up the mucky sand. Here, the waterbed was littered with sticks and rocks and sunken leaves that made the dark, dense sand a silty mess.


    It should have been unpleasant, but it was so different from any environment Riley had ever seen and she could not help but be fascinated by it. She flicked her fins and darted underneath a long dock that stretched out into the water. The wooden legs were green with algae and slick when Riley brushed against one of them. Her nose scrunched and she recoiled before slowly breaking the skin of the water.


    Above her, the wooden slats stretched above her head, striping sunlight across her face and the surface of the darker water. It was warm and there were lots of pleasant sounds, from birds singing and wind rustling the leaves of the trees. Riley had only seen trees up close a few times in her life, and these were very different from the banana and coconut trees that grew on islands they sometimes passed by or lingered at. They had long, twisting branches and multiple little leaves that would occasionally fall and flutter to the ground. She had seen them from a distance over the last two turns but had snuck off for a closer look.


    Not all of the sounds were pleasant, and as Riley peered up from around the dock, she could see a flock of squawkers flapping their white and gray wings furiously and screeching at one another as they fought over some strange-looking piece of old food in a wrapper of sorts. Riley¡¯s nose crinkled again. Those birds were loud and rather gross. She could not understand the desire to fight over some leftover human trash when there were plenty of small fish swimming lazily around her.


    The fight was broken up by a sharp sound that caused the birds to fly off. Riley jerked her attention further up the shore, through the trees, to where a human vehicle had just pulled up. Two of the doors had been noisily shut and Riley assumed that was what had spooked the birds. She had not seen many human vehicles before ¨C not the land ones anyway ¨C and despite how it smelled, she could not help leaning closer to peer at it.


    Like all young Mer, she had been taught the dangers of getting too close to the shore or interacting with the people of the land and while she had no true desire to engage with them, she could not help feeling inquisitive about them. They had such a strange way of living with all their noisy machines and strange foods and habits. She had been learning their language ¨C all the members of her pod did just in case of an incident ¨C and while it was strange on her tongue, with far lower, less musical vocalizations than most of the ocean languages, it had been an interesting challenge.


    A door on the side of the vehicle slid open and a human girl who looked about Riley¡¯s age stepped out. She had straight, sun-streaked brown hair and heavily tanned skin. There was a strange tangle of wires hanging from her ears into a black box in her hands as she wandered from the vehicle.


    There were two adult humans with her, a man with dark, earthy skin and even darker, shaggy hair, and a woman with fiery red curls and vivid green eyes. The woman had opened the back of the vehicle and she and the man were pulling various things from the inside. She looked up as the young girl began walking away from the vehicle and closer to the dock Riley was lurking beneath. ¡°Katie!¡± she called.


    The girl did not respond and continued walking, so the woman called her name a little louder. ¡®Katie¡¯ froze and turned to look at the woman while pulling one of the wires out of her ear. ¡°Sorry,¡± she called back. ¡°I couldn¡¯t hear you.¡±


    The woman laughed and shook her head. ¡°Clearly. Turn that down so you can next time, okay? Lewis and I are going to get the campsite set up. Don¡¯t wander too far.¡±


    Katie nodded. ¡°I won¡¯t. I just want to dip my feet in the water. Do you need any help?¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re alright, hon. We¡¯ve got it. Why don¡¯t you unplug that? It would be nice to have some music while we set up; the radio in the car has nothing but static this far out.¡±


    Katie responded by tugging the wire out of the box she was holding. Once she did, the box began to sing. Human music was foreign ¨C Riley had never heard it before ¨C but she was instantly transfixed. There was a human voice singing in English, but behind the voice were several other sounds and tunes that made Riley¡¯s head swim. Her mother had been training her singing voice for cycles, often until her throat hurt, but despite how unfun her mother made it, she did love the sound music made, and this was beyond anything one voice could do alone. She leaned a little closer to the shore until her belly was beached on the silt, still hidden in the shadow of the dock.


    The music got louder as Katie got closer, her steps thumping overhead as she crossed the dock and sat with her legs dangling and her bare toes trailing through the water.


    Riley chewed her lip. This was dangerous. The girl was too close and there was not enough proper cover. The gaps in the dock¡¯s beams were wide enough that if the girl looked down, she would be able to see Riley¡¯s tail. She knew she should leave, carefully and quietly to not be seen, but she found herself humming as quietly as she could in time with the tune the box was playing.


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    Katie had set it down beside her, but she was looking the other way. Riley chewed her lip. She knew it was wrong to steal, but she wanted a closer look at this box that sang with multiple voices and sounds she had never heard before. She liked it. She could always return it later.


    Riley leaned out from beneath the dock to peer once more up the short, but the adult humans ¨C whom she assumed were Katie¡¯s parents ¨C were out of sight. Taking a deep breath, Riley reached up and hauled her torso up onto the dock as silently as she could manage. It felt strange having her tail dangling in the air as she reached for the song box.


    She had just laid her hand on it when Katie reached for it too and wound up grabbing Riley¡¯s hand instead. They both squealed with surprise and Riley froze as Katie¡¯s brown-green gaze twisted to fixate on her. It took Riley a moment to process what had happened, but once she did, she yanked her hand out of Katie¡¯s and reared back. The motion caused her to lose her balance and she slipped off the dock with a splash and a dulled thump as she landed in the surf. The water barely covered parts of her tail and was shallow enough here that she would have to drag herself to swim away.


    Riley¡¯s heart was hammering in her chest as Katie peered over the side of the dock with wide eyes and parted lips. Riley tensed when the human girl mouthed the word ¡®mermaid¡¯, and showed she showed her fangs to the girl.


    ¡°Katie? Are you alright?¡±


    They both flinched at the call. ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡± Katie called back without breaking eye contact. Then she lowered her voice almost to a whisper and her tone became softer. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I don¡¯t want to hurt you¡­And I won¡¯t tell anyone either.¡±


    Riley¡¯s heart was racing in her chest, pounding against her ribs as if caught in a trap. It was not that she was afraid of the young human. She knew she could win in a fight, and that no one would believe the girl if she tried to claim she had seen Riley. Humans did not believe the Mer existed. But being seen like this was still bad, and it was made worse by the fact that Riley did not have an easy escape route. She had beached herself in her distraction and could easily be grabbed while trying to haul herself into deeper waters. ¡°P-pr-promise?¡± she stammered. She was not sure what made her speak to the other girl, but some part of her was desperate to ensure it. If she was believed or decided to get into a tussle with Riley, the other girl could pose a risk to her pod, and Riley had no desire to endanger them and also shuddered at how her mother would react.


    Though Katie¡¯s brows raised as Riley spoke, the girl smiled and nodded. ¡°I promise,¡± she agreed. Riley felt a little tension slip from her shoulders. ¡°My name¡¯s Katie, what¡¯s yours?¡±


    Riley shook herself and rolled over to conceal her middle once more, then glanced back up at Katie. ¡°Riley,¡± she responded.


    ¡°That¡¯s pretty. I¡¯m sorry that I scared you; I didn¡¯t mean to.¡±


    Riley scoffed and puffed out her chest. Her fins stirred the silt as she pulled herself a little deeper until her scales were submerged. ¡°You did n-not,¡± Riley countered.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s good. You scared me though, what were you doing?¡±


    Riley glanced down at the water and flicked her fins. She felt a surge of guilt over what had happened. Katie was rather friendly and Riley had known that taking something that did not belong to her was wrong, but it felt even worse now that she had been caught in the act. ¡°I am sorry,¡± she apologized as she deflated.


    ¡°You were trying to take this?¡± she realized as she held up the song box.


    Riley blushed and wrung her fingers, but she nodded reluctantly. ¡°I would have given it back,¡± she defended softly. ¡°I just wanted to see it. It sounds nice.¡±


    Katie¡¯s smile had widened when Riley glanced back up. She reached down to offer the sound box out. ¡°Well here,¡± she offered. ¡°You can look at it if you want; just don¡¯t dunk it underwater, okay? That would wreck it.¡±


    Riley nodded and shook her hands free of the worst of the clinging water droplets, and then carefully accepted the box. It was not heavy, though its song had changed, and Riley hummed in appreciation. She closed her eyes and listened for a few moments before her hum rose to match the underlying tune of the song.


    ¡°This is my favourite band,¡± Katie stated.


    Riley did not know what a band was, but she had a more pressing question. ¡°How?¡± she pressed as she waved the box in the air.


    Katie shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t really know how it works,¡± she admitted. ¡°My mom loaded the music on for me, and there are buttons to turn it on and change the songs.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Riley replied. ¡°What are the sounds?¡±


    ¡°You mean the people singing?¡± Katie queried.


    Riley shook her head. ¡°No. The other sounds,¡± she elaborated. ¡°The noises with the singers.¡±


    ¡°Oh! You mean the instruments. They¡¯re musical devices that people play to produce extra sound for a song. I have to learn to play one next year at school.¡±


    ¡°Humans travel in schools?¡± Riley asked. She could not imagine a herd of humans running in the travel patterns that a school of fish did.


    Katie began to laugh and shook her head. ¡°No. A school is a building where we go to learn stuff.¡±


    Riley nodded. Each answer brought new questions to her tongue and she wanted just sit and listen to the box while asking more and more of those questions, but she knew she could not. If she did not hurry back soon, her pod would begin to notice she was not just playing on the reef with the other young Mer. She reluctantly handed the box back. ¡°I have to go,¡± she admitted.


    Just as she was about to dive beneath the water, Katie stretched out a hand and called out to her. ¡°Wait! Will you come back later, maybe?¡± she asked. ¡°Tonight, when you won¡¯t have to worry about being seen? I-I want to talk to you some more.¡±


    Riley chewed her lip. Sneaking away at night was risky, but she had to admit that her adventure had been nice. She had gotten to introduce herself as Riley to someone who would not question it. Most in her pod continued to call her Raelyana because it was her mother¡¯s wish. Even her friends did it if Iliene was within earshot. But Katie had just accepted it flatly, and Riley knew her curiosities would always nag her if she did not ask more.


    ¡°Okay,¡± she agreed hesitantly. ¡°I will try.¡±


    Katie smiled and Riley smiled back.

 An Unexpected Encounter - Part Two of Four

    The moon was bright overhead, with only a few wispy clouds drifting through the sky and occasionally obscuring the brilliant orb and the litter of stars dotting the skies. Despite this, Katie had still brought a flashlight with her when she snuck out of her tent ¨C her mom and Lewis had set her up with a smaller, personal one that she was thrilled to be using ¨C to help illuminate the rocky path down to the water. The last thing she had wanted was to trip and fall in the dark, and potentially wake her parents up.


    She had brought a blanket with her over top of her hoodie. The night air wasn¡¯t really cold enough to warrant it, but bugs were buzzing around her head and the blanket helped provide some extra cover.


    Instead of going to sit at the dock, Katie had picked her way across the shoreline to a large, flat boulder that was perched just above deeper water. Riley had been nearly beached earlier, and she hoped this would be more comfortable for her new friend. She had left the flashlight shining as she sat so that the mermaid could find her since she imagined Riley would be expecting to find her at the end of the dock.


    If she came. That thought put a damper on Katie¡¯s mood. She hoped that she would. It still baffled her to consider. She had met an actual creature of myth today. Part of her thought that maybe she had imagined it, but Riley had left mucky sand from her fingers on Katie¡¯s handheld speaker, and while it wasn¡¯t express proof, it kindled enough hope in her chest to drag Katie from her tent once night had fallen.


    She tapped her sneaker against the rock and pulled her blanket closer around her as the bugs buzzed in her ears. She had squatted down with her knees against her chest, but with every minute that ticked by, she began to wonder if she should simply slip back into her tent and go to sleep. If her mom caught her out here, she would be very upset, and Katie didn¡¯t imagine that her mother would accept that she had snuck out to meet her new aquatic friend as a valid excuse.


    Katie yawned and blinked sleepily out over the water. The night was calm and there was hardly any wind, so only the smallest of waves lapped lazily against the rock she was perched on. Because of this, the larger ripples just in front of her feet caught Katie¡¯s attention pretty quickly, and a moment later, Riley''s blonde head broke the surface. The mermaid shook her head to toss her colourful bangs off of her face and then she squinted towards the flashlight.


    ¡°T-that is b-brighter than the sun, what is it?¡± she inquired. Katie smiled. It seemed like Riley wasn¡¯t used to speaking English, because she spoke a little slow and struggled over a few words, but Katie didn¡¯t mind.


    ¡°It¡¯s a flashlight,¡± Katie explained. ¡°It¡¯s so I could see in the dark to get over here. Do you want me to turn it off?¡±


    ¡°Please,¡± Riley requested.


    Katie picked the flashlight up and clicked the switch to kill the light. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust, but the night was bright enough still that she could still see Riley. ¡°I was starting to think you weren¡¯t coming. That maybe I imagined you.¡±


    Riley shrugged. ¡°It took longer than I thought to sneak past my pod¡¯s scouts. And I went to the dock first.¡±


    ¡°Sorry about that,¡± Katie winced as she spoke. ¡°I just thought this would be a better spot to meet since the water is so shallow over there. I didn¡¯t want you to be uncomfortable.¡±


    The young mermaid grinned and Katie tried not to shudder at the long fangs among her other teeth. She had seen them earlier in the day when Riley had hissed at her, but she had forgotten that the mermaid had them and they were rather frightening. She hoped Riley wouldn¡¯t get angry or feel inclined to bite, because Katie imagined it would hurt quite a bit. ¡°It is a bit easier over here,¡± Riley agreed. But then she negated the point by pulling herself up onto the lip of the rock and shaking her free-flowing hair.


    Katie had to duck away from the showering water droplets that were sent flying. When she straightened back up, she found her gaze drawn to the sparkling, light brown scales that ran down the length of Riley¡¯s tail. ¡°What does it feel like?¡± she found herself asking before she fully registered the question. She blushed and glanced away when Riley¡¯s brows furrowed with confusion.


    ¡°Umm¡­I guess you could find out if you wanted,¡± Riley offered after a moment. Katie glanced back to see that she had pulled her tail the rest of the way from the water so that her colourful fins were flopped near Katie¡¯s shoes.


    Katie hesitantly reached out and placed her hand on the scales. They were smooth and rigid and tough, but they also almost felt silky, and Katie carefully rubbed the tiny ones near the tip of Riley¡¯s tail as she admired them. It was truly amazing.


    Riley¡¯s tail shuddered and then pulled away from Katie¡¯s fingers. ¡°That tickles,¡± she complained.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Katie apologized.


    Riley shook her head and then leaned forward and reached for one of Katie¡¯s shoes. ¡°What about yours?¡± she inquired as she grabbed Katie by the ankle and pulled.


    Katie nearly lost her balance and had to brace herself on the rock to avoid falling backwards. She didn¡¯t even have time to protest as Riley tugged on her shoe and then poked at her sock. She laughed at the mermaid¡¯s explorative prodding. It tickled too, so she supposed it was payback. Riley peeled her sock off next, so Katie wiggled her toes and watched Riley¡¯s head cocked to the side. ¡°Humans are strange,¡± Riley announced finally as she released Katie¡¯s foot.


    ¡°Well, so are mermaids,¡± Katie countered playfully as she started putting her sock back on, followed by her shoe.


    Then she looked up when she heard a snort and saw Riley shaking her head. ¡°Mer,¡± she corrected. ¡°We are Mer.¡±


    Thankfully, Riley didn¡¯t seem angry, but her tone was firm, so Katie nodded her understanding. She didn¡¯t quite understand the difference or why it was so important to the other girl, but the last thing Katie wanted was to offend Riley. She didn¡¯t want her to leave. Or attack her. Both seemed like possible outcomes. Katie coughed. She wanted to change the subject and break the awkward silence that had settled over them, broken only by the buzzing insects and the waves lapping at the shore. ¡°So¡­what is like being a merma- a Mer,¡± Katie corrected hastily.


    Riley¡¯s head tilted to the side and her slender blonde brows furrowed together. She pursed her lips and tapped her fingers on the surface of the rock. ¡°That is an odd question,¡± she stated.


    ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°What is it like being human?¡± Riley countered.


    ¡°Uh,¡± Katie paused as she floundered for an answer. How could she explain something so normal to someone who probably wouldn¡¯t understand the answers? Being human was just¡­living. ¡°I see your point,¡± she coughed finally.


    Riley grinned and leaned back on her hands. She flicked her fins and sent drops of water skittering across the calm surface of the ocean. Katie watched as the Mer tilted her head as far back as it appeared she could manage and studied their campsite from an upside-down view. Then she sat up and twisted onto her belly to point. ¡°What are those?¡± she inquired.


    Katie followed her outstretched finger. ¡°Those are tents,¡± she replied. ¡°They¡¯re like¡­little temporary houses made of fabric with poles inside to keep them upright. We sleep in them when we¡¯re camping.¡±


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    ¡°Camping?¡± Riley echoed. ¡°Houses?¡±


    Katie stared at her for a moment and then began laughing hysterically. She slapped a hand over her mouth to try to smother the chortling. ¡°Okay. Okay. Umm, so houses are the buildings ¨C the structures ¨C that we build to live in. It¡¯s where we keep our stuff, where we eat and sleep, and live our lives when we¡¯re not working or at school. And camping is the term for what me and my family are doing now. When we come out into the forest or wilderness away from the city, have campfires to cook our food and sleep in tents. It¡¯s just meant to be fun and relaxing. What do you do for fun?¡±


    Riley shrugged and flicked her fins again. ¡°I tussle with my friends. We race, explore, sneak along on hunts or catch smaller fish on the reef.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like fun,¡± Katie agreed.


    ¡°It gets me in trouble sometimes,¡± Riley admitted. ¡°Do you like to swim? Can you swim?¡±


    Katie scoffed and leaned over to give the Mer¡¯s arm a shove. She giggled when Riley nearly toppled into the water. ¡°Of course I can swim! I mean¡­maybe not as well as you, but I love the water, I swim all the time.¡±


    An impish grin split Riley¡¯s lips and Katie squeaked and ducked under her blanket as the Mer flicked her fins up and showered Katie in cold, salty water droplets.


    ¡°Shh,¡± Katie protested. ¡°If my mom wakes up, I¡¯m going to get in lots of trouble! I¡¯m not supposed to be sneaking out of my tent in the middle of the night! She warned me that animals come out at night.¡±


    Riley shook her head and clucked her tongue, then puffed out her chest and cheeks. ¡°I am way scarier than any land beast that might lurk in the trees,¡± she declared. Then her smile slipped. ¡°But it would be bad if your parents found me.¡±


    Katie shook her head and took Riley¡¯s hand. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t hurt you, I promise,¡± she assured her. And she knew they wouldn¡¯t. Her mom lent her efforts to oceanic conservation and Lewis was one of the best sea-vets on the coast. She couldn¡¯t imagine either of them trying to harm her new friend. ¡°I promised I wouldn¡¯t tell ¨C and I won¡¯t ¨C but you don¡¯t have to hide from them. Maybe you could come back tomorrow for lunch. They could meet you and we could actually go for a swim. We¡¯re here all week.¡±


    Katie felt hope swell in her chest. She liked Riley. She had felt a little lonely lately, since her best friend¡¯s family had moved away. There weren¡¯t a lot of kids her age in Sophie¡¯s neighbourhood, and though she loved her adoptive mother dearly, her friends had helped keep the sting of abandonment at bay. She was desperate to fill that void.


    But just as she eagerly awaited Riley¡¯s agreement, the other girl¡¯s face fell and she shook her head. ¡°I am sorry, Katie, but you should not even know. I guess I just wanted an excuse to slip away a little longer and make a friend, but I probably should not have. I cannot put my family in danger, even if your parents are good people. And my family is leaving with the dawn anyway. We were only here for a little while. It is time to move on.¡±


    Katie¡¯s heart squeezed and she sat back from where she had been leaning forward. ¡°Oh,¡± she murmured. ¡°I, um¡­I guess I¡¯d hoped we could hang out a little more.¡±


    Riley shrugged. ¡°I meet a lot of people on migration that I only get to know for a turn or two before we leave again. If I am sad about it, I will never get to be happy for a little while.¡±


    Katie nodded her head slowly and pursed her lips. It made sense. She wondered if all Mer were nomadic, how many there were, and if her family was a large or small group. But none of those questions really mattered as much as the one lingering currently on her tongue. ¡°Do you think we might ever meet up again?¡±


    Riley licked her lips and leaned back on her palms again. ¡°It would be nice,¡± Riley admitted. ¡°But I do not imagine so. We were not meant to meet at all, and we live in different elements. It is not as though I can come to land to find you.¡±


    Though she didn¡¯t like the answer, Katie acknowledged the logic in Riley¡¯s words. ¡°Well¡­hey, maybe if I¡¯m ever out on or in the water, you could come say ¡®hello¡¯? I promise, I won¡¯t ever tell anyone.¡±


    The look that crossed Riley¡¯s features made Katie think perhaps she was just going to placate her, because her lips pursed into a rue grin and she shrugged once more. ¡°Okay, yes. If I ever happen to see you out on the water and it is safe to do so, I will say ¡®hello¡¯.¡± Riley¡¯s gaze tilted up and she sighed. ¡°I cannot linger for very much longer. My absence will be noticed eventually.¡±


    The Mer made to slip off the rock, so Katie lunged forward and caught her wrist. ¡°Wait a minute, okay? I have something I want to give you. I was going to before we left at the end of the week, but you¡¯re leaving first, so let me just go get it, okay? I¡¯ll be right back. Please don¡¯t leave yet.¡±


    ¡°O-okay,¡± Riley agreed.


    Her shoes squeaked against the slick rock as Katie pushed herself up and hurried as quickly and quietly as she could back to her tent. She didn¡¯t want to keep her new friend waiting in case she decided just to slip away. Goodbyes were unpleasant and Katie wouldn¡¯t blame the Mer for bowing out to avoid one, but she really didn¡¯t want that to happen.


    She unzipped her tent just enough to reach inside and grab a small pouch off the little plastic table acting as a nightstand. The only other thing on it was the lit coil, which Katie appreciated. She was going to be scratching like crazy tomorrow.


    The relief Katie felt when she found Riley still sitting there as she hurried back, clutching the pouch to her chest, was immense. The other girl was half-curled on the rock with her fins tapping up and down against the hard surface, and her head turned when Katie approached. She sat back down with her legs bent beneath her, and offered out the little, dark purple pouch towards Riley, who gingerly reached out and picked it up.


    Katie bit her lip so she wouldn¡¯t laugh as the Mer held it awkwardly between her fingers and brought it closer to her face to sniff it. It would be mean to express her amusement, but she could not help feeling it as Riley tilted her head and her brows furrowed. Then her lips pressed up into a forced smile. ¡°Thank you,¡± she murmured, though the confusion in her voice made Katie sputter. ¡°But¡­what is it?¡±


    ¡°Look inside,¡± Katie prompted.


    She watched Riley slowly pull the pouch open and reach inside it. She pulled out a small black device and a tangle of white wires, and her frown deepened. ¡°I still do not understand,¡± she admitted after a moment of silence.


    Katie leaned forward and took the tips of the earbuds from Riley¡¯s open palm. ¡°These go in your ears,¡± she explained as she reached up to put them in place. Riley flinched as her hands passed in front of the Mer¡¯s face, but she didn¡¯t pull away and allowed Katie to adjust the earbuds in her ears. Then she took the MP3 player and held it up so Riley could see what she was doing. ¡°Then you press this button and hold it until the screen lights up,¡± she explained while demonstrating. ¡°Then press this middle button here, and press it again.¡±


    At that point in her demonstration, Riley flinched again, but then her eyes widened with surprise. ¡°It is like your box,¡± she whispered.


    Katie grinned and nodded. ¡°You can scroll between songs with these buttons, and these two adjust how loud it is.¡± She spent the next few minutes showing Riley how to work the small device and how to change the batteries with some of the spares she had put in a plastic bag. ¡°Remember that you can only change them at the surface though, okay? The player is waterproof, but the batteries aren¡¯t and the inside of it isn¡¯t either, so if they get wet, it¡¯ll wreck it. The pouch is just to make it easier to carry it all. I¡¯m afraid the batteries won¡¯t last forever, but it¡¯s the best I can do.¡±


    Riley remained silent with her fingers clutching the small music player. Her eyes looked a little glossy, but Katie supposed that could have been the light. ¡°You are really giving this to me?¡± she checked.


    Katie shrugged and nodded. ¡°Yeah, I mean¡­you seemed to really like it earlier. I¡¯ll just tell my mom I lost it. I can get another one with my allowance money or something, it really isn¡¯t that big a deal. I¡¯d like you to have it. And I guess if we ever see each other again, I can try to get you more batteries, so there¡¯s one incentive, maybe?¡±


    Riley¡¯s amused bark of laughter was boisterous enough that Katie leaned forward to clap a hand over her mouth and then nervously glanced towards her mom and Lewis¡¯ tent. After a few seconds of silence, she breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Katie?¡± Riley caught her attention again and she looked up at her friend. Riley lurched forward and hugged her, smacking Katie in the face with some of her short, sopping blonde hair. ¡°Thank you for all of this,¡± she whispered. ¡°It was really nice to slip away for a while and make a friend. I hope the rest of your¡­camping is fun.¡±


    ¡°I wish you could stay,¡± Katie admitted. ¡°But I hope your migration goes good. Enjoy the music, and stay safe, okay?¡±


    Riley scoffed as she pulled away. She tucked the player back into the pouch and cradled it gingerly before pulling the string around her waist and knotting it so that it would stay. Katie grinned. She had thought that would be a good way for the Mer to carry it. ¡°There is nothing in all the oceans that I fear. They should all fear me, instead,¡± she bragged, puffing out her chest as she did.


    Katie nodded. ¡°Okay then,¡± she agreed. ¡°I hope I see you again.¡±


    Riley tilted her head and nodded. ¡°I hope so too,¡± she replied. The moment she finished speaking, she dove off the rock and her fins smacked down on the surface of the water, showering Katie with water in the process. Katie fell backwards with a startled squeak, then began to laugh even as tears stung in her eyes. Somehow, that seemed like an appropriate way for the mermaid to say goodbye.

 An Unexpected Encounter - Part Three of Four

    Riley had been near the shore. She should not have been, but that had never been much of a deterrent before. She had learned from her youth never to venture close to the shoreline if the water was too shallow for an easy getaway ¨C that could get her into more trouble than even she cared for ¨C and she always avoided the people who lived on the land. There was not much love for humans among the Mer and Riley was still leary of them as well. Just recently, she had come across a dead reef, with coral white as bone and so brittle it snapped beneath her touch. Everything that had lived there either fled or perished, and curled, hollowed shells of crabs rocked on the sandy bottom like soulless watchers, forever guarding the decay. It had been eerie, and caused by the soured things the people of the shore polluted the waters with. It seemed they weren¡¯t even aware the height of their own destruction, but despite the risk they posed, they still had beauty to offer and Riley was still addicted to their music.


    Mer music held only sour memories for her now and made her heart squeeze to hear. But the people of the land had such a unique and varied musical sense that Riley could draw no bad connection to. Some of it was loud and grated on her ears, or sounded like the singer would have a very hoarse throat afterwards, but Riley loved it all regardless. It was what kept drawing her to the shore, to boats out on the water. Despite the risks, Riley always hoped they might be playing something she knew or something she did not. So long as she maintained some level of caution, she deemed it worth the risk.


    Her trip to the shore had held an unexpected surprise, however. She had found a group of humans loading up boxes and gear onto a boat. They were going out to sea. It had made Riley grin, thinking she could follow them, until she had heard a name called out.


    ¡°Oi, Katie, can you grab those last two air tanks? We¡¯re about ready to ship off!¡±


    ¡°Alright!¡± The voice that had called back sent a shiver through Riley¡¯s core. It had changed a little ¨C it had been a long time ¨C but she remembered it from several cycles past.


    She risked a peek above the surface from the shadow of the boat and watched as the girl walked down the pier carrying two airtanks. She did not look much different ¨C just older ¨C and her scent rang with familiarity. Riley never forgot a scent. She had never anticipated she would have ever seen the girl again, the only human she had ever interacted with.


    Katie had cut her hair short while Riley had let hers grow out, and she now had purple streaks through it that Riley definitely did not remember from the past. But it was most certainly her old friend.


    That glimpse had been all Riley had needed to begin following their boat. She wanted a chance to see her friend again, if a chance arose.


    Now she wished her former friend had stayed ashore. Their boat was stalled and the engine kept making an awful sputtering sound every time they tried to make it go. It seemed like they were trying to fix It, but the dark, stormy clouds were what worried Riley. She knew human boats were okay in the rain, but the instinct deep in her gut whispered of weather far worse than wind and thunder. The same instinct was urging her to swim deep where she would be safe from the storm. The bait should be docked and these people safe in their homes.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like the sound of that,¡± one of them reported as the first growl of thunder rumbled across the sky. The wind had picked up, and the water illuminated with the sharp flash of lightning as it darted across the sky above. Riley shuddered. ¡°Everyone had better get below. I don¡¯t want to risk any accidents when the deck gets slick. I¡¯ll radio the coast guard and we''ll sit tight until then.¡±


    Riley pressed her hand to the smooth hull of the boat to keep steady as the churning waters began to jostle her about. She didn¡¯t like this at all, and wished the boat would start. It had been several cycles and she had only interacted with Katie for a single turn, but she could not bring herself to abandon the boat without knowing her friend was safe.


    It should have been okay, but when the engine made that gurgling noise once more, the boat shuddered and then Riley¡¯s eardrums were ringing in the wake of an explosion that shoved her down in the water.


    She shook off the shock of the blast and twisted around in the water, her lips parting with horror as she saw the gaping hole in their boat, where bubbles were streaming away as water began pouring in. She could hear the humans above shouting, and their small ¡®emergency¡¯ boat was lowered into the water a few heartbeats later.


    Giving her head a shake, Riley swam closer to the surface so she could better hear what was going on. They had gotten the smaller boat into the water, but the people aboard the sinking vessel were still climbing down onto it. ¡°Paul! Katie! Let¡¯s g-ah!¡± The man¡¯s voice was cut off as another ear-splitting explosion sounded from the boat. The force pushed the small boat sideways in the water as the larger one tipped on its side and went crashing down. The various beams and blades on the boat nearly came down on Riley¡¯s head, and she had to dive deep to avoid them, but her heart was thudding widely in her chest. She thrashed her tail and launched herself into the sinking fray of the ship in desperate search of her old friend.


    As she swam through the rapidly descending wreckage, she came across a man with sandy blond hair and sightless brown eyes. His clothing was rippling in the water almost peacefully, but a slender rod from the ship¡¯s rigging was skewered clean through his neck and revealed the violent nature of his demise. Riley winced and skirted around the body ¨C she assumed this was the Paul the others had called out for ¨C there was nothing she could do to help this man.


    Every heartbeat it took to find Katie felt like one too long when she knew the human girl could not breathe the water, but finally, she spotted her. Katie was being dragged deeper by a beam pinned across her chest. She was struggling weakly, and while Riley did not know why she did not simply swim out from under it, she wasted no further time in darting down after her. She was wearing some strange, puffed up orange vest, but there was a handle protruding from the back of it, so Riley grabbed hold of it and yanked with all her strength. As soon as Katie was free from the pole, the vest began to pull her up towards the surface. Riley followed its example by wrapping her arms around Katie¡¯s middle and rushing her limp friend up to the surface.


    As soon as they broke it, Katie began to cough and shudder. She spat out a mouthful of water before Riley heard her raspy inhale. She coughed a few more times, and then her gaze drifted up to meet Riley¡¯s and her brows knitted together across her forehead. Riley shook her head and squeezed the half-drowned girl more tightly. ¡°I made a promise,¡± she whispered. ¡°Hello.¡±


    Before Katie could respond, a large swell broke over both their heads and Riley shoved her fins down to push them back above the water once more. Katie coughed and more water flowed from her lips. ¡°R-Riley?¡± she croaked after a moment. ¡°A-are you real¡­or am I just hallucinating because I¡¯m drowning?¡±


    Riley frowned and shook her head. ¡°I am real,¡± she confirmed. ¡°And you are not going to drown.¡±


    Katie coughed again. ¡°Where¡¯s Paul?¡±


    Riley winced. ¡°He did not survive,¡± she admitted.


    Katie¡¯s face sunk and her head bowed. ¡°What about the others?¡±


    That was right. Riley had almost forgotten about the smaller boat. She twisted around to look for it. Katie needed to get out of the water, but the small vessel was nowhere in sight. Riley set her jaw. If she could not get Katie to the boat, she would take her back to the dock they had launched from. ¡°I think they got away,¡± Riley answered. She released Katie just long enough to duck underneath her so that Katie was slumped against her back. ¡°Hold onto me,¡± she instructed. ¡°You need to get to shore before the storm gets any worse. I do not know if I can outswim it, but I can try.¡±


    She waited until she felt Katie¡¯s arms curl around her neck before diving forward. Her instinct was to propel herself deep into the ocean where the weather¡¯s effects would not be so severe, but she could not with Katie on her back, so she resisted the urge and began to tow Katie forward.


    It was hard work. They had to battle the raging winds and rain in their faces, and swimming over each swell took far more effort that simply diving through them. It did not help that the water kept cresting over them and even Riley was beginning to wheeze from switching between water and air so frequently. She could not imagine how this felt for her friend, whose lungs only accepted the waterlogged air.


    ¡°I began to believe you were not real,¡± Katie spoke up after a long stretch of silence. ¡°That I had imagined you. It¡¯s been so long¡­I didn¡¯t think I would ever see you again, much less that you would remember me.¡±


    ¡°I never forgot you,¡± Riley assured her. ¡°I wanted the chance to see you again, but not like this.¡±


    ¡°How did you even know I was out here?¡± Katie asked between coughs as they both got drenched by another wave at their backs.


    ¡°I was near the shore when you boarded your boat,¡± Riley admitted. ¡°I was following it. I wanted the chance to talk to you. But what were you doing out in the middle of the ocean? You had to know there was a storm coming?¡±


    Katie coughed again, and then her head plonked down between Riley¡¯s shoulders and she sighed. ¡°We did,¡± she agreed. ¡°The group has been following a pod of pilot whales. Studying them. They wanted to see how bad weather affected their behavior. I¡¯m apprenticing as a videographer. But the engine broke down, that¡¯s what stranded us. No one expected it to blow like that. I¡­I was so afraid, when the boat tipped and then I could not get to the surface¡­I don¡¯t want to die.¡± A sob broke Katie¡¯s voice as she spoke and Riley shook her head.


    ¡°You are not going to,¡± she vowed. ¡°I am going to get you to the shore and you will be fine. I am sorry about your friend, but you will not be joining him in death.¡±


    ¡°But¡­it¡­is¡­so¡­far,¡± Katie whispered.


    She was shivering and shaking so badly that it was making Riley shudder too. Worry squeezed at her heart and she rolled onto her back to search Katie¡¯s face. ¡°Katie, are you hurt?¡± she checked. She felt foolish for not checking prior. Katie shook her head, but her shaking worsened. The wind howled and blasted Riley with frigid air. The Mer winced as she realized. Katie was soaked and now up in the cold air where her body could not regulate. She was not made for these elements and she was freezing to death. Riley had never witnessed it, but she had heard tales of Mer who had gotten too cold and their bodies began to shut down. She imagined humans were no different.


    ¡°I¡¯m g-getting t-too c-c-cold,¡± Katie stammered as if she had known Riley¡¯s thoughts. ¡°Hy-hypothermic.¡±


    ¡°Hypothermic?¡± Riley echoed. She wrapped her arms around Katie¡¯s back to hold her as she rolled. The bulky orange vest the girl was wearing made it rather difficult to shove her into the water, but she knew that it would still be warmer than being up in the wind.


    ¡°It¡¯s a term we u-use to explain wh-what happens when the b-body gets too c-cold. It starts to slow down and stop functioning, and you get re-really ti-tired.¡±


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    Riley clucked her tongue. It was harder to propel them both through the water this way, but there was not much of another option, so she pressed on, despite how hitting Katie¡¯s legs slowed her strokes. ¡°It would be dangerous for you to fall asleep,¡± she stated. She searched her thoughts and memories. Mer naturally radiated a small amount of heat to keep themselves warm in cooler, open waters, but even she could feel the chill of the storm starting to sink into her body. That natural heat would be useless to Katie now, but she had to try something. If anything, at least it would make it easier to swim.


    ¡°Katie, I need you to hold onto me more tightly,¡± Riley instructed. ¡°Can you wrap your legs around me? Do they bend that way at all?¡±


    Katie continued to shiver, but she nodded after a moment and then her legs hooked together across the small of Riley¡¯s back. That made it easier to move her tail, though she worried that her scales would scrape Katie¡¯s skin open. There was nothing she could do about that, however. She opened her gliders and wrapped them tightly around Katie¡¯s body. She did not know if they would do much to keep the other girl warm, but at least it was something.


    ¡°Just hold on, okay?¡±


    Katie nodded, but did not respond, and she was still shaking.


    That concerned Riley and she gave her human friend a jostle. ¡°Katie, you cannot sleep,¡± she reminded. ¡°Talk to me¡­umm¡­tell me what this is.¡±


    Katie coughed and shrugged. ¡°A life jacket,¡± she muttered. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s not making your job easier, but they¡¯re designed to keep you from sinking.¡±


    Riley had assumed as much. ¡°I meant this,¡± she stated as she lifted the small, red object off the jacket. It was secured by a tendril.


    ¡°Mmm?¡± Katie¡¯s brows furrowed together and she squinted. ¡°Oh. Umm, that¡¯s a uh¡­a flare g-gun.¡±


    ¡°What does it do?¡± she prompted.


    ¡°You p-point it up at the sky and p-pull the tr-trigger, and it makes a loud noise and sh-shoots a bright light into the sky. It¡¯s so ships or helicopters can see you from the air in an emergency.¡±


    ¡°A helicopter is one of those flying things that makes all the noise, yes?¡± Riley checked. She vibrated her jaw in a best imitation of the sound and twirled a finger in the air to mimic the motion of its strange wings.


    Katie nodded.


    ¡°That sounds useful,¡± Riley agreed as she released the flare gun.


    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Katie agreed. Her eyes were drooped and her form limp, so Riley jostled her more as she swam.


    She was getting better at keeping them above the swells, but the rain was still icy against her skin. She could not imagine how numb her friend must be. ¡°Katie, stay awake,¡± she urged. ¡°Talk to me.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°Anything,¡± Riley pressed. ¡°I have not seen you in a long time. Tell me about what has happened for you in that time.¡±


    Katie coughed and groaned, before she shrugged her shoulders. Her head was starting to loll, so Riley squeezed her closer. ¡°I¡¯ve gotten into the hobby of taking pictures,¡± Katie answered after a moment. ¡°But other than that, just¡­.school, life, the usual.¡±


    ¡°Oh, the usual?¡± Riley mocked. ¡°Because I would have a fantastic idea of what the ¡®usuals¡¯ in human life would be.¡±


    The sputtering in Katie¡¯s laughter made Riley¡¯s heart squeeze. Her friend was a dead weight in her arms and looked exhausted. There was not much Riley was going to be able to do to keep her awake for much longer. She glanced up and parted her jaws. The storm was inhibiting her senses, but even still, they were far from shore.


    She winced and pressed on. ¡°What are pictures?¡± she inquired.


    Before Katie could answer, a massive swell crested behind them and Riley squeezed Katie to her as she was tossed head over fins. The storm was bad at the surface, but it was just as rough slightly below it, and every wave pulled them in a different direction until she was dizzy.


    Riley ground her teeth together in her skull and slashed through the water towards the surface.


    The roiling waters had her spitting water and struggling to breathe the air as she finally broke through the skin between ocean and sky. Katie hacked and retched in her arms, and water flowed from her lips before she began to gasp for air. All Riley could do was rub her friend¡¯s spine and hold her tightly as she fought to push on.


    ¡°Riley,¡± Katie wheezed after a moment. ¡°Th-this is ge-getting dangerous for you too. M-maybe you should go d-deeper wh-where the current won¡¯t be so bad.¡±


    Riley shook her head. ¡°You cannot breathe the water, we have to stay up here.¡±


    There was more coughing, and Katie¡¯s shivering continued. ¡°Riley, I am so cold and so tired¡­I probably wouldn¡¯t even feel it¡­right? It¡¯s okay.¡±


    Riley bared her fangs and hissed. ¡°No,¡± she growled. ¡°You are going to live. I am going to get you back to land and you will be fine, so hold on to me and stay awake!¡±


    ¡°I¡­I¡¯ll try,¡± Katie murmured. She was hard to hear over the raging typhoon, but Riley squeezed her closer and pressed forward on the desperate hope she could deliver on her promise.


    ***


    Riley could see her breath. She occasionally experienced bubbles from her gills if she exhaled too quickly or forcefully, but she had never seen fog puff from her lips. Her chest was heaving and her tail felt heavier than stone as she strained the burning muscles to keep moving. Katie was limp in her arms and had been silent for a little while now, but Riley refused to quit on her friend. The chill of the wind and rain was beginning to affect her too, and she was not sure if she could keep on like this for much longer. Her skin felt like ice and she was beginning to shiver just as badly as Katie had been.


    It was one of the most taxing things she had ever endured. Just keeping both their heads above the water was hard enough. Katie had her floatation jacket, but she was practically unconscious and it was ineffective in the crashing waves. Riley gritted her teeth together and kept swimming. She gazed down at her unconscious friend as she moved. Katie¡¯s short brown hair was plastered to her face and neck, and she looked pale and tiny in her vest. Though their torsos were pressed together, Katie¡¯s skin was frigid, and there was only the faintest heartbeat lingering in her chest.


    Riley shook her head. If she did not find a way to get Katie out of the water and somewhere warm soon, she was going to die. Though Riley had not spent much time with Katie in their youth and had not seen her for years, it tore her up inside to consider losing Katie¡¯s life now.


    But loathe as she was to admit it, Riley could no longer feel her fingers. Her face had stung from the torrential rain, but that too had gone numb. She was losing distance with the wind and currents tossing them around, and it was getting harder and harder to swim. Katie kept slipping from her grasp, and her gliders wrapped in a tight hug around the girl were the only thing that kept her from being torn away in the storm.


    It had been a very long time since Riley had cried, but she felt her eyes begin to sting and a tsunami of sorrow swelled in her heart. Despite her desire to scream out against the fate, she was beginning to accept that she was going to fail. Even if she could reach the continent once more, she was fairly certain Katie will have frozen to death by then, and that weighed on her heavily.


    She took a breath and tried to dig deep for any last reserves of strength she might have. There would not be enough. Her face was too splattered with rain to know for sure, but she was fairly certain there were tears making steady streaks down her face. ¡°I am sorry, Katie,¡± she murmured, but the words were lost even before she finished speaking them; torn away by the galls.


    But one sound did cut through the howling wind and the cracks of thunder streaking across the sky. It was faint, but Riley could hear the loud, whirring chuck-chuck-chuck of a human flying contraption and hope ignited in her once more. ¡°Katie,¡± she urged. She shook her friend desperately. ¡°Katie, wake up!¡±


    She fumbled with the cord on Katie¡¯s vest. The flare gun was a strange little contraption, bright red in colour and just bigger than her hand. She wondered if the water was going to have wrecked it, but she hoped not. The flying contraption sounded like it was getting closer, but there was no chance the humans within would see them in the dark, churning sea.


    Following the instructions that Katie had given, Riley found the little ¡®trigger¡¯ and curled two fingers around it. She raised the small contraption into the air and braced herself as she pulled on the latch. There was a deafening crack, followed by a whistling as a bright red light went shooting up into the sky and exploded into a bigger red light.


    The noise seemed to rouse Katie a little, because she groaned and her eyes squinted open. ¡°Whassat?¡± she slurred. She was shivering again, so Riley pulled her even closer.


    Near them, a bright light switched on and cast out over the water. A moment later, the ¡®helicopter¡¯ came into view, so Riley waved an arm in the air as the light passed over them. It was hovering, so she assumed they had seen them. ¡°Your rescue,¡± she told Katie as she refocused on her friend.


    Katie shivered again, but craned her neck back to look. Riley was treading water to keep them afloat ¨C a difficult task with how tired she was and how the water was raging ¨C and to ensure they stayed in the same place. ¡°Riley¡­you have to let go now.¡±


    Riley shook her head. ¡°The storm is too furious and you are exhausted. If I let go, you will get swept away again and they may never find you a second time.¡±


    ¡°But they¡¯ll see you!¡± Katie protested. She seemed more awake because she tried to shove Riley away as if that would urge her to dive. It would not. ¡°You can¡¯t be seen. Please, not because of me, not after all you¡¯ve done to help me. I don¡¯t want anything to happen to you.¡±


    Riley shook her head and pressed a finger to Katie¡¯s lips. ¡°Hush. It is okay. It is too dark for them to see. They will pull you up and I will dive, and they will think nothing more of me than I was lost to the depths. Now stay still, save your energy.¡±


    Whether Katie wanted to keep arguing or not was irrelevant. The girl simply did not seem to have the strength to sustain a disagreement because she fell limp against Riley once more. Her fingers curled into some of Riley¡¯s long blonde locks, and her legs were still wrapped around Riley¡¯s waist. Above them, someone was shouting, and there was a human beginning to descend on a rope. ¡°Please don¡¯t disappear, okay? I want to see you again¡­properly this time.¡±


    The feeling was mutual, so Riley dipped her chin and smoothed back some of Katie¡¯s hair. ¡°I will not leave the area, Katie. I will return to the dock your boat was moored at and wait for you. Meet me when the sun has just about set, when there will be far fewer people around.¡±


    Surprisingly, Katie shook her head. ¡°No,¡± she refused. ¡°I-I don¡¯t like the idea of you being in the marina like that, anyone could see you, anything could happen. M-my f-family lives on the water¡­we¡¯re west from that marina¡­I¡­I¡¯ll find a way to signal you, but you¡¯ll have to travel the area.¡±


    Riley grinned and squeezed her friend tightly. ¡°Play music,¡± she urged. ¡°On your device. Sit out with your feet in the water¡­it will be like when we first met. I will find you,¡± she vowed.


    There was no chance for further planning as the man descending from the helicopter reached them. He glanced over them both, and then gestured to Riley. ¡°Come on, you first,¡± he urged. He had a loop on a second rope with him, that Riley presumed was to be worn to hoist someone up into the belly of their flyer.


    She twisted so that Katie was closer to him. ¡°Take her,¡± she urged.


    ¡°She¡¯s got a lifejacket. You need to come up with me first, we¡¯re going to get you both,¡± he assured her.


    ¡°Katie is hypothermic,¡± Riley argued. She was glad she had gotten some of this information out of Katie earlier. ¡°She is barely conscious and will get swept away if I leave her. Take her first, I am stronger.¡±


    The man looked like he wanted to argue, so Riley fumbled with the buckle of Katie¡¯s float-vest. She pulled it off her friend and looped her arm through one of the holes. ¡°Now I have it,¡± she insisted. ¡°Please, just get Katie out of the water. She needs to see a healer.¡±


    The man gave her a strange look, but nodded. He lowered the loop closer to the water. ¡°You have to get your arms through that,¡± he instructed.


    Riley held Katie steady so that she could pull the loop around her chest beneath her arms.


    ¡°Hold onto the rope,¡± the man instructed. He reached down and grabbed hold of Katie just as their ropes began to pull up and it tore Katie from Riley¡¯s grasp and up into the air. ¡°I¡¯ll be back for you in just a moment, hang tight,¡± the man called back down.


    Riley craned her neck and watched until Katie was pulled inside. She sighed with relief. They would take care of her, get her warm and well again, and Riley would see her friend again soon, under better circumstances. She glanced down at the floating vest still looped around her arm and scoffed. Perhaps she should not have taken it, in case Katie needed it, but she had needed to get the man to help her friend. It was useless to her though, so she allowed the water to carry it away.


    ¡°I will see you soon, Katie. Be well,¡± she whispered into the wind before another wave broke over her head. This time, she did not fight it as it dragged her deeper. Instead, she dove until the water was no longer ripping at her fins. Riley was heavy and exhausted, and eager to rest, but it had all been worth it to know that Katie was alright. Riley had secretly yearned for cycles to see Katie again, she would not have been able to stand it if the girl had been killed this night.


    Riley¡¯s fingers drifted to her waist and the small pouch she kept tied there ¨C ever since she was a child ¨C and she smiled again. Soon did not feel like soon enough.

 An Unexpected Encounter - Part Four of Four

    Despite her eager impatience to know if Katie was alright ¨C and to see her again ¨C Riley forced herself to wait for a few turns before returning to the shore where she had first seen Katie. She had needed to recuperate her strength and imagined Katie would need the same before she was up and moving enough to initiate their plan to reunite once more.


    It had been a struggle to move from the sand she had collapsed in that night. She had done more foraging than hunting, and swam slowly as she worked the kinks out of her tail. Every muscle had ached and tightened from the abuse she had put herself through. It was all worth it ¨C and she would have done it again in a heartbeat to save her friend ¨C but she could not help cursing that storm for making any of it necessary. She had gradually regained her strength, which she was thankful for, and had begun making her way back to the continent. As she had swum, she began to realize just how far from land they had really been ¨C how little distance she had managed to tow Katie in the storm ¨C and that realization slammed into her like the force of a tempest tube. If that helicopter had not been out in the sky, Katie would certainly be dead and Riley may have joined her. She had fluctuated between losing and keeping hope, but she knew she would have perished from exhaustion before she would have chosen to lose her friend to the depths of the ocean. It was not in her nature.


    And if this was how she felt after that frantic flight through the ocean, she could only imagine how Katie was doing. She chose to be confident that her friend had survived ¨C humans were too skilled at their healing for her to have perished ¨C but she was not so foolish to believe that the girl would be up and moving immediately. She probably had felt just as horrible and drained as Riley had.


    But it had been four turns now and Riley was feeling much better. She hoped Katie would be too. The last thing she wanted to have happen was to swim right past where Katie made her home. She needed to make sure Katie was well enough to signal her.


    Though she knew Katie was unlikely to return to the marina, Riley made it her first stop. Katie had said she lived west down the coast from here. It was past midday by this point, so Riley could easily track the ark of the sun¡¯s gradual descent. She placed a hand on one of the algae-covered support beams holding the large mooring dock in place. She sighed softly and puffed bubbles from her gills. She was ready to go find her friend and to have a reunion that was not in a life or death moment.


    She turned away from the pier and set her gaze towards the drooping sun. She was not certain how far she would have to swim, but she was eager to reach her end destination. She had waited many cycles to see Katie again and she refused to miss her first proper chance.


    A grin split Riley¡¯s lips and she flicked her fins, spurring her body into motion as she began to travel down the coastline, staying shallow enough to see the beach, but deep enough to swim comfortably and make an easy getaway if necessary.


    ***


    What Riley had not been expecting was how many different human homes and beaches would be populated with parties and music playing loudly out into the water. It made for several false signals that were slowing down Riley¡¯s process. She was beginning to feel frustrated at the false hopes and foolish for deciding on a signal that was so commonplace in the human world. There had not been time for specifics or better planning, so she had gone for something easy and memorable between them, but she wished she had thought of something better now


    She rarely had the patience for long-tracking hunting, but she supposed that was simply how she was going to have to treat this particular adventure. Each wrong location took time and annoyed her, but she was gradually drawing closer. She could feel that in her gut. It was urging her forward.


    Still, despite her frustrations at having their signal thwarted, listening to such a wide variety of music was putting Riley in a decent mood. She should travel the coast like this more often. As she swam, she found herself humming along to the tune of the most recent one she had heard. She did not know the song well, but its melody lurked in her mind. She did not sing much anymore, but in the peace and safety of solitude, Riley occasionally found herself humming or mindlessly murmuring the words of a song to herself.


    As she continued on, the song in her head gradually morphed and she found herself humming a very old song. She smiled softly as the words began to spill softly from her lips. It was one of the songs on the music device Katie had given her in their youth. The device¡¯s lifeforce had depleted cycles ago, but Riley never forgot those tunes. She rarely heard them anymore ¨C she had come to learn that human music tended to evolve, with newer songs tending to be far more popular than anything older ¨C but as she continued humming, she realized that she was hearing the song.


    She pulled to an abrupt halt and tilted her head to listen better, just to be sure. Someone else who lived or lurked around the shore might have enjoyed older music, but Riley could not keep the smile off of her face. It would be fitting if Katie had used music Riley would know to lead her to her dwelling place. With that in mind, Riley found her tail strokes to be a little more rapid and eager, and she found herself crossing into the mouth of a cove before the song had even ended. There was a wide dock that ran from the start of the house, out into the water, so Riley swam up under it. There were two sets of feet hanging over the edge of the water. Riley parted her jaws and tasted the water. One of the scents was definitely Katie, but Riley vaguely recognized the other one as well.


    Though her desire to surface and greet her friend was immense, Riley hesitated and continued lurking beneath them. She was not so foolish to reveal herself without knowing the risk the other person posed. The song came to an end and there was a pause before another started up. Riley¡¯s smile grew. She knew this one too. Katie was playing the songs from the musical device she had given Riley all those cycles ago.


    ¡°Katie, honey, I really wish you would come inside.¡± Riley flinched at the voice, but then relaxed. It had been a long time since she had heard it, but she was fairly certain this was Katie¡¯s mother.


    ¡°Not yet,¡± Katie refused.


    ¡°Katie!¡± Her mother¡¯s voice turned sharp. ¡°You have pneumonia. The doctor told you to keep warm and get lots of rest, you need to stop sitting out here. Why don¡¯t we go inside and put the kettle on, huh? We can make hot chocolate and watch a movie.¡±


    ¡°Maybe later,¡± Katie replied. ¡°I will come in soon, I promise. I just want to sit out here a little while longer. You go on ahead of me.¡±


    Riley sighed and shook her head. It concerned her that Katie was endangering her health, and she knew Katie was only doing it because she was waiting for her to arrive. She had to stop it. She broke the surface on the far side of the dock and hauled herself up until her torso was draped over the wood. It pricked at her skin, but she did not mind much. She flicked her fins in the open air before calling out to her friend. ¡°Katie, it is okay. I know where you are now, I will not stray. If you should be resting, you should do that.¡±


    Riley considered herself a brave individual and she never shied from a challenge unless forced, but she found herself shrinking back a little as both humans lurched around to look at her. Katie was embraced in a large fabric wrap, and her short brown hair was spiked up in all directions. Her skin was still pale and sunken in, and there was a rasp to her breathing that concerned Riley. She did not look well. Her mother had bright green eyes that were wide with shock, though her red brows were furrowed with confusion, and she was pressed close to Katie as though she was hoping proximity would keep her daughter safe. If that was her thought, Riley would not fault her for it given that Katie had nearly died and was still unwell.


    While her mother looked confused, Katie had pure panic in her gaze and she made a frantic shooing motion in Riley¡¯s direction. Riley shook her head and pulled herself the rest of the way up onto the deck. She curled her tail up beside her and flicked water from her gliders. ¡°It is alright,¡± she assured her friend. ¡°I trust you. Besides, I am far more concerned with your health.¡± She turned her attention to Katie¡¯s mother next. The poor woman still looked as flustered as a fish tossed up onto the sand by a particularly violent wave. ¡°I am sorry that I have ventured uninvited into your resting grounds. I hope you will not take offence. I only wished to make sure Katie was alright.¡±


    ¡°Uhh¡­¡±


    Katie sighed and grabbed her mother¡¯s arm, which seemed to jerk the woman out of her stupor as she turned to face her daughter. ¡°Mom, this is Riley. She¡¯s the one the authorities were talking about, the one that the search and rescue team reported as ¡®lost to sea¡¯. She was only out there because of me; she saved my life.¡±


    The woman pushed a hand through her mess of bright red curls and then glanced between Katie and Riley. Finally, she shook her head and forced a polite smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it was rude of me to stare. I just didn¡¯t know that this¡­that you, were possible,¡± she stammered.


    Riley dipped her head and flicked her fins. ¡°I know. It tends to be better that way,¡± she acknowledged. She inclined her head towards Katie. ¡°This is just my one exception. I umm, would appreciate if it could stay a secret.¡±


    The woman was silent just long enough for Riley to be squeezed with anxiety. The last thing she wanted was a brawl ¨C physical or verbal ¨C with the mother of her friend. She was hoping to regain a deeper friendship with Katie, not shatter what they currently had.


    ¡°You rescued Katie?¡± the woman checked.


    Riley dipped her head. ¡°I am only glad I was able to.¡±


    Katie¡¯s mother smiled brightly. ¡°Then I believe staying silent is the least I can do, and you¡¯re welcome here anytime.¡± She smiled brightly and reached a hand out. ¡°My name is Sophie, by the way, I don¡¯t think I properly introduced myself.¡±


    Riley smiled and relief washed over her. ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you,¡± she agreed. Her attention quickly shifted back to Katie, who had started to shiver. She looked even paler than a few moments ago. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    Katie nodded. ¡°Yes,¡± she rasped. ¡°Just a little under the weather. I¡­I didn¡¯t get the chance to¡­to¡­to,¡± Katie stuttered and broke off in a fit of violent coughing. Her sputtering grew worse and her whole body heaved as she choked. In that moment, she looked so small and frail that Riley was consumed with the urge to guard over her like an orca pod would guard their young. ¡°To¡­thank you,¡± Katie forced out in a gasp before her coughing overtook her again.


    Before Riley could move to react, Sophie had an arm around Katie¡¯s shoulders. ¡°Alright, enough now. You need to come inside and get back in bed. You are going to take your medication and get some rest, and I refuse to hear any more protests on the matter,¡± she ordered as she pulled Katie onto her feet.


    Immediately, Katie slumped against her mother. Riley could see her legs shaking with every step she took. ¡°Wait,¡± she wheezed as she glanced back at Riley. ¡°But I wanted to-¡±


    Riley shook her head. ¡°I will be here in the morning,¡± she vowed. ¡°Go rest. Please.¡±


    Though she looked like she wanted to argue, the fight seemed to bleed out of Katie as she sagged. ¡°Okay,¡± she whispered. She leaned down to press a button on the larger music device that had been playing previously. As the sound cut, Riley felt her forced smile falter. Part of her did not want to wait. She felt they had waited long enough. She wanted to listen to the music and chat with Katie properly. But her desires would have to wait. Her friend was sick and needed to recuperate still.


    She watched them as Sophie herded Katie back through the entrance of their shelter. Then her frown deepened further as the woman paused in the threshold and turned. ¡°Riley, right?¡± she checked.


    Riley dipped her head in response.


    ¡°I want Katie inside now, it¡¯s starting to get cold and she¡¯s supposed to be keeping warm. But you don¡¯t have to leave if you don¡¯t want to. You must have come for a reason; I¡¯m assuming the radio was a sort of signal between you two because she¡¯s been sitting out there for almost two days straight now. If you¡¯d like to come inside and have a proper visit, you¡¯re more than welcome. You can leave whenever you¡¯re ready.¡±


    The offer was kind, but Riley found herself hesitating. She was far more comfortable near the water, in the open air. The human dwelling felt restrictive and closed off, and made her nervous. She was about to refuse before she noticed Katie peering at her with a hopeful glimmer in her eyes. She set her jaw. She did not like enclosed spaces much at all, but she had come here with the intent of visiting Katie, so that was what she intended to do. ¡°Alright,¡± she agreed. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Her tail was a dead weight on land, but it was actually easier than she had expected to haul herself across their deck and up into the home. A shiver ran down her spine as she pulled herself into the home, and she found herself glancing around and scenting her surroundings as her instincts screamed at her to turn tail. After a deep breath, she set her jaw and followed after Katie and Sophie. They were out of her sight now, but not hard to find.


    When she reached them, Sophie was helping Katie settle in under more fabric wraps. There were several wide, white sponges at her back helping prop her up. ¡°Are you warm enough?¡± the woman inquired.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, mom, please don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my job to worry about you,¡± Sophie retorted. ¡°And you¡¯ve been making me pull overtime hours, so you are going to lay here and get some rest now, alright? Promise me.¡±


    ¡°I promise.¡±


    Riley¡¯s scales caught on a coarse fabric on the floor and produced a rumbling sound that caused her to pause. Her face flushed when Sophie twisted to glance down at her, but before she could apologize, the woman had closed the distance between them and crouched down. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Riley; I didn¡¯t even consider that you might have a hard time getting around on land. Would you like some help up?¡± she asked. Her hand moved to gesture to the perch that Katie was laid out on. It was higher off the ground than Riley imagined would be easy to pull herself up to, especially since the wraps coating it looked like they would make any grip unstable.


    ¡°Please,¡± she confirmed after weighing her options. She would likely jostle and disturb her friend too much attempting to get up on her own. Sophie smiled and reached out towards Riley. She had lived alone long enough to have honed her instincts, and that made it hard not to flinch away, but Sophie was both gentle and fluid as she scooped her up with surprising strength and ease for her smaller stature.


    Sophie set her down on the perch and Riley¡¯s weight sunk into it. She frowned and placed her hand flat on it. She had not expected it to be quite so soft and malleable.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bed,¡± Katie supplied. ¡°It¡¯s where we sleep.¡±


    Riley hummed in the back of her throat in acknowledgement. She could see why.


    ¡°Do you sleep much, Riley?¡± Sophie asked. When Riley turned to look at her, the woman flushed slightly and shrugged. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean it to come off like that. Plenty of marine creatures don¡¯t; I was just curious.¡±


    Riley nodded. She did not blame Sophie for her curiosity. ¡°I do sleep,¡± she confirmed. ¡°But never in one repetitive place like this. I travel a lot, so I usually take shelter wherever I find it.¡±


    Katie¡¯s smile was wide and she leaned forward a bit. ¡°Where¡¯s your favourite place to go?¡±


    Riley shrugged and chewed on her lip as she contemplated the question. ¡°There are many places,¡± she admitted after a moment. ¡°All for different reasons. I enjoy surfing currents ¨C it is a thrill ¨C and the most turbulent ones can be found out in the open ocean where drifts merge. But there is also an inlet connected to an uninhabited island, the bed of which is covered with smooth, flat rocks. I have only been a few times, but it feels wonderful to sprawl on and for soothing itches of the skin and scale. The water is shallow enough that the stones get very warm in the day and pleasantly cool at night.¡±


    ¡°That sounds relaxing,¡± Katie commented.


    Riley hummed in agreement and grinned. She did not know how to describe where she had been over the cycles, but she could tell Katie all about the things she had seen. The way Katie¡¯s eager smile had seemed to grow with every passing word Riley had uttered, had made Riley glow with joy that her friend may actually be interested in her stories. She had not had someone to tell in quite a while.


    There was a brief lapse in conversation before Sophie cleared her throat. When Riley glanced back at her, the red-headed woman had an awkward pucker to her lips and she inclined her head towards Riley. ¡°I¡¯m incredibly grateful to you for saving Katie the way you did. I don¡¯t imagine it was easy or safe for you either. But I have to wonder what prompted you to do so. If your people prefer to avoid contact with us, why take that risk? Including myself and Katie, and the first responders, you were seen by at least three or four people.¡±


    ¡°Katie is my friend,¡± Riley insisted. ¡°I could never have just let her die without doing anything in my power to help.¡±


    Sophie¡¯s brows furrowed together in a tightly packed crease above the ridge of her nose and the corners of her mouth twisted down into a frown. She leaned forward slightly from where she was sitting, perched on a strange wood seat of sorts that Riley did not know the name of. ¡°Wait a minute, the two of you have met before?¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh,¡± Katie replied. She was still leaned against the puffy white sponge squares, and it made Riley¡¯s heart squeeze to see how pale she still looked. ¡°We met the first time you and Lewis took me camping when I was younger.¡±


    When Sophie began to laugh, Riley glanced between the two. It felt like she was missing something. ¡°Is that why you always insisted on going back the exact same week every year? It was because you two were meeting in secret?¡±


    Katie sighed and shook her head. ¡°No. I insisted out of the hope that I might see her again, but we never did.¡±


    Riley shrugged. ¡°My pod changed our migratory routes a lot, and humans track time differently than we do. Once or twice I was in the area again, but your scent was always stale or washed away.¡±


    Katie shrugged. ¡°It was only a couple of years. After a while, I started to believe that maybe I had just imagined you as a child; that you weren¡¯t actually real. I stopped looking.¡±


    Riley dipped her chin and her lips pulled into a wide grin. ¡°I never forgot you, Katie. I thought I would, initially, but I never did. I caught your scent from time to time when I would travel close to the shore or near boats, but I never actually saw you or caught a fresh scent until you went out on the water before that storm hit. I am just glad that you are alright.¡±


    Before she even finished speaking, Katie¡¯s eyes widened and she lurched forward. ¡°Are you? I never even asked, you were struggling in the bad weather too. You weren¡¯t hurt, were you?¡±


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Riley reached out until the tips of her fingers brushed the soft folds of the clothing Katie was wearing. She applied pressure and pushed her friend back into the propped position she was in earlier. Katie¡¯s breathing was still raspy and Riley was not comfortable with the idea that she might over-exert herself. ¡°I am fine,¡± she assured her. ¡°I was very tired and sore after that swim, but I was not injured. I may not spend very much time swimming at the surface ¨C especially in poor weather ¨C but I spend my life out in the ocean; you do not need to worry about me.¡±


    Katie nodded. Her hand grabbed Riley¡¯s as she started to pull away, and Riley felt her heart stall in her chest when her friend squeezed her fingers. ¡°Will your pod be in the area for long?¡±


    Riley tossed her head and puffed air to blow her bangs out of her face. She wound up having to tuck them back with her free hand when they fell back into her face once more. ¡°My pod is not nearby at all,¡± she replied with a shrug.


    She frowned when Katie¡¯s eyes widened again, and she instinctively pressed her hand against Katie¡¯s shoulder once more to prevent her from sitting up again. ¡°Riley, you didn¡¯t swim out of range of them saving me or coming here, did you? I don¡¯t want you to get separated from your family because-¡±


    ¡°Katie,¡± Riley interrupted. ¡°I chose to leave my pod a long time ago. It had nothing to do with you. We met because I was prone to sneaking away as often as I could as a child. I was never happy with my pod; never felt I belonged or was able to be myself.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Katie murmured. Her tone was subdued and she slumped, and Riley frowned. She did not like the bitter scent wafting from her friend. The sour taste of sorrow was never pleasant, but before she could comment on it, her attention was pulled away as Sophie touched her arm.


    ¡°How long have you been on your own?¡± she inquired.


    Riley pursed her lips as she mulled the question. ¡°Four, wait, five cycles now,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Cycles?¡± Katie inquired.


    Riley swallowed back a chuckle and shrugged. Humans told time differently and more complexly ¨C in her opinion ¨C which made this hard. She did not know how to rephrase her meaning in a way they would understand. ¡°Cycles of the seasons,¡± she elaborated. ¡°We call a full rotation of all four seasons a cycle.¡±


    Sophie nodded slowly. ¡°We call those ¡®years¡¯,¡± she offered. ¡°And that¡¯s a long time to be alone. You and Katie look about the same age, you must have been young when you left. It must be hard.¡±


    Riley took a slow, deep breath and averted her gaze. She squeezed her opposite arm until the colour bled from her knuckles and turned them white as bone and the veins pulled taut. ¡°Sometimes,¡± she admitted carefully. She did not enjoy reminders of her past and what she endured because she was not good enough for her mother¡¯s acceptance. ¡°But my freedom and happiness meant more than the security my pod could offer. I never truly felt safe there anyway.¡±


    Sophie nodded slowly. There was a soft sparkle in her vivid seagrass eyes that made Riley shift her weight uncomfortably. She was not used to sympathetic attention or interest in her past and well-being. It had been a long time since someone had. And yet, Sophie leaned forward and gently placed an open hand on Riley¡¯s curled tail. ¡°I¡¯m going to assume that you¡¯re more comfortable out in the water than you¡¯ll ever be up on land, but you¡¯re welcome here anytime you like. Even if you¡¯re just looking for a meal or a place to spend the night; our cove is always open to you and we even have a guest bedroom if you¡¯d like to stay inside.¡±


    Riley¡¯s lips parted and her brows scrunched in together above her nose. For a moment, she could not think of anything appropriate to say. Finally, the one question she had spilled rather poorly from her lips. ¡°Why?¡± She gave her head a shake and coughed to clear her throat. ¡°It is just that you barely know me. Why would you offer to share your territory and resources with me?¡±


    Sophie has a wide smile on her face that turned up just a little higher while her eyes crinkled in the corners. The hand that was resting on Riley¡¯s tail lifted as Sophie brushed her knuckles down Riley¡¯s cheek. Riley had never sought much physical affection before. Her mother did not care for it and when she had left her pod behind, she seldom placed enough trust in anyone to allow it. But Sophie¡¯s warm, gentle demeanour made Riley yearn for more, but she said nothing. ¡°Because you¡¯re Katie¡¯s friend, because I don¡¯t believe anyone should ever be truly alone ¨C especially not someone so young ¨C and because we have always tried to make sure our door is open to anyone who might need a family.¡±


    Riley normally tried to hide her emotions, but she felt tears water in her eyes at the words. After her experiences with her pod, she was no longer familiar with selfless acceptance and had not truly expected to find it. Katie and her family were proving more and more to be the type of souls Riley wished she had grown up around. ¡°Thank you,¡± she murmured after a moment.


    Sophie hummed and then rose from her perch. ¡°The offer stands. But I¡¯ll leave you girls to have a proper visit. Katie, just make sure you get some rest, okay?¡±


    ¡°I promise,¡± Katie agreed. ¡°Nothing exciting.¡±


    Sophie nodded. ¡°Good. I¡¯ll come check on you in a little while.¡±


    As soon as she was gone, Riley shifted on the ¡®bed¡¯ and directed her attention to Katie. ¡°I am sorry you are sick¡­was it because you got so cold?¡±


    Katie coughed and shook her head. ¡°I have aspiration pneumonia. I got it from breathing in too much seawater.¡±


    Riley felt her shoulders slump. ¡°I am sorry I was not able to get you out of that storm faster. I nearly failed.¡±


    ¡°What? Riley, no,¡± Katie protested with a wheeze. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t been there, I would have been dragged down when the ship sunk. I would have drowned. I am alive and breathing at all because of you. And the doctors have me on medication to help drain the fluid and get me feeling better. I¡¯m going to be fine, I promise. It¡¯s just making breathing a little more of a chore than it usually would be is all. But I¡¯m not contagious at least.¡±


    Riley snorted. ¡°I am not concerned about that. I would risk it.¡±


    Katie¡¯s smile was small, but it made Riley¡¯s heart flutter. ¡°Thank you. For saving me and for coming back¡­This might sound weird but I¡¯m really glad that you¡¯re real. I¡¯m sorry that I started to believe you weren¡¯t¡­it¡¯d just been so long that you started to become more of a fond memory; a good dream of sorts.¡±


    Riley tossed her head and chuckled. ¡°It is alright, Katie. You do not need to apologize. Honestly ¨C though I always wished otherwise ¨C we were never supposed to meet again. I always hoped ¨C I could not forget about you like I anticipated ¨C but I had limited expectations. Our worlds are meant to stay separate.¡±


    Katie¡¯s shoulders had slumped as Riley spoke, but she nodded. ¡°Yeah, I know. As much as I¡¯m glad to see you, I keep worrying about what might happen if someone less understanding were to see you. I¡¯m just glad I got the chance to thank you properly and the last thing I want is to part ways, but maybe it would be safer for you. I do have one question, though. I understand you saved me because we¡¯re friends and you didn¡¯t want to do nothing, and I appreciate it, but if we should stay away from one another, why did you come back? You could¡¯ve just¡­disappeared. People probably would have told me I¡¯d just hallucinated an aquatic rescuer to cope with the trauma of nearly dying. Not that I would have said anything.¡±


    Riley scoffed and leaned forward until she was close enough that Katie¡¯s breath puffed up in her face. The other girl¡¯s hazel eyes had widened, but she could not lean any further away. ¡°I am not going to disappear on you, Katie. I have never been one to shy away from something simply because it may risk my safety. When I was a child, I was afraid of the risks my discovery could pose on my family. But I have no pod now to endanger and I trust you. I wanted to see you again, I enjoy your company, and I would like to enjoy more of it. Besides, I kept my promise from our youth. Now I intend to remind you to keep your promise too.¡±


    Katie¡¯s head tilted to one side and her face furrowed with deep creases. Her lips parted and she shook her head. ¡°What promise?¡±


    Riley grinned and twisted to her side. There was a cord wrapped around her waist and at its base was a pouch. It was worn and crusted with salt from cycles in the water, but Riley had kept it tucked up behind the arm of her glider ever since the wings had fully grown in. she hummed fondly as she dug her fingers into the pouch and withdrew the musical device that Katie had given her all those cycles ago. Even though it no longer sang, she had kept it meticulously, always wrapping the wires and holding it close within its pouch so that it would not become damaged.


    ¡°Could you make it work again?¡± she requested eagerly as she held it out to her friend.


    Katie¡¯s jaw had dropped and she reached out and slowly plucked the device from Riley¡¯s cupped hands. ¡°You still have this?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Riley agreed. ¡°How could I not keep it? You gave it to me.¡±


    The hue of Katie¡¯s cheeks went from pale to a flushed red as Riley spoke, and her hazel eyes rolled down until Katie was staring at her hands. She rubbed her thumb of the music player. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you kept this for this long, the batteries must have run out ages ago¡­but umm¡­yeah, we should be able to get more batteries for it. Most people don¡¯t use MP3 players like this one anymore ¨C mostly music is played from our phones now ¨C but this type of batteries are used in other things too. It will have to wait until tomorrow though, the stores are all closed for the night by now.¡±


    Riley flicked her fins and shifted to a more comfortable position. Her scales rubbed noisily against the fabric wraps on the bed and she winced. A quick glance at Katie indicated that the other girl did not mind. ¡°I can wait,¡± Riley reassured her. ¡°I have every word and tune memorized anyway. I could never forget them. Do¡­do you still listen to them? You were playing them when I got here, but was it because you remembered which I would know or because you enjoy them still?¡±


    Instead of answering, Katie¡¯s face scrunched up and her eyes squeezed shut as she winced. Riley¡¯s smile slipped and she leaned forward anxiously as Katie braced her palms against the bed. Her breathing sounded way worse and she began to shake. ¡°Riley, I¡­I am sorry,¡± she gasped. ¡°Please, it hurts. I have to shift but I-¡± She broke off in a fit of coughs that shook her entire body.


    With a deep sense of urgency, Riley wrapped an arm around the center of Katie¡¯s back and lifted her up off her white sponges. Katie continued to cough weakly, so Riley held her up and rubbed her back until the fit abated. Then she leaned Katie back against the sponges and helped get her settled once more. ¡°Better?¡± she checked.


    A lump bobbed in Katie¡¯s throat as she swallowed and nodded. ¡°Thank you,¡± she wheezed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Do not be,¡± Riley refused with a shake of her head. Katie nodded and slumped back against the sponges. She looked exhausted and guilt gnawed at Riley¡¯s gut. She reached out and swept some of Katie¡¯s messy hair out of her face. ¡°Perhaps I should go now so that you can rest,¡± she suggested. ¡°I can return in the morning; I do not want you needlessly tiring yourself.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Katie protested. ¡°Please, stay a little longer. I¡¯ve been cooped up in bed since the storm. I¡¯m tired, but I¡¯m also bored and lonely. Just¡­a little longer, okay? Please?¡±


    It was hard to refuse the request when Katie was staring at her with wide, glossy eyes and an urgency in her tone. Riley dipped her head after a moment. ¡°Alright, just for a little while more,¡± she agreed.


    Katie smiled. ¡°The answer to your question is ¡®both¡¯ by the way,¡± she added. ¡°I specifically pulled those songs from my playlist because I knew you would probably remember them, but I do still listen to them too. I¡¯ve got newer songs that I like too, but those are my classics.¡±


    Riley pulled her tail close and curled it around her torso. The answer made her smile. The songs within the small player had been her only connection to her human friend for many cycles, and she was glad to hear that many of Katie¡¯s musical preferences had not changed. She chewed her lip. There was so much she wanted to discuss ¨C and to admit to ¨C but she was concerned about how tired Katie seemed. She did not want to pressure the girl or overwhelm her while she was ill. But she also did not wish to wait any longer, not when she had waited for so long already.


    ¡°Is something on your mind?¡± Katie¡¯s voice cut through Riley¡¯s thoughts and she glanced up.


    She flushed when she realized she had drifted away from reality while practically staring through her friend. She shook her head. ¡°It is fine, it should wait,¡± she decided.


    Katie frowned and winced as she pushed herself a bit more upright. ¡°No,¡± she refused. ¡°Tell me now.¡±


    Riley sighed. Her heart pounded in her chest and she licked her lips. ¡°I came here to make sure you were alright and to reconnect with the friend I met when we were young,¡± she began. ¡°But¡­I also came here for a more selfish reason.¡±


    ¡°Besides the batteries?¡± Katie checked with a chuckle.


    Riley chuckled too, but it was breathy and forced. She found her heart fluttering frantically against her ribs, and she took a breath. ¡°Yes, besides that,¡± she agreed. ¡°Though I do not truly have any expectations about that. You seem to have easy access to music and I would like to stay a while if allowed.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like that too,¡± Katie agreed. ¡°But what¡¯s the selfish reason then?¡±


    Riley took a breath and leaned forward. Katie was close enough that the beat of her heart and the wheeze in her lungs rang loudly in Riley¡¯s ears. ¡°There is something I have been waiting a very long time to do.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Katie asked.


    Riley smiled and closed the distance between them. Despite all the time that had passed, Katie still smelled of salt and sand and fresh fruit. Though her breathing was shaky and the bitter reek of disease hung on her, Katie was warm and soft, and Riley purred deeply as she kissed her friend. Her heart went from pounding nervously to pulsing so heavily it hurt. It felt swollen in her chest.


    She could have stayed like that all night, but she knew Katie could barely breathe as it was, so she reluctantly pulled away to ensure her friend was getting enough air.


    Katie¡¯s expression was vacant for a moment and Riley worried at her lip. She did not know a lot about human culture or their courting rights and mate rituals, but she had seen several kiss before so she knew it had to be within their customs. But Katie looked very stunned and had yet to say anything, so worry nipped at Riley¡¯s gut and she licked her lips. ¡°Is¡­is it okay?¡± she checked with a wince. She supposed it was too late now if it was not.


    After another heartbeat or two, Katie shook herself and nodded. ¡°Yeah, umm, sorry, you just surprised me. It¡¯s okay. But I will admit I wasn¡¯t expecting it. We were so young that¡­if you¡¯ve had a crush all this time¡­how?¡±


    ¡°A crush?¡± Riley inquired. She assumed it was a human saying and not literal, because she had no desire to crush or otherwise harm her friend.


    ¡°Romantic feelings,¡± Katie clarified with a blush. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­I¡¯ve actually never had a crush on anyone before, but certainly wouldn¡¯t have understood those types of feelings when I was nine.¡±


    Riley shook her head. ¡°I did not know then either. The feelings came later, because of this,¡± Riley admitted as she pointed to the music player. ¡°All my life, songs and music have been a very unpleasant experience. I know every song of my people and my mother had me sing them over and over until I lost my voice. I had to be perfect, and even that was rarely good enough. But your music¡­I was always drawn to the songs humans sang, with all the extra sounds, the umm ¡®instruments¡¯? It was unlike anything I had ever heard. And the best part was that my mother hated it. Called it unnatural and ugly. She never wanted me to sing it. Finally, I had a beautiful thing all my own that she could not sour or take from me. And you gave me that gift, gave me the means to carry it with me and remember what I used to love about songs.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad it meant so much to you,¡± Katie whispered. ¡°But I¡¯m sorry to hear what happened when you were a kid.¡±


    Riley chuckled. ¡°It does not matter now. I would listen to the music you gave me whenever I was alone, and it always made me feel better on the worst of days. But the more I listened to the songs¡­the more it felt like I was getting to know you.¡±


    ¡°Really? How?¡±


    Riley shrugged her shoulders. ¡°The songs all had different tempos and tunes and messages,¡± Riley explained. ¡°Some were similar, others vastly different. But the one thing they all had in common was that you had picked them. I could imagine the ones you listened to when you were sad and the ones you might have sang with when you wanted to be happy. I tried to guess which ones would have been your favourites and I just remembered you every time a song came on, felt like I was getting to know you through each melody. And the more I listened and learned, the more I wanted to be close to you and find out if my assumptions were true. I realize that my interpretations are not going to be entirely accurate, nor are they something I would ever expect you to match. I want to know you for real, but my feelings for you flourished from the young girl I met and all the choices she made.¡±


    It felt odd to pour the thoughts she had kept hidden in her heart. Some part of Riley felt like she had just draped herself into the mouth of a hungry crocodile and was just waiting for the jaws to snap shut. Her heartbeat continued at an erratic pace and she found herself picking at her scales as she searched Katie¡¯s face.


    The other girl did not speak, but her pursed lips and crinkled nose made Riley suspect she was processing the information. ¡°You fell in love with me through my music playlist?¡± she clarified.


    Riley flushed but nodded. ¡°Is¡­is that a bad thing? I do not know much about how humans court or choose their mates.¡±


    Katie¡¯s cheeks were inflamed too, but she reached forward and grabbed Riley¡¯s hand. In her chest, Riley¡¯s heart flipped at the contact. ¡°It¡¯s not a bad thing,¡± Katie assured her. ¡°It¡¯s sweet¡­a little unusual, but sweet. It¡¯s just¡­¡± Katie trailed off and looked away. ¡°I do like you, Riley, I¡¯m incredibly grateful for everything you¡¯ve done for me and I value your friendship, and I really want to spend more time with you, but¡­¡±


    This time, Katie did not continue speaking and Riley frowned. She twisted her palm up so she could curl her fingers around Katie¡¯s. ¡°What is it?¡± she pressed.


    ¡°I just¡­I didn¡¯t have something like you did to develop affection from afar. For a little while,  I believed you were a figment of my imagination. I just don¡¯t share your feelings. I¡¯m open to it, I really am, but-¡±


    Riley decided it was best to cut her friend off before she spiralled, so she placed two fingers against Katie¡¯s lips. ¡°Katie, it is okay. I did not come with any expectations of you. Just your friendship is enough, I promise. I needed you to know. I could not keep it buried in my chest any longer. But Mer mate for life and that is a heavy commitment I would not ask or expect of you like this. I want time to be your friend and learn who you are as you are now. I do not need you to return my feelings, I just want you to be okay knowing that I have them.¡±


    Katie¡¯s eyes crinkled in the corners as she smiled. ¡°I am,¡± she agreed. ¡°I want to get to know you too, Riley. I want to hear all your stories because it sounds like you have great ones to tell. I want the chance at a proper friendship and honestly? I would be open to the idea of a romantic relationship in time, I just don¡¯t want to string you along or anything.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    Katie tapped two of her fingers together and sighed. ¡°It means giving someone false hope. Making you think I might return your feelings when I don¡¯t. I don¡¯t know if I will or not and I don¡¯t want you to wait and hope and be disappointed.¡±


    Tears were glistening in Katie¡¯s eyes, so Riley leaned forward and hugged her tightly. ¡°I do not need you to return them,¡± she reminded. ¡°All I need is your friendship.¡±


    ¡°Well, you have that,¡± Katie decided. Her arms came up and embraced Riley back.


    Riley¡¯s heart stalled in her chest and she gulped at the lump that formed in her throat. She squeezed Katie back as tightly as she dared with her sick friend¡¯s breathing ailments, and began to purr deeply as she enjoyed the embrace.


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    Riley pulled away abruptly at Katie¡¯s exclamation. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    Katie nodded. ¡°Sorry, I just didn¡¯t know that Mer purred. You¡¯re like a scaly aquatic cat!¡±


    She did not know what a cat was, but Riley found herself ducking away from the comment. She was not sure if it was a good or bad thing.


    ¡°Could¡­could you do it again?¡±


    Riley¡¯s head jerked up at the comment. ¡°Purr?¡± she checked.


    Katie nodded. ¡°Yeah¡­sorry, is that rude to ask? It¡¯s just that when you did that¡­it was actually a little easier to breathe.¡±


    ¡°It comes naturally to us when we are happy,¡± Riley admitted. She watched Katie flush and duck her head. ¡°If it helps you breathe more clearly, I would be more than happy, but¡­are you sure you would be comfortable with that?¡±


    Katie¡¯s face fell and her eyes widened as Riley spoke. ¡°Oh¡­Riley, I¡¯m sorry,¡± she pressed. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to make you think I wasn¡¯t comfortable near you or with physical affection. I trust you, I am comfortable with you. I just¡­don¡¯t have an answer for you right away.¡±


    Riley leaned back forward and embraced her friend again. ¡°You do not ever need to,¡± Riley assured her. Her heart ached to say it. She wanted a deeper friendship with Katie, but she also hoped for more than that. She pulled Katie closer and resumed purring. It was not hard. With Katie leaned against her, she had little control over the rumbling reverberating in her chest cavity.


    Against her, Katie murmured softly and nuzzled into her. ¡°It¡¯s so soothing,¡± she whispered. Her breathing did sound better, so Riley made an effort to deepen the strength of the vibrations she was emitting. She wanted Katie to relax and get some rest so that she would recover. Riley¡¯s purring was only a temporary solution.


    The longer Riley purred, the more relaxed she felt Katie grow until her breathing was almost normal and she fell completely limp against Riley. The effort had worn Riley out as well, and without truly thinking about it, she rolled onto her belly and nestled down on the bed. Katie was sprawled out over her back, but the slight jostling did not seem to have disturbed her. She was loosely hugging Riley¡¯s tail and drooling softly. Riley could feel the moisture rolling down her back and scales. It felt odd, but she did not mind. She was just glad that Katie was finally resting.


    A wide yawn parted her lips as she settled in and closed her eyes.


    ***


    ¡°Riley?¡± The voice and the sensation of fingers brushing her shoulder startled Riley awake. Her eyes opened and she found Sophie leaning down to look her in the eye. It was dark now, which wreathed Sophie in a gray haze, but Riley could still see her fine. She had been sleeping so deeply that she had not heard Sophie approach. Normally she was more alert than that. At least she was comfortable here. She trusted Katie, and she was rapidly growing to like her friend¡¯s mother too.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± she hummed to acknowledge the woman so that Sophie would know she was awake.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, hon, I didn¡¯t mean to wake you. It¡¯s just getting late and I¡¯m concerned about you. Are you okay to be up out of the water this long?¡±


    Riley hummed and nodded. ¡°Yes,¡± she whispered so that she would not disturb Katie. ¡°I am fine.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Did Katie fall asleep on you? Here, let me move her for you.¡±


    ¡°That is okay,¡± Riley refused as Sophie moved to grab Katie. ¡°She is fine.¡± She yawned and lowered her head back down against the soft wraps. Being up in the air still felt strange, but Riley certainly enjoyed how warm and comfortable the bed was.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll see you both in the morning. If you need anything, I¡¯m just in the next room over, alright?¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Riley agreed.


    She closed her eyes, only to reopen them again as Sophie placed a hand on her head, and then her lips pressed against Riley¡¯s brow. ¡°Get some rest,¡± Sophie whispered.


    Riley purred softly in response. She watched Katie¡¯s mother slipped back out. Her eyes felt heavy as she settled back down. She could not stop the smile that touched her lips. She definitely liked this place.

 Mother and Father

    The calm silence of the night was broken only by the soft sloshing of the waves against the dock. They had settled down directly beneath it, where the churned-up sand was a little gooey, but soft and blanketed in smooth tendrils of seagrass. Above, thin slivers of moonlight shone through the slats and danced across the surface of the water. Though she was meant to be sleeping, Karina found the flickering beams of light almost mesmerizing as she laid flat on her back and stared up at the surface.


    Her head was resting on Nero¡¯s chest, and his heartbeat was drumming soothingly in her ear, while the gentle currents from his gills tickled the crown of her head.


    She flicked her fins and hummed to herself as she hugged her baby. He had been very still and silent for quite a while after birth, but he would not be tethered to her constantly for much longer and she wanted to enjoy the sensation as long as she could. He was becoming more active without prompting, vocalizing and stirring, and it seemed he cared more for sleeping through the day rather than the night.


    A low burble echoed in her ears as his tiny tail twisted and slapped against her ribs. She tucked a hand under her fins and began rubbing the orange-red fuzz on his skull. His tiny hands began to knead at her flesh in response as he nursed, and it dragged a deep purr from her chest. She shifted so that she could see him as she loosened her protective fins. One brown eye shone in the moonlight as he stared up at her. Her purring deepened.


    She and Nero had been discussing a few possible names for the baby, and they had come to an agreement on one they liked best. Before they made the final decision, Nero wanted to talk to Luna. Karina agreed it was probably for the best, given the nature of the name. She only hoped the young Mer would see the same meaning in it that they did.


    ¡°Kierin,¡± she murmured, testing the name out as she stared at her baby. Karina wanted to acknowledge all the risk and suffering that had happened around her son¡¯s birth, but also give him an identity and a positive meaning despite it. She admired the sapphire Mer for still having so much life and personality despite all she had been through.


    And deep down, she knew the name was not just meant as a reminder of how Luna used to be and how she had found herself, but it also served as a reminder of her pod. Her heart squeezed as she thought about it. Her throat closed and she nearly choked on her last breath of water. Her pod had developed a tradition over many generations. It had initially been accidental, then actively done later that the first child would bear a name that started with the first sound of one parent and ended with the first sound of the other. She was not certain Nero knew about it, talking about her pod now was still a raw wound, so they rarely ventured onto the topic, but knowing that the name could symbolize so much and still follow a tradition she had secretly yearned to participate in, filled Karina with a sense of bittersweet joy that made her yearn to grant it to her son.


    Within her embrace, he stirred again and began chirruping at her in a squeaky, broken tone. There was no meaning behind the sounds, just his exploration of his own voice, but it brought a smile to Karina¡¯s lips. She continued to purr, but gently placed her free hand on Nero¡¯s chest and whispered his name. Luna and her parents were not far away and she did not want to disturb them. ¡°Nero,¡± she called again, just a little bit louder when he did not respond.


    Nero snorted low in his throat as he woke. His hand grabbed her shoulder. ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    Karina shook her head and pushed herself into a sitting position. ¡°Come,¡± she urged as she pushed from the sand and swam the few tail-lengths to one of the pier legs. She sank back into the sand and leaned her back against the post.


    Nero¡¯s brows were furrowed, but he did not question her as he followed her lead and settled down beside her. He draped an arm across her shoulders and pulled her close to his side. ¡°Are you alright?¡± he inquired. ¡°You should be resting.¡±


    Karina shook her head. ¡°There is time for sleep later,¡± she whispered. She gathered their son into her arms properly without dislodging him so that she could unfurl her fins enough that they held him from beneath, but exposed his tiny body to both his parents. ¡°It will not be much longer,¡± she murmured. ¡°I want him to stay this small forever, but I also wish for his father to hold him. I know you will make him feel as warm and safe and loved as you have made me feel.¡±


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    Nero purred in response and nuzzled her cheek. It stole a giggle from her, but when she ducked away from the playful attention, she earned a slap from the baby¡¯s fins as he began to vocalize his protests at being jostled. His fingers pinched at her skin a few times before he resumed kneading and nursing. Karina shifted her weight, leaned her head against Nero¡¯s shoulder, and continued to purr. This moment was perfect.


    She watched lazily as Nero reached out to stroke his fingers down their son¡¯s spine. Compared to Nero¡¯s hand, the baby looked so tiny and breakable, but Nero¡¯s touch was as gentle as possible and Karina was not worried. With how intense her instincts had been since giving birth, she was almost surprised it was so easy to expose her infant to the open water like this, but she supposed that simply showed how deeply she trusted Nero. He was her mate, her heart and soul, and she knew he would always protect their child. When she was around him, she had little to fear.


    ¡°I love you,¡± she whispered as she turned her head to kiss the skin of his shoulder. Nero was strong, but his skin was still soft against her lips and she hummed.


    ¡°I love you too,¡± he rumbled. He shifted his weight and his arms fell away from both her and their son as he adjusted. Before Karina could ask what he was doing, she had one arm around the small of her back and the other under her tail as he scooped her up into his lap. ¡°I am eager for the chance to hold him too,¡± Nero lamented. ¡°But for now, I shall settle for holding the both of you.¡±


    Karina hummed in agreement and curled her tail until her fins were tangled around his fluke and she leaned bodily against him. Nero leaned forward and began kissing the side of her neck. Heat rose in Karina¡¯s cheeks and she squirmed in his grasp. Breathless giggles bubbled from her mouth as his lips passed over her gills and she shivered. ¡°Nero,¡± she protested lightly as he growled playfully and his teeth grazed her gills next. She shivered again and swatted at him. ¡°Stop it!¡± she protested as she leaned away from him.


    Against her chest, their son began to chirp at them, and this time she would have sworn it sounded grumpy. She clucked her tongue and smiled down at him. ¡°I am sorry, but your father is being terribly silly,¡± she explained solemnly. She gently bounced the infant until he settled back down, then twisted to kiss Nero properly. ¡°You are evil,¡± she whispered against him as she kissed him again.


    He cupped her face and deepened the kiss. Her heart fluttered in her ribcage and she continued to purr. When they finally broke apart for a breath, Karina leaned back down against him. She could hear his heartbeat while she refocused on her son. He had stopped kneading at her and was now just lazily flicking his pale gray fins while his fingers opened and closed in fists. His eyes were closed now, but he was making all sorts of noise, muffled hums and chirps, that Karina did not imagine he would settle into slumber for a little while yet.


    ¡°Have I thanked you recently?¡± Nero whispered.


    ¡°For what?¡± Karina checked.


    Nero¡¯s chest rumbled as he tangled his fingers in her hair and cupped the back of their son¡¯s head. ¡°You endured such an ordeal during labour,¡± he muttered. ¡°You were so brave and so strong, and I just am not certain that I ever properly expressed how grateful I am to have you, and now to have him.¡±


    Karina reached up and cupped his cheek. ¡°You were with me the entire time,¡± she reminded. ¡°It was not all me. I would not be here if not for you.¡±


    Nero shook his head. ¡°Riley and Katie did more than I did. I hate that I was not able to do more. I should have protected you better.¡±


    Karina bared her teeth at him. ¡°You did everything you could, you are not to blame for what happened,¡± she hissed. She took a breath and kissed him tenderly. ¡°But I did not mean about the birth, Nero. If it were not for you, I would have been pressured into a loveless bond or perished in the same spill that killed¡­¡± Karina bit her lip and looked away until she felt Nero squeeze her hand. ¡°You practically carried me all the way to your pod after it happened. You held me and cared for me and supported me even when I was not the nicest.¡±


    ¡°You were grieving,¡± Nero murmured.


    ¡°That is no excuse for how I treated you,¡± Karina refused. ¡°I love you, Nero. You owe me nothing. We brought our son into the world together, just as we have done everything else. Do not let what was beyond your control shadow that joy with guilt, because I have not questioned you or your role in his creation once. You are going to be an excellent father, Nero. Just as you are the best mate I could have ever hoped for; and the best friend.¡± She leaned forward and kissed him again. ¡°I love you.¡±


    ¡°I love you too,¡± Nero agreed. He smiled and she watched his attention shift back to his son. She hated that Nero felt such guilt over what happened, and she could not accuse him when she felt guilt too for not being stronger or able to help herself at that moment.


    But all that mattered now was that their son was strong and healthy and beautiful and that she and Nero were both here to watch him grow. This was her best life and she wanted to live it free of doubts over what could have gone wrong or almost happened. They were safe and happy, and she was going to treasure that.


    She smiled as she leaned her head back down against Nero¡¯s chest and closed her eyes with a contented sigh. Nothing had changed, and he always made her feel safe. Their son was safe, she was warm, and slumber was welcoming. Especially once Nero began to rub her scalp and purr.

 Special Announcements

    Karina hovered silently in the water, occasionally flicking the tips of her fins to keep herself upright. Nero had his arm wrapped loosely around her waist, and she hummed at the contact. They were both lurking near the mouth of the overhang of the sandbar. The reef stretched above and behind them, but this little nook was where Rebecca had set up. Ixion was sitting on the sand nearby, watching, while his mate hovered over the pale red tail of one of the young Mer children in the pod. Thearisin was squirming beneath her touch as she plucked the thin spines of an urchin from the fine, flaky scales of his tail.


    ¡°Ouch!¡± he squealed as she tugged on another one. ¡°That hurts!¡±


    ¡°It would hurt less if you would lie still,¡± Rebecca scolded him. Her tone was patient but firm, and it took all of Karina¡¯s willpower not to snicker. Nero¡¯s mother was incredibly bright and kind, but when it came to treating injuries and illnesses, she was unmoveable and a little scary.


    Thearisin was only six cycles old, but he had more energy and attitude than was good for him, and he puffed up his cheeks in response to Rebecca¡¯s reminder. ¡°It is hard to stay still when you are hurting me!¡± he complained.


    Rebecca¡¯s thin smile grew slightly and she flicked her tail so that her fin would bump against his head and muss his red-blond hair. ¡°I am helping you, not hurting you,¡± she corrected. ¡°And you should be glad. I am not the one who was tussling on the reef where I should not have been. You and Neric were warned several times to avoid that bit of the shelf and you did not listen. Now do you want the rest of the spines out or not?¡±


    ¡°But it will hurt,¡± Thearisin sniffled.


    Rebecca nodded. ¡°I know,¡± she agreed gently. ¡°But it will hurt more to leave them in. They might get infected and you do not want that to happen, right?¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Thearisin sniffled. He rolled back onto his belly and put his head down. Karina pursed her lips. While the child had been causing mischief, he now seemed so miserable that her heart went out to him. She could tell he was trying his best now to remain motionless as Rebecca pulled the last two spikes from his flesh, though he flinched each time.


    Once they were gone, Rebecca fussed over the slender limb for a few heartbeats more before pulling him up and shooing him out of the space. ¡°Go straight back to your father, Thearisin, and do not let me catch you or Neric anywhere near that side of the reef again or you will be much worse off than you were with those spines in,¡± she warned.


    There was no response other than a squeak as the young boy darted around Karina, his fins grazing her arm in his hasty retreat, and she could not stop herself from laughing this time. Her laughter caught Rebecca¡¯s attention and the Mer glanced up with a much softer smile. ¡°Karina, Nero, what are you two doing here?¡± Then her smile slipped. ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°Not at all,¡± Karina replied. She shifted out of Nero¡¯s grasp in favour of taking his hand instead. He kept pace with her as they ventured deeper under the overhang and settled in the sand. As soon as they were seated, Nero wrapped his arms around her once more and pulled her close. A hum rose in Karina¡¯s throat and she leaned her head back against his chest. The steady drumming of his heartbeat was always soothing, and Karina melted against her mate. His own purr rumbled against her cheek as he hugged her tightly.


    When she finally remembered they were in company, she glanced back to find Rebecca and Ixion sitting together and watching them calmly. Nero¡¯s parents were holding hands, and their tails were brushed against one another. Karina blushed and then smiled back at them.


    ¡°We came to share some news,¡± Nero reported after the silence had stretched. Karina gently swatted him for his bluntness. It was the primary reason they had sought out his parents, but he did not need to make it out like that was the only reason they might ever want to visit with Rebecca and Ixion. Nero merely shrugged sheepishly and grinned down at her in response.


    Thankfully, his parents did not seem bothered by the abrupt statement. Instead, Ixion gave them his calm, patient attention and propped himself up a little better. Meanwhile, Rebecca smiled and quirked a brow. Her grin was so wide and eager that her fangs showed clearly. ¡°Oh? What news is that?¡± she inquired.


    Karina¡¯s own smile slipped a little, though she was not truly disappointed or surprised at Rebecca¡¯s reaction. ¡°You already know¡­¡±


    Nero¡¯s mother shrugged and inclined her head. ¡°Tell me anyway,¡± she urged.


    Karina tilted her head back to gaze up at Nero. She was happy to share the news, but these were his parents and he deserved the right to announce it if he desired. He bent his neck and bumped their noses together with a hum. Then he dipped lower to press his mouth to hers and she purred as she leaned up into the kiss. ¡°I love you,¡± she mumbled against his lips.


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    He rumbled deep in his throat in response. A few heartbeats later, he broke the kiss. ¡°Tell them,¡± he whispered while wearing his usual half-smile. A sign of his level of comfort.


    Reassured, she turned back to the other two Mer. ¡°Nero and I are going to have a baby,¡± she stated. She felt heat rise to her cheeks and she tucked her head for a moment.


    While Rebecca had clearly already known, but her smile brightened further as Karina confirmed it, and she was by their sides in a heartbeat. ¡°Congratulations.¡±


    ¡°How did you know?¡± Karina asked.


    Rebecca clucked her tongue and shook her head so her short brown hair tossed side to side through the water. ¡°Karina, darling, you are anything but subtle,¡± she teased gently. ¡°Besides, I would make a poor healer if I did not recognize the glow of to-be parents, especially when they are my son and his mate. But it is wonderful news; you will both be wonderful parents.¡± His mother reached up and cupped Nero¡¯s cheek, then pressed a kiss to his browline. ¡°How long now?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Almost a moon,¡± Nero reported.


    ¡°And your fins?¡± Suddenly, Karina was the subject of Rebecca¡¯s attention once more, and this time the Mer had slipped into her more clinical healer¡¯s tone. It was decidedly best not to resist, so Karina pulled free of Nero¡¯s embrace just enough to sit up and roll her shoulders back to reveal the small, translucent fins beginning to grow at the sides of her chest.


    She remained still as Rebecca poked over her ribs and her belly, before sitting back with a content sigh. ¡°You are still in the early stages, but for a moon into a pregnancy, everything seems normal. You have not been feeling ill?¡± she checked.


    Karina shook her head. ¡°Just a little more hungry than usual.¡±


    ¡°That is normal,¡± Ixion added as he moved closer to join their cluster. ¡°I am sure Nero will have his hands full as you progress. There were times I thought I would lose a finger to a ravenous appetite.¡±


    ¡°Oh come off it,¡± Rebecca scoffed. ¡°I was not that bad! In fact, I remember having very little appetite.¡±


    ¡°The second time, yes,¡± Ixion agreed with a bit of a forlorn strangle in his tone. ¡°You were too sick for an appetite. But with Nero, you were unsatiable.¡±


    As they spoke, Nero pulled Karina close once more and his embrace tightened to an almost uncomfortable level for just a moment, but she did not protest. She enjoyed the proximity and she knew he took comfort and security in having her close, used her when he struggled. It was the vague mention of his sister that had spurred this. Nero was still reeling from that, and Karina could understand that loss all too well, so she simply hummed and rubbed circles over the bridge of his hand until he relaxed enough that his grip loosened. She was not ready to break their embrace, however, so she leaned against him and remained as she was. It earned her a kiss to the crown of her head and her mane quivered as Nero¡¯s nose brushed against it.


    She only pulled her attention away from her mate when his father leaned forward to embrace her. Ixion was a much larger Mer than Karina and she squeaked in surprise as she was pulled into a hug. ¡°Congratulations, Karina,¡± Ixion murmured. ¡°I know what this means to you and I wish you all the health and happiness through your pregnancy.¡±


    The lump that rose in Karina¡¯s throat and caused it to constrict nearly clogged her gills too, and she had to huff sharply to ease the tension. Her lip quivered and her eyes stung as she squeezed Ixion back. ¡°Thank you,¡± she gasped. ¡°To both of you. You gave me a home and I will always be grateful.¡±


    ¡°There is nothing to thank us for,¡± Ixion refused. ¡°You have brought love and laughter to our lives and to Nero¡¯s. There will never be any question about your place here.¡±


    Karina began to feel like an empty clamshell being tussled over by two young Mer as Nero practically snatched her back from his father and nuzzled against her gills. She giggled breathlessly and tried to strain against him as he held her. She was rewarded with tightened arms and a trail of kisses down her neck and across her shoulder. ¡°You gave me a home,¡± Nero reminded her. ¡°You saved my life, gave me a home, your friendship and your life, and now this¡­¡± His fingers brushed her belly as he trailed off. His voice lowered to a tone so soft even Karina could barely hear him from her spot against his chest. ¡°You are the brightest thing in my life and I cherish you.¡±


    Heat tingled in Karina¡¯s cheeks, but she ignored it and planted her hands against Nero¡¯s chest for better leverage as she pushed him backward into the sand. He was stronger than her, but rarely resisted, so she sprawled atop him easily enough and hummed. ¡°I love you too,¡± she agreed with a deep purr rising in her chest. Headless of the affectionate moment being on display, Karina tangled her fingers in Nero¡¯s dark, silky mass of hair as she leaned down and kissed him. Her gills huffed gently as she pressed more firmly against him and purred. His hands came up to cradle either side of her face. His palms had always been a little rough, not unlike the thick, stretched scales of his tail, but they were warm and his grip was tender, and Karina would never dream of pulling away from his touch.


    She knew Rebecca and Ixion were still there, and that it was perhaps rather rude what they were doing, as she and Nero were now ignoring his parents completely, but she was fairly certain they did not mind. Though she and Nero had been bonded for a few cycles now, her pregnancy made it feel brand new all over again and she could not help the level of affection she craved. She needed it, she needed him, and though neither of them had voiced the renewed desire, she knew he craved it too. So much could go unspoken between them now, they had reached a level of understanding of one another that things often did not need to be announced.


    So Karina kissed him. She kissed him because she loved and cherished him, but also because her life was so much better with him in it. She kissed him because he had given her a home, and although the sting of her loss would never truly fade, neither would the joy she felt at having a place with him. He had given her a home, his love and attention, and a family. A family that would soon be getting just a little bit bigger.

 Grief

    There was a sombre feeling squeezing at Karina¡¯s gut as she made her way over the cresting dunes where they were staying. The reef cut short on this particular shelf, leaving lots of sandy hills and swaying grasses in its wake. It had been just over a moon since she and Nero had joined up with his pod, and while the sting of her lost family was a wound that remained raw and bloody, she was beginning to settle in. His parents were nothing but welcoming and doted on her constantly and while she never felt the need to be spoiled that way, it did make her feel loved in a way she desperately craved. She had made a couple of friends, and it was gradually getting easier to breathe. But that did not mean that there were not new hardships they were facing, and Karina knew the pain twisting up in her belly was not entirely hers.


    As she swam over the final crest of a hill before the shelf sloped down and dropped off into a trench, Karina finally found her mate. Nero was sitting with his head bowed and his back slumped on the very edge of the shelf, with his tail dangling into open water. Karina¡¯s heart pinched at seeing him look so defeated. It was not a look Nero had often, he was always so strong and protective and sweet that seeing his pain felt like swallowing broken oyster shells. This was where the unease was coming from. He was in duress and they had both noticed an ability to sense it since their bond was forged.


    She hurried over to him and laid a splayed hand on his back. ¡°Nero?¡±


    When he did not reply, she twisted in front of him and dropped into his lap so that she could cup his cheeks and gently guide his gaze up to hers. The pain sparkling in his irises broke her heart further as she stared back at him.


    ¡°She really is gone,¡± Nero murmured finally. His voice was hollow and his eyes wide with a pale, gaunt expression. His sister.


    Karina leaned her head down until her forehead pressed to his and she hummed softly. There was not much that could be said about his situation. Reuniting with his family had not been without pain, and learning the fate of his younger sister had crushed Nero. For turns now, he had resisted the notion, argued and denied it and demanded an alternate explanation for what happened to her. Karina understood his grief and yearned to help him, but Nero had been unable to accept the truth. It seemed that it was finally sinking in and she knew it was going to be hard, but that he could heal. They could heal together.


    ¡°I wanted you to meet her,¡± he admitted.


    ¡°I know,¡± Karina agreed. ¡°I would have loved to. You always spoke so fondly of her. I can understand why you love her so much.¡±


    ¡°I failed her,¡± he growled. ¡°I should have been here.¡±


    Karina gritted her teeth and forced herself not to recoil. She knew Nero did not regret their bond and that he did not blame her, that he was in pain and blaming himself. ¡°There was nothing you could have done, Nero,¡± she whispered. ¡°It is tragic, but no one is to blame for it, least of all you.¡±


    He shook his head and his arms curled around the small of her back as he squeezed her to him. ¡°I am sorry,¡± he apologized. ¡°You are in enough pain that I should not be unloading this on you. Are you doing alright?¡±


    Karina shook her head and pulled out of his grip. She met his gaze with bared fangs and he flinched. She knew he was not used to this as she rarely showed her anger quite so aggressively. She had only ever hissed at him in the height of her blinding pain as he pulled her away from her home reef. ¡°No,¡± she snarled. ¡°You do not do that. We are mates, Nero, there are no secrets. You should not be hiding your pain or comparing our losses, that is not how it works.¡±


    Her anger fled her and she leaned back in to touch noses, and she stroked his cheek with her thumb. ¡°I love you, Nero. I appreciate everything you have gone through and had to put up with. I know I did not always treat you fairly while grieving and I will regret that as long as we live, but do not do this. We are mates, partners. We face everything together. That was what you promised me, that we would face every hardship and every trial, and experience every joy together. We will face your loss together too. Do not shut me out, please,¡± she whimpered. ¡°You do not have to protect me from it, there is no other place I would rather be than by your side, helping you overcome the hurt.¡±


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    His grip as he lurched closed and embraced her made Karina¡¯s ribs creak and bubbles puff from her lips, but she merely hugged him back and began rubbing his back around his dorsal. His body began to shake as he clung to her, and she began to hum softly in hopes of helping to soothe him. ¡°I am sorry. I did promise. Karina, I miss her so much,¡± he sobbed.


    ¡°I know,¡± Karina soothed. She continued to rub his back and though she was still perched in his lap, it felt more like she was cradling him as she turned her head and rested her cheek against his soft curls. ¡°She was your sister, Nero. You are always going to love her and miss her.¡±


    ¡°I promised I would always keep her safe,¡± he muttered. ¡°I promised the same to you, but I failed Kera. I failed her, so how long before I fail you too?¡±


    Karina pursed her lips and twisted to kiss the crown of his head. She hated that Nero was tearing himself apart like this. Did he not realize how much he was loved and how much she admired him? Nothing was going to shatter that. She took a breath. She just needed to remind him. ¡°You could never fail me, Nero,¡± she assured him. She lifted his chin until he was looking up at her and she smiled. ¡°I love you. I love you and cherish you and admire you, and you could never do a thing to change any of that. You are my heart, my soul, and my world. You will not fail me, and I will not fail you, because we are in it together. If we fail anything, it will be together. Just as we shall succeed together.¡±


    A few heartbeats passed between them in silence that was only disturbed by the few shaky inhales Nero took as he continued to cry. Karina hated seeing him in this much pain, but she simply continued to embrace him. She was learning from Rebecca that sometimes emotion had to flow. No matter how painful it was was, it could not always be stemmed. And Karina was more than willing to console her mate through his grief.


    When the tide of his emotion began to ebb, Nero grabbed Karina by her hips and rolled so that she was lying in the sand and gazing up at him. The weariness that showed on his face prompted her to reach up and cup his cheek. He leaned into the touch with a subdued hum. ¡°Do you feel any better?¡± she checked.


    ¡°I always feel better with you,¡± Nero assured her. ¡°Thank you¡­I-I miss my sister a lot now that she is gone, but I cherish having you to share life¡¯s burdens and triumphs with. I need you, Karina.¡±


    ¡°I need you too. But I am here for you, Nero. Please do not ever try to hide your heart from me like that. We need to support each other, always.¡±


    Nero hummed in the back of his throat and bowed his head to kiss her. Her fins curled as his mouth pressed to hers, but some small part of her could not help worrying. This felt more like him trying to be strong for her, and she did not want him holding his hurt inside.


    She slid her hands up his arms and pushed herself up, breaking the kiss in the process.


    ¡°Karina?¡± Nero queried. There was a frown on his lips and his brows had met over the bridge of his nose. ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    Karina shook her head. She cupped Nero¡¯s face on either side and pulled him down against her chest. Whenever she was distressed, Nero would cradle her against him and she would calm herself with the rhythmic sounds of his heartbeat drumming in his chest. She yearned to offer him the same now that he was the one in distress. She curled her tail around him and pulled him back into an embrace. ¡°Be at peace,¡± she murmured into his hair as she held him.


    Mates were always meant to support each other, but Karina had been starting to feel like a burden again with how heavily she was leaning on Nero. She knew he did not mind, but the opportunity now to support him for a change drove Karina¡¯s rumbling purr to be twice as deep. She was only spurred on further as he began to relax in her grasp and he matched her tempo.


    He laced his fingers through hers and squeezed. ¡°Where would I be without you?¡±


    ¡°The same place I would be without you. But I do not like to think about that.¡± Karina teased the fingers of her free hand through his hair. ¡°I am sorry about Kera, Nero. I wish I could have met her and I wish even more that you did not have to endure such grief. But she was lucky to have you as a brother, just as I treasure you as my mate. You are not a failure, Nero.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± he agreed. He leaned up and pressed a kiss to the side of her jaw. ¡°Because I have you.¡±


    Karina¡¯s purr grew stronger and she nuzzled him. ¡°And you always will,¡± she vowed.

 AU. A Fragile Fate: Part One of Three

    The sounds of her raspy, wheezing coughs were like broken seashell shards stabbing Nero¡¯s ears as he paced uselessly back and forth at the mouth of the small cavern where his mother did her healing. The pod had been in these cave tunnels for the past two moons, but they would have moved on by now if not for the current predicament Nero was facing now.


    Lying on the sand, with skin that had faded to a shade so pale her veins stood prominently against her skin, with sand tangled in her blonde tresses, was his heart and soul. Half a moon ago, Karina had taken sick. It started with some coughing and increased fatigue, but had worsened over time despite his mother¡¯s best efforts. Now, Karina¡¯s chest shook with every breath and her bright brown eyes were dulled and sunken into her skull, and every breath she took came with a painful rattling noise.


    It had been several turns since she had eaten anything, and her ribs were beginning to show awkwardly against her skin. It broke Nero¡¯s heart three times over to see her in this state, but there was nothing he could do to help her or ease her suffering and he hated it.


    When his mother rose from her kneeled spot beside Karina, Nero¡¯s pacing came to an abrupt halt and he followed her outside the small nook of a cave, desperate for answers about her recovery. But his mother remained silent and it made Nero¡¯s heart squeeze. ¡°Mother?¡± he prompted. He was unable to keep the needy plea out of his tone.


    When Rebecca turned to face him, her shoulders were slumped and her eyes were wide and hollow. She reached out to cup his face in her hands and her sorrow slammed into him as she shook her head. ¡°Oh Nero, I am so sorry¡­There is nothing more I can do for her now, except to end her suffering.¡±


    Nero¡¯s heart stalled in his chest and he shook his head. ¡°No,¡± he refused.


    The sympathy filling his mother¡¯s gaze hinted at her own pain about the situation. ¡°Nero, it is the kindest thing we can do now. She is in so much pain and she is not going to get better.¡±


    He knew it was not her fault, but he bared his teeth and snarled at her in response. ¡°No!¡± he repeated with his heart hammering in his chest. ¡°There has to be another option. You have to do more!¡± It was not fair to take it out on his mother, who had worked tirelessly since Karina¡¯s health had begun to decline, but his terror was taking root. He could not lose her. He could not imagine life without her.


    His mother sighed. ¡°I know you are scared, Nero, I know that this is hard. Losing a mate is an unimaginable pain that I would not wish on anyone, least of all my son, but that is what you are going to have to brace for. Nothing I can try or do has any effect, she continues to get worse. Karina is going to die, so I can allow her to struggle on until her heart gives out or I can end her pain more quickly. She is no longer conscious and not going to get better. I wish I had another answer, but there is only so much that remedies can do and Karina is beyond them now.¡±


    Nero¡¯s fingers curled into fists and he spun to slam his knuckled against the rock wall beside him. The skin of his knuckles split as he did, but he hardly noticed the sting as he slumped to the sand. ¡°I cannot lose her, mother. I just cannot. Please, there must be something? Anything at all?¡±


    He could not bring himself to look at her, but her silence answered his question for him. Nero dug his fingers into the sand and bit his lip against a scalding sob. It had been almost two cycles since he had brought Karina to his pod. She had finally been settling in and becoming comfortable with a place in their ranks and adjusting to all the travel. She was always so strong, never complained, tried to find reasons to be happy even when her pain was smothering. It was not fair that she was suffering so devastatingly now.


    ¡°Nero, I am sorry, but there is nothing left that I can do for Karina. You know that if there was, I would already be trying it. You need to go say goodbye to her now.¡±


    Nero shook his head and bared his fangs again. ¡°I will not quit on her,¡± he hissed. When his mother¡¯s brows furrowed together and her mouth opened, Nero felt a bubbling rage like none other he had ever known and his voice elevated to a shout. ¡°I will not give up on Karina!¡± Never in his life had yelled at his mother, but now he was twitching with stress and anger, with no other outlet.


    ¡°Umm¡­excuse me, I am sorry to interrupt¡­¡± a meek voice trailed off when Nero¡¯s attention snapped to its owner. The Mer before him was smaller, with broad hips and shoulders and a rosy complexion. She was wringing her fingers together and had her dark blue gaze averted from his attention. Her scales were a pale yellow, like the flesh of a banana, and a large, ribbed fin ran from the center of her shoulders, all the way down her tail where it tapered off at two nearly translucent tailfins, that were quivering as she lashed the tip of her tail to and fro. ¡°I am sorry, but¡­your mate¡­she is poorly?¡±


    ¡°She is dying,¡± his mother warned with a sharp edge in her tone.


    Nero continued to stare at the newcomer. She was not from his pod, nor had he met her before, but theirs was not the only pod settling in these caverns. ¡°Yes,¡± he answered. ¡°Do you know a way to help?¡± His heart drummed wildly in his chest as he posed the question. His throat was swelling shut with the desire to help his mate.


    The Mer dipped her chin into a low bob and chewed her lip. ¡°Perhaps, if your swimming is swift; but you may not like it.¡±


    Nero shook his head. ¡°Tell me,¡± he urged. ¡°Please.¡± He would do anything required of him if it meant Karina might recover.


    The Mer was stirring up silt with her nervous twitching, but Nero did not protest. He and his mother had been arguing when she had approached, and she looked barely out of adolescence. It had to be intimidating. ¡°A few cycles ago, my younger brother and I were separated from our pod. We were meant to be diving deep. There was very bad weather brewing. But it was sunny and Herogigne was restless. He swam off and I chased him. We should never have been so close to the shallows. When the wave hit, we were both caught up in it. It burst from the sea and ravaged the shores, pulling my brother and I along with it. I had not known the fear I did that day, nor have I since.¡±


    Nero dug his fingers into the muscle of his arm and gritted his teeth so that he would not cut her off and demand she reach her point.


    ¡°When the water receded, it left us stranded in the sun. I was bruised and bleeding from several lacerations caused by the debris the water picked up, but it was my brother that was truly hurt. I will never forget the sight of the long metal stick stabbed through his shoulder. It passed clean through him. He was bleeding heavily and his pained cries¡­I knew our parents were going to lose us both. Him first, and me later when the sun or the inhabitants of land finished me. But then land people showed up in this roaring white beast with a hollow belly. The brought us inside the beast and took us to a place where they cleaned and treated my injuries and removed the stick from my brother¡¯s body. There were other Mer there that assured me I had nothing to fear from these particular land people and that it was a safe place for us to seek medical care or a place to rest, that they had been at it for cycles and many Mer lived or frequented it. I have not been back since, but they are the reason that we both made it back to our pod,¡± she explained.


    ¡°They saved my brother from a wound that should have been fatal. Perhaps they can heal your mate as well, if you can get her there in time.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Rebecca hissed. Her tail lashed and she snarled at the newcomer. ¡°Begone with you and your tales of false hope. I do not understand your intent, but I will not allow you to coherce my son into such incredible danger on a flimsy hope that humans may save his mate.¡±


    ¡°I do not mean to offend, only to help,¡± the younger Mer protested. ¡°I understand if you do not want to take a risk and I cannot promise they can fix her, I just wished to share what I know so that you might decide. Maybe she does not have to die needlessly, but I am not a healer and she may be too far gone for all I know.¡±


    Nero pursed his lips and stared at his hands. He did not know how to feel. Any hope ¨C false or real ¨C was better than giving up and accepting the loss of Karina¡¯s life, but at the same time...Nero glanced back to where Karina was lying limp and unconscious. She had endured such a traumatic experience with humankind when she lost her pod that he wondered if it was too cruel to take her among them now. Especially if there was the risk they would be betrayed.


    ¡°What is your name?¡± Nero found himself asking the girl before he had made up his mind.


    ¡°Embreen,¡± the Mer introduced.


    Nero nodded. ¡°I appreciate you trying to help. Where can I find this place?¡±


    ¡°Nero, no!¡± his mother pleaded. She grabbed his arm and her eyes were wide with dismay. ¡°Please, I know you fear losing Karina. I do not wish that pain upon you either, but I cannot lose the both of you. You are my son, Nero. You just came back to us, please do not leave,¡± she begged.


    Nero shrugged out of her touch and cupped her cheek. ¡°I am sorry, mother, but I have to try.¡± He turned and swam back to Karina¡¯s side. His father was there, but when Nero met his gaze, Ixion merely nodded. He had heard, and understood. Nero forced a shaky smile in return and knelt by Karina¡¯s side.


    She was so weak and fragile that she weighed nearly nothing as he scooped her up and cradled her against his chest. She should have at least been a dead weight, but it was like holding nothing but bones. Her fins drooped from her tail and swayed with the current, and her sunny scales had lost their luster and begun to fall from her tail. If it were not for the faint rise and fall of her chest, Nero would have believed her dead already. He bowed his head and kissed her delicate lips while drinking in her scent. He had to fight past the acrid smell of disease to reach her natural arouma, one he had loved and grown accustomed to over the cycles. ¡°Just hang in there, Karina. I will not give up on you; I will find us some help, no matter what it takes,¡± he vowed.


    He lifted her from the sand and swam back to where his mother and Embreen were waiting. His mother¡¯s posture was slumped and she rubbed her arm awkwardly before reaching out to embrace him. She arched her spine to angle her body in a way that avoided pressing against Karina, and she kissed his cheek. ¡°Please be careful, Nero,¡± she begged. ¡°I will give Karina something to keep her strength up before you go. I understand why you must do this, I will not stop you, but please come back to us. No matter what, please come home.¡±


    Nero hummed in the back of his throat, then turned to Embreen once more.


    ***


    It had been a long journey and exhaustion clawed at Nero¡¯s muscles with icy talons as he finally approached the place where the continental shelf grew shallow and the land jutted up around him in tall cliffs and craggy inlets. He had swum steadfast for nearly eight turns now. He had stopped only at his most desparate intervals to rest briefly and forage a few mouthfuls of kelp or crustaceans if he could find them. Karina had spent most of the trip in a feverish state of unconsciousness. Occasionally she would stirr or struggle in his embrace, or murmur something incoherent. Once or twice, she opened her eyes, but they were glazed over and unfocused. He had gotten her to eat very little and her skin was very warm to the touch. He knew if he did not get her to a healer soon, there would be nothing left of his mate to heal.


    Embreen¡¯s instructions echoed in his mind as he swam further along the coast. He had already passed two of the three markers she had described to him, so he knew he was close.


    As he swam, Karina began to fuss again. She whimpered and her tail lashed, so Nero¡¯s grip on her tightened. Her gills were flared wide, but her chest was bobbing in rapid hiccups as she fought for breath. It spurred Nero to go faster as he finally found the correct inlet where a large tunnel had been carved through the rock of the cliff.


    Though under normal circumstances he would have been skeptical, Karina¡¯s ailments spurred him to abandon caution as he shot down the tunnel and up towards the surface when it finally opened up. There was still sand below them, but the walls on all sides of the basin they were in were not natural.


    Nero was surprised to find a group of Mer dwelling in the waters, but they all parted for him as he charged by. One kept pace with him as he streaked for the sloping ground that led to the surface. ¡°Are you new?¡± the older Mer asked as he matched Nero stroke for stroke. Nero nodded curtly, too tense to bother with words. ¡°She does not look so good,¡± the Mer observed. ¡°But do not worry too much, you will find aid here. Bring her to the surface.¡±


    The Mer broke away from him in favor of breaching the surface while still in deeper waters, and Nero winced as a piercing cry echoed through the room and rang in his ears like a danger signal. It began to ripple among the Mer and by the time Nero¡¯s tail dragged on the odd ramp and his head broke the surface, there was another Mer waiting for him.


    This one had a strange scent, like he had been on land for a long time. His tail was curled up beside him on the ground, but while his hair was dry, water was still dripping from his amber scales, so he had recently been at least partially in the water. There were deep lacerations on his three-point fin, and his torso was covered in a strange white and blue material. Nero would have liked to growl at him if it were not for the concerned look on the other male¡¯s face.


    His attention was solely on Karina, and he leaned closer to Nero for a better look and clucked his tongue. ¡°How long has she been sick?¡± he inquired.


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    Nero shook his head. Karina was shaking violently in his embrace and now that she was above the water, she felt much heavier to his exhausted muscles. Her lips were parted wide and she was gasping for each breath. ¡°Over a moon now,¡± he reported. ¡°Our healer did not know what to do. A passersby mentioned this place, I-I cannot lose her.¡±


    The Mer pursed his lips and winced. ¡°That is a long time for one of us to be sick and I have never seen a Mer this ill before. Injuries are easier for our people to recover from, but we will do what we can for her. My brother is on his way and he will help, but he is human. Despite any misgivings you might have, you are going to have to allow him near and to do what he needs to. The more time he spends trying to reassure you, the less focus he is giving her, and every heartbeat is going to count right now.¡±


    Nero hesitated, and in that moment, three humans came rushing up. On instinct, Nero shrunk back from them and pulled Karina closer to his chest. She was still fussing and wheezing for breath, and Nero was beginning to fear it was already too late.


    The humans had brought something with them. A long board perched on metal sticks and rocks that squeaked as they rolled. Then one of the three dropped to his knees in front of Nero and pulled out a long tendril with two branches that he parted to put in his ears before reaching out towards Nero. ¡°May I?¡± he asked in English. The language was foreign and it took Nero a moment to recall it enough to understand, but the human male¡¯s gesture towards Karina crossed all language barriers.


    Despite his uncertainty, Nero carefully held his grimacing mate out for the human to see. The man pressed the end of the tendril to Karina¡¯s chest and listened for a moment. ¡°Her heart is palpitating irratically, fever is high, restricted airway,¡± the man muttered as he inspected Karina. Nero did not fully understand everything the man was saying, but none of it sounded good. ¡°She needs to be on a ventilator. I¡¯m sorry, bud, but I¡¯m going to have to take her now, alright?¡±


    Every instinct within him was screeching at him to snarl at the man and pull Karina away, but he knew if he did, she would die. It made him nervous, though. As he hesitated, the other Mer opened his mouth as if to translate.


    ¡°I can understand him,¡± Nero stopped him. He bowed his head and stroked Karina¡¯s hair. She had fallen limp against him once more, but her breathing was incredibly rapid and shallow. He had come this far, he had already made his choice. ¡°Please be okay,¡± he begged her. ¡°I love you, Karina. Stay strong, everyone is waiting for us to return together. I need you.¡±


    ¡°Hey¡­¡± Nero looked up to see the human rubbing the back of his head. ¡°I know it¡¯s scary, but you have to let us do this. She¡¯s very sick and I¡¯m amazed that she¡¯s lasted this long. I don¡¯t want to distress you, but if I don¡¯t take her now, it¡¯s going to be too late.¡±


    As much as Nero was still wary about handing over his helpless mate to a stranger, a human one at that, he could not save her on his own and the fear of losing her was too great. Reluctantly, he sat up further and lifted Karina up out of the water. One of her arms dangled limply as the man accepted her from him and pulled her up. He twisted away from Nero and laid the girl out on the elevated board.


    ¡°Thank you for trusting us. We¡¯re going to do everything we can for her,¡± the man promised him.


    Then, just as quickly as they had come, the three of them raced away from the water with Karina in tow.


    Nero¡¯s heart seized in his chest and he began dragging himself from the water in order to follow them. He was so focused on his task that he nearly whipped around teeth first when a hand was laid on his dorsal, holding him back.


    The other Mer was staring at him with wide eyes and a slight frown. He shook his head. ¡°Stay here,¡± he urged. ¡°I understand that you are worried for her, but you will only be a distraction if you follow them. Carson will do everything in his power to eradicate the illness she is ridden with, but he can only do his job properly so long as he has the space and focus to do so. They are probably going to be a while. Rest here and eat something, regain your strength to better support her when she is going to need you. What is your name?¡±


    Nero sighed. He was tired and hungry, and the Mer¡¯s advice made sense, but that did not make it any easier to watch Karina disappear out of his sight. ¡°Nero,¡± he muttered finally to answer the question, though he felt in no mood to chat.


    The other Mer hummed. ¡°I am Azmexyoulnus, but I go by Az. I imagine someone urged you to come here when she fell gravely ill ¨C you have too much of a nervous, distrusting energy to have come here on your own ¨C but I assure you that she is in no danger. I have lived with Carson and our sister ¨C Devin ¨C since I was young. This whole place was built on the dream of bringing Mer and humans together. We have not been able to achieve that yet ¨C humanity is not ready to handle it as a whole ¨C but it has become a sanctuary for pods to rest on migration or to seek medial care or shelter from bad weather. Your mate is going to get the best care that we have to offer.¡±


    Nero hummed in the back of his throat so that Az would know he had been heard. He could not tear his gaze away from the direction they had taken Karina. He growled in frustration and his tail swished back and forth.


    ¡°Nero?¡±


    ¡°I need to be with her.¡±


    Az laid a hand on Nero¡¯s arm. ¡°Where have you come from?¡±


    Nero sighed. He really did not feel chatty. ¡°It is a blurr. Eight turns non-stop travel,¡± he admitted.


    ¡°That is quite the journey,¡± Az acknowledged. ¡°You must be exhausted. Please, I know you probably have reservations about us, but you need to eat and rest. You are no good to her if you collapse as well. That just stretches our resources thinner trying to care for you too.¡±


    Nero sighed. He accepted the logic, but it was hard to cave to it. ¡°I do not like being away from her,¡± he admitted after he realized his silence was more prolongued than appropriate. He was never very chatty and making friends was low in his priorities given the circumstances, but these people were offering him aid and he begrudgingly had to accept that he could not afford to offend them. Not when Karina¡¯s life potentially hung in the balance. ¡°I need to be with her. To know that she is alright.¡±


    ¡°Nero, she is not alright,¡± Az dropped. ¡°I am sorry, but she is very sick and Carson looked incredibly worried. He will do everything he can to help her, but we need to stay out of the way for now. As soon as he has her stabilized, he will come back for you and take you to her, alright? Then you can watch over her as long as you like. In the meantime, keeping your strength up would be the next logical step, yes?¡±


    Nero growled again, but caved. ¡°Yes,¡± he hissed.


    Though there was sympathy and understanding in Az¡¯s expression and tone, Nero¡¯s tightly wound nerves and exhaustion were only fueling his desire to snarl at the other Mer. He still felt Karina was all that mattered and the urge to remain by her side was only growing worse. Nero knew Az could sense his inner turmoil, and so could several others because another surfaced by his side merely heartbeats later.


    This Mer was much older, with soft, wisened lines carved through her cheeks and brow. Her hair was short and a bit wispy, with only the barest hints of fleeting colour remaining among the silver. She was unlike any other Mer Nero had ever met. Her skin was pale and veiny, with more soft folds where it hung loose on frail bones.


    But while she looked fragile, there was still solid muscle in her tail, the scales of which raced in rainbow swirls down the long, coiling limb. Irridescent purples, greens, yellows, and reds spun together in shimmering shades that made Nero¡¯s vision blur to look at for too long. Their colours had faded slightly with her age, but they were still disorienting. As were the large, translucent fins ¨C twice the size of any Nero had ever seen ¨C that rippled from her tail and down her spine in long, curved strips.


    Just by appearance, Nero would guess she normally dwelled in deeper, darker waters. Perhaps not quite the depths as he had heard the Mer there were spindly and they glowed, but this Mer was likely from somewhere inbetween the depths and the waters that saw the sun and moon. She reached out and laid a hand on Nero¡¯s forearm and though the touch was gentle, a shiver raced up Nero¡¯s spine as he stared into her slate gaze. It was a little chilling to see such dark eyes on an otherwise dizzingly colourful Mer. ¡°Nero,¡± she purred in a low, airy voice, confirming that she had been lingering and overheard. ¡°Come, child, we will get a meal into you and you will feel better once you have rested.¡±


    Nero began to shake his head. ¡°I do not-¡± he broke off as she began to growl.


    It was quiet and low in her throat, but the rumble was warning enough to make him falter. She patted his arm a few times. ¡°Now,¡± she urged. It was barely a whisper, but Nero stiffened as she spoke. He was healthy and well-trained, and would not bat an eye at a fight if it was required of him, and yet, there was something ominous about the elderly Mer before him that warned he would regret earning her ire.


    ¡°Moore, do not be so rough on him,¡± Az urged. ¡°His mate is in a poorly way.¡±


    Moore clucked her tongue and smiled at Nero. She was missing a few teeth, but her fangs still gleamed like ivory. ¡°We could all see how much you care for her. This is a safe place, but not one many newcomers find their way to lightly. It was a desperate gamble and you are brave for taking it. But your concern is no excuse to wither away into a shell too weak to be of any use to her, now is it?¡± she chastized. ¡°You know this already, so I expect that you will show control and come now. You need rest and not to be worrying those who seek to aid the Mer you love. Now come.¡±


    Nero hesitated once more and glanced at Az who merely grimaced and waved a hand. ¡°Best you go with Moore. You will know within a heartbeat if there is any news or changes regarding your mate.¡±


    There was no chance to argue before Moore¡¯s grip on his arm tightened to a vice and Nero found himself dragged off the slopping shore and back into the water with more strength than Nero could have ever guessed she could possess.


    Nero coughed at the unexpected shift from air to water, and shook himself. Now that he was below the surface once more, his head cleared a little and his body sagged with exhaustion. He was still fraught with concern for Karina¡¯s wellbeing, but much of his desperate adrenaline had faded now and his reckless race across the ocean was finally catching up with him.


    Moore patted his arm again and her fins slapped against his back to urge him forward. ¡°You see your foolishness now,¡± she scolded.


    It was not worth the effort to argue with her, Nero decided, so he followed her as she dove for deeper waters. Nero settled down on the floor of the basin with a sigh. Around him, a meal was being shared out among the others ¨C though he did not know if it was the merrits of a hunting party or if the humans in this place had played a hand in the food ¨C and a few heartbeats later, Moore was shoving a fish under his nose.


    ¡°Eat,¡± she ordered.


    Nero licked his lips and hummed his appreciation before accepting the offering. As tender as the meat was and as ravenous as Nero would normally be, his gut was in a knot and he could barely choke down two or three mouthfuls of flesh before the nausea forced him to abandon the effort.


    As he slumped down, Moore sighed and clucked her tongue. ¡°You have worn yourself ragged. It is commendable, but foolish. Perhaps a full belly should wait until you have had the opportunity to rest. Go to sleep now. It will help the time pass until you can reunite with your mate. What is her name?¡±


    ¡°Karina,¡± Nero mumbled as his head lolled to the ground.


    ¡°A lovely name,¡± Moore acknowledged.


    Her tailfins waved in Nero¡¯s face as she hovered over him and began pushing the tips of her fingers into his spine. Her nails scratched over his skin and Nero shuddered. It did not feel like what his mother would do to lull a sick or overworked patient, but it seemed to be what Moore was attempting. ¡°Moore, you do not need to-¡±


    ¡°Hush,¡± Moore interrupted. Her fins danced in front of Nero¡¯s gaze again. Though there was no colour to the membrane itself, it was laced with pulsing red and blue veins that were just as disorienting to the eye as Moore¡¯s scales.


    ¡°Are you a healer?¡± he murmured as the confusion lulled him deeper into a trance.


    Moore clucked her tongue. ¡°Not so much, young one. Just an old Mer with a few uses left out of some old hunting tricks. Rest now, and wake with the strength you need.¡±


    Nero¡¯s concerns were beginning to slip into the background and though he knew he should protest and seek out Karina, his exhaustion and the elderly Mer¡¯s efforts overruled the desires of his heart and mind, and he found his eyes sliding shut before he could process that he was falling asleep.


    ***


    When Nero finally awoke, he felt stiff. He had lain motionless too long, but was also feeling the effects of abusing his body the way he had. He groaned and slowly forced himself up onto one arm. After stretching the kinks out of his tail, Nero sat the rest of the way up.


    He had not woken on his own and found Az staring at him. The other Mer was waving his arms to and fro to help him balance. The gnarled scars on his fins gave Nero his answer before he could voice his question on why Az was not utilizing his tail for balance. The injuries likely still pained him.


    Under normal circumstances, with Karina by his side, Nero may have felt social enough to inquire about the other Mer¡¯s story, but for now, he was more concerned with why Az had woken him. ¡°Karina?¡± he demanded frantically.


    Az shook his head. ¡°She is no worse off than she was,¡± he assured him. ¡°But Carson has returned from treating her and I imagined you would wish to hear what my brother has to report.¡±


    Nero dipped his head and lurched up from the spot he was lying in. It would be rude to abandon the Mer who had come to rouse him and who clearly had some difficulties in the water, so Nero forced himself to find a little patience as he waited for Az and they surfaced together.


    Nero looked around. Moore was gone, as were many of the other Mer. A few were milling around in other pools, but the main basin had been deserted. Except for the human ¨C Carson ¨C who had taken Karina away earlier.


    The heartbeat both he and Az were out of the water, Carson smiled and extended his hand towards Nero. ¡°We didn¡¯t get a chance to meet properly before. My name is Carson and while I wish it were under better circumstances, I¡¯m glad to meet you. Do you speak English, Nero or would you prefer Az to translate?¡±


    Nero shook his head. Though he did not enjoy the idea of speaking the human¡¯s dialect, he knew that having Az relay would merely waste more time and he wished to know about Karina. ¡°I-I can speak it,¡± he agreed carefully. ¡°Karina, where is she?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s resting,¡± Carson replied. ¡°She¡¯s as stabilized as we¡¯re going to get her for now. She¡¯s wearing a special mask to help her breathe better and we¡¯re trying to keep her as warm and comfortable as we can, but I imagine proximity to you will help with both of those far better than anything we could attempt.¡±


    Nero¡¯s head bobbed. ¡°I wish to go to her,¡± he insisted. ¡°Will¡­will she recover?¡± His heart squeezed and he waited with bated breath for an answer he was not entirely certain he was prepared to hear.


    Carson¡¯s face pinched and he winced. ¡°I managed to get her temperature down for now, so she isn¡¯t in any immediate danger for the moment, but she¡¯s still very sick. She contracted a rather nasty virus that I have not seen behave like this in Mer before. It doesn¡¯t help that she was sick for so long, but it does seem like she¡¯s determined to hang around. She¡¯s stable for now and the rest will do her good in the meantime. I¡¯ve given her some powerful antibiotics, which are a strong medicine we have access to here. If she reacts well to them, she¡¯ll get better.¡±


    Nero nodded along slowly as he processed all the information being thrown at him. It was relieving to know that Karina was not in immediate danger of death any longer, but Carson''s last words struck a dark cord in Nero¡¯s gut. ¡°And if she does not react well?¡± he checked.


    ¡°We¡¯ll worry about that if it comes to it,¡± Carson decided. ¡°But I promise that we¡¯ll do everything we can to help her. No one here wants to see her die. Would you like to come see her now?¡±


    Nero dipped his head firmly enough that it made his neck ache, but he paid the discomfort little mind. All that mattered was checking on his mate.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to pick you up,¡± Carson advised. ¡°It¡¯ll be easier on both of us for me to carry you to her. Are you alright with that for now?¡±


    Unease prickled down Nero¡¯s spine, but he shoved it away and nodded again. He was not going to delay by refusing. Carson was quick but gentle as he hefted Nero off the ground. Nero could not help shifting his weight with discomfort as he began to yearn for the ground once more. It was unnerving to rely on someone else¡¯s balance and power to remain aloft and unharmed. But it was a small price to pay and as the man began to carry him deeper into the cavernous den, Nero¡¯s need grew. He had to see her, to know that she was going to be alright. He needed her to be alright. Karina was everything to him, and he would cling to this new hope until the bitter end if necessary.

 A Fragile Fate Part Two of Three

    Nero could not stand the constant beeping. It was a repetitive, lifeless sound that droned out of time to every rise and fall of Karina¡¯s chest. He could hardly stand to see his mate this way, so pale and limp. She had a strange, clear piece over her mouth and nose that fogged with her breath. The human man ¨C Carson ¨C had said that it was to help aid her breathing, but Nero hated it, just as he despised the tendrils they had stuck to her skin. They all fed back to the beeping box and Nero knew Karina would feel sickened further by it all if she were awake. Nothing made her more uncomfortable than straying into zones where ships passed overhead. All reminders of humanity made her shake. He only hoped he had not made the wrong choice in bringing her here.


    He reached out and took one of her hands. Lifting it from the soft surface of the elevated board, he began to stroke his thumb over the top of the smooth skin. She was breathing and her heart was beating, and for now, that was enough. He longed for her to wake, but at least she was clinging to life.


    Nero leaned forward and pressed his lips to her brow and tangled the fingers of his free hand in her hair while his other hand kept a hold of hers. ¡°I love you,¡± he whispered as he ran his fingers through her blonde tresses. They were dry and tangled and matted down with sand and sweat and sickness, but even with how bone pale and veiny her skin had become, even with the odour of death clinging to her, she was still beautiful. He could never look upon her and not find her so, but he wished for nothing more than for her soft brown eyes to open and meet his gaze.


    But she did not. Instead, her breath rasped from her lips and fogged the face covering she wore.


    ¡°Rest now,¡± he urged. ¡°Heal and come back to me.¡±


    There was no response, but Nero did not need one. He loved her and he knew that she loved him. And he had the faith that she would recover and open her eyes again, once she was strong enough.


    His gaze wandered to her other hand. It was just as limp, lying by her side, but it was the slender, clear tendril being fed into the back of her hand that drew his attention. He had snarled at Carson when he first discovered it. The man had stopped him from tearing it out. But Nero had relented upon the explanation that it was feeding Karina nutrients and medicines that she needed. She was not able to consume them naturally, so they needed to be provided more directly. He did not like it and Karina would like it even less, but he knew she had been too long already without proper sustenance to recover without aid. For now, she needed it, so he tolerated it with a lump in his throat.


    He shifted his weight to give her a bit more space. She was warm to the touch, with beads of moisture forming on her neck and brow, and though he always wanted to keep her warm, he knew she was still feverish and should not get too warm. There was not much room on their current perch, so he let part of the dark gray limb hang over the side.


    Using the corner of the material on their perch, he wiped her brow dry and then continued to stroke her hair.


    When Carson returned, Nero glanced up at him. Carson nodded in greeting and then moved around Karina¡¯s other side. He had the same tendril around his neck that he had used the first time. He pressed it to Karina¡¯s chest and held it there for a few heartbeats. Nero stared at him expectantly. ¡°Her heart rate is normal again,¡± Carson reported. ¡°Her breathing is deep, but I want to leave the mask in place for now, just in case.¡±


    ¡°She is getting better?¡± Nero pressed.


    Cason remained silent for another few heartbeats while he pressed the back of his hand to Karina¡¯s brow. ¡°Still warm. This is one hell of a fever she¡¯s fighting off, but it does seem to be breaking slowly. She is recovering, it¡¯s just going to take some time.¡±


    Carson stepped away and started rummaging through things in various wooden crevices that Nero did not fully understand. His eyes narrowed with concern as the man pulled out something with a very sharp point. He proceeded to fill it with fluid, but when he turned back towards Karina, Nero growled and bared his teeth.


    ¡°Relax, it¡¯s alright. I¡¯m not going to hurt her, Nero. I just need to give her another dose of antibiotics. The fever needs to break if she¡¯s going to actually get better. This will help with that.¡±


    Nero hissed and lashed his tail, but he knew everything up to this point would be pointless if he refused Carson¡¯s aid now, so he caved.


    Even still, Carson remained motionless before he smiled softly. ¡°I know it¡¯s required a lot of blind faith for you to trust us, Nero. I appreciate your patience.¡± He leaned over Karina, but instead of pricking her, he stuck the sharp tip of the object into the clear tendril already in her hand.


    Nero held his breath as Carson gave Karina the medication. It was foolish of him, he knew that no medicine existed that could work instantly, but he still found himself hoping for a reaction from his mate. He slumped when there was none.


    ¡°She is getting better, Nero. I know she¡¯s still pale, but her colour has improved, she¡¯s breathing normally, and her fever is finally starting to break. She just needs to rest, so it¡¯s just going to take some time, alright?¡±


    Nero nodded. He accepted everything Carson was saying. It was not the man¡¯s words that were shadowing his mind with doubt, but rather the uneasy scent that Carson was trying to conceal from his tone. ¡°If she is getting better, why do you sound so worried still?¡±


    Carson began rubbing the back of his neck as he studied Karina. ¡°I¡¯m using the antibiotics to keep her fever at bay so that Karina can fight her illness better. They¡¯ve been used a lot for human patients¡­but never on a Mer. I¡¯m just not sure if there will be any side-effects or not.¡±


    ¡°What sort of side-effects?¡±


    Carson shrugged. ¡°If there are any, hopefully it won¡¯t be anything worse than some headaches or nausea,¡± he explained.


    Nero pursed his lips. ¡°But you are not sure how bad it could be?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m worried.¡±


    He grimaced and glanced back down at Karina¡¯s slumbering form. Her brows had furrowed as though plagued by an unpleasant dream. Nero picked her hand up once again and gave it a squeeze.


    As he did, the furrow in Karina¡¯s brows deepened and she frowned. Her lips pursed and her nose wrinkled, and she began to murmur in her sleep.


    Nero tightened his grip on her hand and leaned over her. ¡°Karina?¡± he called softly.


    ¡°Nero¡­it¡¯s probably important to keep in mind that the first time she wakes up, she might not actually be awake,¡± Carson warned. ¡°She¡¯s still got a fever; she might not regain full consciousness and might be confused or fall back asleep. I just don¡¯t want you to get your hopes up or panic.¡±


    Though he heard him, Nero ignored Carson. Karina was more important at the moment. ¡°Karina,¡± he urged again while stroking her hand. ¡°Wake up.¡±


    As if she had heard his request, Karina¡¯s eyes slowly fluttered open. The soft brown irises were unfocused and glossy. Her lips parted as if to say something, but then her eyes rolled back in her head and she slumped back down as they closed once more.


    Nero sighed. He was glad she was recovering, but it had been so much longer than Carson knew since he had last seen his mate open her eyes and truly see him. The last few times she had been so feverish, she was delirious. He was beginning to miss her terribly despite their current proximity. Karina chased away the loneliness in Nero¡¯s heart and she had become the source of his bravery and joy since she had come into his life.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Nero,¡± Carson offered.


    Nero shook his head. She had opened her eyes. He was disappointed, but that had been improvement enough to rekindle the hope in his heart. So long as she was alright, he would wait as long as he needed to. ¡°She is healing,¡± he agreed. ¡°Thank you¡­I¡­I do not know what I would have done¡­I cannot stand the idea of losing her. I am in your debt.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Carson refused. ¡°There Is no debt to be paid, Nero. This is what we do.  You owe us nothing. We just want to offer your people a safe refuge to rest and seek aid if required.¡±


    Nero nodded. He appreciated their kind gestures, but it was hard to tear his gaze away from Karina. Her face was still scrunched up and he could hear her heartbeat speeding up. Not erratically, but it was indicative that she was awake ¨C just perhaps not enough to fully rouse ¨C rather than the slow, rhythmic beats she would have if she were still ensnared by slumber. He was hoping she would open her eyes again, for longer this time.


    Carson seemed to sense his distraction because he fell into silence too. He did not seem inclined to leave, but Nero could not be bothered to request he go. He did not care if the man lingered quietly. It was probably best to have the human healer nearby in case Karina took a turn for the worse, though he desperately hope that would not become necessary.


    A sharp knocking at the entrance to this particular section of the human den made Nero¡¯s head shoot up to examine the newcomer. Az and a human woman who bore a striking resemblance to Carson both lurked in view. ¡°Devin, Az,¡± Carson greeted. ¡°Is everything alright?¡±


    Devin dipped her head and smiled, though her attention was on Nero. He held it in return. ¡°I¡¯m sorry we haven¡¯t had the chance to properly meet yet. I¡¯m Devin, Az and Carson¡¯s sister. Would you be alright with us coming in?¡±


    Nero held her gaze a moment longer before he nodded. She seemed genuine enough and he had already given trust to these people to help his mate. ¡°I am Nero,¡± he returned the introduction. ¡°This is Karina.¡± As he said her name, Nero returned his attention to Karina. It was easier now to notice the colour returning to her skin and she did not feel quite as warm to the touch. Whatever medicines Carson was giving her, they were working.


    ¡°It¡¯s lovely to meet you, Nero,¡± Devin responded as she came further into the space. ¡°Az and I figured there probably wasn¡¯t much in the way of lunch happening in here, so we brought some down.¡±


    ¡°Thanks guys, you didn¡¯t have to do that,¡± Carson replied.


    Nero saw Devin offer her brother some sort of strange smelling food that Nero did not recognize. It was square and white, with what looked like leaves and smelled of meat poking out from the sides. It only held his attention for a moment before Az set a rounded vessel down on the perch. It had the sharp scent of fish, and was filled with small pieces floating in a pinkish liquid. Nero glanced at the other Mer with furrowed brows.


    ¡°You should eat,¡± Az urged. ¡°I figured you would not enjoy your meal hot, but you did not seem to handle a full, rich meal earlier either. This should be easier to down. Just hold the bowl and tip it,¡± Az instructed while providing a demonstration.


    Nero picked up the ¡®bowl¡¯ and found it smooth and strange in his hands. It had the texture of well-worn stone but was far more brightly coloured than any rock he had ever seen. He sniffed the mixture within hesitantly before mimicking Az¡¯s earlier actions and tilting the bowl so that he could drink the contents. The fish chunks were small enough that Nero did not feel it necessary to chew, and once he had swallowed the first mouthful, his hunger urged him to drain the contents as quickly as possible. When he set it down once more, he noticed all three sets of eyes on him, and he flushed. ¡°I apologize,¡± he coughed. He wiped some residue dribbling down his chin with the back of his hand.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be,¡± Devin refused. ¡°We get it. You¡¯ve pushed yourself too hard. Are you still hungry? We can get some more.¡±


    Nero shook his head. ¡°No. Thank you, but I am fine.¡± He shifted awkwardly. He usually did not enjoy this much interaction with others. At least, not without Karina engaging with him. She was the talkative one, so it always felt more comfortable with her around. But she had nothing to contribute while still unconscious.


    ¡°Here, you should try this,¡± Devin suggested as she held out another vessel. This one was smaller than the bowl, with a more oblong shape, but seemed to serve the same purpose. There was a dark mixture inside and steam wafting off the surface.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Nero inquired.


    ¡°Coffee,¡± Devin supplied. ¡°It¡¯s good for feeling a bit more energized when you¡¯re tired. No offense, but you look about ready to drop, but I don¡¯t imagine we¡¯re going to convince you to sleep right now, so you should have something to give you a little boost. I¡¯ll warn you though, it¡¯s got a strong taste. I haven¡¯t yet met any Mer who are fond of it.¡±


    Nero hesitated for a moment more before reaching out and cautiously accepting the warmed vessel from Devin. He sniffed it and his nose wrinkled. He knew she said it was strong, but it smelled foul. Surely there was no benefit to drinking it, yet Carson and Devin each had vessels of their own with the same sharp smell. He grimaced, but supposed it might be like medicine, which was rarely pleasant but necessary.


    Reluctantly, he tipped the vessel close to his lips and drank far more hesitantly from it. It was hot, but not enough to scald, though the taste was sharp enough that Nero clenched his teeth to keep from gagging. It was not a pleasant mixture, but he was tired and if it would help him be more focused, it was worth the unpleasantness, so he decided to get it over with as quickly as possible.


    It burned at his throat to tip the vessel once more and drink it just as rapidly as he had the food, but at least it got rid of the nasty liquid faster. Still, he choked and shook his head to adjust to the lingering taste on his tongue as he set the vessel down. He was glad to be rid of it.


    ¡°You took that like a champ,¡± Carson congratulated. ¡°But as a doctor, I do have to recommend sleep over caffeine. You should rest. If not now, soon.¡±


    Nero shook his head. ¡°Not until I know she is alright.¡±


    ¡°Nero¡­Karina could sleep for hours still. All day, perhaps. It¡¯s probably better that you get some sleep now, while you have the chance.¡±


    Nero shook his head once more. ¡°She will wake soon, I can sense it.¡±


    He noticed Devin and Carson exchange a look. ¡°Nero¡­I admire your dedication and I know you¡¯re desperately hoping for that, but she¡¯s going to need more time to recuperate, surely?¡± Devin pushed.


    ¡°Actually, Nero is right,¡± Az rebutted. ¡°I can sense it too.¡±


    Nero nodded his thanks and then returned his attention to his mate. Her face was all squished up with deep frown lines and she was beginning to shift on the perch. Her fins flicked and her head tossed from one side to the other as she began making muffled murmuring sounds once again. He squeezed her hand once more and then wondered if that was the catalyst, because her eyes snapped open and she shot upright with a gasp that pulled the face-covering off her mouth. It dropped to dangle around her neck. Nero had to rear back to avoid a head on collision with her, but afterwards, leaned in close to catch her as she swayed and nearly fell back over.


    She groaned and brought a hand up to her head to shield her eyes. It was bright in here and he imagined that was not helping after how long she had been asleep.


    ¡°Karina,¡± he breathed. Her scent was so much better now that she was awake. There was still some lingering fever-smell, but it was far weaker. She was going to be okay. His heart surged and he leaned in to press his lips to hers while clinging to her desperately. He wanted to squeeze her to his chest, but he did not want to risk hurting her. She was probably still feeling fragile.


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    She pressed her hands to his chest, but when she began pushing at him, he grew concerned that he was hurting her. Or overstimulating her. He broke the kiss and released his grip so that she could pull away. Her eyes were wide and she looked confused and disoriented, and she was trembling. He worried she might topple over again. As her shaking morphed into fear, a whimper tumbled from her lips and she began frantically tearing at the mask still hanging around her neck until she was able to pull it over her head and discard it.


    When she noticed Devin and Carson, she sunk low on the perch and bared her fangs. It was a surprisingly aggressive reaction for his mate, who was usually slow to anger and even slower to show it, but now she hissed openly. But there were tears in her eyes and Nero knew she was just terrified and confused.


    She began pulling at all the little tendrils stuck to her skin before she noticed the one in her hand and whined again. As her hand moved to tear it, Carson shouted in protest. ¡°No, leave that in¡­Nero, stop her or she¡¯s going to bleed.¡±


    Nero lurched forward and grabbed Karina¡¯s hand. ¡°Karina, it is alright,¡± he urged her, while his heart raced. ¡°Look at me, you are alright. They are not going to hurt you, I promise.¡±


    But his words did not earn him the reaction he was expecting. Instead, Karina¡¯s eyes grew wider and she bared her teeth at him. The tears watering in her gaze began to spill over and she tugged at the hand still in his grip. ¡°W-who are you?¡±


    Nero faltered at the broken question that spilled in terrified clicks from his mate. His heart stalled and his grip loosened enough for her to pull away. How could she not know?


    As soon as she was free of him, Karina tore the tendril from her hand and yelped as blood began to flow down her fingers.


    ¡°Karina,¡± Az whistled. ¡°You do no know me, but my name is Az and I need you to listen. I know you are afraid, but we do not want to harm you. Put pressure on your hand for a few heartbeats and the bleeding will stop. I need you to just breathe, okay? I know this is probably very overwhelming, but you have been very ill, and you are probably feeling very weak and confused because of it.¡±


    ¡°W-where am I?¡± Karina stammered, but at least she listened about her hand. It was concerning to see the red fluid staining her skin.


    Nero opened his mouth to respond, but Az held up a hand and cut him off. ¡°That is a little tough to answer,¡± Az admitted. ¡°But I promise that you are in no danger. This is Devin and Carson, and I know that you probably feel uneasy because they are human, but they are not a threat to you. Carson is a healer, he has been working very hard to help you get well. You are in a place on the shore that is here to provide care and shelter to our people, but you are not trapped here. Can you tell me what you remember?¡±


    ¡°I¡­I do not know¡­My head is fuzzy¡­I-¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Az soothed. ¡°Just take a few breaths and try to relax. Do you know who this is?¡± When Az gestured to him, Nero made sure to soften his posture despite his shock as he met Karina¡¯s gaze. It caused his heart to clench painfully in his chest when she stared at him with a mix of terror and a blank lack of recognition.


    After a moment, Karina shook her head. ¡°No. No, I do not¡­.no. No, no, no, no, no, no,¡± she began to tremble again while clutching her head.


    ¡°Az,¡± Carson called. ¡°Fill us in?¡±


    Az shook his head and held up a hand, so Carson fell silent once more. ¡°Karina, breathe,¡± Az urged. ¡°It is going to be alright. This is Nero¡­he brought you here because you so sick. Does that sound familiar?¡±


    When Karina shook her head again, Nero chewed his lip. He could not sit idly while she was so afraid. He did not understand what was going on, but he had to fix it. He reached out to lay a hand on her scales. ¡°Karina, I-¡±


    She jerked her tail away from him as soon as he made contact, and shrunk lower. Now her eyes blazed with a mix of fear and anger. ¡°You brought me here? Why? Who are you? Why would you do this? I¡­I have to go, I have to get back to my pod,¡± she whimpered. ¡°I should not be here, they will be so worried. I have to go.¡±


    Horror flooded Nero¡¯s veins as he listened to her words. His gut flipped. She did not remember him at all? And she did not know about her pod¡­It had been hard enough the first time, how could he break her heart all over again?


    But before he could say anything, Karina lurched forward and then pulled short as she realized that the drop from their perch to the ground was not insignificant. ¡°I-I need down. I-I want to leave, please,¡± she pleaded.


    Az nodded. ¡°I know,¡± he agreed. ¡°But I beg of you to be patient. I know you are worried and it is understandable that you desire to return to your family, but you are in not in any condition to travel. You are still sick and you have not had any proper food or rest. You need to stay here and recover before attempting a journey. Nero had to bring you a long way.¡±


    Karina shook her head. ¡°No¡­No, he cannot¡­I cannot¡­I have to get home,¡± she sobbed. She began pulling at her hair. ¡°I should not be here, this is wrong¡­we do not travel. I have to get back to my family, please.¡±


    Nero gritted his teeth together. He needed to remind her. He reached forward again. ¡°Karina, I know you are confused, but please, just look at me. I would never hurt you, you know that. We are bonded.¡±


    It was the wrong thing to say because Karina¡¯s eyes widened further and she jerked back once more. ¡°No. No, I have no mate. I would know a partner, I would. Why are you doing this? Why did you take me from my pod? What did you do to me?! Just¡­just stay away. Get away from me, all of you. I¡­I¡­I¡­¡± The stress was likely what overwhelmed her, but Karina¡¯s eyes rolled in her head and she slumped down. She did not fall entirely unconscious, but her voice died away with a croak and her trembling worsened.


    ¡°Az, we could really use an update,¡± Devin warned.


    Az sighed. ¡°She does not know him,¡± he replied in English. ¡°She has no memory of Nero, of coming here. She wants to go back to her pod and she does not trust us. Claims she does not have a partner.¡±


    Devin¡¯s gaze steeled and she glanced at Nero. ¡°Alright, you need to come with me for now,¡± she decided. ¡°Right now, before things get even more out of hand.¡±


    Nero shook his head. ¡°I am not leaving her! What is going on? Why does she not remember? I have to stay with her.¡±


    Devin shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Nero, but I wasn¡¯t asking. You need to understand, there are two possible situations here right now. Either she is disoriented and suffering from amnesia either from the medication or the sickness, which I¡¯m more inclined to believe, or she¡¯s telling the truth and doesn¡¯t know who you are and doesn¡¯t have a mate. Now, while less likely given the circumstances, because there is a possibility of that, I have to give that option more credit because it puts her in danger. Which means I need to remove you from the situation until we can get her calmed down and gauge what¡¯s really going on. If you care about her, you¡¯ll be glad that we¡¯re going to put her safety first. I need you to come with me, alright?¡±


    Nero wanted to protest, to snarl and refuse, and pull Karina close to him until he was able to quell her shaking and soothe her fears. She was alive¡­but this still felt like he was losing her. But as he stared up at Devin¡¯s determined gaze, he knew that she was right. She was wrong, Karina was his partner and no amount of disorientation could change that. But she was right that if Karina was in a bad situation, he would want them to put precedence on her safety and well-being.


    As much as he hated to leave her, he respected the reason. ¡°Alright,¡± he caved. ¡°I will leave, but I will not go far, and Az needs to stay with her. Karina does not know English and is very skittish around humans. It was what made the decision to bring her here so hard.¡±


    ¡°I will stay,¡± Az agreed.


    Carson stepped forward and helped Nero down off the perch. Nero glanced up at Karina. She seemed to have gone into a withdrawn state of shock, because she was hugging her tail and her eyes were wide but stared off at nothing in particular and she was still shaking like a strand of kelp in a current. ¡°Karina,¡± he called up. She did not react, but he had to hope she was listening. ¡°Karina, I do not understand what is going on. I am frightened too, but you need to know that I love you. Please be okay. Get better and come back to me¡­I still need you,¡± he pleaded. He got no response, so he swallowed the lump in his throat and began dragging himself from the space.


    Once Karina was out of sight, he leaned up against the wall of the den, heedless to the pressure it put on his dorsal, and coiled up. He had started to shake too, and no matter how hard he tried, it only worsened when he tried to make it stop. The tears that had been watering in his gaze finally began to spill over as his emotions overflowed. His shoulders shook and his breathing turned from steady to short, frantic bursts, but he bit his lip to keep his sobs from escaping to echo through the den.


    He did not understand what was going on. Karina had fought so hard through her illness and he had given everything he had and then some to make it this far, to save her. How was it possible that she could forget him? They were mates, that bond was stronger than anything else. And yet, when she had looked at him, she had looked through him with such distrust that he had never seen from her before. Even when they had first met, she had been full of energy and curiosity, and her radiant smile had been one of the first things he had seen when he woke after his injuries.


    The girl he loved, cherished above all else, who lit his days and nights with joy and love, had looked at him as though he were a monster, not just a stranger. Even when he had kissed her, she had pushed him away and recoiled from his touch like it brought her pain.


    He hugged his shoulders and dug his nails into the flesh. He had done everything he could, but he had still lost her. Lost her in a way he could not have imagined was even possible. Lost her to her own lost memories. And now, there was not the comfort of their bond to shield her from the truth. She would learn of her pod all over again and feel utterly alone. The idea of her enduring further suffering needlessly and by herself made him nauseous. He had to find a way to help her remember. There had to be a way for her to regain what she had lost.


    As he cried, Nero failed to notice Devin approaching until she had crouched beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Hey¡­Oh, Nero, I¡¯m so sorry. I hope you understand why I did that. I don¡¯t believe that you hurt her or abducted her or that that you aren¡¯t mates, but she¡¯s very scared right now and clearly your presence is making her uneasy. It¡¯s to be expected. If she has no memory of you, that doesn¡¯t mean your bond was severed. It¡¯s still there, she¡¯ll still feel drawn to you. But for her, you¡¯re a stranger and that has to be terrifying, to feel tethered to someone you have never met. I have to put her security first, but we¡¯re going to get it sorted out, alright? I know this has been rough on you, but just tough it out a little longer.¡±


    Nero took a breath. ¡°I understand why you did it. It is why I did not resist¡­Devin, how has she forgotten me? We have known each other for cycles now. How could that be erased? She is my mate, how could that all be gone¡­.will¡­will she remember?¡±


    Devin winced. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Nero. When she¡¯s a little stronger and we¡¯ve gotten her fears eased, Carson can run some tests. If it¡¯s just because of the medication, then it¡¯s probably only temporary. But with how sick she was and for how long¡­it could have caused some damage to her brain and in that case¡­it could be a more severe case of amnesia. Only time will tell.¡±


    Nero growled and clenched a fist. He slammed it down against the ground as more tears fell. He had hoped desperately all this time that she would open her eyes. Now, all he craved was for the smallest flicker of recognition in them when she looked at him.


    ¡°Nero¡­¡±


    But Nero shook his head as Devin tried to say more. ¡°No. Please, just¡­leave me be. Help her. Karina¡­she must be so frightened and hurt¡­I need her. I do not know how it is possible that this has happened, but she has to be okay. There is so much that¡­If I cannot be there for her, she needs someone else. Help her.¡±


    ¡°We will,¡± Devin agreed. ¡°But it¡¯s not just her that needs help right now.¡±


    ¡°I am fine,¡± Nero resisted.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not. And even if you were, I still need you to come with me. We need to talk.¡± She set something down in front of him. It was blue and square, and perched on four stones that swivelled and rolled a little as she released it.


    ¡°What is that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s to make it a little easier for you to get around,¡± Devin explained. ¡°So you don¡¯t have to drag yourself.¡±


    ¡°I do not wish to go anywhere,¡± Nero refused. ¡°I want you to help her, not me. And I may not be able to be with her right now, but she is still my top priority and I do not want to stray far.¡±


    ¡°Nero, I cannot offer much help to Karina. If she doesn¡¯t understand English, then Az is far better to communicate and I¡¯m not a doctor like my brother. But I can help you, and you can help me too. Karina is going to be fine. Az will talk her down and Carson is going to give her something to keep her calm. Nothing to knock her out or that will hurt her, but will just help suppress some of the stress so that she can rest. But if she does have amnesia, we might be able to use some of her more powerful memories to help her remember. But we don¡¯t know anything about her, you do.¡±


    Nero shook his head. He did not want to discuss Karina¡¯s life. Not like this, not yet. ¡°What is amnesia exactly?¡± he asked instead. ¡°I do not understand why she does not remember.¡±


    Devin sighed. She leaned against the wall and slid down it until she was sitting beside him with one arm resting on her bent knees. ¡°Amnesia is a condition that effects the brain, Nero. Usually, it affects memory retention. Some people can¡¯t form new memories, others forget things from the recent or distant past, it all depends. There are a lot of things that can cause it, but in Karina¡¯s case, I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s related to her illness. She was feverish and sick for such a long time that it¡¯s probably had an effect on her brain and it isn¡¯t dealing with the stress very well.¡±


    Nero frowned and twisted his fingers together. He did not comprehend everything Devin had said, but he understood enough. ¡°Will she get her memories back?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Devin admitted. ¡°I¡¯m optimistic, but there¡¯s no guarantee. Most people with amnesia do remember their own identities, and if she remembers her family, that¡¯s a good sign. It just depends on how severe the damage was. She could regain her memories when she gets better or she might not. You might have to find a different way and reintroduce yourself and your life together to her all over again. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Nero shook his head. ¡°It is no fault of yours.¡± He took a breath. Karina was alive and there was a fair chance she would remember. If not¡­he took another breath and let it out slowly. That would be harder. But he loved her. If she did not remember, things would be different for a while, but they could figure out a way to live with it. They were bonded and nothing would change that¡­Nero¡¯s brow furrowed and his heart squeezed in his chest. ¡°Devin¡­Karina and I¡­are we still mates? Our bond should be permanent, powerful¡­strong enough to survive something like this and yet¡­she looked through me with so much fear¡­she was afraid of me, she did not know me. She should have. She should have known me, known our bond, even if she did not remember me. How could it have severed that?¡±


    He stared at his hands. He loved her, but they had not had a good first impression this time around. He was not confident she would be as receptive to rekindling a bond with how frightened she had been of him. But he could not bear the idea of losing her. Especially not like this.


    ¡°I only know so much about how mate bonds work, but I don¡¯t think it was severed. I think it¡¯s been twisted up.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I just mean that who we are is mostly made up of our memories and experiences. We know the foods we like because we¡¯ve had them before, learn to avoid things that are harmful through the pain we feel or see. Your bond hasn¡¯t broken, it¡¯s still there. She still has that powerful connection to you. It¡¯s just that now, she has no association for it. If she doesn¡¯t remember you at all, then she doesn¡¯t have any of the memories or experiences that helped forge that bond. Everything that filled it with love and happiness isn¡¯t available to her mind anymore.¡±


    ¡°I do not think I understand,¡± Nero admitted.


    Devin hummed and redirected her gaze up. Nero followed it, but saw nothing save the den roof. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s put it a different way. Say that someone you love were to tie a tether to your arm and theirs. Now, maybe they did it so that you couldn¡¯t be separated in a storm or something. It¡¯s a good thing and you feel safe because you trust them. But now let¡¯s say you were to forget everything about that person. All the memories, experiences, all the emotion attached to them was suddenly gone, but the tether remained. Now, instead of a comfort, it might be a concern. Why is it there? Who is this person? Do they mean me harm? Those might be the types of thoughts that might arise. Your bond is still there, but it¡¯s like a tether. And for Karina ¨C who doesn¡¯t know you right now ¨C that¡¯s probably quite frightening. She knows it¡¯s there, but she doesn¡¯t know why or how.¡±


    ¡°And that was why she was so afraid,¡± Nero acknowledged. He swallowed the lump in his throat and took a few shaky breaths to settle the nausea squirming in his gut. He never wanted to insight unease in his mate and Devin¡¯s explanation worried him. If what she said was true, it meant that now the only true association Karina had with him was one of confusion and fear. It made him desperate to return to her side and make it right. ¡°I need to go back to her.¡±


    He was not expecting Devin to agree when she had been so insistent earlier, but Nero still had to dig his fingers into his arm to keep from bristling as she shook her head. ¡°I know you¡¯re worried, and I can¡¯t tell you what to do, but it really is important that we keep you apart right now. Nero, I believe you, you¡¯ve done absolutely nothing to earn distrust. But I hope you understand ¨C as rare as it is ¨C we have heard about instances where one-way bonds have formed and driven Mer crazy. There have been abduction instances and because of that, we have to give Karina the benefit of the doubt because of that.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Nero agreed. ¡°I understand it and I do not want to risk frightening Karina further, but it is hard to be separated from her. I thought I was going to lose her and it is horrifying to know that I still might, just in a different way.¡±


    When Devin placed a hand on his shoulder, Nero had to fight the urge to jerk away. He knew she was trying to be kind and though he was not the most physically affectionate Mer, he did appreciate the contact if only slightly. ¡°It¡¯ll be alright. Listen, why don¡¯t you go back to the water? Some rest will do you good,¡± she suggested. ¡°Once Karina is doing a little better and Az has had a chance to talk with her, we¡¯ll bring her down too. I imagine she¡¯ll be far more comfortable in her element, right?¡±


    Nero hummed. Then he shifted his weight and nudged the object she had offered him to travel with a little further away. ¡°She will be far more comfortable in the water, yes,¡± he agreed. ¡°But I am most comfortable with proximity. I will stay here.¡±


    ¡°Nero, the hallway is hardly the best place for a proper¡­¡± Devin trailed off when Nero began to growl. He kept the sound low and soft, just the start of a warning, but it seemed to be enough of a sway for the human woman because she held up her hands in defeat. ¡°Alright. But please promise me you¡¯ll try to sleep. Your health is important too and there¡¯s a limit to how far you can push yourself. I think we both know you are dangerously close to that limit.¡±


    Nero growled again. She was right. He hated it, but she was correct. He could not continue on the way he had been. The drive to protect his mate had been exhausted and now he was merely burning energy he did not have. He begrudgingly lowered himself into more of a prone position and propped his head on his arm. His tail curled up close to his chest and he shifted his weight a little to get as settled in as he could. He was tired enough that it hardly mattered where he rested.


    ¡°It feels wrong to leave you lying on the hallway floor,¡± Devin sighed. ¡°But I respect your wishes. If there are any changes with her, I¡¯ll wake you, but you have to sleep now.¡±


    Nero hummed in acknowledgement. He parted his jaws and drank in his surroundings. Karina was still near and her scent was neutral. She was awake, but calmed. They were not hurting her. As long as that remained unchanged, she would be fine and he could rest. He was worried, but he would be in no fit state to protect her or help her at this point if he did not rest. He loathed his own weakness, but he had to address it. Just keeping his eyes open had become too difficult, so for the first time in what had felt like a lifetime, Nero gave in to a deep and proper slumber.

 A Fragile Fate - Part Three of Three

    ¡°Nero.¡±


    At the sound of his name, Nero snapped awake and jerked upright.


    Devin was crouched in his line of sight and she smiled. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to startle you. You were out cold for a while. Do you feel any better?¡±


    Nero nodded. He was too busy stretching out stiff muscles to bother with a verbal response immediately. But as he woke up more, it struck him that Devin had a reason for waking him and panic ignited in his heart. ¡°Karina?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s fine,¡± Devin assured him. ¡°She¡¯s still confused and scared, and more than a little frustrated, but she¡¯s recovering quickly. Physically, at least. We¡¯ve confirmed she has amnesia. I¡¯m sorry that we were forced to doubt you, Nero.¡±


    ¡°You know for certain?¡±


    Devin grimaced. ¡°Az asked her how old she was. Now, Karina is a beautiful young woman, but she is noticeably older than sixteen.¡±


    Nero gritted his teeth and hung his head.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright,¡± Devin encouraged. ¡°There¡¯s still a fair chance that her memories will return. And if they don¡¯t, then you¡¯ll catch her up. She¡¯s been very insistent about returning to her pod. Why don¡¯t you offer to take her? It¡¯s home anyway, right?¡±


    ¡°N-no,¡± Nero shuddered. He licked his lips. It was still a painful wound in his heart and that was only half the pain Karina felt. If her memories did not return, he would have to break her heart with the truth all over again and he was not prepared to do it. ¡°It is impossible for Karina to return to her pod. Her family passed several cycles ago.¡±


    Devin lifted a hand to her lips and shook her head. Sorrow glazed over in her eyes and she took a shaky breath. ¡°The entire pod? How many died?¡±


    ¡°Excluding Karina and I, her pod was smaller, but supported seventeen members.¡±


    The emotion sparkling in Devin¡¯s eyes grew stronger and she shook her head. ¡°Those poor people¡­what happened? We haven¡¯t heard of much that can take out an entire pod of Mer.¡±


    Nero sighed. It was painful to remember Karina¡¯s pod. They had saved his life. They had taken him in and cared for him, and did not drive him off when he developed feelings for Karina, despite their customs being vastly different from his own. He owed them a lot and now that they were gone, he had sworn to fulfill that debt by keeping their legacy safe. It felt like he was failing Karina terribly now. ¡°A storm and a ship,¡± he answered finally. ¡°The reef tore the ship apart and its dark blood killed our pod. Karina and I were away from the reef and that is the only reason we only got sick instead of perishing outright.¡±


    ¡°An oil spill¡­¡± Devin whispered. She shook her head. ¡°Nero, I¡¯m so sorry. I can¡¯t imagine what that must have been like to go through.¡±


    Nero worried at his lip and twisted his fingers together into a knot as he stared at his tail. ¡°It was many cycles ago, but it has haunted her ever since¡­I cannot imagine having to tell her all over again if she does not regain her memories.¡±


    Devin reached up to lay her palm over his shoulder before she gave it a squeeze. ¡°I don¡¯t have the answer for that, Nero. But it probably should come from you. We¡¯re going to bring Karina down to the pools now. Carson doesn¡¯t want her to start feeling dehydrated. Between her illness and the medication, the water will do her good. It might be better if you¡¯re waiting for her, so I came to show you back.¡±


    Nero¡¯s heart fluttered in his chest. He desperately wanted to see his mate again. To see for himself that she was still awake and doing alright. But he was also afraid that she might look at him and be scared again. It had been one of the most awful feelings to have frightened her while she was vulnerable and could not remember him. He clenched his jaw and nodded at Devin. Despite his uncertainties, he needed to try. Karina still needed him whether she knew it now or not and he was going to try once more to assure her that he was not a threat she needed to be wary of. He had not been prepared for what had initially happened, but now that he was, he would be more careful with his words and actions. ¡°Alright,¡± he affirmed. ¡°Lead the way.¡±


    Devin pushed herself up onto her feet and then nudged the discarded blue device from earlier at him. ¡°Here,¡± she offered. ¡°Make use of it, it¡¯ll make your job easier.¡±


    Nero placed a hand on the device and took a moment to inspect it. It moved easily with every motion of his hand and he nodded. He suspected Devin was right, that it would make it easier, and it would certainly be better than dragging his tail across the den floor.


    There was a dull thump as Nero flopped his tail up onto the device. The noise made as he rolled himself after Devin was mildly grating, but he supposed it was a minor inconvenience compared to the effort dealing with the gravity of land would be.


    When they reached the water, Nero discarded the device next to a few similar ones and dove into the largest of the five basins in this area of the den. This one led directly out to the water and was connected to two of the others, while the other two were smaller and remained separate.


    There were far fewer Mer milling about than there had been earlier, but that did not bother Nero. He had never been the most comfortable in a crowd anyway and he was not sure how social Karina would be feeling given her current condition.


    The water was pleasant against his skin and he sighed with relief. He took a moment to stretch out some of the muscles in his tail and torso before resurfacing with the intent of thanking Devin, but she had already departed. He frowned and pursed his lips as he glanced around in case he had merely missed where she had moved to.


    ¡°Do not look so alarmed. Devin and Carson tend to back off as soon as possible if there are Mer who are less than comfortable around humans.¡±


    Nero turned and watched as Moore dragged herself from the water to sit on the edge of the basin. ¡°Pardon?¡±


    The elderly Mer shrugged. ¡°I have known those three for many cycles now. They have worked very hard to make this place what it is for our people; a sanctuary. They want nothing more than for every Mer who comes here to feel safe and comfortable. Even if that means making themselves scarce from time to time.¡±


    Nero pursed his lips and nodded. ¡°I understand. Thank you, Moore, for helping me yesterday; I was not in a good state of mind.¡±


    Moore hummed, but she did not say anything more.


    He appreciated the silence, so instead of pushing for further conversation, Nero redirected his focus to the passageway he had come from. He could only assume Karina would be led back to the water the same way and he was antsy with the need to see her again.


    He did not have to wait long. Though he had been expecting to see Carson, it was Az who came down the tunnel with Karina. Though he appreciated that her contact with humans was being kept to a minimum and that she did not have to attempt to navigate dragging herself down the hall after being so weak for so long, the distinctly uncomfortable look on Karina¡¯s features as she shifted her weight half in Az¡¯s lap made Nero bristle. He had to swallow back the urge to growl because he knew that Az meant no harm and that he was not directly the cause of Karina¡¯s discomfort. It was far more likely that their surroundings and her current mental state were the primary sources.


    When Az pulled to a stop near the edge of the water, Karina whistled a quiet ¡®thank you¡¯ and slithered down from his moving perch and pulled up short in front of Moore.


    So far, Karina had seemed to have a negative response to everyone she had interacted with since she had woken up. But when she made eye contact with the elderly Mer, she froze and blinked slowly, before offering Moore a shy smile. It did not really surprise Nero much. Karina¡¯s pod primarily yielded to the decisions of the eldest member, and Karina¡¯s grandmother was both strict but kind, and her granddaughter had respected her immensely. It was no shock that Karina would seek comfort in that instinct now. ¡°Hello.¡±


    Moore hummed. ¡°It is good that you are up and well now. You were in a very poor way when you arrived here. But I have heard that you have faced some new struggles upon waking up.¡±


    Karina glanced away and rubbed at her arm. ¡°It has been disorienting,¡± Karina admitted. ¡°I do not know how I got here or what led to me taking sick. I have not felt right. But I have to get back to my pod. My family will be worried about me.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Moore purred. ¡°And no one will stop you, but you need to stay here a little longer. It will be a long journey and you are swaying as it is. You need to rest and recover before such a taxing endeavour. Have you even eaten since you woke?¡±


    ¡°I am not hungry,¡± Karina muttered. ¡°The thought of food merely makes me feel worse.¡±


    Moore nodded. ¡°You are worried for the people you love. Turn around,¡± Moore instructed. ¡°I will deal with your tangles and you can tell me about them.¡±


    Karina worried at her lip, but after a moment or two, she turned her back to Moore. Moore reached out and began to pull her fingers through Karina¡¯s long, blonde tresses. They had become quite tangled with sand and sickness, and that had only grown worse above the water where it had been allowed to dry. ¡°Thank you,¡± Karina whispered. ¡°But¡­I do not wish to discuss my family. I hope you can understand¡­I¡­It only makes being away harder.¡±


    ¡°I do understand,¡± Moore agreed as she continued untangling Karina¡¯s hair. ¡°If not your family, something else then. I heard you are having some problems with your memory.¡±


    As the muscles in Karina¡¯s back tensed, Nero had to swallow back a growl. He was so stressed about her well-being that despite knowing she was in no danger, his instincts urged him to protect her over even the smallest slight.


    ¡°There is nothing wrong with my memory,¡± she hissed.


    Moore clucked her tongue.


    ¡°It is only how I got here that eludes me.¡±


    ¡°Karina¡­would you tell me about yourself? How old are you, child?¡±


    ¡°Sixteen cycles,¡± Karina responded. ¡°But I do not see why it matters.¡±


    "Look into the water, Karina,¡± Moore urged. When Karina complied, Moore placed a hand on her back. ¡°Hardly the reflection of one quite that young, would you not agree?¡±


    ¡°I¡­I do not understand,¡± Karina whimpered. She retreated from the edge of the water with a shake of her head. ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°You have forgotten a lot, Karina,¡± Az added. ¡°I know it is daunting, but you have to accept that or you are going to get yourself hurt.¡±


    Karina shook her head and retreated from both of them. ¡°No,¡± she hissed. ¡°You are wrong. Both of you. I could not forget so much. It was nothing more than a trick of the water.¡±


    Nero sighed. He had been listening to the back and forth between them for long enough. He could not remain silent any longer while his mate struggled. So he pulled himself from the water and took a breath. ¡°Karina,¡± he called, making certain to keep his tone soft and calm. The last thing he wanted was to frighten her off again. That had been bad enough of an experience the first time and he did not think that their currently fragile relationship could withstand another blow like the first. She may never allow him near enough again to garner her trust, much less rekindle their bond.


    But Karina¡¯s eyes were already wide and she ducked low as if cornered when she turned to look at him. ¡°You again¡­I do not know you,¡± she whispered. She began to slowly push herself back further away from him.


    Though he longed to grab for her hand, Nero chewed his lip to resist the urge and he nodded. ¡°I know,¡± he agreed. ¡°And that is alright. I am sorry that I frightened you earlier.¡±


    ¡°You¡­you were there when I woke up,¡± Karina murmured. ¡°You claimed we are bonded, you kissed me, but I have no mate. I have tried to prolong bonding at all. Why would you do that, why would you lie and say those things? Who are you?¡±


    Every accusation felt like an urchin thorn being punctured deep into his heart, but Nero swallowed back his emotions. ¡°My name is Nero and I know that you are frightened and that there was a misunderstanding when you first woke, and I apologize for that. I was relieved that you were recovering that I behaved hastily. It will not happen again. All I would like is the chance to start fresh. To talk to you, explain what I can, and hopefully reassure you. Will you be willing to forgive our first interaction long enough to hear me out?¡± he requested.


    Karina¡¯s mane had flattened to her skull, but her gaze was directed at the ground and she began to trace her finger against the ground. ¡°Yes,¡± she agreed finally. When she met his gaze, there were tears swimming in her eyes. ¡°Tell me the truth. Why did you bring me here, why did you take me from my family¡­what¡­what is wrong with me? Why do I feel so confused and muddled up and¡­and drawn to a stranger?¡±


    She did not come any closer, but Karina had stopped retreating and was watching him intently, so he supposed that was a start. ¡°You feel that way because Az and Moore are right, Karina. Since you have woken up, there are a lot of things missing from your memory¡­¡± Nero trailed off as Karina began to shake her head frantically. ¡°Karina, I am not trying to upset you. I know it is disturbing, but if you are willing to listen, I will tell you a story.¡±


    Karina chewed on her lip. ¡°What kind of story?¡±


    ¡°Our past,¡± Nero replied.


    ¡°But, I do not-¡±


    ¡°Know me, I know,¡± Nero agreed. ¡°Please, Karina, just hear me out.¡±


    She glanced away from him and Nero felt his heart sink. But then she sighed and nodded. ¡°Okay,¡± she agreed. ¡°But I do not see how a made-up story will help.¡±


    ¡°It is not made up,¡± Nero refused. ¡°But it does start several cycles ago. Back when you really were sixteen.¡± Karina opened her mouth ¨C no doubt to object ¨C so Nero hurried on before she could protest again. ¡°There was a terrible storm that tore apart my hunting party. I got caught in a tempest tube.¡±


    ¡°And you claim your tale is not made up¡­that would have killed you,¡± Karina interrupted. She did not sound cross, however, so Nero merely smiled and dipped his head at her.


    ¡°It should have,¡± he agreed. ¡°And I was very badly wounded. I would have died if I was not shown kindness by your pod. Endalla tended to me.¡±


    ¡°How do you know my grandmother¡¯s name?¡± Karina pressed.


    Nero smiled. ¡°How could I forget. For all her skill and generosity, she is one scary Mer. I received several bruises while I was healing from that whalebone of hers. She would get quite upset if she felt I was not resting or healing as I should be.¡±


    It had started as a soft smile, but as Nero spoke, Karina began to laugh and his heart pinched. It had been too long now since he had heard her laughter. ¡°I know that feeling well,¡± she admitted. ¡°I was a foolish child, but I learned quickly. But she loves me. I¡­I miss her.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Nero agreed. ¡°I miss her too. But that is only how our story starts, Karina. I met you when I first woke up. I was so disoriented and in a lot of pain, and my vision was blurry. I will admit, I was scared. But you were there¡­I remember thinking you were a bright ray of sunlight, but then I saw your smile and it was hard to be scared then. You made the moons of recovery tolerable and we became close friends.¡±


    Karina began shaking her head again. ¡°What you say cannot be true. How could I forget someone I considered a good friend?¡±


    ¡°I know you did not mean to,¡± Nero assured her. ¡°And there is plenty of time for us to know one another again. Once I got better, I was faced with a difficult choice; return to my pod or stay for the chance to grow closer to the Mer I loved.¡±


    Karina shuffled her fins and tapped a finger against the floor. She was silent for long enough that Nero began to worry he may have upset her again. ¡°Which did you choose?¡± she asked.


    Nero¡¯s heart skipped a beat and he risked reaching out to place a hand over hers. She flinched, but she did not pull away. ¡°I chose to stay, Karina. I chose you and I always will. Of course, at the time, it was not the easiest choice to make. I had to sway your family, prove myself a useful addition rather than a drain on resources. Your father was happy for me to stay. He cared only about having another able-bodied hunter and your happiness. Karn knew you never wanted to leave and he knew we had grown close. I never would have succeeded without his support. Miere was a little tougher to convince though.¡±


    ¡°She wanted me to go,¡± Karina agreed. ¡°It was our custom. Merik had already gone and she wanted me to take a mate from one of the pods who passed through, for me to go and to know that I was well-cared for. I do not want that,¡± Karina sighed. ¡°I want to stay with my family and I want to bond for love, not security, but I know she means well and it is because she loves me. If what you say is true¡­I did not leave? I¡­we stayed with my family?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Nero agreed. ¡°We stayed. And we did bond for love, Karina. You are my very best friend. You mean the world to me. And I know that you remember none of that right now and I do not want to put any pressure on you. We became friends once and all I am asking for is a chance to become friends again. Everything else will come later.¡±


    Karina hesitated. Her nose wrinkled up and her face pinched in as she continued worrying on her lip. Nero started to worry she would slice through the flesh if she kept at it, but he knew this was something she would have to work through on her own. Her mane flicked back and stayed lowered and she began to pick at the tip of one of her fingers. ¡°I cannot imagine forgetting something so important as a mate. If you speak the truth, then I have forgotten many cycles of my life. I have forgotten the Mer I love who would have also been my best friend and I cannot imagine I could ever do such a thing. Bonds are meant to be the strongest thing in our lives, how could I not remember that? It has to be a lie.¡±


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    The words hurt. The truth hurt, but so did her rejecting it. All he wanted was to sweep her into his arms and hug her tightly. He wanted to express his relief that she was alright and just hold her close until all his stress about losing her melted away. But he could not do any of that. It would spook her if he did that. He had to be patient and though it was difficult, he knew he would do anything for her. So he took a deep breath and offered her a small smile as he recalled what Devin had suggested to him when he had the same questions earlier. ¡°I do not think you have forgotten our bond at all, Karina. I think it is still there and that it is what is making you so uncomfortable now. Look at me, just for a moment. What do you feel?¡±


    Though she still looked uncertain, she levelled her wide brown eyes at him and Nero¡¯s heart still managed to skip a beat despite the circumstances. For a few heartbeats, Karina did not say anything or react, but tears began to water in her gaze. ¡°I¡­I feel confused,¡± she admitted.


    ¡°Why?¡± Nero prompted. He shifted his weight and tensed his fingers as he resisted the urge to reach out and wipe a tear from her cheek. He was not sure if she would be okay with that right now.


    Karina sighed. ¡°Because I do not know you. I have no memory of you at all and yet¡­as unsure as I feel around you, I want to be near you.¡±


    Hope ignited in Nero¡¯s chest. Her words confirmed what he had been hoping for. Their bond was still there, still active, but it was struggling beneath a lack of recognition. As long as it was there, they could strengthen it again. ¡°You were very ill, Karina. You nearly died,¡± Nero paused as he choked on the word. ¡°You were feverish and spent almost half a moon more unconscious than awake. I do not fully understand how you have forgotten so much, but it has been explained to me that there are consequences of that level of illness and that disorientation and memory loss can be side effects.¡±


    Karina pursed her lips and nodded along as he spoke. ¡°How did I get that ill?¡±


    Nero shook his head. ¡°I do not know. It was not severe at first. You got tired more easily and started coughing and sneezing, and that is all that it was for a while, but when you started getting sicker, you declined so quickly and nothing we did helped you get any better.¡±


    There must have been some desperation that leaked into his tone ¨C or perhaps Karina could still sense his emotions through their bond ¨C because the look of confusion morphed to sympathy as she smiled at him and flipped her hand upright to squeeze his fingers. ¡°I am sure you did everything you could,¡± she acknowledged. ¡°That must have been scary.¡±


    Nero nodded. ¡°But the important thing is that you are alright now. We will face everything else the same way we always have; together. That was our promise to each other. That we would always face any challenge, any hardship, and any joy together. I know you do not remember that and I have no desire to pressure you. I know you do not remember and that is likely going to make it harder to trust me. I have no expectations. I just want the chance to know each other all over again.¡±


    Karina stared back at him for a few heartbeats. There was nothing truly positive or negative in her gaze, she simply appeared lost in thought. He could only imagine how overwhelming this all must have been for her. Then she glanced at Moore, who had shifted back a little way, but had a soft smile on her face. Then she glanced at Az, but he merely shrugged. This was her choice. ¡°Okay,¡± she agreed finally.


    Nero¡¯s heart fluttered in his chest and he squeezed her fingers back. ¡°Thank you, Karina,¡± he breathed. He wanted to hug her, to hold her, and to give her a kiss, but he swallowed back all his urges. This needed to be at her pace. She had a lot to remember and relearn. He hoped her memory would return after a short while, but he knew he needed to prepare for the situation where it would not.


    ¡°There is just one thing I cannot understand,¡± she admitted.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    Karina chewed her lip. ¡°I want to believe you, Nero. I cannot explain why, and believing you scares me, but I want it to be true. But I do not understand why you would bring me here. Surely my grandmother never would have allowed you to take me away if I was so poorly. I do not like to think about the implication that someone I do not remember might have gone behind her back and stolen me away while I was not conscious.¡±


    Nero nodded. This was not a conversation he wanted to have now, but he could not lie to her if he wanted to regain her trust. If she never recovered her memory, the truth would come out eventually and make her doubt him all over again. And there were no secrets between mates. That was part of their promise. They faced everything together and did not hide anything from each other. ¡°Your grandmother is the best healer that I have ever known,¡± Nero began while choosing his words cautiously. ¡°And you are right that Endalla would not have allowed me to bring you here, to take this sort of risk. She would have beaten me bloody merely for suggesting it and I will always respect that about her. She took her healing very seriously. But she was not the one tending to you. My mother practices healing as well and while she is very skilled, no other Mer will ever match Endalla. When she told me there was nothing more she could do for you other than to end your suffering prematurely before your illness could drag out and eventually claim you regardless, I panicked. I need you, Karina. I love you and I could not fathom spending the rest of my life without you. Not without exhausting every option I had. When another spoke of this place and the miracles they could work, I knew I had to try, that I would never forgive myself if I did not.¡±


    As he elaborated, Karina¡¯s expression grew more and more concerned until she finally shook her head. ¡°Why did you not bring me to my grandmother?¡±


    Nero shook his head and a lump of sorrow rose in his throat to choke him. ¡°I could not.¡±


    ¡°But why?¡± Karina pressed.


    Nero pursed his lips and met her gaze evenly, even as he felt his heart cracking. ¡°Karina¡­you know why,¡± he urged.


    Tears began to water in Karina¡¯s gaze and she shook her head. ¡°No¡­¡± she protested with a croak. ¡°No¡­not¡­not her. She¡­.she was so strong, so healthy¡­how did she-¡±


    Nero shook his head to cut her off. ¡°Do not ask that,¡± he refused. ¡°Not now, the knowledge will not change it and it is a few cycles in the past now.¡± He knew he should tell her that it was not just Endalla who was gone. She would need to know, but he could not find a way to form the words.


    Karina gulped and redirected her gaze to the ground. She nodded, but her shoulders began to shake, so Nero risked leaning forward to wipe a tear from her cheek. ¡°I¡­I just cannot imagine that¡­¡±


    When she did not say anything more, Nero cupped her cheek and stroked his thumb over the smooth skin. Surprisingly, she leaned into his touch, but now was not the time to be happy about that. ¡°Oh Karina,¡± he murmured. ¡°I never wanted you to have to relive your grief¡­I am so sorry.¡±


    Karina shook her head. ¡°It is not your fault,¡± she replied. She took a deep shaky breath. Then her brows knitted together and lifted her gaze back to his. ¡°Nero¡­you said we stayed with my family¡­Why were we with another pod? My pod never would have merged with another but I cannot imagine we were merely visiting yours if I got so sick for so long?¡±


    Nero bit his lip. There was no way around the conversation, but it felt like the wrong time for it. Karina was teetering as it was and he had only just gotten her to give him the benefit of the doubt. This would not be something she would want to hear and he worried that it would fracture any of the fragile trust he had earned. ¡°Because there is more to our story, Karina,¡± he admitted. ¡°But I do not know if it is the best time for the rest of it. Not all of it is pleasant and I worry that you are still not well enough yet.¡±


    Karina shook her head and her gaze hardened. She pulled away from him and her hand slipped from his. ¡°Tell me,¡± she demanded. There was a quiver to her voice as if she already suspected, but her tone had been firm regardless.


    Nero nodded. ¡°Alright,¡± he agreed. He shifted into a seated position with his tail trailing in the water, and motioned with his hand to invite her to join him. She hesitated for a moment, but then pulled herself over and sat with her tail over the edge of the basin too. They were not close enough that they were touching, but it was close enough. Nero took a deep breath. ¡°You were eighteen,¡± he replied. ¡°Our bond was still new and we were so infatuated with one another that we would have done anything to slip away and spend some time together.¡±


    Karina nodded along to the start of the story. ¡°How old are we now?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I have a cycle on you,¡± he clarified. ¡°But you are twenty-two.¡±


    Karina squeezed her fingers into fists and then opened them again. ¡°How can I be missing almost six cycles of my life?¡±


    He reached out and took her hand again. She did not protest or pull away, but he kept his grip loose in case she changed her mind. ¡°It will be alright,¡± he assured her.


    She sighed and shrugged. ¡°Perhaps. Just¡­finish the story¡­please?¡±


    ¡°We had snuck away for the night. There is a mangrove patch not far from your reef if you recall.¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°We spent the night in the shallows, cuddling and watching the stars. But a bad storm rolled in. We were safer ¨C if a bit battered ¨C among the root tangles than we ever would have been trying to swim back. You did not want to leave though. You found it was like a little adventure, just the two of us. I do not know if our decision made us lucky or unlucky, depending on how you look at it, but by the dawn, the water tasted wrong and a dark film spreading across the surface began to reach us.¡±


    He watched Karina tense and turn her gaze to him with parted lips and furrowed brows. ¡°I¡­I do not understand,¡± she whispered, but the horror in her tone told him she suspected.


    ¡°By the time we made it back, we were coughing and struggling to breathe, and there was nothing to return to,¡± Nero whimpered. He gritted his teeth together and closed his eyes to fight back tears of his own. He had loved her pod too, they had done so much for him, and he would never forget the sounds of Karina¡¯s screams, of her desperate cries as he had to hold her back from diving into the poisoned waters after her family. Eventually, he had needed to carry her away.


    Karina¡¯s mane flattened to her skull and her eyes grew wide and glassy. ¡°You do not mean¡­¡±


    Nero grimaced and shook his head. ¡°A ship had been grounded on the reef in the storm. The coral tore it open and it spilled poisonous blood through the water. Anyone nearby would have died very quickly. It was only our distance that spared us¡­I¡­I did not know what to do, but when it became clear no one else had made it out ¨C or at least stuck around if they had ¨C I brought you to my pod. We have been living there for the last four cycles.¡±


    Karina began to shake her head. ¡°No,¡± she whimpered. She tugged her hand free of Nero¡¯s. ¡°You are wrong¡­that cannot be true.¡±


    ¡°Karina¡­¡±


    ¡°You are lying!¡± Karina hissed. She bared her fangs and more tears flowed down her cheeks. ¡°You are wrong or lying or trying to trick me, but it is not true. It cannot be. My family is not¡­they cannot all be gone¡­I¡­I will prove it. I am going home,¡± she announced.


    Before Nero could say anything or stop her, Karina dove from the side of the basin and was darting for the exit out to sea. Nero bit his lip to stem his own emotional agony and dove after her. This was going to hurt the most.


    He caught up to her quickly and reached for her hand but she jerked away from him. ¡°Stay away from me,¡± she cried. ¡°You are wrong, I will prove it.¡±


    ¡°Do you even know where you are going?¡± he demanded. She was so disoriented and was never the strongest tracker that while instinct may still drive her in the direction of home, there would be no scents left to follow. ¡°Karina, you are still sickly and weak and you need to rest.¡±


    Karina shook her head. ¡°I do not care, I will figure it out. Just¡­just leave me alone. You are a liar.¡±


    Nero shook his head. He did not want to do this to her, but he had no other choice. If she went out to sea alone in this state, she would get herself killed and he could not go with her without her driving herself to exhaustion trying to get away from him. If her memory returned to her, she would understand. If it did not, she may never wish to see him again after this and while that would break his heart, he knew he could not allow her to risk herself like this out of fear she would be angry with him.


    So he lashed his tail, caught up to her again, and wrapped his arms around her torso, pinning her arms in the process. He wrapped his tail around her and threw his weight back to bring them to a halt.


    Karina hissed and bucked her tail in his grasp. ¡°Let me go,¡± she sobbed. ¡°I have to go, I have to.¡±


    Nero shook his head. He spun her around and squeezed her against his torso and bowed his head. ¡°I am sorry,¡± he murmured. ¡°But I cannot let you go, not in this condition.¡±


    Karina tossed her head from side to side and pushed as hard as she could against his chest, but he refused to relent. He gritted his teeth together and sunk in the water until he was curled up on the ground and holding his thrashing mate. ¡°Let go!¡± she pleaded. She beat a hand against his chest. ¡°Let me go. I do not believe you, you are wrong. They are fine. They have to be. Why are you lying to me, I¡­¡± Her words died away as heavy sobs overtook her. Nero hugged her as best he could while she was still pushing against him. It was hard to find anything to purr about, but he needed to soothe her as best he good. Her pain was pulsing like the raw, bloody wound it had been the first time, and he was the one who had torn it open again.


    ¡°I am so sorry, Karina. So, so sorry. This was never supposed to happen, you were never supposed to relive this. It will be okay.¡±


    ¡°No. No, no, no, no, no, no. No, it will not,¡± Karina wailed. ¡°It is not okay. Let me go. I¡­I hate you! You are wrong and I hate you. Why are you saying such awful things?¡±


    Her words tore at his soul, but he blew bubbles from his gills and hardened his heart. He could tell by her emotional turmoil that she knew. She did not remember, but she knew that her family was gone and that he had spoken the truth. Somewhere inside, she still knew. Perhaps that was why she had been so desperate to get back to them when she had woken up. She knew something was not right. She had been in denial the first time too, as he had carried her away. She had pushed and hit and beat at him then too. She had cried and shouted terrible things, but he knew she did not mean them and just did not know how to express her grief. He had endured it once and he would endure it again. There was nothing to be done but ride it out. She would find miserable acceptance eventually.


    So he continued to hold her and she continued to cry and to resist. There were a few other Mer in the water, and a couple drew closer, likely attracted by her outbursts, but Nero paid them no mind. Karina did not even seem to realize that they were there. But they did not matter, she was all that mattered to him. And she needed all of his focus.


    Her first outburst ebbed off eventually and she collapsed in exhaustion in his arms. She was quivering and sniffling and had resorted to whispered begging as she pleaded with him to admit the truth, to tell her that he was lying and that they were alright. Each request to be released, to be reassured that he had lied, that there was nothing amiss with her pod, tore the wounds in Nero¡¯s heart deeper, but he pressed his lips together, held her tight, and gave in to none of those requests.


    He apologized over and over and over, but he did not relent. Eventually, her frustrations and disbelief built up again and she began to yell and resist him once more. His arms and torso were littered with scratches from her nails as she fought him in her desperation. Some were shallow, others bled lightly, but if they were the price he had to pay to keep her safe, he was glad to endure it.


    Time progressed and Karina¡¯s second wave died out, but her shaking and begging never did. He began to grow worried that she might lose her voice. Most of the scratches were not intensional. She had clawed at him out of desperation in her squirming, but never maliciously. But she did hit him a few times, purposefully and pointedly, while reminding him that she hated him and he was awful and needed to let her go. But it was not malicious abuse. He knew that. She was frightened and hurt and sick, and now she had to grieve for the first time all over again.


    He just continued to rub her back and whisper to her all the way through it.


    At two separate points, Moore and Az both had joined them at the bottom of the basin. Moore had tried to offer condolences and reassurances to Karina, while Az had tried to convince her to eat and rest. But each time, Karina¡¯s resisting had only grown worse as she tried to plead with them to help her, started asking for the truth from them, and getting worked up all over again, so eventually, Nero had growled and sent them both away respectively.


    The basin had gradually been vacated until he and Karina were alone, and her struggles continued long after the lights above the water had dimmed and night had fallen. Then, finally, Karina succumbed to her exhaustion and fell asleep against him. She whimpered softly in her sleep and her gills flared with her stress, but she was finally limp. Nero did not dare move or risk disturbing her again, so he merely remained as he was. Holding her and guarding her. He could not forever. If in the morning she was still as upset, he would have to release her, have to find another way. It was wrong to pen her in his grasp and force her to remain where she was distressed, so he would not be able to for another round. For now, though, he would at least ensure she got some rest.


    But it was a long night and Nero was exhausted and heartbroken too, and eventually, he surrendered to sleep as well.


    ***


    Nero slept until he felt movement. Karina was stirring in his grasp and everything from the day before came flooding back to him. He was terrified to face what the dawn would bring. But as he opened his eyes, he found Karina rubbing at hers with a grimace like she had a headache. When she finally lowered her fists and met his gaze, her expression was blank with confusion for a moment, and then she smiled weakly. ¡°Nero?¡± she murmured.


    There was none of the previous day¡¯s grief or anger or frustration in her tone, simply sleepy disorientation. But the longer he stared at her, the more her expression morphed. Her smile slipped and she cocked her head and raised a hand to his cheek. ¡°Nero¡­are you alright?¡±


    He was not sure how to answer that question and he did not want to risk antagonizing her again, but he licked his lips. ¡°Karina?¡±


    The start of a grin flickered on her lips. ¡°Who else?¡± she teased, but her tone was flat and the smile did not linger.


    ¡°W-what¡­what do you remember?¡± he asked.


    Karina chewed on her lip and her brows furrowed together. ¡°I¡­I am not sure,¡± she muttered. ¡°Everything is a little hazy¡­I was sick. Really sick. Rebecca was trying to help, I was so tired¡­it¡­it hurt¡­How long have I been out of it?¡±


    As soon as she said his mother¡¯s name, Nero knew that her memories had returned. Or at least, some of them had. He had not given her the name yesterday. He squeezed her against his torso and clung to her until she squeaked and began to wheeze. ¡°Too tight,¡± she croaked.


    Reluctantly, Nero loosened his embrace so that she could sit up. ¡°You have been in and out of awareness for a while now,¡± he admitted. ¡°I am just so glad you are alright.¡± He chewed his lip. So far, she had said nothing about their interactions since she had woken the first time and he was afraid to bring it up.


    Karina nodded, but then her gaze drifted down and her frown returned. She lifted a finger to trace one of the scratches down his chest. It stung and he flinched involuntarily. ¡°You are hurt¡­Nero¡­did I do this?¡± she asked. Her eyes widened with regret and she shook her head. ¡°Nero, how¡­I would never¡­¡±


    ¡°You do not remember yesterday?¡± he checked. When Karina shook her head, he cupped one of her hands. ¡°You were sick,¡± he told her. ¡°It is only a few scratches.¡±


    ¡°That does not matter,¡± she resisted. Her mane flattened and she slumped in on herself. ¡°I hurt you. There is no excuse for that.¡±


    Nero shook his head. ¡°No, Karina, please do not guilt yourself,¡± he begged. ¡°Please. It is alright. I just¡­I just really need to hold you right now, okay? I was so afraid for you, I do not want you to burden yourself with things beyond your control.¡±


    He wrapped his arms around her once more and she lowered herself down against his chest. She pressed her lips to one of the scratches. ¡°I am sorry,¡± she whispered.


    Nero shook his head. ¡°Do not be.¡±


    ¡°Nero¡­what happened? I have no memory of these or anything else yesterday. It feels like it has been a long time since any solid memories. Everything is a haze. Tell me what happened?¡±


    He shook his head. He would not. He would not relive it or burden her with the truth of her actions. It would only cause unnecessary pain. ¡°There are no secrets between mates,¡± he murmured. ¡°I will tell you, Karina, I promise. But not now. Please, I do not want to relive it, I just want to cherish a happy moment with you. I have needed on desperately. Just know that it was a really awful day in a long line of truly miserable turns.¡±


    Karina did not argue or press the matter further. She hummed and pressed her lips to the side of his jaw. ¡°I am sorry for the pain you have endured. I trust you, so I do not need to know right now. But Nero¡­where are we? This place is not natural, it smells of humans¡­are we in danger?¡±


    Nero shook his head, though his heart sunk. ¡°No¡­we are in no danger. I am sorry, Karina. I fear I made some poor choices while you were sick.¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡±


    Nero sighed. ¡°I brought you here. You were so ill that there was nothing more my mother could do to help you, but I could not let you go, could not let her¡­She would have been kind and merciful about it, but I was selfish, Karina. I needed you, I could not face the idea of your¡­of your death. So I brought you here. There are humans here who help our kind. It was a desperate gamble for your life, but the entire time I worried about your wishes, and whether you would have preferred¡­¡±


    Karina began to shake her head and she cut him off by pressing her lips to his. It was a sweet kiss, tender and loving and she clung to him within his embrace. ¡°No,¡± she whispered. ¡°You are right that I have no desire to be near the shores or the people who dwell on the land, but I would never prefer to leave you. Not unless the cost of living is too great. Was it? What has coming here cost us?¡±


    Nero shook his head. ¡°A long journey home,¡± he replied.


    Karina hummed. She bowed her head and nuzzled his cheek. ¡°I am alive and I get to stay with you. I trust you, Nero. I always have, I always will. And I am thankful that your choices mean you were not left alone and that I get to continue living with the person I care most for in the world.¡±


    Nero tightened his grip on her again, but not so much as to risk squeezing her as he initially had. ¡°And how are you feeling?¡± he checked as he searched her face. Her colour was normal and she was no longer shaking. The scent of illness still lingered on her, but it was so faint it might as well have been stale by many turns.


    She smiled and hummed as she kissed him again. ¡°Nero? Let us go home,¡± she urged. She laced her fingers in his. ¡°You say it is a long journey? Both long journeys in our shared life, you have had to support me and face the stress and risk alone. This time, I want to make it together. Take me home?¡±


    Nero began to purr and he nodded. He squeezed her fingers and cupped her face in his palm. It had been terrible to see her without her memories, so frightened and angry, but that shell no longer stared at him. Karina was healthy and whole, and he knew their bond would grow stronger than before after this. Trials and challenges were hard and he hated them, but they always wound up reaffirming how much he loved and needed her. ¡°I would love nothing more.¡±

 Thief

    This is an AU short written a while ago to go with the picture above, done by a member of my Discord, Manx. In this AU, Katie didn''t get sick, Lemuria didn''t find them, and Luna returned to her pod as originally planned. Enjoy.


    Katie lay sprawled out over the reef. She kept her tail pressed flat to the sand beneath her despite how the prickly coral she was draped over dug into her skin and scales. She had seen a moray eel dart down a crevice in the coral branches and she hoped that if she remained motionless, it would poke back out. She had spooked it before she realized it was there ¨C and was a little relieved she had not gotten bitten for her efforts ¨C but she hoped to get a picture of it.


    She fingered her dive camera silently as she waited. Small bubbles filtered from her gills and she watched the underwater world with a newfound sense of peace. It was amazing how much easier it was to get close to wildlife without a noisy, bulky tank strapped to her back. She had done freediving before, but she had never been able to hold her breath long enough to wait out the truly exceptional pictures.


    Finally ¨C after what felt like forever ¨C the moray finally peeked back out from its hidey hole. The green-yellow head, followed by part of the waving, speckled neck began drifting in the water. She stared at it and it seemed to stare back with one rounded, sapphire eye. Its jaws were parted, revealing the small, needle-like teeth lining its maw. It was incredibly close. An outstretched hand and a flick of her fin, and she would have been able to grab it if she wanted. She never got this close.


    Keeping her movements slow so that she wouldn¡¯t disturb the water, Katie raised her camera and adjusted the angle and focus for the shot she wanted. A flash was necessary underwater for good shots, so the eel disappeared again as soon as she took the picture. Katie pulled back and studied the photo that she¡¯d managed to get, and grinned. It wasn¡¯t her best, but it had been a while and she was still easing back into her photography habits. Regardless, she was happy with the quality of the photo. Now that she had it, she pushed off the sand and drifted away. No point continuing to harass the poor creature. As she swam away, Katie instinctively reached for a gauge to check her air.


    She laughed and shook her head as she fumbled with empty water for a moment. Old habits did die hard, she supposed. She never thought about dive protocol when she was usually in the water with Luna and Riley, but now that she was slipping back into former human habits and routines, she found herself making those sorts of mistakes. She chuckled again. It was really nice not having to worry about how much oxygen she had left in a tank. She could stay down beneath the waves from dawn until dusk if she desired and never feel short of breath.


    A wry smile pulled across her lips as she settled down on a rock to peer at some orange pigmy seahorses woven around the slender branches of a coral crop. She raised her camera and took a picture of them. She supposed it was one of the few decent things Lemuria did for her. The wry grin turned soft. It had been over a year since she and Luna had been broken out of Lemuria. They hadn¡¯t heard a peep from the institution despite regular monitoring. Luna was with her family now, and though Katie missed her dearly, it would only be a month or so before she made the trip out to visit Luna¡¯s pod. She missed her little sister and Luna had not be thrilled to leave her behind initially after Riley had brought her parents back, Rebecca and Ixion ¨C as accepting of her as they had been ¨C had wanted the chance to show Luna a proper lifestyle and reintegrate her with their pod, and after a long discussion, they¡¯d all agreed that she and Luna were too closely bonded for either of them to sort out their own identities, and it would be better to allow Luna the chance to flourish on her own.


    Katie missed her, but she and Riley would be going soon. Riley wasn¡¯t thrilled about another potential run in with her mother, but she did seem eager for a chance to visit her aunt, uncle, and cousins again. Katie could hardly wait to go, though her mother was still trying to convince her and Riley to go out on the boat with her. Sophie still worried too much, but Katie wasn¡¯t opposed. She knew her mom was probably also hoping to see Luna again and know how she was doing. It was strange not having her around the past few months. They all missed her.


    Katie shook herself of the dreary thoughts. She¡¯d get to see Luna soon and for now, she wanted to just enjoy the warm waters.


    She drifted out past the reef into more open waters, hoping to perhaps find a pod of dolphins or perhaps some pilot whales. She opened her mouth and released a series of short, sharp clicks before pausing to listen. There was no response, and disappointment fluttered in her gut. Dolphins tended to be very playful and would sometimes let her join right in their fray so long as they weren¡¯t hunting. It would have been a highlight to the afternoon.


    The open ocean was beautiful and alluring, and while it was sometimes silly to take a picture of essentially nothing, she found the dancing beams of light beautiful and wondered if she could capture it properly. She might not have the right filter for it. Still, she raised her camera to try, and immediately had a weight crash down on her back.


    Katie squeaked in surprise and twisted with her heart pounding. She hoped she wasn¡¯t about to be involved in a fight or mistaken for prey. Instead, she found Riley grinning at her with her tongue poking out between her teeth. ¡°You scared me!¡± Katie protested.


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    Riley¡¯s grin widened and she winked before snatching the camera from Katie¡¯s hand and darting away. For a second, Katie could only hover in stunned silence as Riley swam off. Giving her head a shake, Katie flipped over and chased after her. ¡°Riley!¡± she called. ¡°Riley, get back here!¡±


    Riley¡¯s laughter echoed through the waters. She rolled over onto her back and waggled the camera towards Katie. ¡°Come catch me,¡± she taunted.


    Katie rolled her eyes and sped up. Riley was staying just out of reach, and Katie scowled. She¡¯d gotten faster, but she was still never going to beat Riley in a race, and the other Mer was purposefully teasing her. ¡°Riley!¡± she called again. Growling under her breath, Katie lashed her tail and crashed into Riley, who cackled manically and rolled onto her back.


    Katie huffed. ¡°Okay, I caught you, now give me my camera,¡± she demanded.


    Riley stuck her tongue out and flicked her fins, but Katie grabbed her other arm and kept up. ¡°Riley, you¡¯re going to break it, come on!¡± She couldn¡¯t keep the smile off her face as she attempted to scowl at Riley.


    The blonde Mer¡¯s grin widened and she stuck her tongue out again, but stretched her arm further back behind her to keep it out of Katie¡¯s reach.


    ¡°You¡¯re acting like a child,¡± Katie scolded. ¡°Riley, come on; you¡¯ve had your fun, now give it back.¡±


    Riley shook her head. ¡°No. Hugs first,¡± Riley refused. Katie quirked an eyebrow as Riley¡¯s gliders folded up over her tail. Her free hand cupped Katie¡¯s back and Katie huffed for breath as Riley pulled her closer against her torso and hummed happily.


    Katie sighed and rolled her eyes, but she hummed back and relaxed. ¡°You¡¯re terrible,¡± she murmured.


    ¡°For wanting a hug?¡± Riley replied. Her grip was firm, but warm and Katie wrapped her arms around Riley¡¯s waist.


    ¡°You could have just asked.¡±


    ¡°This was more fun.¡±


    Katie twisted her head to look up at Riley and her mild annoyance melted away as she met Riley¡¯s sparkling, pale gaze. Her freckle-framed face was practically glowing with mischievous delight, and her lips were pulled into a wide smile. Katie stretched up and pressed their lips together.


    Riley made a soft noise of surprise, and glee spun through Katie at finally catching the other girl off-guard. She rarely ever could. Riley¡¯s hum returned and grew to a deep purr while her grip on Katie tightened. Katie wrapped her tail around Riley¡¯s and broke the kiss to smile at her. ¡°Well now I feel spoiled,¡± Riley teased.


    Katie cupped Riley¡¯s cheek and smiled. ¡°Are you complaining?¡± she inquired.


    Riley pulled Katie closer and reinitiated the kiss. ¡°No,¡± she murmured. ¡°Never.¡±


    Katie rested her head on Riley¡¯s collarbone and closed her eyes. For a moment, she just listened to Riley¡¯s heartbeat and sighed happily. Riley¡¯s gliders, despite being sail of fin, made for an incredibly warm blanket and she loved when the other girl hugged her like this.


    She had never intended or anticipated falling in love, especially not to the high energy, trouble-making Mer who could not keep herself out of a scrap to save her life, but it had happened. Riley was warm and kind and more than a little silly, but Katie felt safe around her. She finally felt like she had someone she could let her walls down around and just be weak. As much as she loved them and would never trade them for the world, Luna needed someone to hold her up and Sophie worried far too much that Katie always felt she could never burden them when she wasn¡¯t okay. Riley always seemed to know ahead of time if Katie wasn¡¯t alright, and needed no prompting to support her and listen. It had made the months of healing and overcoming trauma so much easier, especially now that Luna was gone and Katie had felt crushed by a void of loneliness.


    It didn¡¯t matter if she needed to cry or fret, or just not be alone; Riley always listened and consoled her ¨C albeit a little awkwardly; she wasn¡¯t always great with emotions ¨C and would usually follow up with a joke and bit of playful banter to help break the somber mood. Katie appreciated Riley immensely, and the girl craved affection far more than she tended to admit. It was like having a scaly, bratty puppy when the two of them were alone.


    Katie squirmed in Riley¡¯s grasp and flicked her fin to drift closer so she could rest her head on Riley¡¯s shoulder. She hadn¡¯t forgotten about the theft of her camera, but she was content to enjoy the tender moment. Riley tangled the fingers of her free hand in Katie¡¯s hair and Katie hummed as her nails scratched gently over her scalp.


    ¡°What are you doing out here?¡± Riley inquired.


    ¡°I was just taking some pictures,¡± Katie replied. ¡°Until someone I know disrupted that.¡± She stuck her tongue out.


    Riley hummed instead of rising to the bait. ¡°You promised you would stay on the reef when you are out alone,¡± she murmured.


    Katie lifted her nose to press against Riley¡¯s chin. ¡°I¡¯m still in sight of it,¡± she protested lightly. It warmed her heart that Riley cared, but she hadn¡¯t actually expected the mischievous adventurer to be quite so protective either. Not that she minded, for the most part.


    Riley scoffed. ¡°Not the same thing,¡± she retorted.


    Katie could not help rolling her eyes. Riley constantly pushed boundaries. Though she knew the other girl was only lightly concerned for her and not being hypocritical or demanding, it was still an amusing side to see. ¡°I am sorry,¡± Katie murmured. She lifted her head and pressed her lips to Riley¡¯s chin, and then hovered so that their noses were touching. ¡°Forgive me?¡± she inquired as she kissed Riley again.


    Riley hummed and her body relaxed as she nodded and deepened their kiss. Katie enjoyed the affection for a moment, before reaching up and snatching her camera back. Enough time had passed that Riley had either forgotten about it or intended to relent on the game, but the moment Katie had it in her hands, she shoved away and stuck her tongue out at Riley.


    Then she winked before darting off with Riley calling out playfully after her. Katie worked her tail hard ¨C though she knew Riley would catch her ¨C to stay ahead as long as she could. She kept her camera clutched to her chest, but her hysterical laughter echoed around her. Riley was laughing too, and Katie¡¯s heart swelled. She didn¡¯t know what all the future was going to hold, but she did know that she was happily in love, and for the moment, that was all that mattered. That and keeping her breakable camera away from her mischievous Mer girlfriend.

 AU. Shoreline Snare - Part One

    Adrenaline coursed through Riley¡¯s veins and her heart thumped wildly in her chest as she bounced on the balls of her feet. Her lip was split and the coppery acidic taste was thick on her tongue, but a twisted grin warped her features and her brows were furrowed with concentration. She had a moral rule for herself that she could never throw the first hit or purposefully incite an unwarranted attack, but once someone swung at her, anything was fair game. Jeremy Fletcher had surprised her with how quickly his temper had flared and she had failed to dodge in time. Her split lip was the consequence of getting clipped, but she fully intended to even the score.


    Jeremy was quite a bit taller than her, with broad shoulders and poorly shaved stubble on his chin. His dark gaze gleamed manically as he lunged for her again, but Riley was ready this time and she ducked under the wild swing and retaliated with a jab to his gut hard enough it made her knuckles burn.


    The sting was worth it to hear Jeremy choke. It served him right. He was a senior and a grade above her, but he had a penchant for bullying younger students. Really, anyone who couldn¡¯t fight back was fair game to Jeremy. Riley was equally prone to stepping in, and this was not the first time their standoffs had become physical.


    Jeremy recovered quickly from her blow and swung at her again. She managed to dodge the blow, but couldn¡¯t get out of the way when his other hand came around and caught her in an open-palm blow across the side of her face. Riley stumbled with a wince and it gave Jeremy time to grab her by her ponytail and yank. Tears burned instinctively in her eyes as he tugged on the follicles. ¡°You should just learn to shut up and mind your own business,¡± Jeremy hissed.


    Riley growled and drove her elbow into his groin. When Jeremy grunted and hunched, she reached behind and grabbed him by the back of the shirt before tucking her shoulder and flinging him to the ground. He still had ahold of her hair and it burned fiercely. She winced as he pulled her head down by it and was unable to pull away as he punched wildly at her jaw. It clacked her teeth together and momentarily scrambled her vision. Pain seared through her mouth as her teeth clipped her tongue and she really tasted blood as it began to fill her mouth. She groaned and drove the heel of her shoe into his face.


    It was a cheap shot, but so was pulling hair in her book, and it worked because he let go with a cry as his nose crunched under her foot. Unfortunately, that was the same moment that a teacher finally reached them, attracted by all the commotion, and got to see her particularly violent stomp.


    Blood gushed from Jeremy¡¯s nose and he howled obscenities at her as he covered his nose with his hands.


    Riley was still shaking off his last blow when someone grabbed her arm and yanked her backwards. She spun to find herself staring into the furious face of her mathematics professor, who gave her a firm shove away from Jeremy. ¡°Last straw, Riley. Office. Now,¡± the teacher barked.


    Riley grimaced and spat a bloody wad into the grass. She had been sloppy today and was going to be sore because of it.


    One of the other students stepped forward and gestured at the scene. ¡°Mr. Braidy, Riley was just defending herself. Jeremy swung first. He was harassing Jenna and I, and Riley stepped in to tell him off when he attacked her. She shouldn¡¯t get into trouble,¡± she protested.


    Mr. Braidy held up a hand. ¡°Be that as it may, the school does not condone violence or excessive force, and this isn¡¯t the first time.¡± He turned and gestured to two of the other boys lurking in the area. ¡°Nick, Jackson, help Jeremy down to the nursing station to see about that nose. You¡¯re both excused from the start of next period to see that he¡¯s brought to the office afterwards,¡± he instructed. Once he was certain his instructions were being followed, he turned back to Riley, who met his gaze evenly. He gestured towards the school building. ¡°I suggest you get a move on,¡± he warned.


    Riley swiped at some of the blood dribbling down her chin and then stuffed her hands into the pocket of her hoodie. It was not worth the argument, so she turned and began walking back towards the doors.


    She didn¡¯t know the two girls she stood up for ¨C not that she needed to ¨C but they both scurried after her, thanking her and protesting Mr. Braidy¡¯s verdict.


    Finally, Riley waved them away with a sigh. ¡°Do not get in trouble too,¡± she urged. It was partially true, but she also just did not feel like an audience right now. Thankfully, the two freshmen got the hint and scurried off. Riley sighed again. Mr. Braidy was hot on her heels as she made her way back inside.


    ¡°Your face is swelling up,¡± the teacher commented as they walked.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Riley muttered.


    He hummed in the back of his throat. ¡°Wait here.¡± They were passing by the nursing station as he said it, and Riley reluctantly planted her feet to the floor as he disappeared inside. She reached up and pulled her elastic from her hair. Jeremy had pulled the tail halfway undone already anyway. She combed her fingers through the blonde locks a few times and then left them hanging freely over her shoulders.


    When Mr. Braidy returned, he was holding a sandwich baggie filled with ice and he passed it off to her. Riley reluctantly accepted it but winced as the cold made her face sting more. She would not be surprised if she got a black eye from the tussle. Oh well.


    ¡°Did you have to break his nose?¡± Mr. Braidy pressed as they neared the office doors. ¡°I could have used you on the team for the Math Olympics next month.¡±


    Riley snorted. ¡°Jeremy Fletcher is a brute and he deserved what he got,¡± she hissed.


    Mr. Braidy pursed his lips. ¡°Yes, well, it¡¯s a shame regardless. Sit there,¡± he instructed as he nodded to a triple set of plastic chairs along the wall. ¡°You¡¯re still a minor, the school will have to call your parents.¡±


    Riley dropped down into one of the seats and crossed her legs at the knee. She pointedly avoided the teacher¡¯s gaze as he disappeared into the office to make the report.


    She picked at her fingernails as she waited in relative silence. Classes changed over and the halls grew busy for a few minutes before becoming a ghost town once more. She grimaced as she thought of the phone conversation likely occurring on her behalf right now. Riley despised that the incident was going to drag her mother down here. She hated disappointing Sophie.


    Her thoughts drifted to her adoptive parents. Sophie Brooks and her husband, Lewis Patter, had taken Riley in when she was younger and she would never be more grateful to anyone in her life. When she was five years old, Riley had been removed from the custody of her birth parents and placed in foster home after foster home. Nothing ever stuck because she had a penchant for running away. She had hated each place and each place had seemed worse than the last. But a child that young, unattended, never went unnoticed for long, so it was a vicious cycle for nearly two years. Even then, Riley had imagined that was how things would always be. That was until she met Sophie and Lewis.


    She had been on the cusp of her seventh birthday and had managed to avoid social services for almost three days when hurricane-like weather had struck. There had been a garage left open that she had huddled up in to get out of the rain, and that was where Sophie had found her.


    She didn¡¯t remember the initial event very well now, but she knew that Sophie had required no explanation to bring her inside and treat her to a warm meal. She¡¯d called social services, but the weather delayed them until morning. And that one night had been all it took. Riley had never warmed up to people before because her past had taught her not to trust and that love came at a steep price. But Sophie and Lewis shared it so unconditionally that Riley had latched to them and the social worker had needed to drag her kicking and screaming out the door.


    Thankfully, the agent had known enough about Riley¡¯s situation to recognize that she had found her people and know that was it, and he worked many long hours to ensure Riley ended up placed with them again. Her mom and dad had fostered her for two more years before the adoption was finalized.


    Her life was a lot better now. She had grown up with a thirst for knowledge and a knack for athletics ¨C though she preferred solo sports to team sports ¨C and her parents encouraged her with both. She wasn¡¯t very good socially, and tended to feel awkward around people, but was happy in her bubble.


    Riley ran a hand through her hair and glanced at the clock on the wall. She had been sitting there for nearly twenty minutes now, so it was no surprise that the next set of footsteps she heard belonged to her mother. Riley chewed her lip and averted her gaze as Sophie came and took a seat beside her.


    Her curly red hair was pulled back off her face and she was wearing work clothes. It made Riley¡¯s spirits sink further.


    ¡°Are you hurt?¡± her mother checked. Riley winced as her mother¡¯s hand brushed the tender side of her face. The ice pack had begun to melt, so Riley had set it aside. Now she wondered if she should pick it up again.


    ¡°I am fine,¡± Riley replied.


    A moment of silence passed between them before Sophie laid her hand on Riley¡¯s back. ¡°I¡¯m going to go talk to the principal, okay? See what¡¯s going on. Are you going to be alright for a few minutes?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really have much choice,¡± Riley muttered.


    Sophie hummed and patted her back a few times before she stood up and made her way into the office. Riley stared after her and watched through the glass as her mother shook the principal¡¯s hand and disappeared out of sight.


    More footsteps drew her attention and Riley¡¯s pale blue eyes narrowed as she watched Jeremy come up the hall. He was still flanked by his escorts and his nose had been wrapped obnoxiously with cotton wads and gauze. He was glowering at her the entire approach but then he disappeared into the office without a word.


    As the other two boys walked away, Riley found herself alone once more to twiddle her thumbs. Jeremy was a tool with a terrible temper and she did not like that he was in the same close quarters as her mother now, but there was not much she could do except sit and wait.


    A few minutes later and shouting could be heard from the office, then the door flew back open and Jeremy came storming over with a red, blood-engorged face. He was waving a finger at her and spittle flew from his lips as he began to shout. ¡°Are you happy now? You should have just minded your own bloody business, Riley. I swear I¡¯ll-¡±


    ¡°Mr. Fletcher!¡±


    Riley¡¯s fingers had curled into fists and she had braced herself for another brawl when the principal had appeared in the doorway. The woman had short black hair and blue eyes and was always seen wearing a pantsuit, but despite her shorter stature, her tone carried absolute authority.


    ¡°I suggest you move along.¡±


    The warning was final and Jeremy growled at both women in the doorway. He turned to walk away, but not before aggressively giving Sophie the finger.


    Riley pushed herself to her feet, but before she could say anything after him, her mother cleared her throat. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Riley. Come on,¡± Sophie urged.


    Riley stared after Jeremy for a few seconds longer before reluctantly caving and following them both into the office, where she sat in a chair next to Sophie and across the desk from her principal.


    The woman sighed and tapped a pen against the desk. ¡°Would you care to explain to me why I keep hearing about you getting into physical altercations with other students?¡±


    ¡°I did not start it,¡± Riley replied.


    ¡°Yes. Conveniently, you never seem to start the fights, only instigate them.¡±


    Riley shook her head. ¡°I did not instigate a fight either. I stood up for a couple of freshmen being harassed by a jerk. Jeremy Fletcher-¡±


    ¡°Has been dealt with,¡± her principal interrupted. ¡°This meeting is about you, Riley. I don¡¯t really care who threw the first punch, I take issue with the fact that every time there¡¯s a scrap on my campus, you seem to be involved. Your actions are the ones I take issue with right now.¡±


    Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.


    ¡°Hang on,¡± Sophie protested. ¡°I¡¯m not saying I condone Riley getting into fights either, but I hope you¡¯re not suggesting that defending herself is wrong.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m suggesting that there¡¯s a difference between defending herself and using excessive force. There is very little tolerance for violence at this school, Mrs. Brooks. If your daughter cannot respect that, perhaps this is not the institution she should be attending.¡±


    Riley leaned forward in her seat and scowled. ¡°He hit me in the face three times! Had me by the hair. Damn right, I broke his nose, he would not let go. What was I supposed to do?¡±


    ¡°Not get involved in the first place,¡± Principal Peters responded. ¡°Riley, if this were simply a self-defence matter, we would not be having this conversation. But this is not the first, or even the second or third altercation that you have been involved in within the last several months. I am glad that, as a young lady, you have the means of defending yourself, but I cannot allow this sort of behaviour to continue and quite frankly, the only reason you have not been kicked out yet has been due to your exceptional academic record, but that will not protect you any longer. This is your final warning. If there¡¯s one more incident, you will be expelled, am I understood?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Riley sighed.


    The principal hummed. ¡°Good. Now go home. You are suspended for the rest of the week. Come back on Monday with a clear head on your shoulders or do not come back at all.¡±


    Riley chewed her lip and looked away. She knew if she tried to say anything, it would likely land her in further trouble.


    When she offered nothing up, her mother cleared her throat instead and rose from her seat. From the corner of her eye, Riley saw her mother¡¯s hand extend across the desk to shake the principal¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about all the trouble,¡± Sophie apologized. ¡°There won¡¯t be any more issues.¡±


    ¡°See that there isn¡¯t. You¡¯re a good student, Riley, I¡¯d hate to see you jeopardize your future.¡±


    ¡°Come on, Riley,¡± Sophie encouraged.


    Riley was more than eager to be out of the office, so she quickly followed her mother out of the building and towards the parking lot.


    Sophie did not say a word as they walked and Riley felt her heart sink. Worry gnawed at her gut as they approached her mother¡¯s minivan. Riley climbed into the front passenger seat and buckled up while she waited for her mom to come around and get settled.


    As soon as she had closed the door behind her, Sophie leaned across and brought a hand up. ¡°Let me see,¡± she instructed. Riley reluctantly turned her face and remained still and silent as her mother prodded at her. ¡°Who was this kid, exactly? He really did get you good.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, well, the first shot was a surprise, the second was luck, and he still had me by the hair when I flipped him, so I couldn¡¯t do much to stop the third one. I was just¡­off, I guess,¡± Riley muttered. ¡°He¡¯s just some thug that likes to pick on the newer students. Most of them are coming out of middle school and don¡¯t know how to handle themselves.¡±


    Sophie hummed. ¡°You broke his nose?¡±


    Riley shrugged. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t let go, so I kicked him in the face.¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re definitely going to be bruised for a bit, but I don¡¯t think it will be worse than that. Are you sure you¡¯re alright? You¡¯re not dizzy, no blurred vision? Any reason to see a doctor.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Let¡¯s just go home then.¡±


    The radio came on low when her mom turned the key in the ignition, but Riley just twisted her body and leaned against the window. Neither of them spoke for a long time, until Riley saw her mother take a different turn than usual. Turning right would take them to the highway and have them home in minutes. This was the long way, usually reserved for serious conversations or avoiding home. Riley chewed her lip and guilt rose in her throat once more.


    ¡°I am sorry,¡± she caved finally, after a few minutes down the scenic backroads.


    ¡°For what?¡±


    Riley swallowed the lump in her throat. ¡°All of it. For getting in a fight, for getting in trouble, for them dragging you down to the school¡­I don¡¯t like making you mad.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not mad.¡±


    ¡°Disappointing you, then. Upsetting you, whatever,¡± Riley muttered.


    Her mom reached over and squeezed her arm. ¡°Riley, I¡¯m not mad. I¡¯m not upset, I¡¯m not disappointed in you. I¡¯m concerned, but I¡¯m not mad.¡± There was another pause before her mom continued. ¡°Riley, you stood up for others and you defended yourself, I can¡¯t be disappointed in you for that, I¡¯m proud of you. I think maybe you were a touch aggressive about it and that perhaps we should work on the in-and-out tactic of helping others walk away, but I am proud of you. You¡¯ve never been the type to turn a blind eye to the needs of others and I would expect nothing less.¡±


    Riley cracked half a smile and tears stung in her eyes. She shook her head to clear them and gestured out the window. ¡°Then why are we going the long way?¡±


    Sophie chuckled and rolled her eyes. ¡°That obvious, huh? I¡¯m not mad, but we do need to talk about this. Suspension is no small thing, Riley. I¡¯m proud of you for standing up for what you believe in, but I¡¯m concerned that the fighting is going to become a regular thing. Do I need to be concerned about that?¡±


    ¡°I-¡± Riley broke off, realizing she did not know exactly what to say. She had been getting into more fights lately.


    Her mom sighed and fumbled for her hand. When Riley took it, her mom squeezed her fingers. ¡°Just promise me that this will be the last one, okay? I¡¯m not saying don¡¯t defend yourself, but don¡¯t go looking for a reason to need to. You¡¯re fast and you¡¯re capable, dodge and get away, okay? You don¡¯t have to beat the other person to win a fight. Riley, you¡¯re so smart and generous and you may be awkward about it, but you have such a big heart and concern for other people¡­I just¡­I don¡¯t want you to risk your future with a bad reputation on your file. Right now, with your grades and your thirst for knowledge, you could go anywhere, do anything¡­as your mother¡­I have to be concerned when that¡¯s put at risk, you know that.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Riley agreed. ¡°I am sorry¡­I guess I just wanted an excuse to blow off steam. I hate when guys like Jeremy push others around for no reason. I¡­I was hoping he would swing at me.¡±


    Sophie nodded and hummed in the back of her throat. ¡°I¡¯d like to swing at him,¡± she replied. ¡°But sometimes it¡¯s better and braver to avoid a conflict. Just¡­try for me, okay? If you want to switch schools, we can do that. If you just like the physical side of it, maybe a class, yeah? We could do it together. But no more schoolyard brawls, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Promise?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Riley sighed. ¡°I promise.¡± She gazed back out the window. They were driving by the coast, and Riley found her gaze wandering over the shoreline instinctively. Her mom and dad ran a marine rescue sanctuary on the other side of town. They had an attached tourism park to help generate funds, but the primary focus had always been on rescuing and rehabilitating sick and injured wildlife. Riley had been on more than a few rescues with them, and with how stormy it had been the past few days, her gaze was trained on the sand for any signs of beachings.


    It didn¡¯t look like any porpoises had gotten stranded though, and Riley was just about to turn away when something caught her eye. Down by the rocks, where the beach met the taller cliffside, was a large tangle of netting and trash that had washed up. It was foul, but not uncommon as many of the ocean rocks there acted like a natural trap for the garbage that got washed up. But now, there seemed to be something else caught up in the mess, based on how the water was being stirred up. She squinted and could see a tail thrashing against the surface of the water.


    ¡°Mom, slow down,¡± she urged. ¡°Do you see that? Looks like a dolphin or something got tangled up down by the rocks over there. Do you see it?¡±


    Sophie was silent for a moment. ¡°Yeah, I do. It¡¯s too far to see what it is, but something¡¯s agitated.¡±


    ¡°Can we pull over here?¡±


    ¡°Gimme a minute.¡±


    They pulled into a secluded lot, but Sophie bumped up over the curb of it down onto the sand itself. This time of year, there were no turtle nests to worry about, so she drove them as close to the rocks as she could. ¡°What in the world¡­¡± her mother mused.


    Riley glanced back out the window as her mother made the comment. Whatever it was, it wasn¡¯t thrashing much anymore. There was such a mess of tight netting, rope, and plastic that Riley could barely make out the body. But trailing in the water, flipping up every time the surf crashed against the creature, was a lavender purple fin. It looked like it belonged to a fish, with thick scaling up the side of the fishy membrane, but it was easily big enough to belong to a dolphin or pilot whale. She understood her mom¡¯s confusion.


    As soon as the car was stopped, Riley jumped out.


    ¡°Get the kit from the back,¡± her mom called. The trunk popped and Riley hurried around to riffle through until she found the kit her mom was referring to. It had all sorts of emergency tools for strandings, including blades for cutting through netting and wire. Riley snatched it up and hurried back around to where her mom had already made it to the surf.


    She pulled up short beside her mom and could not help just staring for a moment. The netting had gotten wrapped around a few of the rocks, at least knee-deep out in the water, and the waves were buffeting the creature up against the hard surfaces. The bright purple fin was attached to a long tail, coated in dark amethyst scales. While the netting concealed most of the torso, one hand was trailing in the water, twisted the wrong way like the wrist was broken, and soft brown hair was a mess with seaweed and other gunk from the storm. The girl had her head twisted at an angle and her lips were parted like a fish out of water. The waves were pushing water into her mouth and it flowed back down from her lips with every shuddering gasp. It was¡­a mermaid? It couldn¡¯t just be a girl in a costume, not with how the tail was moving. She looked almost entirely immobile, except for the fin, which was thrashing and twisting as best it could.


    Riley shook herself. Girl or animal, she needed help. Riley kicked her shoes off and stepped into the water, and as soon as she did, her mom shook herself and followed her. ¡°Be careful, Riley,¡± she warned. ¡°Let''s cut the netting loose and get back to shore. We can assess the situation better from there.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to call it in?¡± Riley asked.


    Sophie pursed her lips and shook her head. ¡°Best that we don¡¯t until we have a better idea of what we¡¯re dealing with.¡±


    As they began to approach, the mermaid stiffened and her eyes narrowed. Her whole body heaved against the nets entangling her body as she thrashed, and her lips pulled back to reveal dangerously long fangs. A waterlogged hiss gurgled in her throat. Definitely not a human girl in a costume.


    ¡°Easy. Easy now, it¡¯s alright,¡± Sophie murmured as she stepped a little deeper into the water. ¡°Riley, get me the shears out of that kit, please.¡±


    Riley stopped and fumbled with the zipper on the bag so she could fish out the pair of handheld shears. The steel glinted as she pulled them free and passed them over. The mermaid must have seen them because she spooked and began hissing and thrashing some more.


    ¡°Riley, maybe you should go back to shore; I don¡¯t want you getting hurt.¡±


    Riley shook her head and fished out a second, smaller pair of scissors. ¡°You cannot cut the netting and get this back to shore by yourself,¡± she refused. Her bare toes sunk into the mucky sand and she walked into the water. She was up to her mid-thighs and her mom nearly to her waist by the time they reached the jutted rock the nets were wrapped around. Riley grabbed a fistful and began cutting through it as best she could while her mother hacked at the other side.


    It took longer than Riley would have liked to get the netting free from the rock, but then they had to drag the mermaid towards the shore and the girl was no help whatsoever, thrashing and hissing. It was only managing to tangle her up more and by the time they got her beached, the mermaid was limp once more and her wheezing had gotten worse.


    ¡°Do you think she needs to breathe the water?¡± Riley checked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think she can breathe at all right now,¡± her mother replied. ¡°Go around behind her so she can¡¯t twist to bite. Work on anything wrapped around the neck, I¡¯ll worry about the chest. It looked like she was trying to keep her head above the water earlier, but if her chest can¡¯t expand, she¡¯s going to suffocate.¡±


    Riley nodded and carefully stepped over the aquatic victim. The wheezing was growing worse and the mermaid¡¯s hazel eyes were wide and bloodshot, her jaw hanging slack as she panted.


    There was blue twine and thick fishing line wrapped around her neck and shoulders, and it only grew worse down her body, where firmer wires and netting were tangled up. Riley shook her head and set to work. She snipped through the line where she could and gently tugged free anything loose. It had cut deep into the mermaid¡¯s skin and ruby fluid oozed around her fingers as she worked. She glanced over at her mom to find Sophie working just as quickly but carefully as she could. The mermaid was pale now, and her breathing was growing weaker and shakier with each breath she tried to take. Riley grimaced and tried to quicken her pace.


    When she finally peeled back the last piece around the throat, she hurried to help her mother. After a few more cuts, Sophie set the scissors aside, grabbed at the netting, and yanked. Several pieces pulled free and finally the mermaid¡¯s chest could expand. She began to gasp and cough, and water flowed from her lips as she spat it into the sand. Her one arm was still hopelessly entangled and the blood flow was noticeably restricted, while the other arm hung limply. It was twisted wrong at both the elbow and the wrist, and Riley winced. It had to be painful.


    ¡°Keep cutting,¡± Sophie urged.


    Now that she was breathing again, the mermaid was beginning to struggle more. She hissed and whined and chittered something in a language Riley had no hopes of understanding, and the bucking did not make trying to cut her arm free any easier.


    She saw the syringe only a second before Sophie pushed it into the mermaid¡¯s back, just below her neck. ¡°Wait, what if she¡¯s a conscious breather?!¡±


    Sophie shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not a sedative, just a painkiller. Hopefully, it¡¯ll keep her calm.¡±


    It took a few minutes, but the drugs had a noticeable effect because the mermaid was limp and breathing deeply while her eyes were rolled back and her jaw was slack. It made it a lot easier to work and by the end of the hour, they had cut away most of the netting, save a few particularly constricting pieces around the fin. The mermaid¡¯s skin was littered with shallow, crisscrossing cuts from where the fishing line had dug into her flesh.


    ¡°We¡¯ll need to get her back for treatment,¡± Sophie announced finally. ¡°That arm does not look good and we¡¯re going to need something better than field scissors to free that tail fluke without damaging it further.¡±


    ¡°Do you want me to get on with the rescue team?¡±


    Sophie shook her head. ¡°No, it¡¯ll take too much time. Riley, I don¡¯t know what this creature is, but if someone else shows up while we¡¯re waiting and sees her¡­We should keep this quiet for now.¡±


    Riley chewed her lip and nodded. ¡°Do you think she will be alright out of the water that long?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s going to have to be. You come around to the tail. I would rather you be away from the teeth. I¡¯ll need your help to lift her.¡±


    Riley stared nervously at the mermaid. She really did need their help, but it was a concerning situation. Then she gritted her teeth and nodded. Here, wounded and covered in gunk and sand and trash, was someone who desperately needed help. Human or not, the creature was unnervingly person-like, and they could not just abandon her to die in the surf like this. ¡°Alright,¡± she agreed after a breath. ¡°I¡¯ll go open the back door and come back, that way we don¡¯t have to risk dropping her.¡±


    ¡°Good idea, go,¡± her mom urged.


    Riley¡¯s heart was thudding in her chest as she hastened to obey. Her mind was reeling at the fact that mermaids were real in the first place, but that would mean nothing if the living legend died there on the shoreline. They had to help her.

 Shoreline Snare - Part Two

    There was a mermaid in the back of her mom¡¯s minivan. It was not the sort of thing Riley ever expected to joke about, much less have as a reality, but it was staring her in the face. Literally. She was twisted in the middle seats while her mother drove so that she could keep an eye on the impromptu rescue. The mermaid stared straight back, though her wide, hazel eyes were glossy and unfocused.


    Moving her up the beach had been a struggle. The mermaid¡¯s one arm was badly broken and she was littered with cuts and bruises, and Sophie had mentioned she would not be surprised if there were other internal injuries too. She had clearly been beaten pretty badly up against those rocks. Moving her had elicited many agonized cries and a great deal of thrashing from the mermaid, so Sophie had given her an extra-strong dose of meds and now she mostly just looked stoned. She and her mom had worked to swaddle the mermaid in a thick spare blanket in the back to help keep her arm as still as possible since they did not have a brace or means to set it.


    But the mermaid was far from safe as they transported her. Her breathing was shallow and shaky, and she rasped terribly with each inhale. Her skin was pale and blotchy, and her lips were twisted into a grimace. Even with the medication keeping her calm, she was in pain. Riley was supervised to ensure her situation did not deteriorate further.


    They hit a particularly decent bump in the road and suddenly the mermaid began to chitter frantically. Her voice had a lyrical lilt to it, but the whistles and clicks held no meaning that Riley could decern, but the way the mermaid was staring directly at her gave Riley the sense she was trying to communicate.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s okay,¡± she murmured back. ¡°We don¡¯t want to hurt you, we just want to help you feel better.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯s she doing, Riley?¡±


    ¡°Scared¡­I think she¡¯s still in a lot of pain.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I think so too,¡± her mom agreed. ¡°Hang on just a second while I make a phone call.¡±


    Her mom¡¯s phone was mounted to the dash and a moment later, it began to ring through on Bluetooth. Three rings and then a click as the line connected.


    ¡°Soph, hey, how did things go at the school?¡± Lewis¡¯ voice echoed through the car as he spoke. ¡°It¡¯s taken you a lot longer than I expected, is Riley alright? Do you need me to come¡­down¡­what¡¯s that sound?¡±


    The mermaid was getting restless and her vocalizations had grown louder.


    ¡°We had to make a detour on the way home,¡± her mom said. ¡°We¡¯re coming back now, but we¡¯ve got a rescue with us.¡±


    ¡°In the van? Are you both alright? Why didn¡¯t you call the team?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit more¡­delicate than that,¡± Sophie replied with a grimace. She met Riley¡¯s gaze in the rearview and her bright green eyes were glittering with worry. ¡°Can you ready up a room and one of the rehab pools? We¡¯re looking at multiple lacerations from an ensnarement. We couldn¡¯t get all of the netting off of the tail, it¡¯s too tight, and there are at least two broken bones. Don¡¯t bring an intern.¡±


    ¡°Sophie, what¡¯s going on?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to explain over the phone. Just¡­be ready and don¡¯t tell anyone. This is better off staying a secret.¡±


    ¡°Soph, you¡¯re starting to scare me.¡±


    ¡°I know¡­you¡¯re just going to have to trust me. We¡¯re ten minutes out.¡±


    For a stretch that felt like ages, there was silence on the other end of the line. ¡°I¡¯ll meet you around the back then,¡± Lewis sighed after a moment. ¡°I love you. Both of you.¡±


    ¡°Love you too,¡± Riley and her mom both echoed before the call cut. Once it did, Riley glanced back to fix her attention on the mermaid once more. She had slumped down since the start of the call and fallen silent, but her breathing still rasped and her eyes were half-lidded now, though she continued to study Riley back through them.


    It was cramped for her in the backseat of the van, and they¡¯d had to bend her tail to get her to fit, since Sophie had wanted her lying as prone as possible with how mangled her arm was, so her tail was angled up over the top of the seat, and when she flicked her fin, the tips of it thunked against the roof of the vehicle. It didn¡¯t seem like she had the strength to move from how they positioned her, but when her fin struck the roof, she stirred a bit more and chittered something new before falling slack again.


    ¡°Everything okay back there?¡± her mom checked.


    Riley swallowed the lump in her throat as her gaze raked over the mermaid, bundled up in a blanket and looking paler than a ghost. ¡°I hope so. She seems calmer now, but I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s the medication or if she¡¯s just¡­¡±


    ¡°Dying?¡± her mom finished.


    Riley gulped again. ¡°Y-yeah.¡±


    ¡°Whatever happens, we did our best, Riley. You know that. These rescues don¡¯t always have a happy ending, but we still always have to try.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Riley agreed. ¡°I just¡­really don¡¯t want her to die.¡±


    ¡°Me either. Listen, when we get to the sanctuary, you need to be ready to jump. The sooner we get her inside and set up the better her chances. Lewis is going to have to work fast and he¡¯s going to be working alone, so on your toes, okay?¡±


    Riley nodded in agreement.


    A minute later, they were pulling into the back loading lot of the sanctuary. Lewis was already there with a wide porpoise stretcher. It was not good to leave dolphins and small whales supporting their own weight for long, but sometimes moving them without water was necessary in case of emergencies and Riley wasn¡¯t surprised her father figure had pulled one out since he didn¡¯t yet know what they were bringing back with them.


    As soon as her mom had the car idling, Riley leaned into the very back to lower the backseat all the way flat. The mermaid cried out and began to chitter at them again as it jostled her body, but Riley was trying to be as careful as possible. If they could get the seats flat, there would be more room to pull her out through the trunk and onto the gurney.


    ¡°Good thinking,¡± her mom praised. Sophie got out of the car and made her way around to pop the trunk of the van. Lewis pulled the gurney around, but his dark eyes were wide and his lips parted as he glanced inside.


    ¡°Sophie, why didn¡¯t you call an ambulance¡­what¡­?¡± Lewis trailed off as the mermaid squirmed and hissed loudly. Her dolphinesque language was spilling frantically from her throat and she was lashing her fin. Her lips were twisted into a grimace and she had grown a few shades paler.


    ¡°That¡¯s why,¡± Sophie responded. ¡°I think her arm is broken pretty badly at the elbow and the wrist, and all that netting still needs to come off,¡± she paused to gesture where blood was oozing down the tail and fin from where a thick bundle of netting had gotten pulled tight enough to slide under the scales and split the skin.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get her inside, quickly,¡± Lewis urged. The three of them carefully tugged and maneuvered the frantic mermaid out of the car and onto the gurney. As soon as she was lying prone, Lewis rushed her inside. Riley moved to follow when her mom put a hand out and stopped her with a firm shake of her head.


    ¡°But I want to help,¡± Riley protested.


    Sophie shook her head again. ¡°You¡¯re going to go up to the house.¡±


    ¡°But I-¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to go up to the house,¡± her mom repeated firmly. ¡°You¡¯re going to get a shower, get cleaned up, and put on fresh clothes.¡±


    Riley glanced down at her blood and mud-crusted pants and shirt that were now also crusty with salt, sand, and gunk from the rescue. Sophie¡¯s clothes weren¡¯t much better, but at least she hadn¡¯t been in a fight just prior. She supposed her mom had a point.


    ¡°And then,¡± her mother continued. ¡°You¡¯re going to sit down and write an apology letter.¡±


    She could accept needing to change and tidy up, but indignation rose like a beast in Riley¡¯s chest and she huffed and shook her head. ¡°I am not going to apologize to that-¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t referring to the boy in the fight, Riley. I don¡¯t expect you to be sorry about that, all things considered. But you are going to write a letter to your principal, and to the teacher who broke up the fight, for being involved in disorderly conduct and causing a disturbance.¡±


    ¡°But-¡± Riley bit back a growl as her mother cleared her throat to cut her off.


    ¡°Riley, I¡¯m not asking. This is not up for debate. You¡¯re going to go up to the house, tidy yourself up, and write a letter, now, while it¡¯s fresh. This is not a punishment, it¡¯s the proper thing to do. You were just suspended for brawling on school property. I know you don¡¯t want that to loom over you when the time comes for letters of recommendation or applying to college. So go do as I¡¯ve asked and do it properly. Afterwards, you may come back down if you like, but not before.¡±


    Riley growled again and curled her hands into fists, but ultimately sighed. ¡°Fine,¡± she caved. She felt it was a stupid exercise and that it was definitely a punishment, but she supposed there were way worse reactions her mother could have had over the incident. And the more she stood here and argued, the longer Sophie was standing here too, and she knew that her father was going to need help. That had to be more important right now. ¡°But I¡¯m not sorry that I broke his nose.¡±


    A small smile twitched at Sophie¡¯s lips and her shoulders shook as she chewed her lip and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not either. Now go on.¡±


    ***


    Riley pushed back from her desk with a sigh and stood up. Her muscles creaked in protest as she pushed her arms high into the air and arched her back into a stretch. She was still bitter about the letter she had finished writing, but she understood the logic in her mother¡¯s request. She couldn¡¯t go through life making enemies and never making friends or making amends. She wasn¡¯t sorry about the fight or about Jeremy¡¯s nose, but she didn¡¯t want to damage relations with her teachers or plant a target on her back with the principal, so she had just needed to grit her teeth and follow through with what her mother advised. Now that it was done, however, she was eager to get back down to the sanctuary.


    She¡¯d showered and her hair was still damp in the braid she¡¯d tied it back in. She¡¯d changed into a fresh tee and a pair of black tights, and as she made her way to the front door, she traded her sneakers for a pair of sandals.


    It was only a five-minute walk down the hill from their home to the sanctuary. It wasn¡¯t where they lived when she initially moved in with them, but it was what Riley considered home. Sophie and Lewis had the home built on the back hill of the sanctuary property to be closer to work when Riley was eleven and they had lived there for the last five years.


    As she made her way down the road, Riley peered beyond the buildings of the sanctuary to the beach beyond. They had to be right on the water to support the rescue programs, but Riley adored the bonus of the view.


    The trip was short, but she found herself at a loss once she entered the sanctuary itself. It smelled sharply of saltwater and there were volunteers and staff milling about, but she wasn¡¯t actually sure where her parents were.  She didn¡¯t imagine they would have announced the mermaid¡¯s presence to the staff, so she had no way of knowing where they were. On a whim, she pulled out her phone and typed in her mom¡¯s number, but after a few rings, it went to voicemail. Riley frowned. She didn¡¯t want to try her dad in case Lewis was in the middle of treatment still.


    She was saved from having to figure it out on her own, however. ¡°Riley! Nice to see you around, how have you been, hon?¡±


    Riley glanced up to see Jonah grinning at her. He was only a little taller than her and in his late twenties. He¡¯d been volunteering at the sanctuary in the evenings for years now, and Riley knew him pretty well. He had a scraggly beard and dark hair and eyes, and he gestured at her phone. ¡°Looking for your mom?¡± he checked.


    ¡°Yeah, or dad. Have you seen either of them in the last hour or two?¡±


    Jonah¡¯s chin dipped as he nodded and he pointed behind Riley. ¡°Apparently, there¡¯s a filter problem with one of the rehab pools, so they¡¯ve got someone in fixing it. Asked not to be disturbed, but mentioned you might come looking for them. You¡¯re probably welcome to go take a peek, but I¡¯d be careful in case they¡¯ve got any equipment running.¡±


    Riley grinned. ¡°Thanks, Jonah, will do,¡± she assured him. She waved at him as she spun on her heel and hurried down the hall in the direction that he¡¯d indicated. Sure enough, towards the end of the hall was the entrance to one of the main rehabilitation pools and the doors had a Closed For Maintenance sign posted on them. Her parents had taped up paper in the windows to block any inside view as well. She leaned against the door and tested the push latch. It wasn¡¯t locked, but she still rapped her knuckles on the glass to alert them so they wouldn¡¯t be startled. ¡°It¡¯s just me,¡± she called as she pushed the door open and slipped inside.


    Her mother had been coming over already, so it only took her a few more strides to reach Riley. ¡°Hey, how did it go?¡±


    ¡°I got it done,¡± Riley replied.


    Her mother¡¯s smile widened and she reached up to cup Riley¡¯s cheek on the good side of her face. ¡°You look a little better now, but you¡¯re probably going to get a black eye from this. Does it hurt?¡±


    ¡°Not really.¡± Riley shifted her weight from foot to foot. ¡°So¡­how is¡­¡± Riley trailed off.


    Her mom stepped back and inclined her head towards the pool. ¡°Your dad just went to get some feed, we¡¯ll see in a little bit if she has an appetite. We got all the netting off and treated the lacerations. Her arm is really messed up and Lewis had to get quite creative with a cast because she cracked some ribs too, but most of the damage was superficial. She should be okay with time, but  I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if recovery is slow.¡±


    ¡°Is she aggressive?¡±


    Sophie pursed her lips and shrugged. ¡°Very vocal, likes to growl, show her teeth, but we didn¡¯t get bitten if that¡¯s what you¡¯re asking. I don¡¯t know if she¡¯s just disoriented, but it seems like there¡¯s more bark than bite. That¡¯s no reason not to be cautious though.¡±


    ¡°No kidding, did you see those fangs?¡±


    ¡°Mhm.¡±


    Riley chewed on her lip. ¡°Can I go see?¡±


    ¡°If you like, but don¡¯t get too close and keep your voice low, alright? We¡¯re trying to keep her as calm as possible right now. The more she thrashes, the more she risks further injury.¡±


    Her mom stepped back and gestured towards the pool, and Riley followed her hand with her gaze. She took a breath and then began to walk slowly forward. She knew a lot of marine creatures could be very sensitive to vibration, so she tried to move slowly and lightly to keep from disturbing the mermaid too much.


    The rehabilitation pools were wide bodies lined with a special foam so that sensitive porpoise skin wouldn¡¯t be irritated by concrete or tiling. The water was kept just deep enough that a dolphin¡¯s weight would be supported, but no deeper so that if they were too injured to swim, they couldn¡¯t dive deeper and drown being unable to get back to the surface. They had one deeper pool for orcas, but it was seldomly used.


    As Riley approached, she could see the mermaid. She was below the surface, huddled up in the corner. Since the pool was shallow, Riley could have reached an arm in up to her elbow at most and made physical contact, but it was concerning to see the mermaid entirely submerged. She had been breathing air earlier, so despite the scales, Riley was more inclined to guess she was an aquatic mammal. ¡°Hey, mom? Can she swim okay right now?¡±


    ¡°She hasn¡¯t been. That netting cut pretty deep into the bottom of her tail, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if it¡¯s too tender right now. When your father and I got her into the water earlier, she just huddled up in that corner and hasn¡¯t moved since. She¡¯s either hurt, exhausted, or too frightened to move. Probably a mix of things.¡±


    Riley¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°But what about air? The water is a little deep for her to be able to surface to breathe if she can¡¯t swim.¡±


    Her mom stepped up behind her and wrapped her arms around Riley from behind. Though Riley was taller than her mother, it always made her feel little again when her mom hugged her like this, and she hummed. ¡°I¡¯m proud of how thorough you are, Riley. But it¡¯s okay. She has gills.¡±


    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°Gills? But we watched her¡­in the car? Surely she would have suffocated?¡±


    ¡°There are some fish and crustaceans that can remain out of the water for a while. They get a special coating on their gills. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s quite what¡¯s happening here, but somehow, she can do both. We won¡¯t know more until we get a chance to observe her more, but until then, so long as she can breathe, I don¡¯t want to disturb or stress her out more than necessary.¡±


    ¡°I suppose not,¡± Riley agreed. She gently extracted herself from her mother¡¯s embrace and stepped up to the edge of the pool. Slowly, she crouched down, crossed her legs, and hunched over to peer into the water better. The mermaid certainly looked exhausted, because her head was drooped and her tail was swaying limply from side to side. Bandages were wrapped around her torso and she had a thick brace belt around her ribcage. Her father had secured a cast up most of her arm, and it looked like he had belted it in a bent position to the belt so that it couldn¡¯t be moved.


    The mermaid was using her good arm as a brace, and small rivets of bubbles were breaking from the sides of her neck to flutter to the surface. She really did have gills. Now that Riley could see her better, fully stretched out and not wrapped in fishing wire, she could see the long, solid tail that glittered like a gem, with the triangular fin branching from the tip. It had scaled sides, and the lavender membrane between looked thin and delicate, but Riley suspected was probably stronger than it looked. There were more scales running down the mermaid¡¯s spine in a long arm with more webbing beneath. It was ruffled and appeared even more delicate than the tailfin, and was only partially extended. Riley imagined that at full height, it was an impressive sail.


    ¡°Wow,¡± Riley murmured. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this is real.¡±


    ¡°Me either,¡± Sophie agreed. ¡°But I think the world should keep believing they¡¯re a myth. At least until we know more about her. If possible, I¡¯d like to get her back in the ocean as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°What if she can¡¯t be rehabilitated safely?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll cross that bridge if it comes, but I think she¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Riley nodded and peered back into the water. She had no one really to tell even if she had wanted to ¨C which she didn¡¯t ¨C and she didn¡¯t want anything bad to happen to the mermaid either. She was an amazing sight. And she was looking at Riley again too. Earlier, her head had been bowed, but since then, she¡¯d curled her tail around on the floor for better support and had raised her chin. She was still hunched in on herself and it was hard to read her expression from across the pool when they were separated by the surface, but it still caused Riley¡¯s breath to hitch with wonder and she smiled. She raised a hand and waved at the mermaid, but the motion seemed to spook her because she flinched, and Riley saw her lips pull back into a snarl. Hastily, she lowered her hand back into her lap. ¡°I don¡¯t think she wants company.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t say I blame her,¡± her mom replied. ¡°She doesn¡¯t know we¡¯re trying to help. Think about how today has gone for her and then in her eyes, all we¡¯ve probably done is jabbed her with pointy sticks, made her broken bones hurt more by moving them, made her cry, and locked her up in a tiny box with no way out. We¡¯re not friends yet.¡±


    ¡°She cried?¡±


    ¡°Yup,¡± her mom sighed. Riley glanced back to see Sophie stuff her hands into her pockets. ¡°There were tears and lots of whimpering¡­it was pretty awful. Even when we were trying to help, it was hard to touch her in that state¡­she just seemed so¡­¡±


    ¡°Human?¡±


    Sophie nodded. ¡°And so not at the same time¡­It¡¯s part of why I don¡¯t want anyone to find out. A creature like this shouldn¡¯t be in a tank and we know what happens if the world discovers her.¡±


    Riley hummed, but then fell silent. She wasn¡¯t sure exactly what to say in response. They were spared an awkward silence when the door to the room opened and Lewis re-entered. His pearly teeth contrasted brightly against his rich, dark skin as he smiled at Riley and she grinned back. He plopped a hand down on her head and ruffled up the roots into a frizz.


    ¡°So the slugger finally shows her face!¡± he exclaimed, which made Riley flush and duck her head away. ¡°I hear you got yourself into quite the scrap at school today.¡±


    Riley hummed.


    ¡°What¡¯s the rule on fighting?¡±


    Riley pursed her lips and grimaced. She knew where this was going. ¡°Finish it, but don¡¯t start it, and only if I have to.¡±


    ¡°Did you start it?¡±


    ¡°Nope.¡±


    ¡°Finish it?¡±


    ¡°I would have, but the teacher interrupted.¡±


    There was a few moments of silence as her dad sat down beside her and crossed his legs. ¡°Did you go looking for it?¡±


    Riley chewed her lip and avoided his gaze, but offered up no response. She hated disappointing either of her parents, but she still firmly believed Jeremy had gotten what he deserved.


    ¡°Riley?¡± Lewis pressed. ¡°Did you go looking for a fight today?¡±


    ¡°Maybe a little,¡± she sighed finally. ¡°But he had it and more coming to him, he¡¯s a bully who picks on anyone who can¡¯t fight back.¡±


    Her father hummed and fell silent beside her. Then, after a minute, ¡°did you win?¡±


    Riley leaned back on her hands and shrugged. ¡°Well, I got slapped around a little, bruised my face, really bruised my pride, and got suspended. But I broke his nose and I¡¯m pretty sure he got suspended too. Dunno if it¡¯ll change his tune or not though, so define winning?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d say that you won.¡±


    ¡°Lewis, do not encourage this,¡± her mom warned.


    ¡°I¡¯m not. Riley, I¡¯m proud of you for standing up for others and holding your ground, but this was not a good thing that happened today. Fighting is still wrong except as a last resort and, I know that you know and are better than that, and getting suspended is even worse. No schoolyard bully is worth your future or wellbeing; not when there¡¯s a better way. I don¡¯t want to hear about you getting into any more fights, do you understand?¡±


    Riley felt her gut squeeze as once again, a pang of rotten, festering guilt began to eat at her. She was never phased by anything nasty anyone had to say, hardly ever backed down from a challenge or dispute, but when it came to her parents, she wanted to tie herself in pretzels to keep from troubling or disappointing them. Against her will, she felt tears water in her eyes and she bit her lip. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Her father clucked his tongue and draped an arm across her shoulders. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t get upset, it¡¯s alright. You know I¡¯m not mad at you, Riley. Besides, I¡¯m sure your mom already laid into you pretty hard, I¡¯m not going to repeat.¡±


    Riley bit her lip to smother a chuckle and shook her head as she wiped at her eyes. ¡°Not really,¡± she admitted.


    She saw her father turn and raise a brow, though there was mirth in his tone as he spoke. ¡°But I¡¯m the one enabling the behaviour?¡± he teased.


    ¡°Riley and I had a talk on the way home,¡± Sophie replied. ¡°But I think given the circumstances, she¡¯s endured punishment enough.¡±


    ¡°I disagree.¡± Her dad¡¯s voice was calm and there was no anger in his tone, but he fixed her with a firm glare that made Riley want to wilt. She didn¡¯t though, and instead met his gaze evenly. She loved her parents fiercely and if they felt she had done something wrong that warranted repercussions, she would endure that.


    ¡°Lewis, I-¡± Sophie broke off when Lewis held his hand up.


    He was still staring at Riley. ¡°Riley knows I¡¯m right. I warned her years ago when we first started practicing a little self-defence together that there would be trouble in a situation like this. I gave you two rules; never start a fight and never go looking for one, and you¡¯ve broken one of those rules. There have to be consequences to that.¡±


    Riley took a breath and nodded. ¡°I know,¡± she agreed. ¡°There should be. I¡¯m not sorry for fighting ¨C I can¡¯t be when I was stopping someone from hurting someone else ¨C but I know that I need to maintain control of myself and I lost that control today,¡± she acknowledged.


    Her dad nodded. ¡°Good. Then you¡¯re on duty for this room then.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You heard me. We can¡¯t have the regular staff in and out of here right now, so you¡¯re going to handle all the little jobs. Mopping floors, cleaning the filter and the bottom of the pool, feeding, enrichment, the works. You¡¯re not to corral without your mom or I here, just in case, and I¡¯ll be handling bandage changes and medications, but all the rest of it is your job now, so I expect to see you in here every day this week. When you return to school, we¡¯ll re-evaluate certain tasks, but you¡¯re still going to pitch in and see this through.¡±


    Riley felt her heart rate quicken. Lewis was giving her a poker face like this was meant to be a punishment, but she could see the glitter in his eyes and she could barely contain a grin. This was no consequence. She loved pitching in at the sanctuary, but her father had essentially just given her the job of keeper over the mermaid that Riley was already smitten with. She was already looking for an excuse to spend time in here and he had given her permission to spend as much time as she wanted. ¡°You mean it?¡± When he nodded, she squealed and threw her arms around him. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Well, don¡¯t sound too devastated now,¡± he laughed.


    Riley flushed and cleared her throat. ¡°I mean¡­oh no, this is such a harsh punishment,¡± she giggled.


    ¡°Are you up to the responsibility?¡±


    Riley glanced back at her mother, who was waiting for an answer with her brow raised. Clearly, her mother and father had already discussed this, and Riley took a breath to calm herself as she nodded. ¡°Yes,¡± she agreed.


    ¡°No more fighting,¡± her mom reminded.


    ¡°I know,¡± Riley agreed with a dip of her head. ¡°I promised already, I meant it.¡±


    Her dad patted her on the back and grinned. ¡°Good.¡±


    Riley leaned around him to hook her fingers through the handle of the metal pail her father had brought in with him. It smelled sharply of fish and was filled with water and hunks of fish pieces. ¡°She¡¯s got those fangs, but do you think she¡¯s a carnivore or omnivore, or just an opportunist?¡±


    ¡°Well, those fangs are definitely for ripping flesh off the bone, but she does have back molars, so who knows, maybe she does eat vegetation too. We¡¯re just going to have to do a little trial and error with her diet,¡± her father replied.


    Riley nodded. She rose and hefted the bucket with her and began slowly making her way around the pool to the corner where the mermaid was huddled up. The closer she got, the more Riley felt her pulse quicken. The mermaid needed to eat and food was a great way to build a bond with most aquatic mammals, but more than that, Riley was just eager to get closer and see her better. It should have been absurd that mermaids were real or that she would feel this giddy about it, but it suddenly felt like she was six years old and hanging on the edge of her seat watching mermaid cartoons again.


    She crouched down and peered into the water. The mermaid¡¯s gaze was fixated on her too, and if anything, her body language had grown more rigid. The sail on her back raised higher and her lips pulled back while her head tucked in. Her brows were furrowed ?and her nose and cheeks were scrunched up into a grimace. Riley¡¯s heart squeezed as she watched how the mermaid swayed and shook. ¡°She looks like she¡¯s in so much pain.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± her dad agreed. ¡°But we can¡¯t give her anything more for it for at least a few hours. I can¡¯t risk her having a reaction to too many meds.¡±


    Riley grimaced and then forced her features to soften into a gentle smile as she reached into the water-filled bucket. The water was a little chilly and the cuts of fish felt slimy between her fingers, but it didn¡¯t bother her. She pulled a piece free and reached out over the water. A few drops of water from the long strip of meat plunked into the pool and the mermaid flinched. Her gaze kept darting back and forth between Riley and the piece of fish in her hand.


    ¡°Riley, don¡¯t get too close,¡± her mother warned.


    Riley shook her head and slowly lowered her hand until the meat was trailing in the water. Though the mermaid had flinched back and shied away further into the corner, her wide eyes were fixated on the fish and she was no longer focusing on Riley. She wasn¡¯t surprised that the mermaid was hungry after what she had been through. They had no way of knowing how long she had been tangled up like that.


    ¡°Riley, please be careful,¡± her mom urged. ¡°Got tongs, that would be a nasty bite.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid,¡± Riley murmured. She kept her voice soft after seeing how her mother¡¯s voice had made the mermaid flinch. She didn¡¯t seem aggressive, just frightened. Riley wriggled the fish scrap through the water until she had the mermaid¡¯s attention once more. She dipped her hand into the water up to her wrist and then released the meat.


    It drifted down in front of the mermaid¡¯s face and she made to grab it with her good arm. However, that arm was keeping her balanced upright in her current positioning, so when she moved it, she began to fall forwards and sideways in the water. The mermaid¡¯s face warped into a scrunched-in mess as though someone had just pounded their fist into a ball of clay as her tail waved and she replanted her good hand to steady herself. Though the water was a bit of a barrier, Riley could hear her whimpering softly and it made her chest squeeze.


    The mermaid¡¯s tail was visibly mangled up near her fin. Several of the scales were missing and the thin skin beneath looked red and irritated, and with her arm and chest restricted in casts to keep her still, her mobility looked almost non-existent. And she was gazing at the food that had settled on the ground near her. It wasn¡¯t out of reach by any means, but from the look on the mermaid¡¯s face, that scrap of fish may as well have been a million miles away.


    Riley set her jaw and reached back into the bucket for another piece. She would try again now that she knew the mermaid couldn¡¯t easily grab at anything.


    She had barely finished pulling another scrap out of the pail when her mom put a hand on her shoulder and leaned around to hold out a pair of oyster shucking gloves. ¡°Put these on,¡± she instructed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need them,¡± Riley refused. She wanted to do this naturally. Deep down, she knew it was stupid, that the mermaid was a wild animal that they knew nothing about and could do some serious damage if she lashed out, but Riley had an urge in her gut to bond with her. She wanted the mermaid to trust her and for that, she needed to show trust in return.


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to insist on feeding by hand, you need to put these on,¡± Sophie pressed. ¡°Or you need to get a pair of tongs. Riley, for your safety and for hers, you cannot be hasty. She is in a lot of pain and she¡¯s scared, and if she lashes out and bites you, not only are you going to get seriously hurt, but it makes it so much harder to help an animal that¡¯s become violent. I will not risk you and I will not risk the staff on a biter, you know that.¡±


    Her mother was right, of course, so Riley reluctantly accepted the gloves. She hastily pulled them on and winced as the little links clinked together. She hoped it wouldn¡¯t spook the mermaid further, but she knew that it wasn¡¯t fair to either of them to put herself at risk the way she was. She picked the fish back up and carefully dipped it back into the water. The mermaid¡¯s attention was back on her almost immediately, but now her features were warped into a grimace and she was hunching in on herself.


    Riley shifted her weight on the edge of the pool and leaned a little closer so that she could sink the fish deeper into the water and closer to the mermaid. As she did, the mermaid grimaced and raised a hand as if to take the meat from her, only to stumble again and chitter something as she flailed to rebalance herself.


    Shaking her head, Riley pursed her lips and whistled. She had no way of matching the pitch of the mermaid¡¯s calls, but there was a lyrical whistle to her vocalizations and Riley wondered if attempting a similar sound might soothe her a bit.


    The mermaid tilted her head and her brows furrowed, but otherwise didn¡¯t react to the attempt, so Riley just held the fish out closer to her face in hopes that she might just take it with her teeth.


    Her hazel eyes were fixated on the fish, but then she glanced between it and Riley¡¯s hand and her eyes darkened to more of a stormy brown than the vibrant yellowish brown-green mix and her lips pulled into a snarl before she violently twisted her head away from the offering. The reaction startled Riley slightly and she wound up dropping the piece. It floated past the mermaid¡¯s face down towards the floor of the pool.


    Her mom¡¯s hand was on her shoulder before Riley had begun to pull away, but clearly, their thoughts were in sync because she vocalized what Riley was already thinking. ¡°Maybe we let her rest for now. We can try again later.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Riley agreed. ¡°Good idea.¡± She pulled her arm free and shook free some of the water before stripping off the shucking glove and rising back to her feet.


    Her mom patted her on the back as they walked back around the other side and rejoined her father. ¡°Don¡¯t look so disappointed,¡± her mom soothed. ¡°We don¡¯t know anything about mermaids yet and she¡¯s had a trying day. We¡¯ll just let her have a nap and see if that helps. Don¡¯t forget, you¡¯re the one who saw her in the first place. She¡¯s alive and we¡¯ll get her better.¡±


    ¡°Come on,¡± her father encouraged. ¡°Gotta show you something.¡±


    She followed him and her mother into their office, where Lewis guided her into his office chair and clicked on the mouse. His dormant computer screen flared to life with a camera feed. The picture had a slight tint to it from being underwater, but Riley could see the mermaid through the lens. She was still bunched up in the corner, but her head was tilted and her jaws were parted. This time, she wasn¡¯t snarling, she just had her mouth open slightly and Riley could see the tips of her fangs. Her attention was directed towards the surface of the pool. ¡°You put a camera in?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to see what her behaviour is like when she¡¯s alone. Our presence scares her. I¡¯m also concerned about her social dynamics. There¡¯s no way to know for certain if mermaids are loners or travel in pods, but if she does have a family unit out there, I don¡¯t want them moving on without her. It¡¯s probably going to be a couple of months before we can release her. I¡¯m hoping the camera will be able to capture a few of her vocalizations. Now that she¡¯s alone, she might call for them. Other pod mammals are prone to doing so when separated from their groups,¡± her dad reminded. ¡°If we can play a recording out in the water, perhaps a pod will be attracted to it. If they are, we can tag one or two of them so that we can locate them again when she¡¯s ready to be released.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea,¡± Riley agreed. She leaned forward in the seat and studied the mermaid more closely. She had finally stopped staring at the surface and seemed to slump in on herself. Now she was gazing at the fish scraps on the floor. Her nose wrinkled as she slid her hand forward to curl her fingers around the closest one without her palm leaving the ground.


    The more Riley watched, the more sympathy rose in her throat. The mermaid lashed her tail and cried out as she twisted onto the butt of the tail to sit up. Her panting could be heard through the speakers as she shifted herself to lean up against the wall of the pool. She whimpered and chittered with every movement that she made. It wasn¡¯t surprising, with her cracked ribs, broken arm, and the numerous shallow lacerations making her body look like a diamond-patterned piece of fabric rather than skin, but it was incredibly difficult to watch.


    Behind her, her mom clucked her tongue. ¡°Poor thing,¡± she whispered. ¡°All this damage because people are too lazy to dispose of their nets properly.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything we can do to ease the pain? This has to be detrimental for her,¡± Riley asked.


    ¡°Unfortunately not,¡± her dad sighed. ¡°Without knowing anything about their bodies, giving her any medicinal dosage is a trial process. I¡¯m worried if we give her anything more so soon, it could have a serious reaction. I¡¯ll risk giving her another dosage of painkillers before we leave for the evening, but not before.¡±


    Riley grimaced and began wringing her fingers in her lap. The mermaid had leaned back against the wall of the pool and was looking over the piece of fish she had managed to grab. She pulled it close to her face to inspect and parted her jaws again. It reminded Riley of how a cat might try to scent something better and she wondered if that was what the mermaid was doing.


    After eyeing it suspiciously for a few more seconds, the mermaid finally took a bite. She chewed and swallowed, and then apparently hunger got the better of her because she practically stuffed the rest of the piece into her mouth at once.


    When her food was gone, the mermaid then lifted her good arm and trailed her fingers down the cast and the brace belt around her ribs that the cast was secured to. Her face twisted into another grimace and her whimpers came through the speaker once more. She dropped her hand away and Riley watched her gaze flick to the other piece of fish still in the pool. It was out of her reach now and after a moment, the mermaid merely slumped and leaned her head back. She was still chittering softly and her chest was heaving in shallow, rapid breaths that twisted her face up more and more. Then, after a moment, her eyes closed and her body shuddered before she fell slack. Only the faint rise and fall of her chest and the bubbles streaming from her gills indicated she was even still alive. The rest of her looked so broken and limp that she may as well have been a corpse.


    It was awful, seeing her like this. The mermaid seemed so human, especially now, while she was sleeping and had her good arm wrapped around her waist as if it would protect her from further pain. It was wrong that she was enduring all of this and that they couldn¡¯t even medicate her enough to make it better. It made Riley tense and filled her with the desire to punch something, though she knew that would be counterproductive.


    ¡°There, that¡¯s good,¡± her dad murmured. ¡°She¡¯ll need the rest. There¡¯s nothing more we can do for now except keep an eye on her progress. I¡¯m going to hang around here for a bit and make sure nothing goes wrong.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Riley and I will head on back to the house and start some meal prep then,¡± her mom agreed.


    ¡°But I want to stay!¡± Riley protested.


    ¡°Nah, kiddo, go on up with your mom. Our patient is likely going to sleep for a while and I don¡¯t want any of us going in there in case it wakes her up, so there¡¯s nothing more for you to do right now.¡±


    ¡°Besides,¡± her mom added. ¡°The mermaid isn¡¯t the only one who¡¯s had a long day.¡± She placed her hands on Riley¡¯s shoulders and squeezed. ¡°There has been more than enough excitement for one day already. Let¡¯s go get dinner ready and then I think I know someone who should call it early. Tomorrow is probably going to be another long day. Your dad is going to need help corralling her for medication and bandage changes, and if I recall, you are now officially volunteering for that.¡±


    Riley hesitated a moment more before pushing herself out of the chair so that her father could have it back. She knew her mom was right and she was finally starting to feel exhausted. Her face stung and she was sore and ready for her bed. ¡°Alright,¡± she caved reluctantly.

 Shoreline Snare - Part Three

    Riley slopped the head of the mop into the bucket of sudsy water and then rung it out before slapping it back down against the floor as she resumed scrubbing at the tiles. She had a pair of shorts and a tank top on, and a pair of earbuds in. Her head nodded along to the song and she found herself singing softly in time to the music playing in her ears.


    Lewis was in the room with her, crouched down on the floor spreading out supplies and taking stock. In a few minutes, she would have to abandon the mopping up in order to help corral the mermaid into a corner of her pool ¨C at the surface ¨C so that he could change her bandages and give her another dose of painkillers, but she was determined to keep busy in the meantime.


    It had been three days since they had first brought the mermaid in, and she was starting to look a little bit better. She was still badly injured, but she swam a little in slow laps around her pool and it seemed like she was starting to figure out how to balance herself and function with only the use of one arm. She was still quite shy when there were people in the room and corralling her had been a challenge the first few times as she had thrashed and hissed and wound herself up. Riley thought the behaviour was a bit silly since all it really did was agitate her injuries further, but thankfully the mermaid had begun to calm down some. She didn¡¯t fuss too much about the routine yesterday and Riley was curious to find out what it would be like today.


    She glanced over at her dad and saw his lips moving. Her brows furrowed and she tugged an earbud out of her ear so she could hear him. ¡°Sorry, do you need me now?¡± she asked.


    He shook his head. ¡°Not for another minute or two. I was just saying that I think someone likes your singing.¡± He jerked his chin and Riley spun to gaze at the pool.


    Her sudden motion caused the mermaid to flinch and pull her head back slightly, but she was at the surface, with her good forearm pressed to the tiled floor to keep her propped up, while the rest of her body was slumped and angled away so that she was still mostly submerged and her cast wouldn¡¯t be pressed to the wall of the pool.


    ¡°She¡¯s been sitting there since not long after you started.¡±


    Riley was normally not much more than a shower singer. She liked to sing, just seldomly around other people. She only occasionally did it when her parents were in the room if she was wrapped up in something else and not fully realizing she was doing it. But despite the heat of embarrassment rising in her cheeks, she grinned brightly and waggled her fingers in the mermaid¡¯s direction. This was the first time she had surfaced of her own accord while they were around.


    She was staring up at Riley with a wary expression before she slowly leaned forward and rested her chin on the edge of the pool. She continued to stare at Riley with an unwavering gaze, but this time, Riley could swear the look in her eyes was demanding to know why Riley had stopped her unintentional performance. It made her laugh and shake her head.


    ¡°You know, there¡¯s a lot of legends that claim mermaids are attracted to music. Maybe there¡¯s some merit to those tales.¡±


    ¡°There are also claims that mermaids do the singing to enchant sailors to their watery graves, that they¡¯re vain and that they eat human flesh. She eats fish and I don¡¯t know about you, but I haven¡¯t had any inclination to dunk my head under the water while in here. I think they¡¯re probably just legends, dad.¡±


    Her father chuckled. ¡°I was only teasing, Riley. Now come on, let¡¯s get this over with.¡±


    As he stood, Riley took that as her cue. They had some special herding tools to corral marine mammals into smaller spaces so that her dad could work on them, and initially, the mermaid had made them work hard. Even with her injuries, she was smaller and more nimble than most creatures they worked with and it made it easier for her to wiggle free of the confines. But though Riley didn¡¯t feel her herding skills had gotten much better, the mermaid herself seemed to relax more and resist less as time went on, which was a massive relief for her and her dad.


    Now, Riley picked up two of the corralling poles, which were long, bulky rods with a second horizontal pole and a long, trailing mesh of thick rope spaced close enough together that the mermaid wouldn¡¯t be able to get her hand through, much less get tangled in. There were weights at the bottom to keep it hanging down to minimize the same risk. But by the time she made it back to the pool, the mermaid had moved and it made Riley wonder if the makeshift walls would even be necessary, as she had moved herself into one of the corners and was hovering just below the surface with a hand braced against the wall. Riley frowned. While she hadn¡¯t resisted half as much yesterday, the mermaid had always shown her disapproval at the process and Riley hadn¡¯t been expecting her to willingly comply before they even began guiding her.


    She shrugged it off and lowered the first of the poles into the water and locked it into place. They were not so much heavy as they were awkward and she grunted a bit as she maneuvered them into place and locked them so that they wouldn¡¯t lean or fall. The whole time, the mermaid was peering up at her with a lazy expression that only occasionally faltered with pain as she breathed. It was as if she couldn¡¯t understand why Riley was bothering with the makeshift pen when she was already there of her own accord. But Riley knew if she tried to get away while her dad was changing the bandages, it would be more detrimental to try to get her back, so it was better that she close her in now, just in case.


    Once that was done, Riley retrieved the final tool she would need for this process. It was another long pole with a widely curved, rubber-coated hook on the end. But she didn¡¯t need it right away, so she just crouched down to observe while her father came over to the edge of the pool where the mermaid was floating. As he approached, the mermaid¡¯s face scrunched up and her jaw tensed while one arm waved through the water as she slowly rolled from her front to her back.


    Riley shared a glance with her father, who merely shrugged. ¡°Looks like someone has learned the routine,¡± he acknowledged. ¡°That¡¯ll make this easier.¡±


    He reached out and began to gently peel away the adhesive bandages pressed to the mermaid¡¯s exposed belly. The mermaid snorted as he did, but she didn¡¯t move, which was nice. However, when he began to rub some medical cream into her lacerations, she flinched and hissed at him. Riley tensed, ready to shove the pole between the mermaid and her father if she lunged. Her dad also tensed and pulled his hands away for a moment, but the mermaid made no move for him.


    ¡°I think she¡¯s just complaining that it hurts,¡± Riley laughed after a moment.


    ¡°Oh, so she¡¯s like you, then,¡± her dad teased.


    Riley flushed and scowled at him. It was true that when she managed to get sick or scraped up pretty good that she tended to be very huffy about having it seen to, but she felt him bringing it up was uncalled for. She stuck her tongue out at him, but he had already returned his attention to the mermaid. Riley couldn¡¯t blame him. For now, their aquatic friend was being very tolerant, but there was every possibility for that to change on a dime.


    He finished applying the anti-bacterial cream to the worst of her scratches and then reapplied sticky pads to her skin. Then he nodded at Riley and she stood. She stretched the pole she was holding out into the water and dipped it underneath the mermaid to hook her tail just lower than midway down.


    The mermaid chittered huffily as Riley hoisted her tail up so that the fin left the water and her father could access the bandages wrapped around the base of the fin. The netting had scrapped away several of the mermaid¡¯s scales and cut into the tender flesh there, so her dad was keeping a very close eye on it. But it was healing well and once he had started bandaging it, the mermaid had started to swim a little bit more, so it seemed like the medication was helping. She still didn¡¯t seem to balance well with only one arm and any sudden movements made her expression shatter with agony, but at least she was showing signs of recovery, however slow.


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Her dad began snipping through the bandages and the mermaid remained a model patient as he did. She didn¡¯t move or fuss, though she did growl when he began rubbing more cream into the wounds on the tip of her tail.


    The rest of the process went just as smoothly. The mermaid remained still while her tail was rebandaged and rolled back over to expose her back to him the moment Riley released her tail from the hook so that he could treat the scratches there too. She even swallowed the painkillers without a hassle. The past few days, her father had needed to practically shove the pills down her throat. Riley had been worried he was going to lose a finger in the process. Now, there was no fuss at all, and it was less than fifteen minutes of work before Riley was pulling the corral poles out of the water and setting them aside so that the mermaid could roam her pool once more. ¡°I can¡¯t believe how easy that was,¡± she murmured.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m always grateful to have a calm patient, so I won¡¯t complain,¡± her dad agreed as he stuffed his hands into the pockets of his shorts. ¡°Seems like she¡¯s getting more comfortable, but we¡¯ll have to be careful. We don¡¯t want to domesticate her; she belongs in the wild.¡±


    Riley hummed in agreement, though a stone sunk in her stomach at the reminder that ¨C however short or long the mermaid¡¯s recovery would be ¨C her stay was only temporary. Riley had no desire to keep her in a cage, but at the same time, it was hard to imagine never seeing her again after knowing that these majestic mythics were out there.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a couple more stops to make,¡± her dad declared. ¡°Are you alright to finish up in here or do you want me to stay?¡±


    Riley shook her head. She planted the butt of the pole she was holding against the ground and leaned on it a bit before waving a hand. ¡°Come on, dad, I¡¯m not six years old anymore,¡± she teased. ¡°I don¡¯t need supervision.¡±


    Her father scoffed and quirked a brow. ¡°No, you¡¯re not, but ten years later and sometimes I still think you do,¡± he shot back.


    Riley stuck her tongue out at him in response. ¡°Really, though, I¡¯m fine, I promise. Go tend to the other animals. I¡¯m going to put this stuff away, check the filter, and finish the floor. She¡¯s been really good about food the last few days; I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°Alright then,¡± her dad agreed. ¡°I¡¯ll be down the hall if you need me.¡±


    As he turned to go, a thought occurred to Riley and she frowned. ¡°Actually, Dad, hang on a minute,¡± she requested. She walked around the pool to where the filter box was, crouched down, and pulled the lid off. She peered inside at the actual filter material and her frown deepened. There were two bright purple scales, little ones that had likely flaked from around the tail tip, caught up in it, but other than some slight discolouration Riley suspected was from the oils in the fish they were feeding the mermaid, the filter was practically sparkling. She waved her father over.


    ¡°Something wrong?¡±


    ¡°I dunno¡­I just can¡¯t help thinking that this should be dirtier by now? I haven¡¯t actually changed or cleaned it since the first time. It was a mess then of sand and seaweed and stuff from her hair, but since then¡­nothing? Shouldn¡¯t there be, you know, waste and stuff getting collected?¡±


    ¡°Riley¡­are you disappointed that there isn¡¯t mermaid poop to scrub out of the filter?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not disappointed!¡± Riley protested. She didn¡¯t balk at the idea of some of the dirtier sanctuary tasks, but that didn¡¯t mean she looked forward to them. ¡°I¡¯m just concerned, is all.¡±


    ¡°I suppose you¡¯ve got a point,¡± her dad agreed. ¡°Hmm. Some creatures just have slower metabolisms, but with how frequently she eats, I¡¯m doubting that¡¯s the case here. She hasn¡¯t been refusing food, has she?¡±


    ¡°No, not at all,¡± Riley replied.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t noticed any abdominal bloating or additional discomfort either¡­I¡¯ll take a closer look tomorrow and take her for an x-ray if necessary. Good eye, Riley,¡± he praised.


    She hummed in agreement before pulling on a pair of thin gloves and reaching into the filter to pull the scales free. They were glossy and smooth in her fingers and she grinned before setting them aside. She heard her father¡¯s retreating footsteps, and once she heard the door click shut, she popped an earbud back in.


    She spent the next few minutes wringing out the filter pads and returning them to the device, before returning to her abandoned mop and bucket. The floor in the room was slightly slanted towards a drain that pulled any water away from the pool deck so that there was no risk of suds mixing with the saltwater. Mopping up should have been a tedious task, but Riley found herself enjoying it in a sort of methodical, relaxing way. She usually didn¡¯t have the patience for repetitive, quiet tasks, but this filled her with a sense of accomplishment. She helped her parents with rescues on occasion, but for the most part, they kept her at arms¡¯ length when it came to the daily runnings of the sanctuary.


    She knew that they just wanted to give her the space to explore her own interests and career dreams, since they both worked there and didn¡¯t want her to feel pressured to do the same, but she had a hard time convincing them it was what she wanted. She enjoyed the sanctuary and the tasks, and wanted to share in her parents¡¯ passions. Being finally granted access and to work directly with the mermaid, thrilled her and she was determined to show them both that they could include her more.


    As she worked, she was momentarily distracted by the loud chittering that filled the room. Riley turned and found the mermaid staring at her again. She was in nearly the exact same position as earlier, with her arm braced on the edge of the pool and her tail stretched behind her. While pain still showed in the creases of her face, the mermaid seemed more relaxed and alert now. Riley chuckled as the mermaid chittered at her again. ¡°Yes, I know you want your breakfast, but I have to finish with the floors first, so you¡¯ll just have to wait.¡±


    The mermaid¡¯s brows furrowed together above her eyes and she tilted her head. Now that she was calmly studying Riley, Riley took another moment to observe her back. Her hazel eyes were more green than brown, giving her an almost green-gold hue that looked faintly owlish. The way she was staring with intense, wide-eyed focus didn¡¯t help that comparison in Riley¡¯s head and she tried to contain a snort of amusement in case the sound would spook the mermaid. Her short brown hair was slashed in an uneven cut that made Riley think she had probably hastily hacked at it, and it was plastered to her neck. It was a little dark while wet, but Riley wondered if would look more like bronze if it dried. She probably wouldn¡¯t ever find out, since the mermaid seemed more comfortable beneath the surface and wasn¡¯t able to leave the water.


    Her skin had a sheen of water droplets coating it that glistened under the overhead lights and made it look like the mermaid was coated in melted caramel rather than flesh. She was deeply tanned and Riley wondered if it was just a biological appearance or if perhaps she spent more time closer to the surface than Riley had initially thought. If they preferred shallower waters or being close to the surface, it was a wonder that no one had seemed to discover these creatures before now. But she also supposed the bright, flashy colouring of the mermaid¡¯s tail was more akin to a tropical reef fish than it was a deep or open water swimmer. It certainly made for poor camouflage and had been in part what drew Riley¡¯s attention to see her down among those rocks in the first place, but she really did wonder how mermaids managed to be so elusive when they looked like they should be easy to spot.


    Regardless, Riley was still openly staring at the mermaid. While she felt she had good reason to feel curious and in awe, it made heat start to crawl up her neck and settle in her cheeks because the mermaid was still staring back just as intently, and Riley had not seen the mermaid spare so much attention towards either of her parents. It seemed to be just her, rather than humans in general, that had the mermaid¡¯s attention and she couldn¡¯t fathom why.


    The mermaid¡¯s lips parted, showing the tips of her ivory fangs, and then her jaw quaked as she chirped again. Riley began to laugh and she rolled her eyes. It was such an intense gaze for such a cheerful noise. Though all of the mermaid¡¯s sounds had come across as rather lyrical and upbeat, regardless of the mood the rest of her features were portraying, so Riley had no real way of knowing what was going on in the creature¡¯s head. ¡°What? I already said you have to wait,¡± she teased.


    The mermaid blinked slowly and her jaws parted wider. Her whistling calls came again, but this time, the mermaid cut herself off and her face scrunched into deep crevasses while her lips pulled into a frown and she hissed. Despite herself, Riley flinched. But before she could react, there was more chirruping. It was almost like the mermaid was no longer focussing on her. Then, the mermaid huffed and Riley heard her inhale before she began to vocalize again. This time, the whistling was much lower in pitch and it wavered into a new ruh-ruh-ruh sound as if the mermaid were attempting to chuff like a tiger. ¡°R-r-Rie¡­lay.¡± When she finally said it, it sounded like she was trying to spit the word out like something that had gotten stuck in her throat, but then she looked back up at Riley expectantly.


    Riley, however, could only stand with a slack jaw and wide eyes as she stared back at the mermaid. Had she heard that correctly? It was completely bizarre to imagine a creature that chittered and clicked like a dolphin would say her name, but yet, as she stood there vacantly, the mermaid did it again.


    ¡°R-Rileeeey.¡±

 Shoreline Snare - Part Four

    It took Riley a few moments to pick her jaw up as she stared at the mermaid. Once could have been passed off as her ears playing tricks on her, but twice felt unlikely. And the mermaid was still staring right back at her with her head tilted and her lips pursed as though she was wondering why Riley hadn¡¯t acknowledged her yet.


    Riley shook herself and took a few slow steps towards the edge of the pool. When the mermaid didn¡¯t spook at her approach, Riley crouched down to be at eye level. She was just out of reach, but she also wasn¡¯t concerned about the mermaid lunging for her, not with how much pain moving seemed to cause her. ¡°That¡¯s my name,¡± she agreed, breathlessly. ¡°But can you understand me or do you just have a parroting ability?¡±


    The mermaid¡¯s hazel eyes were levelled on Riley and her head tilted further as the question tumbled from Riley¡¯s lips. Her heart was racing as she waited to see if the mermaid would respond. But the mermaid¡¯s brows dipped together over the bridge of her nose and when her lips moved again, she was back to chittering. Riley¡¯s heart sunk a little. ¡°I guess not,¡± she sighed. She rocked back on her heels and then sat properly on the tile and crossed her legs in front of her. ¡°I suppose that¡¯s not a surprise. It was silly of me to believe you would know English even if you could communicate; you¡¯ve probably never been around people before¡­¡±


    Riley trailed off when the mermaid¡¯s face warped into a grimace as she moved. She raised her hand so that she was using just her elbow to anchor to the deck, and then she pressed a finger to her lips. She stared at Riley for a moment ¨C as if to check that she was going to stay silent ¨C and then pulled the finger away before pressing it to her thumb in a pinched gesture in front of Riley. Then, she began to very, very slowly pull the two digits away from each other while maintaining unwavering eye contact.


    It took Riley a moment to figure it out, but when she did, she felt like dropping her jaw all over again. She swallowed the lump in her throat and licked her lips. ¡°Are you wanting me to go slower?¡± she asked while carefully accentuating each word.


    The mermaid¡¯s lips turned up just a little and her chin dipped.


    ¡°You can understand me, then?¡±


    The mermaid¡¯s brows furrowed once more and Riley flushed when she realized that she¡¯d started speaking more quickly again.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Riley murmured. ¡°You¡¯re still learning, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    The mermaid crooned at her and dipped her head. ¡°Y-ye-yes,¡± she stammered.


    ¡°This is amazing.¡±


    The mermaid tilted her head again. ¡°Wh-why?¡±


    Riley shrugged. ¡°Because we didn¡¯t even know mermaids existed, we certainly weren¡¯t expecting you to be able to speak English.¡±


    The mermaid shook her head. ¡°N-no. No m-me-merm¡­aid,¡± she struggled. ¡°We mer o-on-only.¡±


    Riley nodded as she accepted the preferred terminology. ¡°Okay,¡± she agreed. ¡°So, umm¡­what¡¯s your name?¡± she inquired awkwardly. It was still baffling to process that she was sitting here having a conversation with a mythological creature. Or not so mythical, she supposed. She wasn¡¯t sure what to say.


    When the mermaid shrugged, Riley frowned. ¡°You don¡¯t have a name?¡±


    The mermaid nodded. ¡°Do,¡± she replied. ¡°But no h-have¡­sounds.¡± There was a pause in the middle of her speech as if she were trying to find the right words to explain herself.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know how to say it in English?¡± Riley checked.


    The mermaid dipped her head.


    ¡°Well¡­how do you say it in your language?¡±


    Riley flushed as the mermaid chirped something at her in those same incomprehensible whistles of her native tongue.


    ¡°I guess I should have expected that wouldn¡¯t help much,¡± she lamented. ¡°There¡¯s no way I could match that pitch to even attempt to replicate your language.¡±


    ¡°No-not sounds for hu-humans,¡± the mermaid agreed.


    ¡°Well, I suppose it¡¯s a good thing you¡¯re able to learn English then. You¡¯re picking it up really fast. Do mermai-er¡­mer,¡± Riley corrected. That was a habit that was going to be hard to break. ¡°Do mer normally learn English? You¡¯re not doing too badly, all things considered. Where did you first learn it?¡±


    The mer tilted her head and frowned. She had returned her forearm to the floor for balance and one of her fingers was trailing absently through the trickles of water that had run off her wet hair and skin. ¡°First learn¡­learn here,¡± she reported.


    ¡°Here?¡± Riley repeated.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°B-but that can¡¯t be right,¡± Riley protested. ¡°No one here has been trying to teach you and you¡¯ve only been here a couple of days. This can¡¯t have been your first time hearing the language.¡±


    ¡°Not learn b-before,¡± the mer refused. ¡°Never been near humans before. I learn here. Fr-from Ri-Riley and others.¡±


    ¡°My parents, you mean?¡±


    ¡°Yes. From Riley and p-parents.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s incredible.¡±


    ¡°W-we learn fast.¡±


    ¡°I can see that,¡± Riley agreed. She shifted her weight and repositioned herself so that she was lying on her stomach with her forearms propping her up to get just a little closer to the mer¡¯s level so she didn¡¯t have to look down so much. ¡°I wish I knew your name though.¡±


    ¡°Name, yes,¡± the mer agreed. Her lips pursed and she tapped her fingers against the floor as she mulled it. Her chittering language returned to the room for a few moments. ¡°I think name say like¡­. Ka¡­Katieee.¡±


    ¡°Your name is Katie?¡± Riley double-checked. She hadn¡¯t been expecting that.


    ¡°Think it say like that, yes. Katie. Why you look with brows? Is that bad name?¡±


    Riley shook her head and felt heat rise in her cheeks. It was odd to hear a name that was so easily commonplace and human on the mer. ¡°No, there¡¯s nothing wrong with your name at all; it¡¯s a very pretty name. It¡¯s just kind of odd because that¡¯s actually a name humans use too. I just was expecting your name to sound very different is all.¡±


    The mer quirked a brow and her lips twitched up. ¡°You think I is pretty?¡±


    Riley stuck her tongue out in response. ¡°No way, I think you¡¯re butt ugly,¡± she quipped back. Then she winced. The mer was still figuring out the language and probably wouldn¡¯t understand sarcasm yet. It was an unkind thing to say without context.


    Thankfully, the mer didn¡¯t seem offended. Instead, her jaws parted slightly and Riley heard her quiet inhale. ¡°You smell of mirth. You are making a funny?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m joking,¡± Riley agreed. ¡°I think you¡¯re amazing.¡±


    ¡°You barely know,¡± Katie countered. ¡°Is it just because I am¡­mermaid?¡± She spoke the word with such disdain that Riley flinched.


    ¡°No, of course not,¡± Riley protested. ¡°I mean, yeah, that¡¯s a pretty cool part of it; it¡¯s pretty crazy to know that you do exist, but I¡¯ve just enjoyed spending time here the last couple of days. You were incredible to watch and it¡¯s pretty fun getting to talk to you as well. I¡¯m just sorry that you¡¯ve been in so much pain, that part hasn¡¯t been great. You¡­you do know we¡¯re only trying to help you get better, right?¡± She supposed she should have checked that a little earlier in the conversation.


    Katie grimaced, as though the reminder made her pain worse. She brushed the fingers of her good hand against her chest, where the brace belt was tightly wrapped. ¡°Hurts,¡± she admitted. ¡°A lot.¡±


    ¡°I can imagine. Your ribs are broken; it¡¯s going to hurt for a while until they heal.¡±


    Katie shook her head. ¡°No, not that,¡± she refused. She tapped the brace belt again. ¡°This. Squeezes. Makes it harder to breathe. Do not like it. Want it off.¡±


    ¡°It needs to stay on though. It¡¯s helping keep your ribs from shifting while they heal. I know it¡¯s probably not comfortable, but trust me, it¡¯s better than jarring your ribcage right now¡­but if it¡¯s too tight, maybe we can ask my dad if he can loosen it a little bit for you.¡±


    Katie¡¯s gaze darkened and she shrunk away deeper into the water until it brushed her chin, though she was still holding onto the edge of the pool. ¡°Do not like him,¡± she admitted. Her gaze shifted to her injured arm, confined to the cast and secured to her chest, and she sighed. ¡°Made my arm hurt bad. More than when broken. Still hurts.¡±


    Riley chewed her lip. She wasn¡¯t sure how to explain to the other girl that the pain wasn¡¯t intentional. ¡°You were probably in shock when we found you and my mom gave you some painkillers initially too. But you can only have so much in a certain span of time, so by the time my dad got to work on your arm, you were probably more aware of it. Have you ever broken a bone before?¡±


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


    Katie shook her head.


    ¡°Well, I can say from experience that they hurt while they heal. They throb constantly, and then they start to itch a lot too. But you have to keep them rigid or they won¡¯t heal properly. That¡¯s why you¡¯re in those casts.¡±


    ¡°I still do not like.¡±


    Riley hesitated, then reached out and gently laid her hand over the mer¡¯s. ¡°You have to wear them for a while, but hopefully not too long, okay? Katie¡­how did you wind up tangled in those nets in the first place? No one¡¯s ever seen any of your kind that we know of¡­why were you so close to the shore?¡±


    Katie¡¯s gaze averted down to the water and she shrugged her one shoulder. ¡°I did not mean to be,¡± she admitted. ¡°These waters are new to me. Where I am from, there are many cliffs with underwater caverns where mer live. Here, that is not so common, but I was unaware.¡±


    ¡°You were looking for shelter,¡± Riley realized.


    Katie pursed her lips and nodded. ¡°I did not expect the shallows to be so busy with human vessels. It wound up driving me closer to the shore and among those rocks.¡±


    Riley shook her head and scoffed loudly. Her temper flared like the fanned flames of a campfire and her breath whistled out through clenched teeth. ¡°You were looking for a place to take shelter and instead you wound up tangled up and smashed around, all because people couldn¡¯t clean up after themselves. I¡¯m so sorry, Katie.¡±


    Katie shook her head. ¡°It is not your fault. I know you and your family have tried to help me. But I do not want to stay in this small tide pool of water. I long for the taste of salt in my gills.¡±


    Riley frowned and couldn¡¯t help her brows quirking at the statement. She bit back an impulsive retort. She still wasn¡¯t sure if the mer would comprehend sarcasm or not. ¡°It should be saltwater in the pool already,¡± she stated instead. ¡°But I can do a water test if you are uncomfortable, to check if the balance is off.¡±


    Katie hummed deep in her throat and the way the sound rumbled in her chest reminded Riley of a purring cat. A small smile was tugging at the mer¡¯s lips and she shook her head. ¡°You misunderstand. The water is breathable, but it is not the ocean. That is what I miss. Your basin does not compare.¡±


    ¡°I suppose it is a pretty poor replica of your natural biome, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Biome?¡±


    ¡°I just meant it probably doesn¡¯t do a very good job of feeling homely.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Katie replied flatly.


    So far, Katie seemed mostly comfortable with Riley¡¯s proximity, so she risked sitting up and shuffling a little closer. She kicked her shoes off and swung her feet into the water so that she could sit directly beside the mer. ¡°I know. I¡¯m sorry about that too. It¡¯s hard to give you much of a setup when you can¡¯t move so well right now. Everything becomes a potential hazard or obstacle for you. But it isn¡¯t forever, okay? Just until you¡¯ve healed up, then you can go back to the ocean.¡±


    ¡°Go back?¡± Katie repeated.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you want?¡±


    Katie¡¯s gaze redirected at the water. ¡°Yes. I¡­I suppose I just did not anticipate that was the intention of your parents. I have been taught to avoid the shore and its people because of their tendency to pen in other creatures.¡±


    Riley¡¯s eyes narrowed and she curled her fingers into fists before she forced herself to sigh and let it go. ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± she agreed. ¡°There are so many people who would exploit you in a heartbeat if they could. You should keep that logic of avoiding humans, Katie. The shore is clearly a hazardous place for your kind. But my family doesn¡¯t mean you any harm. This whole place exists so that we can rescue and rehabilitate sick or injured wildlife. When you¡¯re better, you¡¯ll go back to the ocean with no hassle or fuss, okay? I promise.¡±


    When she returned her glance to the mer, Riley found Katie¡¯s hazel eyes fixated on her. The mer¡¯s gaze was unwaivering, but then she blinked slowly and her lips turned slightly upwards into a smile. ¡°Okay,¡± she agreed. ¡°I trust you.¡±


    ¡°Just like that?¡±


    Katie tilted her head and quirked a brow. ¡°Should I not?¡±


    ¡°No, no, you can,¡± Riley assured her. Then she shrugged. ¡°I guess I¡¯m just surprised. I¡¯m not really used to giving trust easily.¡±


    Katie blinked again. ¡°You have not seemed bothered being close to me,¡± she pointed out.


    Riley flushed and shrugged her shoulders. She kicked one leg out and watched water droplets flick out over the surface of the water. ¡°That¡¯s because my self-preservation skills aren¡¯t so good.¡±


    The mer ducked her head and snickered, but the sound quickly morphed into a whine as she grimaced. She took a breath and then forced a smile once more, though her face was still crinkled up. ¡°I suppose mine are not so good either,¡± she murmured.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to make you laugh,¡± Riley replied with a wince. ¡°That¡¯s gotta be really uncomfortable right now. Are you alright?¡±


    Katie forced her smile a little wider. ¡°I am¡­managing.¡±


    ¡°The painkillers aren¡¯t helping at all?


    ¡°Is that what those little pebbles you father keeps making me take are for? Easing pain?¡±


    ¡°Yup,¡± Riley confirmed. ¡°Have they been helping?¡±


    Katie sighed and shook her head. ¡°Not really, no. They¡­make me sleepy, which is okay I suppose, but sleep is the only time I am in less pain.¡± Katie¡¯s head bowed and she began tracing little rivets of water across the floor within reach of her good hand.


    Riley chewed her lip and then reached out towards Katie. But when Katie glanced up at her, Riley froze. Not counting when they¡¯d been in the middle of an urgent rescue, Riley hadn¡¯t actually made physical contact with the mer, and she wasn¡¯t certain how the other girl would react. ¡°Umm¡­is it okay?¡±


    Katie¡¯s gaze glanced between Riley¡¯s hand and her face, and then she inclined her head slowly to one side. ¡°I suppose so.¡±


    Riley placed her hand on Katie¡¯s good shoulder and patted it awkwardly. She wanted to offer the mer some form of assurance, but she couldn¡¯t think of anything meaningful to say. Katie had to be in excruciating pain, all things considered. Her arm was very badly broken in two places and she¡¯d been scraped and bruised and battered over most of her body, and they couldn¡¯t even help manage her pain. ¡°Maybe we can talk to my dad and see if there¡¯s an alternate medication you can take that might help more,¡± she suggested finally. ¡°I can ask if you like?¡±


    Katie hummed in the back of her throat, but the sound was a little flat and her shoulder vanished from against Riley¡¯s hand as she shifted. Her face twisted up as she sunk down and shifted so that she was angled slightly sideways in the water, but then her expression softened as she dropped her chin onto the arm that was anchoring her to the side. Her eyes were half-lidded as she turned her head to stare lazily up at Riley.


    ¡°Do you want to take a nap?¡± Riley suggested when she remembered that Katie had said that the painkillers had been making her drowsy.


    ¡°No,¡± Katie replied almost immediately.


    Riley pursed her lips, but didn¡¯t press the issue. If the mer didn¡¯t want to fall asleep, that was her business. At least, that was her logic until she began to wonder if her presence might be what was making the mer too uncomfortable to fall asleep. ¡°Are you sure? I can head out for a bit if it will make you feel a little better? I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    Again, Katie¡¯s reply was almost instant and her attention remained fixated on Riley. ¡°No,¡± she refused again. ¡°Stay.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± Riley agreed. She certainly wasn¡¯t in a rush to leave. Since they were sitting there, Riley decided she might as well try to understand a little more about Katie and mer in general. ¡°So, Katie¡­do mer live in pods? Like, do your people tend to live in groups or avoid each other?¡±


    ¡°Mer live in pods,¡± Katie agreed. Her tone was laced with mirth and her eyes glittered as she spoke.


    Riley pursed her lips. She knew she had to pose the next question delicately so that Katie wouldn¡¯t feel alarmed or threatened. ¡°My dad¡¯s been worried about that for you. He wants to try to locate your family so that they don¡¯t think you¡¯re dead and wind up leaving you behind, since it¡¯s going to be a while before you¡¯re well enough to go back to the ocean. Is there a way to get in contact with them?¡±


    Katie shook her head.


    ¡°We don¡¯t want to hurt them, just let them know that you¡¯re okay.¡±


    Katie sighed and shook her head once more. ¡°I do not have a pod,¡± Katie clarified.


    ¡°But you just said that you live in family groups?¡±


    ¡°Mer do, usually, but I have never been in a pod. It was always just me and my father,¡± Katie elaborated. Then her expression sunk and she looked away. ¡°Now it is just me. Your father does not need to bother, there is no one to locate or leave me behind.¡±


    Riley¡¯s heart sunk. By the tone in Katie¡¯s voice, losing her father was relatively recent. Maybe it was what made Katie leave the waters she had grown up in, wherever those where, but Riley knew better than to ask those sorts of questions. They would only hurt the other girl and it was none of Riley¡¯s business. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Katie,¡± she offered lamely.


    ¡°It is simply the way of things sometimes,¡± Katie murmured.


    ¡°Yeah, I guess so,¡± Riley agreed. She knew all too well that sometimes life just dealt you a crappy hand completely undeserved. She¡¯d had a rough start, but she¡¯d been lucky enough to find her family later on. Hopefully Katie would also be able to overcome the losses she¡¯d had to face.


    For a few moments, the two of them just sat in silence, before Katie¡¯s jaws parted in a massive yawn. Her lips split to reveal gleaming fangs and her tongue curled before her mouth snapped shut once more. Her eyes had become glossy and when Riley glanced her over, every part of Katie was limp and she seemed to be struggling to keep her eyes open.


    ¡°Katie, you look exhausted.¡±


    ¡°I am fine.¡±


    Riley leaned back on her hands and raised a brow at the mer. ¡°Is there any particular reason why you¡¯re avoiding falling asleep? You said the painkillers have been making you drowsy and you need to rest in order to heal. Annoying as it is when she says that, my mom is right about that, so why are you resisting the medication? At least you¡¯ll get a couple of hours without pain from it, right?¡±


    Katie looked away and slumped further. ¡°Because if I fall asleep, you will leave.¡±


    Riley¡¯s eyes widened and her heart sunk. Katie seemed to be purposefully avoiding eye contact now. ¡°You¡¯re lonely,¡± she realized, then snapped her mouth shut. She hadn¡¯t intended to say that out loud. There was no need to rub Katie¡¯s face in it.


    Katie flinched at the words and shook her head. ¡°No, I am fine. I am sorry, you do not have to stay or anything, I just¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Riley assured her. ¡°Listen, are you hungry at all?¡±


    ¡°Not really,¡± Katie muttered. She yawned again, and then air hissed sharply past her teeth as she exhaled. Riley couldn¡¯t imagine how much pent up frustration and boredom was brewing in the mer. Staying trapped in one place, in pain, with no one to talk to and nothing to do, after being by herself out in the water for who knew how long, was probably enough to drive anyone crazy.


    She pursed her lips and then shrugged. ¡°Well, if you¡¯re not hungry, then go get some rest, okay? I¡¯m not going anywhere. I still have to finish mopping up in here and then I do have to go back to the house for just a little bit, but then I¡¯ll come back down and stay for as long as you like, okay?¡±


    ¡°Promise?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, of course,¡± Riley agreed. ¡°I¡¯ve been coming back everyday, haven¡¯t I? I certainly don¡¯t mind keeping you company.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Riley hummed and then stood back up. She watched for a moment to make sure Katie was going to be okay as she began pushing herself away from the edge, then turned around to locate and pick up her discarded mop.


    ¡°Riley?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± She turned back to find Katie with one arm stretched out to hold onto the edge and her tailfin flicking lazily to keep her balanced.


    Katie¡¯s cheeks coloured and she ducked her head. ¡°What was that song you were singing earlier?¡±


    Now it was Riley¡¯s turn to flush and heat burned in her face as she looked away. She awkwardly rubbed the back of her neck and waved a hand. ¡°Oh, umm, it was just a song from a band that I like is all.¡±


    ¡°It sounded really nice.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­thanks? Now go to sleep before you get me into trouble. I have work I¡¯m supposed to be doing, you know,¡± Riley teased as she recovered.


    Katie raised a brow but she didn¡¯t say anything more before she sunk underwater. Riley shook her head and returned one earbud to her ear. The music was still playing, but this time, she made sure to keep her mouth shut. She¡¯d had enough of an unexpected audience already today.

 AU. Found You

    The sun was only just starting to break over the horizon and warm the waters when Nero awoke to a pair of lips brushing against his nose. Then they brushed over both his cheeks, and finally his lips. ¡°Nero!¡± Karina whined with a huff when she grew tired of the game. Her tailfins struck him gently across the ribs as she kissed him again. ¡°I know you are awake! Open your eyes.¡±


    Nero shifted in the sand and snaked an arm around Karina¡¯s waist. He rolled over onto his other side and dragged her down with him despite her protesting squeaks and breathless laughter.


    ¡°Nero!¡±


    Finally, he opened his eyes to find her frowning at him. Her brows were furrowed and when she huffed, she blew a jettison of bubbles at him.


    ¡°You are persistent this morning,¡± he grumbled.


    Evidently, she could not stay annoyed with him, because her pout morphed into a poorly concealed smile. ¡°Only because you refused to rouse,¡± she complained. ¡°Get up and come for a swim with me.¡±


    Nero groaned. He loved Karina and was always eager to spend as much time as possible with her, but she had far too much energy this morning for him to keep up. Instead, he pulled her closer and nuzzled the nape of her neck with a hum. ¡°What if we stay here and cuddle instead?¡± he proposed.


    It only took a moment for Karina to have her lips pressed to his once more. Nero¡¯s hum deepened to a purr as he kissed her back. Her hands came up to cup his face and a bubble popped on her lips as she pulled away after a moment. ¡°Nero? If you do not get up and come for a swim with me right now, you will be sleeping alone tonight,¡± she threatened.


    Nero opened one eye to gaze at her lazily. ¡°You would punish both of us to make your point?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Nero sighed and reluctantly pushed himself up from the sand. He shook his head and brought a hand up to brush a few stray kernels from his hair. Then he pushed his arms above his head and arched his spine to loosen all the muscles that had lain dormant through the night. ¡°Alright,¡± he caved. ¡°What is it that has you so jittery?¡±


    A bright grin pulled across Karina¡¯s lips, flashing him with her ivory teeth as she leaned in close and rubbed her nose against his. ¡°I have a surprise for you.¡±


    Nero grinned back and teased his fingers through her free-flowing golden hair. Karina was never very good at subtlety or secrets. Sure, if he told her something in confidence, she was like the jaws of a giant clam, firmly clamped shut against anyone who would pry. But surprises and plans and things that excited her tended to burst from her lips at breakneck speed when she could no longer contain them. It was no wonder she was so eager to get going before she wound up spoiling her own surprise. ¡°That is very sweet of you,¡± he murmured. He offered her his hand. ¡°Let us take that swim, then.¡±


    Karina grasped his wrist with both hands and hauled him from the sand with an impressive heave of her tail. Her grin was still wide and she yanked eagerly on his arm again.


    Nero merely chuckled and shook his head before lashing his tail to keep up with her. He was pretty sure she was keen enough to get going that she may just rip his arm right off if he did not get moving. He tugged free from her grasp, but her resulting frown quickly lifted into a content smile as he took her hand in his and matched her pace, rather than being towed by the wrist.


    Her happy aura permeated the waters between them as she gripped his hand firmly and led him away from the reef her static dwelling pod called home. Nero was not certain where she was taking him as they passed over sandy dunes and long beds of seagrass that took them further and further from the center of her pod¡¯s territory. Karina did not normally travel far from home, but he supposed she had been getting braver of late. He had not realized she had started doing so on her own though, usually foraging and harvesting in the nearby kelp beds were as far as she ventured alone, and they had left those behind rather quickly at Karina¡¯s rapid pace.


    Nero wanted to ask, but he kept his lips pressed together. Karina was radiated excitement and he knew that any questions would have her blurting out her surprise early. He was too smitten with her joy to dare do anything that risked disappointment that would overshadow her eagerness in such an incident. There was no need to spoil the surprise and Nero was rarely ever uncomfortable with silence, so he merely squeezed her fingers and continued following her. Though his heart skipped a beat as he watcher her smile grow just a little bit wider as he did.


    A few cycles ago, if someone had told Nero that at twenty-one cycles of age, he would already have a life partner, he would have probably scoffed at their ridiculousness. The company of other mer, especially strangers, left him awkward and tongue-tied and he rarely ever enjoyed it. It would have been impossible to imagine himself with a mate, much less one as vibrant and sunny as Karina. But here he was and he could not be happier.


    Gradually, the ground beneath them grew less smooth. The fine sands gave way to darker, more coarse grains piled into sharper grooves and ridges, before the ground dropped away entirely. It was not a deep drop, only a few tail-lashes deeper, but the ground remerged in a ravine between two sandy hills. On either side, long kelp strands were just enough of a concealer that Nero was not surprised he had never been here, despite how he often took long swims with and without Karina, especially when he had been newly recovered from the terrible injuries that had stranded him with her pod initially.


    At the bottom of the ravine was a long line of interlocking smooth and rough rocks easily large enough to drape oneself over. Karina was practically jittering as she dragged him down towards them with a gaping grin on her face. Her eyes were crinkled in the corners and her lips pulled back to reveal her pearly teeth and ivory fangs, and Nero felt an eager pressure rise in his chest.


    He suddenly understood why Karina had been so over-anxious to show this to him. He loved her and it had been his choice to remain with her pod, with her, once he had healed, but that did not mean there were not things he missed about his own home. His family, for one, and the travel and exploration as well, but namely, he missed rocks just like these. The sands around Karina¡¯s home reef were pretty barren of them, while his own pod often migrated through several zones with large, flat rocks and their coarser brethren. It was often timed perfectly enough with Nero¡¯s shedding cycles that he could seek the easy relief the cool surfaces offered. But since staying with Karina¡¯s pod, his shedding cycles had become more unbearable than ever in the past. They itched and burned and he often had strips of the leathery hide flapping painfully as he swam for several turns before they were no longer too tender to tear.


    Though he had never openly complained, he had told Karina stories of his pod and their lifestyle and talked a bit about some of the things he missed. Rocks like these being one of them. The fact that she had remembered, much less taken the time to search and find some of them made Nero¡¯s heart swell in his chest and his throat close. He squeezed the hand he was still gripping and pulled her close to wrap her in an embrace tight enough that her breath croaked from her throat.


    ¡°Surprise!¡± she wheezed as she hugged him back and a hum built in her throat.


    Nero broke the embrace just long enough to pull her face to his so he could kiss her. He lashed his tail and then curled it around hers to keep her close while his hands were busy holding the sides of her face. Her purr deepened and his rose to meet it. ¡°I do not deserve you,¡± he murmured against her lips.


    Karina giggled and pulled away for a heartbeat before leaning in to bump noses. ¡°No,¡± she teased while her tongue poked cheekily out between her teeth. ¡°But you have me anyway.¡± She pressed her lips to his nose and he angled his face up to capture her lips once more. His fingers tangled in her silky locks and her mane flicked against the digits as he brushed over it. They sank through the water together until they were tangled up against each other perched on one of the rocks.


    ¡°I know your tail bothers you,¡± Karina whispered. ¡°When it sheds. I know it is not now, but I just thought that when it does¡­we can come here. Maybe it will help.¡±


    ¡°It is perfect,¡± Nero agreed. ¡°You are perfect. Thank you.¡±


    Karina wriggled and dropped her head against his chest. Her fingers danced over the rough hide of his tail as they cuddled. ¡°I found it a couple of turns ago. No one really comes out this way, so I was thinking that if we wanted to spend some time just the two of us, we could come out here¡­you do not have to be in shed, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course not,¡± Nero agreed. He wrapped his arms around her and drew her close before kissing the crown of her head. ¡°I would love that.¡±


    His mate angled her head so that her glossy brown eyes were staring up at him and sparkling brightly. ¡°We could stay here now,¡± she suggested.


    Nero grinned and nodded. ¡°I am comfortable if you are,¡± he agreed.


    Karina purred again and nodded. She nuzzled his chest and flipped her tail up so that it was draped lazily over his. ¡°More than comfortable,¡± she agreed.


    ***


    The better part of the morning was spent simply cuddling with Karina, chatting and enjoying her proximity. The sun continued to rise until it sat directly overhead, warming the waters so that the cool rocks beneath them felt even more pleasant. Even Karina had begun to sprawl and stretch over a particularly smooth one. It had Nero grinning. He was not surprised she found it pleasant on her skin the same way he did on his shedding tail. Rocks like these made for pleasant basking spots.


    But as the day progressed into the afternoon, Nero could not shake a weird sensation in his chest. It was a familiar and yet equally foreign and foreboding feeling, as though something was off but he could not quite place what. At first, he tried to ignore it, but it was growing steadily more intense until Karina seemed to take notice.


    ¡°Nero, are you okay?¡±


    Nero frowned and shrugged. ¡°Just have a strange feeling. I cannot place it.¡±


    ¡°What sort of feeling?¡± Karina pressed.


    He leaned back on the rocks they were sitting on and brought a hand to his chest. Karina shuffled closer and folded her hand over his. He could feel her gaze levelled on him and it was disheartening to see the frown creasing her lips. They had been having such a lovely morning that he hated to be worrying her now. ¡°I do not really know. It feels strange. Not necessarily bad, but strange, like I am being pulled towards something. But it also almost feels familiar, though I do not recognize it.¡±


    Karina pursed her lips and clucked her tongue. ¡°Does it feel dangerous?¡±


    After taking a breath, Nero closed his eyes to analyze the sensation a little more closely. Usually, his instincts were pretty strong, honed from the hunting parties he joined in his pod, and if something was unsafe, he would get prickling chills down his spine, but there was nothing like that sensation now. ¡°No,¡± he reported after a moment.


    For a moment, they just stared at each other and then she leaned closer. ¡°Is it far? Wherever the sensation is pulling you?¡±


    Nero took another breath and shook his head. ¡°No. That is the thing that confuses me. The only draw I have ever had has been to my pod, and now to you, but we are seldomly far enough apart for me to feel the pull. But my pod is much too far for this to be them.¡±


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    ¡°Maybe they are closer? You said they migrate after all.¡±


    ¡°Not in this direction,¡± Nero refused with a shake of his head. ¡°Besides, surely I would recognize a proximity draw to my pod?¡±


    ¡°I suppose so,¡± Karina agreed with a rueful shrug. Nero grabbed her hand and squeezed her fingers. She never strayed very far from her own pod, she probably had no idea what it would feel like to be pulled towards them from a distance. She did not have any input, but that did not mean he did not appreciate her efforts. He watched her flick her fins and chew on her lip for a moment. ¡°Do you¡­do you want to follow it and find out?¡±


    Nero¡¯s lips parted as he stared at her. She was shifting slightly under his gaze and he could taste her uncertainty as he breathed. Karina loved hearing stories about all the different places he had been and things he had seen being part of a more nomadic pod, and on occasion, he had coaxed her into venturing a little ways from her home territory, but never further than they could travel back in half a day. Never before had she been the one to suggest it. They were already a little further than she was normally comfortable casually going to, and now she was willing to venture further with him? It warmed his heart and he leaned in to pull her close and kiss her again.


    ¡°I love you,¡± he whispered.


    ¡°I love you too.¡±


    He pushed himself up off the rocks and extended his hand out to her. ¡°We won¡¯t go far,¡± he assured her. Whatever the sensation was, if it started to take them a way out, he would abandon it.


    Karina smiled and shook her head as she took his hand. He pulled her up and she leaned close enough to bump shoulders with him while she held onto his hand firmly. ¡°I feel safe with you,¡± she replied.


    His heart fluttered in his chest as she said it. She was willing to go because he made her feel secure. She trusted him to protect her and bring her back home safely. Whether or not she trusted him had not been something he ever needed to question, but this was a new level. Karina was always very nervous about straying from her family because she had only ever known a stationary life and lacked a lot of the more intensive survival skills that travel taught.


    Meeting her had been one of the best things that could have happened to him, and bonding had done wonders for both their confidence levels. His social confidence had gotten better. Karina was too cheery and bubbly not to interact with others and she was helping him get more comfortable with it. Meanwhile, he had noticed how her self-confidence had been increasing slowly the longer they were together. The Karina he had first met had been wrought with poorly hidden anxiety and self-loathing, always questioning if she was good enough, always hiding her real dreams and feelings behind a smile, always afraid of saying or doing or wanting the wrong thing. Now, her smiles were more genuine and she hid less and less from him and was starting to express more of her personality and interests and desires, and each new discovery only made him love her more.


    As they left the basking rocks behind and made their way further from her pod¡¯s resting grounds, Nero pressed closer to his mate and began to purr. But he was surprised to find that she was shedding some of her initial uncertainty and instead it was excitement that he could taste. Her gaze was darting around, taking in the new sights as they left the shelf behind into more open water. Sure, they could still see the bottom, where a mass of crabs were scuttling over one another, but these were far more open and deeper waters than Karina had probably ever been. ¡°Want one?¡± he inquired. He did not give her time to answer before towing her deeper.


    Karina¡¯s breathless laughter cackled in his ear as they swooped over the writhing crustaceans and arched back up through the water, each coming away with a prize. Karina¡¯s smile was incredible as she beamed at him before sinking her fangs into her catch. Though shrimp and their more elusive brackish counterparts were her favourite foods, Karina had a taste for all crustaceans, so he was not surprised at how eagerly she broke through the outer shell and into the tender meat beneath. Nero reluctantly released her hand and swam side by side with her so that their tails brushed on each downstroke so that her hands would be free to enjoy her meal. He made quick work of his own snack as well, and when she had finished, Karina quietly reclaimed his hand once more.


    They were travelling at a steady pace and it was not long before the water grew shallower once more into another reef. This one was large and vibrant, with shoals of colourful fish darting around and swimming in spirals out into much deeper water beyond as the continental shelf dropped away entirely. Karina¡¯s sharp intake of breath and her fingers tightening around his hand made Nero glance at her worriedly, but her eyes were full of wonder. ¡°I wonder if our pod knows this is here,¡± she murmured. The reef was full of the scents of clam beds and there were urchins and vegetation all over amongst the twists and branches of coral.


    ¡°They do,¡± Nero assured her. ¡°They probably forage a lot from here.¡±


    ¡°How do you know?¡± Karina checked.


    Nero shrugged. He rarely joined the foraging teams, but instead took a few of the more confident and competent hunters into deeper waters for fish, but the scents of mer, of her pod mates, lingered in the area. ¡°Taste the water,¡± he suggested.


    Karina tilted her head at him and then parted her jaws and a sheepish look crossed her features. ¡°Ah,¡± she acknowledged.


    He bumped her with his hip and hummed. He had been teaching her a few things and if she ever worked up the courage, he knew she would make an excellent hunter and he longed to travel further with her, but he would never push her further or faster than she was ready for.


    Here on this new reef, the sensation was growing stronger and more demanding, and it really was becoming alarmingly familiar. There was a familiar scent on the water too. He could taste it in his gills and when he finally realized what he was, he already had a blue and brown blur barrelling toward him.


    Despite her smaller size, the force as she crashed into his chest was enough to rip his hand from Karina¡¯s and then he had a sobbing child clinging to him and burying her face into his torso. Nero¡¯s jaw dropped and he experienced a sensation akin to his heart soaring and plummeting at the same time. It had been cycles since he had seen her.


    ¡°Kera?¡± he queried.


    Her sobbing died to gentle whimpers as she squeezed him tighter. ¡°I found you,¡± she cried. ¡°I knew. I knew they were wrong, I knew you were not dead.¡±


    Nero swallowed the lump in his throat and gently placed his hand on his little sister¡¯s head. She shifted until he could see her crystal blue eyes, wide with desperation, peering at him from beyond the waves of rich brown hair that now cascaded past her shoulder blades. It had been short the last time he had seen her. It had been four cycles, and now his little sister was nine and though she was still small for her age, it seemed like she was finally beginning to grow into the slightly oversized fin and undersized, stumpy tail she had been born with. She was thin, but not unhealthily so and her eyes glowed with life.


    He swept her up into a proper hug and squeezed until she began to wheeze. He had not realized until this moment just how much he had actually missed her. She hummed and nuzzled him. ¡°Nero,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°Oh Kera,¡± he murmured into her hair. ¡°Wait¡­Kera, how did you get here? Where are mother and father?¡± He pulled away and instinctively tasted the water, but the only scents of his parents were the stale ones still clinging to the young mer in front of him.


    Kera shifted against him and did not answer, so Nero pulled her away enough to level his gaze on her. His sister fidgeted again. ¡°Umm, they are back with our family.¡±


    Nero grimaced and cast his senses out. His family did not feel nearby. ¡°Kera, are they close?¡± he checked anyway. He had failed to register her proximity properly, so he had to be sure. When she shook her head, he swallowed the lump in his throat and posed the next question he already knew the answer to. ¡°Do they know where you are?¡±


    Kera shook her head again. ¡°No one believed me! I tried to tell them that you were alive. I knew you were, but everyone just said that I could not accept the truth.¡± She bared her short fangs and lashed her pale blue, heart-shaped fin. ¡°But I could not just forget about you. I had to know for sure.¡±


    Nero shook his head and gripped her by the shoulders. ¡°What you did was dangerous and foolish. You are still a child. You could have been hurt or killed and no one would have known where you were. Mother and father must be sick for worrying about you. What were you thinking?!¡±


    ¡°I-¡± Kera faltered and he saw her eyes widen and her lip began to quiver. ¡°I am sorry. I just wanted to see you¡­you never came home and I missed you. What was I supposed to do? No one would agree to come to look.¡±


    ¡°You should have stayed where you belong, where you are safe, not swim off without telling our parents.¡±


    ¡°They would not have let me come,¡± Kera protested.


    ¡°Then you should not have!¡±


    Kera flinched bodily and her posture slumped, but Nero could barely see straight, much less calm himself. His heart was hammering in his chest as his mind played through all the dangers Kera could have faced, all the things that could have happened to her. She was still so small, so fragile.


    But then Karina laid a hand on his shoulder and everything came into sharp clarity once more. He glanced at his mate to find a soft expression on her face. She shook her head gently. ¡°You are allowing fear to fuel anger into rage,¡± she murmured. ¡°It is unfair. Be firm, but do not be mad.¡±


    Nero took a breath and then glanced back down at his little sister. She was still shrunken in on herself with wide eyes staring desperately up at him and a rancid scent was pouring off of her. Nero sighed. She was still just a child and this was not how he wanted her to see him after so many cycles apart.


    The tension slipped from his shoulders and he swept Kera up into his arms once more. ¡°I am glad you are here,¡± he told her. ¡°I am grateful that you are unharmed, and I am sorry I got upset with you. But what you did was still incredibly foolish. You could have been seriously hurt and that scares me. Please promise me that you will never do anything like this ever again.¡±


    Kera whimpered, but after a moment she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face into his shoulder. He could feel her fingers grasping at the ends of his hair and brushing against the top curve of his dorsal. ¡°Okay. Nero, I am sorry.¡±


    Nero gently hushed her and began to stroke the crown of her head and down her back as he hugged her back. ¡°Do not apologize, little remora. I am happy to see you, I just do not want to see you putting yourself needlessly at risk. And look how big you have grown. The last I saw you, you were barely an anchovy.¡±


    ¡°I was not!¡± Kera huffed.


    Nero chuckled. ¡°Well, maybe just a little bigger, but you have grown since then for sure, baby sister.¡±


    Kera stuck her tongue out at him. ¡°I am not a baby.¡±


    ¡°But you will always be my baby sister,¡± Nero argued.


    Kera opened her mouth like she wanted to argue, but instead, she simply hugged him again. For another moment or two, the nine-cycle mer was silent. Then she posed the question that Nero had been silently dreading since she showed up. ¡°Nero¡­what happened to you? Why did you never come home?¡±


    Nero chewed on his lip and stirred the water with his fin. ¡°It is complicated, Kera.¡±


    Surprisingly, his sister bared her fangs and hissed. He had never heard her hiss before. She was usually such a happy, easy-going child. Or at least she had been. With four cycles of separation, he supposed he no longer knew with absolute certainty what she was like. ¡°I hate it when adults say that,¡± she growled. ¡°Like I am too dumb to understand something.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Nero soothed as he rubbed her back and hugged her again. ¡°You are not dumb, Kera. Sometimes adults say that because they don¡¯t know how to easily explain something. It is not that you cannot hear it, it is that I do not know how to say it.¡±


    Kera squeezed him as tight as her little arms could manage. ¡°I missed you.¡±


    ¡°I missed you too.¡±


    For another few heartbeats, Nero just enjoyed getting to cuddle with his sister. He had not realized just how much he had missed her, how much he still missed the rest of his family.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Kera¡¯s voice shattered his revere and he followed her line of sight to find her staring at Karina.


    Her question had not been accusing or rude, simply the blunt inquiry of a child, but Karina responded with a bright smile. Her mane flicked as she drifted closer. ¡°My name is Karina,¡± she replied. ¡°It is lovely to meet you, Kera. Nero has told me a whole lot about you.¡±


    ¡°Kera, Karina is my mate,¡± Nero elaborated.


    ¡°Oh.¡± Instantly, Kera drooped and Nero¡¯s heart sunk. Confusion flickered across Karina¡¯s face and he hated the way his mate tried to hide it behind a much faker smile. ¡°You have a new family,¡± Kera murmured. ¡°You do not need us anymore. That is why you have been gone.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Nero refused.


    Before he could elaborate further, Karina recovered. ¡°You are irreplaceable, Kera,¡± she assured her. ¡°I am not trying to replace you or your parents in Nero¡¯s life. I just want to be a part of his family too¡­if you will allow me. It would make us sisters too.¡±


    ¡°It would?¡± Kera¡¯s inquisitive blue eyes returned to Nero¡¯s and he nodded. Kera turned back to Karina and after a moment, offered her a shy smile. ¡°Okay,¡± she agreed. ¡°I¡­I would like that.¡±


    Karina¡¯s eyes glowed at the response and Nero mentally sighed with relief. ¡°Nero, we should probably head back,¡± Karina suggested. ¡°Kera is probably hungry.¡±


    ¡°Yes please,¡± Kera added eagerly.


    Nero chuckled to hide how his gut was clenched. A trip like she just took definitely would have taken Kera more than a turn or two of travel and she was too young to hunt still. He had no idea when the last she ate was. ¡°Good idea,¡± he agreed. As soon as he turned to head back in the direction they had come, Kera wiggled from his grasp and flipped over him to grab ahold of his dorsal. She curled her fingers around it and her tail wrapped around his waist as she settled in with a hum.


    Nero burst out laughing and Karina, who had heard several stories about Kera, was quick to join in. But Nero did not mind, so he simply held his hand out to Karina, who took it happily and they swam side by side back towards her pod with Kera contentedly in tow. There was a lot to work out, but for now, he just wanted to get his sister back to the safety of a pod, get her fed and checked over, and then figure out how to handle the situation from there.


    He stole a glance at Karina and smiled softly. He was always grateful to have her, but now even more so. It was easier to face challenges with someone by his side. And there was no one else in the entire world that he would rather have with him.

 AU. Through the Eyes of a Mer - Part One

    Katie set her black leather camera case down gently by the back door. It was well padded to protect the device inside, but she still had no intention of risking damage by dropping it or tossing it around. It was currently plopped beside the well-worn olive-toned backpack she carried everywhere.


    Lifting her wrist, she examined the light turquoise, heavy-duty plastic of her dive watch. She had about an hour before she had to be down at the docks. It was a fifteen-minute walk, so she had some time left before she had to leave. Pivoting on her ankle, she walked back down the hall to her room and crouched down in front of her dresser. She tugged open the bottom drawer and began rifling through the many pairs of shorts that were neatly folded within. She wanted a spare change of clothes just in case.


    Consumed by her task, Katie jumped and barely bit back a startled shriek as a wet, slender hand wrapped around her ankle. Spinning around, she lost her balance and plopped down on her rear as she stared at her playful assailant. She crossed her arms and frowned at the younger girl peering up at her.


    Luna had her tongue poking out between her teeth and her lips were pulled into a wide smile. Vivid, crystal blue eyes shone with mischievous delight, broken only by a hilarious expression as she attempted to blow some of her wet bangs out of her eyes. Like the rest of her hair, they were long and sodden with water, the soft brown tendrils clinging to her skin. She sighed and raised her other hand to shove the cascade of hair back off her face. ¡°Got you,¡± she taunted with a giggle.


    Katie¡¯s frown deepened and she bit back a chuckle at the pre-teen¡¯s antics. ¡°That wasn¡¯t very nice,¡± she scolded. ¡°Just because you can pop up out of nowhere, doesn¡¯t mean you should; and you certainly shouldn¡¯t do it to scare me out of my wits.¡±


    Despite her chiding, Luna¡¯s grin only widened. It was infectious, and Katie lost the battle with her own expression as a wide smile flowed across her features. ¡°I know,¡± Luna lamented, though her joyful expression did not falter. ¡°But your expression was worth it; I could not resist.¡±


    Katie forced a scowl onto her features and dipped a bare foot into the tiled basin Luna was resting in. She flicked water at her younger sister, but Luna merely blinked and giggled, completely unphased by the onslaught.


    Luna crossed her forearms on the edge of the actual floor of the room and rested her chin on them. Her smile turned sly and she raised her sky blue fin into the air, slapping it back down on the surface of the water so that droplets lurched up and rained down on Katie.


    Katie gasped and scrambled away as a dark patch began spreading across her lime tank top. ¡°Luna!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°You¡¯re going to soak the bed, you better hope you didn¡¯t get any of my pictures wet.¡±


    Luna''s tongue was between her teeth again - the canines lengthened into long fangs - and she shrugged. ¡°It is only water,¡± she countered as she pulled herself up out of the pool. Rippling sapphire scales shimmered with dancing flecks of purple and green in the light streaming from Katie¡¯s open window as Luna settled herself on the floor and pulled her tail close. Katie snatched a folded towel from the top of her dresser and flung it at the young Mer.


    ¡°You¡¯re such a pest,¡± Katie complained as she opened another drawer and tugged out a new shirt. She ripped her soaked one off and pulled the fresh tee over her head. What had initially been extraordinary had become mundane for her over the years. Mermaids - or Mer as they preferred - existed, and she lived with one. Katie was adopted, had come to live with her godmother - Sophie Brooks - when she was eight years old. After her father¡¯s death, her flakey, workaholic mother had dumped her on Sophie¡¯s doorstep and taken off for America. Roxanne had never wanted kids, and while Katie had initially struggled with abandonment when she was young; she was more than content with the life she led now.


    Like her, Luna was also adopted. Sophie was the owner of a very successful marine park about half an hour up the coast. They ran a rescue and rehabilitation program out the back, and it was initially how Luna had come to be in her care. The young Mer had been tossed from the sea in a particularly brutal storm as a toddler. Sophie and her team had found her while combing the beaches for strandings. She had been scraped up pretty good, with several deep lacerations and a broken arm.


    Though Katie had not been present, she could only imagine her adoptive mother¡¯s surprise at the discovery. But Sophie was a professional, and they¡¯d taken Luna back to the park for proper medical treatment. Katie wasn¡¯t yet living with her, so the entire early story was second hand, but she knew that Luna had not been the easiest patient. She was squirmier than a regular human toddler, with tiny pointed fangs and a slippery tail with sharp scales that could easily split skin if not handled carefully. She had been chittering in a dolphinesque language that no one could understand, and was believed to be little more than an intelligent animal.


    Over time, as they treated her, they began to discover just how intelligent she really was. Sophie had kept Luna quiet at first, believing that the discovery would have a negative impact on the frightened baby and impede her recovery process if a bunch of eager faces were pressing in on her at all times. Instead, they¡¯d kept her in a back pool with the intention of eventually rehoming her properly in the park. Sophie had looked for any sign of a pod or parents out in the water, but had been unsuccessful, and without them, Luna didn¡¯t stand a chance at survival.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    Sophie had given Luna her name, inspired by the butterfly-esque eyespots on her fin. Two dark, navy circles with a brilliant white ¡®eye¡¯ in their center. Her mother had spent quite a bit of time socializing Luna, using her name and talking to her to attempt to adjust her to human interaction. Luna healed well, if a bit slowly, but Sophie had been reluctant to announce her existence to the world until she had truly settled down.


    After about a year, Luna finally uttered her first English word - ring - while reaching towards the box that held her toys. To this day, Luna loved the old, orange rubber ring from her childhood. When Sophie became aware of her sentience, her plans for Luna¡¯s future changed drastically. Katie had only just come to live with her by then, and Sophie had dipped into the large pool of funds she never felt the need to touch before.


    She¡¯d had the incredible two story beach house built on a private little cove, and had outfitted the walls and floors with an intricate series of tunnels and waterways, some that were visible through glass windows, overs covered with drywall, and all opened into special pressurized pocket pools like the one in Katie¡¯s room to give Luna a place to swim and an easy means of getting through the house.


    Only a few select individuals knew of Luna¡¯s existence and they were very careful. They rarely had company over and Luna was not allowed out front or near any front facing windows unless she carefully concealed all her inhuman features. Katie didn¡¯t mind the restrictions though. She and Luna had bonded closely - Luna only tended to be this cheeky when they were alone, having a much quieter and shyer demeanor with Sophie and Lewis - the sea vet who had rehabilitated her and was like a fatherly uncle figure to Katie now that he and Sophie were in an intimate relationship and he was living with them - she still talked and laughed and played, but it was never quite as boisterous as when they were alone.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Luna inquired as Katie fished out the change of clothes that she had wanted.


    ¡°For a dive,¡± Katie replied.


    ¡°May I come?¡± Luna asked eagerly, leaning forward slightly on her palms as she spoke.


    Katie shook her head. ¡°Not this time, Lu. Sorry, you know I love diving with you, but this isn¡¯t a solo dive. I¡¯ve been hired to take pictures for a wedding excursion.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Luna¡¯s shoulders slumped and her gaze instantly turned downwards as she traced a finger over the wood floor of the room. ¡°Have fun, I guess.¡±


    Guilt and sympathy dug their nails deep into Katie¡¯s gut. She knew Luna struggled sometimes with needing to remain hidden from the world. Sophie and Katie and Lewis could come and go as they pleased, but they were her whole world and they knew it. Luna hated having to hide and feeling excluded from the world beyond the house.


    Chewing her lip, Katie knelt down and nudged her little sister as an idea struck her. ¡°Hey, I have to go, but what if I stop at the store on my way home? I can pick up some of that mango ice cream you love, and then you and I can take a twilight swim out in the cove,¡± she suggested. ¡°There¡¯s a staff meeting at the park tonight, so mom and Lewis won¡¯t be home until late. It¡¯s just you and me.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Luna agreed. She still seemed a little disappointed, but the suggestion had brought a glimmer back to her eyes and a smaller smile to her lips. ¡°How long will you be gone?¡±


    ¡°Just a couple of hours,¡± Katie replied. ¡°We¡¯re going out to the reef. The couple just got married yesterday and wanted to make this whole big showcase of an underwater adventure to start their honeymoon.¡±


    Luna cocked her head and shrugged, and it made Katie laugh. No matter how many different ways they tried to explain to her, Luna had never fully grasped the concepts of many customs and events of human beings. Katie was pretty sure the concept of a birthday confused her and that she only played along because she liked the cake and attention. Sophie had selected the day she found Luna to be the young Mer¡¯s birthday - they weren¡¯t even completely certain of her age, assuming her to be eleven or twelve - because she hadn¡¯t understood the same concepts of time, and by the time they had gotten her speaking fluently enough to answer questions; Luna had forgotten quite a bit, including whatever her real name and age had been. They made substitutes for her as best they could.


    A wedding and a honeymoon were both concepts that were outside her scope of understanding, so Katie just waved it off. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯ll be back soon enough, okay? Will you be alright here?¡±


    Luna nodded. ¡°I will probably just nap,¡± she decided. ¡°And I can make myself a snack if I need to. I will be alright.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Katie ruffled Luna¡¯s hair as she stood, chuckling at the Mer¡¯s quiet huff of protest as she ducked away. ¡°And stay out of the cookies,¡± she warned sternly. Luna had a bad habit of eating too many and making herself sick if she wasn¡¯t supervised. Sophie would kill them both if she came home to find the unopened sleeve empty and a Mer with a bellyache.


    Luna sighed and rolled her eyes. ¡°Fine,¡± she muttered. ¡°Be safe on your trip,¡± she called as Katie turned to leave the room.


    Katie paused in the doorway to grin back at her little sister. Luna¡¯s wide eyes glistened and her fingers were twitching into fists at her sides. Luna hated being alone for too long and Katie knew she worried more than necessary. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Luna,¡± she assured. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Despite the promise, Luna¡¯s eyes stayed wide as if begging her not to go.


    Katie wished she¡¯d heeded that.

 Through the Eyes of a Mer - Part Two

    Pain lanced through Katie¡¯s head and she moaned. Her eyes cracked open only to squint at the harsh, blinding white light that was beaming down on her from directly overhead. There was a shadowy figure leaning over her. It blocked out part of the light, but she could not define any features as the brilliant gleam haloing the form darkened it to a shadow. Katie squinted and tried to sit up, but found herself tied down firmly to the lumpy bed she was stretched out on.


    There was an oxygen mask pressed over her mouth and nose, and her breath fogged it as she began to pant as fear rose like a pressure bubble in her chest. A whimper clogged her throat and she pulled at the restraints again. Where was she? What was going on?


    There was a sharp hissing noise and then the air pumping in through the mask began to taste cloyingly sweet. Katie winced as it dried her mouth immediately. The gas was fast acting, and almost immediately, Katie¡¯s limbs began to feel heavy once more. Her headache spiked again and she winced, grinding her teeth. She wanted to demand answers from the person with her, but her jaw fell slack and her mind began to grow fuzzy. A high-pitched whistling sound began to drone in her ears and suddenly none of her previous concerns felt important anymore.


    ¡°Hush now,¡± a vaguely masculine voice pierced the whining in her eardrums. ¡°We¡¯re almost done.¡±


    Almost done with what? Katie tried to ask, but only a soft croak left her throat. She watched the shadowy figure raise what looked like a needle before the world spun and her vision faded out.


    ***


    There was a heavy, yet weightless sensation hanging over Katie. It was as if she were drifting through a thick pool of molasses. She stretched until some joints popped and then rolled over onto her side. It felt like she had slept for ages, and she could not help but wonder why Luna hadn¡¯t woken her. Luna always woke her. The young Mer rose with the dawn most mornings and got bored if left to her thoughts for too long. She would often slither from the water and haul herself up onto Katie¡¯s bed to flop on her, soaking Katie and the mattress with her long waterfall of dripping hair. Katie wished she could be convinced to cut the overlong mop, but Luna liked it that way.


    Katie scrunched her eyelids closed more tightly. She was not quite ready to rise, but the light shining down on her from overhead was obnoxiously bright. Had she left her bedroom light on? She didn¡¯t normally turn it on at all, preferring to let the natural sunlight that filtered through her window light up the room. But she must have turned it on and forgotten to turn it off, because it was bothering her now.


    She sighed in annoyance and smacked her dry, gummy lips before slowly fluttering her eyes open while scratching absently at an itch on her collarbone. She had to flutter her eyelids a few times to help her vision come into focus, but once it did, she froze. Her entire body seized up and her heart began to race. This was not her bedroom. She was lying on a hard, lumpy mattress with only a thin sheet to stave off the chill of the heavily air conditioned room. The bed had a long metal rail running half the length of the bed in front of her face, and beyond was simply a gray concrete floor and sterile white tiled walls. A large vent in the corner where the wall met the ceiling was the culprit for the cold air making her shiver.


    Beside the bed was a narrow trolley of equipment, topped with a heart monitor screen. There was a long bundle of wires trailing down the side of the cart, and Katie became instantly aware of the low, steady beeping the device made. That was going to get annoying fast.


    She pushed herself slowly upright and glanced down. She was wearing a thin, tie up hospital gown. It was gray and too big for her, sagging almost scandalously in the collar. Blushing, Katie tugged the thin sheet up against her body for more modesty. There were wires dipping into the loose collar and she could feel more brushing her leg. Numerous nodes had been stuck to her skin all along her back, chest, and belly. One was placed on the side of her chest, and her arm rubbed the patch irritatingly every time she moved.


    Katie¡¯s heart was still drumming, but confusion was overcoming some of the rampant fear. It felt like a hospital setup, but this was certainly no hospital room. She supposed that emergency trauma centers didn¡¯t look like hospital rooms either, but if she had been caught in some sort of calamity, like a quake or tsunami, she both expected obvious injury to herself, and to see the room crammed full with other survivors. Space was not a luxury one got in those situations. And if she had been brought to hospital, where was her mother? Sophie never would have allowed for her to wake up alone and confused.


    Though part of her longed to tear the wires free, she figured she¡¯d best leave them be until she knew why they were there, why her heart needed to be monitored at all. The internal debate settled, Katie gazed further around the room hoping for clues for her unanswered questions. The wall the head of her bed was pressed up to was bare, and the opposite held a metal sink and some lonely looking cupboards under a slightly yellowed white ceramic countertop. A few shelves held jars and vials and some other medical equipment. None of it really helped her figure anything out. The far wall, however, deepened her concern. There was a single door in and out of the room, and it stood to the side, beside a massive stretch of mirror. One way glass. Katie was no fool and the only other point to a mirror that large was in a dance or gymnast studio, and this was certainly neither. Why was she being watched?


    That thought kept her from noticing the obvious, but once she did, Katie was stricken and her confusion died out as rampant horror took priority. The reflection gazing back at her in the mirror was not her own. Though it was on the far side of the room, the space was tiny and Katie¡¯s vision decent enough she could see every detail. Her hair - normally a light brown and lined with sun-kissed natural highlights of blonde - was now a deep shade of brown Katie might equate to coconut shells or seal pelt. Originally, Katie had kept her hair just past shoulder length. Long enough to get up into a decent tail or braid as necessary, but short enough that it wasn¡¯t a nuisance to deal with, especially with how much time she spent in the water. Her hair now brushed down past her ribs. It was much too long and Katie instantly hated it.


    Instead of her slightly-more-green-than-brown hazel eyes, a pair of dark brown irises widened with the surprise she felt, and her tanned face was now peppered with numerous freckles that swept under her eyes, over her cheeks, and across the bridge of her nose. Katie had never had any freckles before, and now it looks as though someone had blown a handful of dull glitter into her face. She felt stinging tears well up in her eyes, a consequence of her panic and dismay. What had they done to her? She raised a shaky hand to her face, not quite believing it was real despite how the foriegn reflection responded to her movements.


    The moment her fingers brushed the flesh of her cheek, pain fired through her nerve endings and she yanked her hand away with an audible wince.


    A short chuckle caused her to yelp as her head whipped towards the source of the sound. ¡°I would not try that again in your position,¡± the voice piped up. It belonged to a woman leaning back in a simple, plastic backed chair that looked like it was plucked from a classroom. She had short black hair pushed off her face with a simple black headband, and she wore a long white coat. It was open, so Katie could see the simple black shirt and jeans that the woman wore beneath. Her skin was relatively pale, and her storm gray eyes stared back with calm amusement at Katie. ¡°Everything¡¯s going to be rather tender for a while until it heals. Don¡¯t touch.¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Katie croaked. Her voice cracked as she tried to speak, but her throat felt dry and tight. She desperately wanted some water. She coughed weakly, trying to clear her throat a little to speak better. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Both questions were ignored as the woman - doctor? Scientist? Katie didn¡¯t know - rose from her chair and walked over. She held a portable recording device in her hand and Katie watched her press a button on top as she began to speak. ¡°Six days since the subject¡¯s arrival and the facial appearance modifications have been completed. The healing rate is as predicted, though the subject shows signs of pain and tenderness for the moment.¡± she paused as she reached Katie. The hand holding the device raised and using two fingers, the woman lifted Katie¡¯s chin. Katie scowled back as she wrestled with the inner urge to begin shaking and sobbing. Subject? What was going on? What twisted up nightmare had she fallen into?


    The woman raised a thin flashlight and clicked it on, shining the light in Katie¡¯s eyes and darting it back and forth. Katie squinted against the bright light and jerked her head away. ¡°Pupil response is normal. The subject seems to have retained full vision after the repigmentation surgery. Modifications seem to contain no lasting or harmful side effects. The process will be labelled successful.¡±


    Katie opened her mouth, fully prepared to demand actual answers from the woman. She was not some science project, she was a person. This woman couldn¡¯t just treat her like she didn¡¯t actually exist. Before she got the chance to utter a word, the door to the room swung open with a loud ¡®bang¡¯ as it thunked against the wall behind it. Katie jumped and her attention focused on the doorway as a man strode eagerly into the space.


    He was a tall, broad man - heavy set - with a thick head of dark brown hair slicked back with too much gel. He wore a light gray suit and leather loafers that clacked obnoxiously on the cement flooring as he approached. His large, brown eyes were fixated on her and his mouth twisted into a delighted grin. ¡°Beautiful work, Hanna-er, I mean, Dr. Manson,¡± he corrected as the woman shot him a stern glare. The fumble didn¡¯t deter him long. ¡°And how is my lovely new pet?¡± he purred as he reached out to pinch one of Katie¡¯s cheeks. Agony erupted in her face and she pulled away with a cry. Her hand came up to hover near where he¡¯d grabbed her, not quite touching the inflamed site. She just wanted to guard it from further onslaught as tears burned in her gaze.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    ¡°She¡¯s still very tender from the alteration, Mr. Winston. I recommend leaving her be for now or you¡¯ll upset the healing process,¡± Dr. Manson responded, a bitter edge to her tone. ¡°I was about to proceed with the rest of the procedure before the interruption. What is it that you need?¡±


    ¡°I just wanted a look,¡± the man responded with a dismissive wave of his hand. ¡°She¡¯s going to be perfect when this is finished, I¡¯m sure. You¡¯re positive this will work?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no reason it shouldn¡¯t,¡± the woman agreed. ¡°Our previous tests are a strong indicator to the potential success.¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Katie managed through teeth gritted against the throbbing pain in her cheek. ¡°What do you want with me?¡±


    The man¡¯s grin only widened as he fixated on her once more. ¡°I don¡¯t want anything with you, Paisley. I just want you. Or at least, what you¡¯re going to be.¡±


    A shudder ran down Katie¡¯s spine. The words were eerie, even if the man seemed too jolly to be saying them in a sinister way. ¡°My name is Ka-¡±


    Her protests were cut off as the man began to speak again. ¡°Paisley,¡± he said, his head bobbing as if he was agreeing with her. He reached out and grabbed her firmly by the face, squeezing until it stole an agonized scream from Katie¡¯s throat and tears burned in her eyes. ¡°Remind me again what your name is, sweetie?¡± he cooed, his grip tightening further.


    Katie choked and gasped, but trying to tug out of his grip only made it hurt more.


    ¡°Sir, I really must insist that you not-¡± Dr. Manson tried to protest but he held up a free hand to stop her while staring at Katie.


    Katie grit her teeth against the pain. ¡°My name is...Katie,¡± she finally forced out. ¡°Katherine Waters. My father was Michael Waters and I live with my adoptive mother, Sophie Brooks. I¡¯m a person, not some doll or pet, and you cannot keep me here like this,¡± she growled defiantly. What sort of psychopaths had she been abducted by?


    Her efforts earned her nothing as the man¡¯s grip continued to tighten. Soon his nails were digging into her flesh and threatening to break the skin. His smile and bright eyes never faltered, but Katie¡¯s willpower did. ¡°Paisley,¡± she finally whimpered.


    Just as easily, he released her and she pulled away, sniffling and cradling her head as best she could.


    ¡°That¡¯s a good girl,¡± he purred. ¡°See, Dr. Manson? She¡¯s fine, just a little sore. It¡¯s important to teach them their place early.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve not had much luck taming the other one,¡± Dr. Manson retorted. ¡°I don¡¯t care what you do with her afterwards, but at least leave me an intact specimen for the procedure.¡±


    Katie shuddered at the conversation going on around her. She was the source of the discussion, but clearly was not welcome to participate. Not that she wanted to at the moment. She hung her head as shame prickled under her skin. She hated how quickly she¡¯d given in, had always considered she had a relatively high pain tolerance, but this had quickly proved her wrong. More tears pooled in her eyes and she bit her lip in an effort not to shed them. She was concerned about what they meant by a procedure. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± she begged in a wavering, watery voice as she continued to fight back more tears.


    Both pairs of eyes were on her again, and she instinctively shrunk back even though neither of them looked angry. ¡°Dr. Manson is going to make you into something wonderful,¡± the man said finally.


    Katie¡¯s brows furrowed and she opened her mouth to protest. That didn¡¯t actually answer her question. Clearly the woman was inclined to agree, because she spoke up next. ¡°A few years ago now, we made the discovery of a lifetime. Something to put the scientific world on its ear. Mr. Winston is the owner and benefactor of that discovery, and has been funding my research in pursuit of a way to recreate the...magic, for lack of a better word, that initial finding brought to the world. We discovered an aquatic humanoid specimen.¡±


    ¡°You mean like a mermaid?¡± Katie impressed herself at the sarcastic disbelief that managed to drip from her tone as she raised a brow and regarded them evenly. Internally, she fought to keep her heart rate down, as the monitor would pick it up if she started to panic. But they couldn¡¯t know about Luna, right? It would make sense why they had abducted her if so, to get to her little sister, but Sophie had been meticulous in keeping Luna a secret. There was no way.


    ¡°Exactly that,¡± Mr. Winston agreed. ¡°And she truly is magnificent, I¡¯m sure that you two will get along fantastically once we get you sorted out. Can¡¯t have you going in a tank without your gills, now can we? Wouldn¡¯t do to let you drown.¡±


    Katie frowned as her confusion doubled. ¡°Umm¡­¡±


    ¡°What Mr. Winston is trying to say; is that my research and work with his specimen has allowed me to progress by leaps and bounds. These creatures are special in an extraordinary way. With the right conditions and chemicals, their DNA becomes infectious. It¡¯s been through a few trial phases, but I firmly believe that I can successfully graft the genetics onto an alternate host.¡±


    Katie¡¯s breath caught in her throat for a minute. Of course, she¡¯d always wondered what it must be like to have a tail and breathe underwater. She¡¯d sometimes fantasized about joining Luna in the water, but she had never actually imagined it was possible, and she certainly did not want to find out as the guinea pig for a deranged man and his pet scientist. ¡°That¡¯s not possible,¡± she protested, though she could not keep the hint of doubt and worry out of her tone.


    The woman grinned and shrugged. ¡°I suppose we¡¯ll find out shortly,¡± she stated.


    Katie shook her head. ¡°But you can¡¯t,¡± she whimpered. ¡°You can¡¯t just abduct someone and do something like this.¡±


    Again, the scientist shrugged. ¡°I know you¡¯re frightened, honey, but you shouldn¡¯t cling to false hope. You say we can¡¯t and yet, isn¡¯t that exactly what we¡¯ve done? No one is coming for you, and even if they were, they wouldn¡¯t recognize you. Not now, and certainly not when I¡¯m finished.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which,¡± Mr. Winston spoke up as he clapped his hands together and rubbed them eagerly. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t delay any longer. Hannah, if you would; let¡¯s get started.¡±


    Once again, the scientist frowned at the use of her first name, but she didn¡¯t correct the man. There was an eager gleam in her eyes that spoke volumes. Her looming test was far more interesting and important to her than the rude informality. ¡°Very well,¡± she agreed. ¡°But you¡¯ll have to leave. It¡¯s better to keep the subject¡¯s stress levels down, and I need room and privacy to work. You may watch from the other room if you like, but the first several hours are anticipated to be relatively uneventful,¡± she reported. Her words confirmed Katie¡¯s initial suspicions that the long mirror was in fact one way glass. She was going to be observed through this...trial Dr. Manson wanted to run.


    She hesitated. She doubted her ability to barrel through both of them or to get out when she had no idea where she was, but Katie knew she could not simply lie back and allow them to run experiments on her. She was pretty confident they didn¡¯t know about Luna, and while she had sympathy for whatever other Mer they seemed to have found, she wanted no part in this game they wanted to play. She just wanted to go back home to her family.


    Deciding that the element of surprise was perhaps her only chance, Katie jerked forward in an effort to throw herself off the bed and hit the ground running. A faint cry of surprise left her lips as she was yanked back and fell flat on her back with the two others staring down at her with little more than mild amusement. Katie frowned and pushed herself back up. It was only then that she noticed the restraints tethering her to the bed. She frowned, not sure how she could have missed them up until now. There were leather cuffs around her wrists and ankles, secured to small leashes of sorts. It gave her a little leeway to move her hands and feet, and shift into more comfortable positions, but she could not get off the bed.


    ¡°Well now that that¡¯s out of the way,¡± Dr. Manson announced as she grinned down at Katie. ¡°I¡¯d like to get started.¡±


    ¡°Very well,¡± Mr. Winston agreed. ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon, Paisley,¡± he cooed at Katie with a wink. She was glad to see him disappear back out the door, even if it slammed shut with the force of him tugging on it.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t do this,¡± Katie begged as Dr. Manson approached her. She tugged uselessly on one of the restraints and finally noticed the IV spit embedded in her hand. They must have inserted it when she was out, and simply capped it off to be hooked up to an IV tube and bag later. There was only a few centimeters of tube taped to her arm and capped off so air couldn¡¯t get into her bloodstream. It would take the woman seconds to get her hooked up to the bulging bag of murky yellow-pink fluid she was currently dragging over on an IV stand. ¡°You don¡¯t have to,¡± she pleaded.


    Dr. Hannah Manson paused and gently brushed some hair off Katie¡¯s face. ¡°I know,¡± she agreed. ¡°But I want to. I know it¡¯s probably intimidating for you, but this is going to be an amazing development for scientific endeavors if we can pull it off. You¡¯re going to be part of something wonderful.¡±


    ¡°I just want to go home,¡± Katie whimpered. ¡°I have a family and a life, please don¡¯t do this.¡±


    Dr. Manson didn¡¯t respond immediately. Instead, she lifted a syringe from a trolley of tools and squirted out a bit of liquid to rid it of any air bubbles. ¡°I am sorry about that. I didn¡¯t select you personally for this. But you are an exceptional specimen genetically. There is no reason the graft shouldn¡¯t take. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m going to put you under for now; there¡¯s no reason for you to endure any unnecessary pain.¡±


    ¡°No, wait. Please!¡± Katie protested as the woman reached for the bit of tubing poking out from her hand. She yanked her arm back as far as the tether would allow and reached with her other hand to tear the IV out.


    Dr. Manson caught her wrist and shook her head. ¡°Heed my warning, because I¡¯ll only give it once; if you touch that IV again, I¡¯ll tighten your restraints until you can¡¯t move at all, are we clear?¡± she warned, her voice barely above a growl. ¡°You will not be asleep the entire time, and I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll appreciate the limited freedoms you¡¯ve been granted. Do not tempt me to remove them.¡±


    Katie chewed her lip and nodded. She didn¡¯t want to give in, but the restraints had proven effective and at least she had a little leeway right now. There was no point in resisting if it wasn¡¯t going to give her an opening for escape. It would only cause them to tighten their grip on her. She looked away, however, with tears burning in her gaze as the woman guided the needle down. She didn¡¯t feel the prick of the needle and knew the woman likely just shot it through the IV because almost instantly, Katie began to feel heavy once more. Her thoughts muddled and her head lolled. She watched the woman hook her IV up to the bag of putrid looking fluid seconds before a swarm of angry black dots stole her vision away to darkness.

 Through the Eyes of a Mer - Part Three

    Luna wrang her fingers and chewed her lip as she flicked her fin and paced the tunnels through the house. She had done the same thing now for days, pacing and twitching. She knew if she stopped, she would plunge back into the dark thoughts as she stressed about Katie. It had nearly been half a moon now since she had left for her dive. Though she had promised to be back in plenty of time for dinner, the sun had set and the world began to darken without her return. At that point, Luna had begun to fret and her anxiety had awoken like a starved creature within her.


    She had never totally understood the human concept of time, but she did know that the numbers were climbing too high into the evening for her to continue telling herself that everything was fine. She had dragged herself from the water and hauled herself up onto a chair to reach the phone on the counter. She hated the phone. Hated trying to use it, hated the hissing static that came through the line and ached in her ears, and especially despised the piercing wail when it rang, but she had been thankful for it in that moment. Despite her dislike of the device, Sophie had made her memorize a few number sequences, just in case there was ever an emergency. She had dialed out that number and endured the ringing until Sophie had answered.


    The woman had seemed to know instantly that something was amiss, asking what was wrong almost instantly after Luna spoke. It did not surprise her; Sophie knew Luna would never use the phone unless she had to, unless Katie could not. Luna had choked on her words. Admitting that Katie had not come home made it real, and Sophie responded with equal concern. She and Lewis had come home right away, had begun making calls of their own. Katie was not answering her cell phone, and a call to the harbor had revealed that there were no boats or dive equipment rented, no events at all scheduled that met the description Katie had initially provided for Sophie.


    It was all very scary as Katie always gave all the details to Sophie as a precaution. If there was ever an accident out in the water, she never wanted Sophie to have to hunt for the information.


    At that point - with tears in her eyes and deep frown lines creasing her face - Sophie had called the police. Luna had hidden in the walls and they had put covers over the pools that allowed her access to the rest of the home while the police had shown up and spoken with Sophie and Lewis. Law enforcement was something Luna did understand. At least, the way that they explained it to her was that there were specific humans trained to help people in an emergency and also to handle and punish people who did bad things. It was a little intimidating, but it was not hard to grasp, and she hoped that they would be able to help find out what happened to Katie. She had been terribly worried about her sister that night.


    That worry only grew as the days passed without any change. Katie did not come home, did not answer her phone, and the police did not find any clues about her disappearance. The weather had been calm, so there was no chance a storm had overtaken them, and she clearly had not gone on the excursion anyways. Katie always signed in at a register at the harbor Sophie had said, so that the log could be tracked. There were lots of safety precautions when humans dived because it could be so risky to them. Katie had not signed in.


    Then, four turns after Katie had disappeared, Sophie had come home fuming. She was furious, but the tears in her eyes told more of devastation. When Luna had inquired, Sophie had told her that with no new leads, they were labelling Katie a runaway. But Luna could not understand that. Katie never would have run off. Katie loved her family too much, and she was always so cautious, so careful, whenever she went out or on a dive. It was her tendency, rather than anything Sophie enforced. She could not have just run off with no warning¡­.right?


    It was the uncertainty, mixed with the guilt that perhaps something she had done had driven Katie away, and the worry that she could be hurt that kept Luna pacing through the water. If she stopped, she would think about it too hard, so she would swim herself in circles until she was dizzy and exhausted, just to get a little rest and do it all again. She wished there was more she could do. She begged Sophie to let her go out into the ocean to search, but Sophie always refused. Whatever had happened, Sophie suspected it took place on land, not out in the water, and she argued that Luna was not well fitted to survive out in the ocean on her own, and did not want to risk them both.


    Luna understood the logic, and would normally accept it, but now she despised how awful and useless it made her feel.


    She abruptly stopped swimming, nearly slamming her face against the glass wall of the tunnel she was in as she heard the front door open. She watched as Sophie entered the home. The woman¡¯s fiery red curls were frizzing around her head in an unkept mess, and her normally tanned skin had paled significantly. Luna frowned, her heart seizing in her chest as she watched the woman who had raised her shuffle in as if in a daze. Her normally bright green eyes were bloodshot, and when she dropped her purse at the door, Luna knew things had gotten worse. The bag had tipped over, spilling its contents onto the floor, but Sophie did not even acknowledge the mess. While she was not strict about it, Sophie preferred things tidy and well-kept.


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    Her legs appeared to be shaking as she stumbled forward and dropped down into the first available seat - one of the dining room chairs - and buried her face in her hands. Luna flicked her fin and darted down through the tunnels woven through the house. She knew each route perfectly after swimming them for years, and it only took her a few seconds to poke her head out of the basin nearest to the distraught woman. In the time it had taken her to traverse the distance, Sophie had broken down into heavy sobs.


    Before Luna could call out to her, her attention was pulled away as the door burst open once more. It slammed noisily as Lewis shut it a bit too hard. His clothes were rumbled and his dark skin laced with sweat as if he had been in a desperate rush. He swept a hand through his messy black coils of hair and hurried over to Sophie without bothering to shed his shoes.


    He dropped to his knees beside her chair and reached up to wrap his arms around her. Sophie leaned to the side and collapsed out of the chair onto the floor and into his arms. Her sobs only grew louder. There was moisture brimming in Lewis¡¯ eyes too as he hugged her tightly and rubbed a hand up her back. ¡°I know,¡± he whispered. He spoke softly, murmuring to Sophie, but Luna¡¯s sharp hearing allowed her to catch the words easily. ¡°I know. I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°I just...I can¡¯t believe she¡¯s really¡­¡± Sophie trailed off as another sob choked her. ¡°I should never have let her go.¡±


    Lewis shook his head. ¡°No, hey, this is not your fault. She¡¯s gone on so many dives, Soph. She was a good, smart kid. Cautious enough, knew what she was doing. No one could have anticipated something like this.¡±


    When Sophie did not immediately reply, Luna¡¯s horrified curiosity got the better of her and she pulled herself up out of the basin. ¡°Sophie? Lewis?¡± she inquired softly. Sophie jerked in Lewis¡¯ grasp in order to turn and meet Luna¡¯s gaze. It broke Luna¡¯s heart to see her eyes fill with more tears as she did.


    Sophie opened her arms and jerked her head. ¡°Come here, Luna,¡± she said.


    Heeding the suggestion, Luna dragged herself across the floor towards them. Though she was still sopping wet, the moment she was close enough, Sophie pulled her close against her. The two humans hugged her tightly and stole a soft squeak from her, since she was not expecting to have been so tightly embraced so quickly.


    After a moment, Luna shifted so she could look up at Sophie. ¡°Did you find anything?¡± she begged. ¡°Is she coming home soon?¡±


    The tears leaking from Sophie¡¯s eyes gave Luna her answer, but it was confirmed when she shook her head. ¡°No,¡± Sophie whispered. ¡°She¡¯s not coming home, Luna. I¡¯m sorry, but she won¡¯t ever be coming back.¡±


    The strangle in Sophie¡¯s tone made it all the more difficult to hear the words, and Luna closed her eyes as she felt the stinging sensation of tears begin to well behind the lids. She bit her lip and sucked a breath in through her nose while curling her fingers into tight fists. ¡°What happened?¡± she whimpered. Part of her did not wish to know, did not want to hear the confirmation that her sister was dead, but she felt that Katie deserved that at least; for the truth to be heard.


    ¡°It was a drunk driver,¡± Lewis replied. ¡°She never made it to the beach.¡±


    ¡°Drunk?¡± Luna echoed the word in confusion.


    Lewis shook his head and waved a hand. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± he murmured. ¡°At least it was quick. It might have even been for the best; there was no booked excursion for today and I suspect even if she had made it safely, she might have run into problems.¡±


    Luna leaned deeper into Sophie¡¯s embrace as the woman clung to her. She was aware that her wet skin and dripping hair were soaking through Sophie¡¯s clothes, and normally she would feel bad about it; but she was just as desperate for affection as Sophie seemed to be, so she pushed that worry aside.


    Hot tears began to roll down Luna¡¯s cheeks and her shoulders sagged. She could not imagine the world without her sister, her very best friend. Now it seemed they would all have to learn to live without Katie¡¯s smile and her cheery attitude.


    ¡°She promised she would be back soon,¡± Luna muttered. She was not angry with Katie, she knew it was not the older girl¡¯s fault, but it still cracked her soul inside to know that promise would never be upheld. She wished it would. Katie always kept her promises. Always. Luna could not remember a time when Katie had gone back on her word - even accidentally - if she said she was going to do or not do something, Luna could always trust that to be followed through. She wanted to believe that it would be no different now. That Katie would walk in through the door tired and sweaty, and probably a little frightened but unharmed, with profuse apologies for whatever had held her up. Luna would give anything to hug her sister and feel assured that everything was alright. But it was not. And it never would be again.


    As she was hugged tightly between Sophie and Lewis, the heartbreaking reality dawned on Luna. Without Katie, a family of four was down to three, and none of them knew quite how to cope with that.


    Her sister was gone, and admitting it finally broke the dam within Luna and she began to wail as waves of sorrow crashed over her. And they were not waves she shared alone. What was left of her family crumbled with her on the floor in an emotional heap.

 Through the Eyes of a Mer - Part Four

    Hannah tapped her pen against the clipboard in her hand as she studied the heart monitor. She was using the repetitive tat-tat-tat to keep time as she watched the subject¡¯s heart and breathing rates. When she was satisfied with the numbers, she jotted them down and moved to check the IV bag. She had been taken off the genetic cocktail for an hour to get some saline and nutrients into her, and to allow the most recent dose to set in so Hannah could properly observe the results.


    The subject had first been put under two weeks ago, and so far the results were immensely pleasing. She was keeping the girl under for most of the procedure, only rousing her at specific intervals to prevent her body from becoming dependent on the sedatives. In those windows - usually only an hour or two - Hannah would sit the girl up, take her vitals, and sponge down her hair and skin to keep her from getting any sores or infections from lying prone. The procedure had caused her to bleed at a few different intervals and Hannah wanted to make sure the dried fluid was cleaned off her skin. Through these times, the girl didn¡¯t struggle or really show any signs of awareness. She remained limp and pliable, her expression vacant. To keep her from weakening, Hannah would move the girl¡¯s limbs, force them to carefully bend and stretch to keep the muscles loose and active.


    It was obvious her conscious mind had fled. Whether it would return or be replaced with the wild instincts of the animal she was becoming remained to be seen, but Hannah hoped she would not remain this empty shell for too long. Mr. Winston would not be very impressed with that outcome. It was possible with a little gentle electrostimulation, they could get the brain tissue firing again if necessary.


    Dr. Manson continued her rounds of examination, taking note of her subject¡¯s pulse and breathing rates, looking over her form for any blemishes or inconsistencies. Afterwards, she pulled her recorder back out and began to talk into it. ¡°Day twenty-one since the subject¡¯s initial arrival. Fourteen days since omega genome serum was first introduced. The experiment has progressed well so far, with external changes beginning to manifest.¡± She paused to pull the sheet back off the teenager¡¯s body. Already, the girl¡¯s feet had begun to flatten and push outwards from her ankles. The bones cracked noisily every couple of hours as the change progressed. At the moment, what remained of her feet appeared rather grotesque, as the floppy, fleshy bundles pooled over one another and began to merge. It was not pretty, and bled often, but already was beginning to take the shape of a fluke.


    ¡°Subject appears to be diverting in design from the original genetic host, with feet merging into one large fluke rather than separate fins as anticipated. There is potential for a possible split in the future, but it seems a single propulsion limb will be formed from what is visible so far,¡± she reported into the handheld mic. Hannah stepped up to the girl¡¯s face and carefully pushed her upper lip back with a gloved thumb. ¡°Subject¡¯s fangs have fully formed and the jaw widened to accommodate the new length of the teeth. No manual intervention was required for this to occur. Her fangs appear to be shorter than the original host, but no doubt just as capable of dealing devastating wounds. For handling safety, it may be prudent to have the fangs of both mermaids filed down and capped to reduce risk of injury. We¡¯ll see how the subject¡¯s temperament is when the procedure has been completed.¡±


    Then Hannah carefully peeled open the left eyelid of the girl. Her browned iris was rolled back in her skull and the whites were slightly bloodshot. Both side effects of the deep sedation she was being kept under. ¡°The eyes have taken on a slightly watery, glossy effect. No doubt a fine pigment layer to reduce light distortion and blurred vision underwater.¡± Slowly, Hannah rubbed the tip of her finger in the corner of the limp girl¡¯s eye, watching as a protective inner lid instinctively slid shut over the orb. ¡°The second lid has grown in nicely. A feature for protecting the eye from sand and particles out in the water. Response appears unconscious and instinctive. There should be no need to teach the creature how to use this feature in the future.¡±


    Hannah Manson checked her watch. Within the next few hours, she expected a few more radical changes to begin to take place, and she was worried about the development of the girl¡¯s gills. She would need to be awake, and possibly submerged for it. If her gills opened while she was under sedation, she could asphyxiate before they could get it properly under control.


    She worked silently as she disconnected the girl¡¯s IV tube from the saline drip and reconnected it to the omega cocktail. Then she gently pulled the short nasal tubes from her nose. She¡¯d placed the tubes - barely the length of the first joint of a finger - to continue to pump the sedatives in a gaseous form into the lungs. She tugged them free and turned off the gas supply before injecting the reversal drug into the girl¡¯s arm directly via the IV.


    After about thirty seconds, the girl¡¯s fingers began to twitch and her eyes fluttered open. She appeared to be breathing fine on her own, but her expression was just as vacant as every other time since they¡¯d initially put her under. Hannah pursed her lips and hoisted the girl¡¯s torso up so she was sitting upright. Despite the lights appearing to be off upstairs, the girl would sit upright on her own, and if Hannah raised one of her arms, she would hold it there rather than it simply falling limply back to her side, so something was working. She would not move about on her own, however, simply remain as she was placed until moved. It was a little eerie, like having a living doll. Hannah was very careful with the delicate specimen, however. She imagined if left unattended, she would eventually quiver and collapse. Her body was very low on nutrients and energy reserves. It was not hard to put her under, and she appeared to fall asleep naturally very quickly even when she wasn¡¯t breathing the drugs. The transformation was clearly extracting a heavy toll.


    As Hannah moved her, a loud, echoing crack snapped through the room. A glance down at the former feet revealed that the forming fin had flattened even further. A new wound had opened and it was bleeding again, but Hannah left it alone. She had learned quickly simply to let it bleed. It would close rapidly on its own, but if she tried to bind or stitch it, the blood would merely pool beneath the skin until the pressure ruptured a larger injury.


    ¡°How are we feeling today, sweetheart?¡± she cooed softly as she began running a small brush through the soon-to-be mermaid¡¯s long hair to rid it of any tangles. There was no answer, not even a grunt or gurgle to show that the girl had heard. There was never a response, so Hannah didn¡¯t anticipate one, but she continued to speak softly to the girl whenever she woke her anyways. It was good for her. She wasn¡¯t sure if perhaps the drug haze was simply keeping her mind disconnected from her body, or if she would develop a new being altogether, but Hannah wanted to keep her calm and affiliated by human contact. If she grew accustomed to hearing Hannah speak, her voice might be a calming recognition in the future. It would be ideal, since Hannah would be overseeing her adjustment and working with her personally for several months to years after the initial transformation period. It would be good to build trust now, while the girl was in a helpless state and Hannah was at no risk.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing very well,¡± Hannah continued. ¡°We¡¯re going to have to get you into the water shortly. Just for a little while. I don¡¯t want you to hurt yourself when your gills open. Just one more week, maybe two, and you¡¯ll be ready to get into the water properly. Everything has been such a success so far. You¡¯ll be happy with your new life, I¡¯m sure. It may take some getting used to, but you¡¯ll be a spoiled pet, living a carefree, playful life without any stress at all. I¡¯m almost jealous.¡±


    There was still no reaction, but it made Hannah feel a little less guilty to talk to her. One would think it would humanize the girl more, but it actually helped Hannah feel more like she was talking to a dog or cat - something that would never answer back - and it was easier then to forget that this had once been a young human girl with her entire life still ahead of her. This was for the best, and for the sake of the science, Hannah had to know, but she still had a heart and a conscience, and both tended to berate her for what she was doing at the most inopportune times. It was far too late now anyways for guilt; there was no going back, no changing what had already been done.


    Hannah chewed her lip as she examined the girl and mulled over her next move. There was already a tank set up in the far corner of the room. It was just long and deep enough to properly submerge the subject, but Hannah hesitated to move her. She didn¡¯t want to risk upsetting the change or causing internal injury by shifting her from the bed, nor risk her falling slack and drowning herself before her gills formed, but she also could not just leave her above water where she could begin to choke just as easily. She supposed she had best move her and keep her sitting up until she was sure one way or another that she was either going to be fine in the air, or if she would need to be submerged through the remainder of her transition. That might be for the best anyways, but she had yet to make the decision.


    For now, she did need to get her patient into the water and continue to monitor her progress. She tugged the thin sheet off the bed and let it pool on the floor. It was coated in patches of dried blood and would need to be washed anyways. The girl still had legs all the way down to just above her ankles, where the skin was beginning to properly fuse and flatten into a fin. Hannah examined it closely and decided that it would be dangerous to move her as is. If either of her legs sagged away from the other, it could tear open the thin, fleshy membrane that was currently knitting itself across the deformed mass of flattened meat that were formerly her feet.


    She would have to bind them first, and carefully as the skin on her legs was already stretching; becoming thin and fragile. It tended to split a few times every day or two. The wounds always closed, but Hannah suspected that after the fin, the legs would be next to warp and fuse together. The procedure had never been properly tested before, so while she knew the general basics of what to expect and what safety measures to keep in place, she was running blind with how things would progress step by step. She had seen the end result though, and the original specimen still took her breath away. She could not help but wonder how many similarities the two would share. Would many of their features be carbon copies, or would recessive or inactive genes activate in the cocktail to give her subject a look all her own?


    It was the not knowing, the nagging curiosity that drove Hannah every day as she worked tirelessly in the pursuit of knowledge. She wanted to know how things worked, how they functioned. Even as a child, Hannah had always delighted in taking things apart to see how each individual piece worked in the whole. Then she would have a new puzzle to fascinate over as she figured out how to fit all the pieces back together again. She would do this with toys, remote control things especially, with converters and toasters, and once her father¡¯s old radio. He had not been very impressed with her at the time. The sciences had only deepened her thirst in school. Dissections were just like taking apart her old toys, and chemistry woke a new passion. Instead of simply taking things apart or putting them together, she learned she could combine things to create something entirely new. Improve them or totally break them down in a fiery blaze or corrosive toxin.


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    This was by far the most unique, intensive, and exhilarating change she had ever attempted, and so long as everything went well, and the girl¡¯s body stayed strong, the change should be both effective and an incredible improvement. It made Hannah¡¯s heart flutter with delight simply getting to watch.


    She placed a hand flat on the girl¡¯s back and applied pressure to her front to carefully lay her back down. She needed some supplies - and quickly - and did not want to risk her toppling over and hurting herself. The restraints on her ankles had been removed hours after initially putting her under, and Hannah had only left one wrist restraint applied as a precaution. If the girl fainted or fell over the wrong way, she could topple out of the bed and cause serious damage.


    After getting her situated in a prone position, Hannah hurried out of the room to collect what she needed from the supply room just down the hall.


    It took her about five minutes to find what she was looking for, and then Hannah came rushing back into the room with laden arms. She was genuinely worried about her specimen¡¯s wellbeing through the more crucial and extravagant changes, and did not want to leave her unattended for any longer than absolutely necessary at any given time.


    She had brought back a thick, heavy, padded wrap that was both airtight and waterproof. Several sturdy leather belt buckles swung from it as she carried it over and flopped it noisily down on a small trolley beside the medical bed. It was more commonly used as a brace for the injured tails of dolphins and small porpoises, either to keep the limb ridgid through healing or to help hold medical patches and salves in place. It would be equally effective in holding her subject¡¯s legs together while she was in the water without impeding the transformation  in any way.


    Hannah glanced at her watch again. It was nearly two in the morning, and this wing of the small, underground lab was basically deserted. Her real dilemma was how to get the padded brace on by herself, without jostling the limp girl around too much. ¡°This would be so much easier if you were in there,¡± Hannah sighed. For a moment, she almost wished the girl still was, but then she shook it off. It wasn¡¯t that she felt no remorse at wiping away the human mind that went with the identity. Katherine had seemed like a decent kid, and she did feel bad about it, but she figured it would be easier for the new creature to adapt if she wasn¡¯t bogged down by the misery of the memories and thoughts of her former life. An animal could be trained and taught, and allowed to enjoy the merits and spoils of a life in captivity. This mermaid would have never known freedom, and the life of a pet in a tank promised to be one of affection and ease, with a full belly and all the time in the world to laze and play. An animal could appreciate that. A human girl trapped in an animal¡¯s body would only be filled with depression and loss, and yearning for the life she led before.


    While Hannah would have led her experiment regardless, she did find it regrettable that the girl seemed to have a lovely and fulfilling life. They needed someone of relatively similar age to their own specimen - though they could only guess at the apparent age of the wild caught mermaid - to best ensure the DNA would take, but given the choice, Hannah would have chosen an orphan or struggling child off the street. Someone who wouldn¡¯t have much else to lose and the potential to gain a safer or more fulfilling life. But it hadn¡¯t been her choice and she was not about to refuse the opportunity to see her work and research come to fruition; she had spent too much time on it already.


    Hannah shook herself out of her thoughts. She needed to focus on the task at hand, not get trapped in her head fretting over things that could not be changed. She hefted the wrap up off the trolley and laid it on the bed beside the girl. Starting with the buckles, she carefully lifted the girl¡¯s hips a fraction and slid the buckle underneath her to the other side of the bed. Working as quickly but delicately as she dared, Hannah moved down the girl¡¯s legs and continued to push the belts under her. It was a risk, she could still jostle her more than intended, but it had to be done.


    Once all the belts were situated, she moved around the girl¡¯s opposite side and began carefully tugging on the individual straps as she carefully, slowly pulled the wrap until the girl was laying flat atop the wrap. Leaning over her, Hannah grabbed the far side and pulled it over her legs. She was much skinnier than a dolphin, so Hannah had to wrench it much tighter. It took considerable strength and effort, and her arms shook a little by the time she finished. Now she just needed to get her into the tank.


    Paisley. Hannah mulled the name over in her mind. She supposed she should get used to using it. The mermaid would need a name when she finished her transition. Although she was as much a science project - now and in the future - she was also a highly intelligent creature that would benefit more from an identity than an ID number. Mr. Winston - being the owner and caretaker - was well within his rights to choose it, and Hannah would have to log her results with it, so she supposed it was time to begin associating the creature with the name.


    She carefully eased Paisley back into an upright position and pulled her arms up around her neck. She wasn¡¯t sure if Paisley would actually hold on, but when she moved her neck, the subject¡¯s grip didn¡¯t break, which was a relief. From there, Hannah was able to slip one hand around the girl¡¯s hips and the other under her ankles. She twisted her arm so that much of the malformed fin was draped up her arm rather than flapping in the air. It wasn¡¯t perfect, and Hannah winced at the popping sounds the fin made as she moved it, as well as at the squishy texture as it rested over her skin. It truly was a mess right now. She hoped it would even out properly and become much like the original specimen¡¯s tail.


    Despite wanting to set the girl down quickly, Hannah took slow, deliberate steps as she crossed the room to help jostle her as little as humanly possible. Thankfully, the small size of the room meant she did not have to disconnect Paisley from the IV bag or the EKG machine. Since the nodes for the heart monitor were water resistant, Hannah was able to simply lower her charge into the lukewarm water of the small tank. She soaked her sleeves up to the elbow carefully setting the girl down in the tank. Then she withdrew and pried Paisley¡¯s hands away from her neck so that she could stand back up. She wheeled the IV stand, and then the EKG over so that none of the cables and tubes would be stretched across the room.


    All the while, Paisley remained sitting up, staring blankly at the far wall with the beginnings of her new fin flopped flat to the glass floor of the tank and the ends of her long brown hair floating around her across the surface of the water. Hannah sighed. It would be comforting to see her move, even just a twitch on her own to be reassured her brain was still going to function properly. Mr. Winston would not be happy to see her like this.


    Hannah also didn¡¯t want to risk Paisley slipping or collapsing, so she crouched back down and gently pulled the girl back in the water until she was propped up against one wall of the tank. The water level rose to the top of her chest, so that just her head and shoulders were above the surface. She was still wearing the thin hospital gown - which was now soaked - and Hannah contemplated removing it. It wasn¡¯t like it was doing her any good, sodden as it was. It was not very water efficient.


    She reached for the ties and was halfway through pulling one of the two knots free when she changed her mind and left it be. When the transformation was finished, Paisley would have several rows of glistening scales across her chest. Until then, Hannah decided to leave the gown where it was. It was not hurting her to keep, and Hannah decided it would be a single gesture of respect to the girl she used to be, to preserve what little modesty she had been afforded.


    Hannah sighed. She knew it was dangerous to grow sentimentally attached to Paisley. She had no idea what the final outcome would hold behaviorally, and the trial was untested. Paisley could perish at any point. Growing attached to a science experiment was only going to risk getting her heart hurt or distract her from conducting her research thoroughly and effectively.


    Still, it was hard not to look at the blank face of a very human looking girl and not feel a stab of sympathy, especially knowing that she¡¯d played a hand in putting that expression on Paisley¡¯s face. Not intentionally, but she was still at fault. She sighed again and pulled her chair over to the tank so she could perch herself behind the girl. Hannah pulled out the small brush from earlier and began to gather Paisley¡¯s long locks into a bundle in her hands. She brushed out all the bumps and then began to weave the strands into a braid down the girl¡¯s back.


    It¡¯s more efficient this way, and will help keep the hair out of the way when the gills come through. I¡¯ll need to be able to access them easily and not have to worry about a mess of hair obscuring the site, she tried to rationalize. There was a logic to it, but she knew the truth was simply that she was placating her guilty conscience.


    After tying off the braid, Hannah patted the girl on the head and then - though she would scold herself for it afterwards - she bent and kissed the crown of Paisley¡¯s skull. ¡°You¡¯ll be alright,¡± she whispered. ¡°I¡¯m being careful and cautious, and I¡¯m staying right here in case anything happens. You¡¯ll be fine and you¡¯ll live a good life, and I know the sedation drugs are keeping you free of pain right now. That¡¯s what they¡¯re meant to do and they clearly work just fine on you. I¡¯m sorry about your mind, but even if you don¡¯t get it back, we¡¯ll take good, proper care of you,¡± she assured the girl. There was no response.


    Hannah sighed again and rose from her chair to meander over to the small coffee pot she had plugged in to the wall and perched on the corner of the counter. She poured herself a mug and cradled the ceramic vessel as she sipped at the brown mix within and returned to her seat. She needed to keep an eye on Paisley through the night - she was at a crucial stage of development - and it was unfortunate that she was virtually the only one on call at the moment.


    In the morning, her research assistant would bring her in breakfast like he always did, and she would leave him to take measurements and supervise while she showered quickly upstairs and then returned to nap in the corner of the room. If Paisley still needed the water, she might even use the medical cot for a few hours. Then she would work through the afternoon and remain at night once again. She had vowed not to leave her subject for any length of time through the change. She had not been back to her flat in almost two weeks. This strange routine, however taxing and haphazard, was worth it to keep tabs on the experiment, and there was something oddly satisfying about it too.


    Hannah took some more notes, collecting data off the EKG monitor and jotting down her observations and predictions idly as she drank her coffee. She just had to power through the night. She tapped a finger against the ceramic of her mug, listening to the soft chink-chink sound. Between that, the steady beeping of the heart monitor, and the low, continuous hum of the tank filter, the room was subtly noisy. Hannah Manson preferred it that way. She never quite worked well in total silence. She was used to hustle and bustle; glass clinking and machines beeping or whirring, people rushing about and shouting in delight or dismay over accomplishments or failures. There was always at least the amplified sound of someone writing on a clipboard. It calmed her. Without noise, the room would just feel eerie.


    Hannah took a long draught of her coffee, and then carefully set her mug aside and picked up the clipboard she¡¯d set aside earlier. The first few pages were all notes and charts for recording data, but underneath were a few crossword printouts. Hannah grabbed one and pulled it free, sliding it under the clamp at the top of the pile and uncapping her pen. There was little else to do now that Paisley was set up as best she could be for the moment. Hannah might as well do something to pass the time. She smiled softly as she wrote in the first answer to the word puzzle.

 Through the Eyes of a Mer - Part Five

    There was a sharp ringing in Katie¡¯s ears. She hated the noise. She wasn¡¯t sure how long ago it had started - she had no real concept of time anymore - but it had felt like a lifetime she had been living with the obtrusive sound. To accompany it, her vision remained a haze, blurry and dulled as though someone had dimmed the lights and she was squinting to make sense of her surroundings in a partial darkness. It made her head hurt.


    The entire experience had been surreal, and not in a good way. She was always missing massive chunks of time - she could tell by the way she would wake to new changes and new aches in her body. She was sore from the crown of her head to the tips of what used to be her feet. Katie found that part exceptionally cruel. Every time the scientist woke her and sat her up, Katie got nothing but a fantastic view of the grotesque mutilation of her feet and ankles. The cracking of shifting bones was one of the only sounds that cut clearly through the ringing noise, and it was always accompanied by a painful sensation jarring up her body. The intensity of it varied. Sometimes it was like stubbing a toe and other times it was like getting jabbed with a red-hot poker stick. All in all, her ¡®feet¡¯ just felt like one big cramp all the time.


    She wished that Dr. Manson would at least turn her head so she did not have to watch the process of her body being deformed and altered against her will. She would do it herself, if she could move, but she couldn¡¯t. It was like someone had shoved her into the passenger seat of her own brain. She could see what was directly in her field of view, she could taste and smell and hear - sort of, everything just sounded muffled through the ringing in her ears - and feel the various sensations of her body. She could blink and breathe and keep herself sitting up, but any movement beyond that felt disabled. She could not make her body respond no matter how she tried. The only time her limbs weren¡¯t completely limp was when Dr. Manson moved them. If she lifted one of Katie¡¯s arms, it would lock like that. She was glad the woman realized quickly that she could not lower them of her own accord. Katie¡¯s muscles had begun to ache and her arms had shook with exertion the first time Dr. Manson had done it.


    She supposed it was accidental, and she appreciated that the scientist was striving to keep her healthy. In the times Katie was awake, the woman would talk to her and exercise her arms and her legs - though less so now that they were fusing - she would brush her hair and clean the dried blood from the places where Katie¡¯s skin would split. She hated what was being done to her, but it could be worse. She could have been left awake and strapped to a bed with her agony and discomforts virtually ignored.


    Katie sighed internally. She missed home. She knew her mother and Lewis had to be frantic by now, and poor Luna never did handle anxiety well. Katie had broken her promise to her little sister. She hadn¡¯t meant to, but she knew Luna would probably still have a hard time with it. She always kept her word. She made a point to. After all, Luna¡¯s life was very small. She was a bubbly, happy kid, but she was trapped in a house and a lagoon, with only three other people making up her entire social circle. She had to stay a secret, and couldn¡¯t join any of them when they had to come and go. She was such a champ about it, but Katie knew trust played a big part in that. Luna trusted them to look out for her and not forget about her, so Katie nurtured that trust, that bond, as best she was able.


    At least her abduction seemed coincidental. She was a random choice. They didn¡¯t know about Luna. She didn¡¯t want to think of what they would do to the preteen if they found out, or to Sophie and Lewis if they tried to protect her.


    A hand being laid on her head spooked Katie from her brooding and a soft, near whispered squeak of surprise left her lips. She heard Dr. Manson inhale sharply.


    ¡°Was that a sound?¡± the woman inquired as she petted Katie¡¯s hair. Katie tried not to feel offended at the motion - she was not a dog - as it did feel a little comforting and almost pleasant. ¡°You haven¡¯t moved or made a peep since I initially put you under...and whenever you¡¯re off the sedatives, you¡¯re usually naturally asleep within an hour. It¡¯s been three...are the drugs too strong? Putting you in some sort of dissociated state, perhaps? Are you coming out of it now then?¡±


    The scientist was clearly mulling more to herself than she was actually asking Katie, but it made the girl wonder too. She could hear her more clearly now, the ringing in her ears having subsided. Maybe if she focused hard enough, she could reclaim control of herself.


    The more she came out of her daze, the more Katie¡¯s exhaustion hit her like a speeding train. It was clearly taking everything she had to endure what they were doing to her, and it didn¡¯t help she couldn¡¯t remember the last time she¡¯d eaten or had a proper rest not forced on her by sedatives. Maybe if she just closed her eyes and slept, she would feel better when she woke.


    Or the woman would put her back on the sedatives again. She forced herself to focus, despite her weariness.


    ¡°I suppose we¡¯ll find out,¡± Dr. Manson murmured. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to feel any pain unnecessarily; the sedatives are a good thing, but I have to leave you off of them for now, so we¡¯ll see if any effects fade with a little more time."


    Katie had stopped listening to the scientist¡¯s musings at the point, narrowing all her focus on trying to move; her goal was to twitch a finger. One finger couldn¡¯t be too difficult, she moved them all the time without hardly thinking about it. It was taking all of her focus now though. She could feel the finger she wanted. The little one on her left hand. She could feel the warm water around her skin, and the way her hand gently bobbed in the liquid, but no matter how much she gave the command to her brain to move it, she could not get it to respond.


    Frustrated tears welled up in her eyes and she gave up. After a moment, she realized she was actually crying. A fat, warm tears dripped from the corner of her eye and began rolling down her cheek. She felt Dr. Manson¡¯s hand on her face as the woman carefully wiped the tear away. She clucked her tongue. ¡°You poor thing,¡± she whispered. ¡°You are still in there, aren¡¯t you? It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not going to put you back on the sedative unless you seem to be in a lot of pain. Just relax and don¡¯t get upset; it looks like it¡¯s fading faster now. Good girl,¡± she soothed.


    It did help to know that she very well might get the chance to recover properly. Being able to witness and experience what was happening to her, without any actual control over herself was terrible and she was not eager to experience it again.


    She wasn¡¯t quite sure what made her trust the woman enough to take her at her word, but Katie felt comforted at the promise. She closed her eyes and another tear leaked free. It was wiped away too. Katie took a deep breath and tried to relax. Maybe she would feel better after a nap and she was too fatigued to keep herself awake any longer anyways.


    ***


    A burning sensation along the sides of Katie¡¯s neck roused her from slumber. She winced and opened her eyes. As she inhaled, she knew something was wrong. Her head was spinning and her chest felt too tight, too tiny. Her lungs weren¡¯t expanding and she could barely breathe. She began to cough and sputter.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re awake again. Are you choking? Hang on, sweetie, calm down,¡± the scientist exclaimed. Dr. Manson was on her knees beside Katie in less than a few seconds. It didn¡¯t matter, all that mattered was finding a way to breathe. The burning was getting worse.


    A high pitched whine whistled past Katie¡¯s lips as the pain grew worse and morphed. She gasped, feeling as if someone had stabbed her in the side of the neck. She felt the skin rip before she heard it, but it was audible, and then she could not breathe at all as the three jagged flaps on either side of her throat, just below her ear, opened and began to flap in the air. She could taste the acrid tang of blood across her tongue, and the new gill slits were oozing fluid too. Panic began to gnaw at her like a caged animal as Katie¡¯s throat tightened and spots swam in her vision.


    ¡°Okay, hang on, calm down,¡± Dr. Manson said. She had her arms around Katie and she was pushing her forward in order to lean her back in the water. Katie could move a little now, but not enough to help herself. Her fingers clenched and unclenched, and she was vaguely aware of the gasping fish expression she was making as she fought for air.


    Katie¡¯s head submerged and the woman flipped her. As she did, more sharp cracking sounds echoed from Katie¡¯s feet.


    The water felt nice at least. Katie struggled for a moment to figure out how to use the gills. She remembered asking Luna about it once or twice, and the girl had always said it was like breathing and swallowing at the same time. Katie didn¡¯t think that was possible, but she parted her lips a fraction anyways and sucked in. At first, she gagged on the water rushing down her windpipe, but then her body spasmed and she hiccuped, and the pain faded. Her chest loosened and she felt a lot less light-headed. She inhaled again and felt the pressure of the tiny jets of water shooting back out from her gills. She really was becoming a fish, a Mer. It made her head swim.


    Katie continued to lie limp in the water, simply trying to recover from the sensation of nearly asphyxiating. The water tasted funny on her tongue, or was it in her gills? Either way, it was like a chemical was in the water that burned her tongue and left a bitter taste in her mouth. It made her want to retch, but she preferred it to choking, so she continued to lay there and quiver.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Dr. Manson had a hand on her back, and she heard the woman sigh with relief above the water. ¡°Day Fifteen since initial omega serum cocktail was administered. Subject...Paisley¡¯s gills opened just a few moments ago. The formation was rather sudden and jagged, and subject experienced immediate breathing difficulties. Struggle continued for a few seconds underwater before instinct appeared to take over. Subject Paisley is breathing naturally on her own now. Unclear yet whether dual breathing can be achieved or if the subject will have to remain submerged. Will allow a little while for recovery before testing and updating.¡±


    Katie grit her teeth and balled her hands into fists beneath her. She hated listening to the woman talk into that stupid recorder of hers. She was always so formal and disassociated that it made Katie¡¯s heart squeeze. It really made her feel like some animal science project being observed and documented under a microscope.


    She watched Dr. Manson from under the water as the scientist stood and set the recorder aside before rummaging around in the drawers of the tiny counter of the room. ¡°Where is it?¡± the woman muttered to herself as she did. Finally, she pulled out a second recorder and collapsed into her chair with a sigh. Her black hair was looking a little greasy and disheveled, and she ran a hand over her head to shove some of the fly aways back before she began to speak again. ¡°Private data log entry one,¡± she said. ¡°I¡¯m concerned about the mental state of my charge. This experiment has taken a moral toll I had not anticipated. After initial sedation fourteen days ago, subject Paisley appeared to enter a sort of vegetative state with no emotional response and little brain activity. Originally it was believed to be caused by the cocktail, emptying the head to make room for a new conscience to grow. Now, I believe the cause to simply be an extreme side effect of the heavy sedation drugs being used. Paisley has been awake now for five hours and is showing signs of movement, attempted vocalization, and shockingly powerful emotional displays,¡± she recorded.


    ¡°Crying is a very human emotion and I believe that at least traces, if not the whole identity, of the human girl before still lurks in a stasis within Paisley¡¯s head. While it is a cruel thing and I did not seek to destroy a life so completely at the start, I believe it would be better if the mind did die off. From there, a new identity could form, one based on the animal instincts and motivations of the mermaid she¡¯ll become. That creature will be much more equipped to adapt to the life ahead. She will find satisfaction and be content in her existence. If the human girl continues to exist, she will not find the same quality of life - which I strive to ensure - and will instead be plagued with regrets and loss and sadness, that will only pave the way to depression and a loss of will to live. A cruel fate to bestow on one so young, that also hinders the future of this experiment.¡±


    There was a long pause before Dr. Manson continued to speak. ¡°There are several trials with stimulating and debilitating brain tissue with electroshock therapies. I have read a few successful case studies with animals that have completely stripped away learned identities, training, and recognition of owners and environments, without leaving the brain in a vegetative state. It allowed for a completely new identity and temperament to be enforced. It feels...wrong to consider, and makes me feel monstrous to suggest aloud, but if...if Katherine remains inside her head, it may be kinder to painlessly erase her from the body rather than leave her to suffer trapped in a tank in the body of a fish. I will reevaluate when the transformation stage of the trial has been completed, and assess what level of mental state is prevalent in Paisley. If deemed necessary, I will administer electroshock treatments.¡±


    The genuine strangle in Dr. Manson¡¯s tone was the only thing keeping Katie from outright loathing her. The woman seemed truly tormented by her choice, and in a twisted up way; Katie could almost understand it. The woman had a moral compass often trumped by her passion for her work, but still tried to use it and contemplate the right thing. She understood why the woman might make the decision she was, and it horrified Katie because she knew the woman probably did have both the means and the ability to eradicate her personality and thoughts.


    Katie braced her fingers against the bottom of the small tank to steady herself. She was glad to have control of her body again, even if her movements were a little sluggish. Though she had absolutely no desire to live the rest of her life as an exotic pet in a tank, Katie knew that a tail would not ruin her chances of a life beyond. Her family would be highly accepting of her and she and Luna could easily find a new routine. It took some life goals out of the picture, but there would be no future for her at all if Dr. Manson ruined her mind.


    There was slim hope she could bargain with the scientist and convince her that she wanted to stick around. She would never be able to provide satisfying reasons to the woman other than a fear of death. Knowing how the scientist seemed to compartmentalize her thoughts, Katie assumed the woman would wave that fear off if the electroshock was relatively painless and effective. Once it was over, Katie wouldn¡¯t be afraid anymore. She simply would no longer exist.


    Though it left a sour taste in her mouth, Katie decided that if she wanted to live, she would have to play a role. She would need to play it well enough to convince Dr. Manson that she was not a girl trapped in the body of a fish as she seemed to believe, and instead simply the fish. The scientist and her creepy benefactor wanted an animal. The Mer were not animals, but she was not inclined to share that information with them. They wanted a wild critter named Paisley. She would give them Paisley then¡­for now.


    Katie took another watery breath. Her gills were going to take some getting used to, but she was growing more comfortable with using them. She wanted to stop floating now though. She was not certain where the subtle current was coming from in the stationary glass box, but it was jostling her about and making her feel a little sick. Without really thinking about it, she inhaled again, but swallowed the water a little differently. Her gut grew heavy - though not uncomfortably so - and her belly pressed flat to the glass. Katie kept herself propped on her flat, splayed forearms.


    ¡°Amazing,¡± Dr. Manson murmured from beyond the small tank. She fumbled around for her original recorder and began to update the log. ¡°Subject Paisley appears to have developed a fully functioning swim bladder and has used it instinctively and without aid to achieve a desired negative buoyancy. The procedure is progressing better than anticipated. The water seems to be doing her some good. Paisley is now much more alert and active, and seems to be in little to no pain despite her continued progression towards a finished product. It may be best to keep her submerged the remainder of the trial.¡±


    Katie shook herself under the water and gave her half-formed fin an experimental flick. It was hard to move it with her lower body bound in the tight sleeve, but she managed. There were several noisy crackling sounds and some pain as she forced the limb to move. It did cup the water better than she expected and jolted her forward until she crashed face first into the glass. She barely bit back a cry of surprise and instead gave a more animalistic yelp.


    The sound made Dr. Manson begin to chuckle. ¡°Oh Paisley,¡± she laughed. ¡°Looks like perhaps not all instinct has fully set in yet, hmm? Did you hurt yourself?¡±


    The woman leaned forward and pushed up her sleeve in order to reach into the water. The second she touched Katie¡¯s shoulder, Katie reacted. She lashed her half-fin and twisted her body to dart away into the corner and coil up, hissing softly. It was what Luna did when she was genuinely spooked, and Katie hoped the behavior was common enough in most Mer that Dr. Manson might recognize it from the other Mer they had.


    The rapid motion had hurt more than she anticipated, and she could not bend properly to curl as much as she would have liked, but Dr. Manson did pause, and her intake of breath was audible. Her hand retracted from the water as she picked up her second recorder once again. ¡°Perhaps my initial assessments were wrong,¡± she whispered into the microphone. ¡°There may not be very much of the human girl left. Paisley is displaying much more animalistic behaviors now. While I may have been inclined to suspect the girl capable of pretending, her last response to physical contact was a near perfect replica of the original specimen¡¯s behaviors when spooked; though Paisley seems far less aggressive. I have seldom seen any exactly similar displays in other marine creatures and the likelihood of the display being accidental is small. Her instincts seem to be taking root and encouraging the appropriate mermaid behaviors,¡± she reported.


    Katie took another breath and sighed with silent relief. She quietly thanked Luna¡¯s slightly more primitive tendencies and made a note to keep her sister¡¯s habits in mind. They may help save her skin more than she¡¯d initially thought.


    Turning her head, Katie took a moment to examine what was left of her feet. The fused limb was throbbing now, and she wasn¡¯t overly surprised. She probably shouldn¡¯t have been moving it so much when it clearly wasn¡¯t ready to function yet. Despite the ache, it actually now looked a lot more like a fin. It had flattened further and the fusion seemed a lot more seamless, rather than a knotted warp of her flesh. The fin had taken on a wide shape, as though someone had merged two triangles together, and Katie realized that while it had hurt, the motion might have been exactly what her development had needed.


    She knew there was no going back now, no way to stop the scientist. To be frank, Katie had no desire to try at the moment. At least she could make a life as a Mer; she didn¡¯t want to be stunted as some halfway between mutant being. So her only true goal was for the transition to finish as quickly as possible so that she could hopefully get free of the IV and tangle of wires. She wanted to learn to use her new tail once she had it, and glean a bit more space and privacy to figure out how she was going to get out of this place.


    Within the brace holding her legs together, Katie was aware of more changes occurring. She could feel as her skin split, knit itself together, and shifted around. She felt partially fused up to her knees, and there was a growing pressure as her bones quaked and were ground tightly together. She knew Luna had next to no true bones in her highly flexible lower limb, and Katie suspected that her tibias and fibulas were facing a painful, imminent destruction. She was not going to like that part.


    She winced openly as the pressure and pain grew worse. She shifted her hips, hoping a new position would help - it didn¡¯t - and her pained hiss was not an act this time.


    ¡°Paisley?¡± Dr. Manson¡¯s concerned tone cut through Katie¡¯s discomfort. She wasn¡¯t about to reply to the scientist, but even if she had wanted to, she would not have gotten the chance. The loud snapping sound responded for her. Katie shrieked as a wave of white hot agony rolled over her, shooting from her right leg - or what was left of it - and was quickly followed by another echoing crack. Katie¡¯s back arched and her nails dragged along the bottom of the glass tank as she cried out again.


    ¡°Okay, okay, easy Paisley, easy,¡± Dr. Manson cooed as she rose and hurried to the other side of the room. Katie ground her teeth and bowed her head. Every breath, every slight movement jostled the bone shards and renewed her pain.


    She reopened her eyes in time to see Dr. Manson pushing a small brown hose into the water with her. The water level didn¡¯t appear to change, but the taste in her mouth quickly began to taste sickeningly sweet, and Katie felt her head begin to spin. Dr. Manson was drugging her again.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Paisley,¡± the scientist murmured. Her hand reached into the water and began to stroke Katie¡¯s hair as the pain began to melt away. ¡°Rest now. It shouldn¡¯t be too much longer.¡±


    Though she hated the sedatives and especially despised the sensation of waking from them, for once she welcomed the firm embrace of forced slumber. At least it took the pain away.

 Through the Eyes of a Mer - Part Six

    Katie could not stop staring, and not just because she wasn¡¯t physically able to move her head yet. She was in awe. Dr. Manson hadn¡¯t really let her wake up again after the last time, but Katie knew days, if not weeks had passed. The tail was now fully formed. It was long and sleek, and coated in millions of brilliant amethyst scales that cast rainbow lines over the walls as they glistened in the light.


    Her fin fascinated her too, and while she could shift her vision slightly by moving her eyes within her head - which she could not yet turn - Katie was more than happy to focus on it. It was a much lighter shade of purple than her dark, sparkling scales, more an electric purple with soft lavender lines rippling through it. Unlike her sister - who had more of a heart shape to her fin - Katie¡¯s was wide and sharp, with armored scales extending partway up the sides as an extra layer of sturdiness. And on the back side, a second strip had grown. There was a curved, scaled spine of sorts that extended up from her tail, and more of the bright purple membrane stretched from it to connect to the rest of her fin and tail. It could bend easily, it did not hurt now despite Katie sitting on the back of her tail, and she suspected it would be almost like having a rudder on her tail, though it was certainly facing the wrong way. She wanted the opportunity to swim and find out what it was for.


    She had grown scales across her chest as well, and was thankful for them as it seemed that Dr. Manson had finally stripped away the hospital gown while she¡¯d slept. She did appreciate that the woman had left it in place so long, even when Katie was in the water. The respect for her modesty was a kind gesture the scientist did not have to show. Her chest was smaller now too. Katie had never been overly busty to begin with - her athletic, swimmer¡¯s physique stripping her of any of the excess fat layers that typically contributed to larger breast sizes - but it seemed Mer - or at least the one they were using the DNA of - were prone to much tinier chests because Katie¡¯s had definitely shrunk.


    It didn¡¯t really matter. She just wanted to get off the medical bed now. A new craving had awakened deep in her gut and she yearned for the water, for the proper space to swim, and the dry air seemed itchy and heavy against her skin. She hated it.


    But she hadn¡¯t regained proper control of her body yet, and thus was trapped until she did, or until Dr. Manson decided to move her back into the water. Even the little tank was preferable to the bed with it¡¯s scratchy sheets and lumpy mattress.


    The scientist was currently scurrying about like the physical embodiment of an anthill, rushing back and forth across the room unhooking machines and jotting down notes. She kept flashing in and out of Katie¡¯s peripheral vision and it was growing irritating.


    Finally, Dr. Manson came over to stand beside Katie. She brushed a stray strand of Katie¡¯s hair back behind her ear. Then her hand travelled down Katie¡¯s back. Though she did not yet have proper control back over her body, her muscles instinctively flinched as the scientist brushed the painful lump on her back. A raised, inflamed bump had started developing between her shoulder blades, and it was incredibly tender.


    The scientist clucked her tongue. ¡°What is this?¡± she murmured as she pressed into it.


    Katie whimpered. She was gaining a little control back and the pain was helping kickstart her brain a bit faster. Her lips parted and she hissed, but she could not yet twist away from the woman¡¯s probing hands. ¡°It¡¯s certainly tender,¡± Dr. Manson continued. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. You look finished, the timeline has gone as anticipated, so there shouldn¡¯t be anything else still growing.¡±


    Katie growled softly, and it was only then that the scientist stepped away. She wanted to snap at the woman not to mess with whatever it was, but she bit her tongue to keep the words at bay. She knew what Dr. Manson would do if she spoke or revealed that she was anything but an animal at this point.


    Thankfully, the woman¡¯s attention was stolen by the door opening before she could poke at Katie¡¯s back anymore. Although the girl¡¯s mood soured further as she watched Mr. Winston stride through the door with a wide grin on his face. ¡°Hannah, you¡¯ve done a beautiful job!¡± he exclaimed as he made a beeline for Katie.


    It took a massive amount of focus, but Katie finally forced her body to obey her brain¡¯s instructions once more. She twisted her tail and dropped into a defensive crouch on the bed. She curled her tail up and raised the fin in an attempt to make herself look bigger, and hissed at the man.


    His grin faltered for a moment.


    ¡°Mr. Winston, Paisley is going to need some interaction therapy. She¡¯s not sure of us yet. Animals can be a little temperamental when they¡¯re afraid, so keep your distance for now. I¡¯d rather not risk you getting bitten.¡±


    ¡°I would have thought she would have learned that lesson already,¡± Mr. Winston tutted.


    Dr. Manson shook her head. ¡°That was before, Sir. The girl we used for the experiment is gone. Her mind seems to have fled during the transformation. Paisley is very much a mermaid, an animal much like your original specimen. She will need to be trained and handled and exposed to human contact in order to learn to trust us.¡±


    ¡°Very well,¡± Mr. Winston consented. ¡°You did an exceptional job. Although, shouldn¡¯t she look more like Thea? She doesn¡¯t resemble my mermaid at all, and I thought you were using her DNA?¡±


    ¡°I was,¡± Dr. Manson agreed. ¡°It¡¯s really quite puzzling. I¡¯ll have to look into it more. I¡¯ll want to study some cross comparisons of their bloodwork and see what changes and differences there are. For now though, she seems successfully formed. The gills and inner lids are functioning fine, as is the swim bladder. I want to make sure she¡¯s able to eat properly on her own, but we should be fine to introduce the two of them later this afternoon. I am concerned about this strange growth on her back. I¡¯m not sure if something¡¯s gone wrong or if she¡¯s still growing some sort of fin or feature. By my calculated timeline, her transformation should be done, but I¡¯m thinking I might want to leave her on the genetic cocktail for another hour or two just in case.¡±


    Mr. Winston drew closer to the gurney and Katie shifted her weight and sunk deeper into the depression made by her coiled tail. She curled her lips and showed the man her fangs. Though she was selecting her reactions based on a mix of fear responses she¡¯d seen from Luna and a knowledge of how cornered beasts behaved, she did not have to fake her unease around the cheshire man. He put her on edge. He raised a hand as if to pet her and she growled low in her throat and jerked herself as far physically away from him as she could without launching herself off the bed entirely.


    The reaction finally seemed to stall him and his grin faltered. ¡°She¡¯s going to need some serious socializing,¡± he mused.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll settle down quite a bit once we get her fed and into the water. I¡¯ve studied animal behavior patterns before, and many social creatures do better with companions as well. Paisley and Thea should help settle each other down once they¡¯re properly introduced. They¡¯ll get more comfortable with people the more positive interactions they have.¡±


    ¡°Very well. Finish up with this one and I¡¯ll see about having Thea moved into a smaller pool for them to meet in. I¡¯d rather a smaller tank where we can separate them more easily if need be. You said you weren¡¯t sure if they would fight or not, right?¡±


    ¡°Thea is very aggressive and appears territorial, so yes, I anticipate some medium of risk, but if we¡¯re careful about introducing them, there should be no reason that they cannot integrate nicely. Thea is far too vocal not to be a social creature. She¡¯ll probably be happy with a companion once we get them both settled. Perhaps see about a divider of sorts for the pool though. It might be best to let them see but not reach one another right away.¡±


    Mr. Winston nodded. He glanced back at Katie and waggled his fingers at her before departing. She didn¡¯t relax again until he was out of the room and the door had clicked shut behind him. Dr. Manson was still here, and Katie definitely didn¡¯t like her, but she felt the scientist was more predictable than Mr. Winston. At least she was clinical and didn¡¯t seem directly out to cause Katie harm.


    ¡°Alright, Paisley, breakfast time,¡± Dr. Manson announced. She had donned a pair of thick leather gloves and was holding the handle of a metal bucket in one hand, and a pair of tongs in the other. She snapped the tongs together twice as she approached. Katie eyed the bucket curiously, but slowly scooted back as the scientist approached. She was walking a very fine line with the scientist - who was no fool - and Katie only hoped she would not catch on to her persevering state of awareness.


    Dr. Manson set the bucket down on the edge of the bed. The scent of raw fish hit Katie like a truck. She knew she should be disgusted, but her belly was a tight knot at this point. She was ravenous and could not help but lick her lips. The scientist smiled. ¡°Seems I have your attention. Good. I don¡¯t think Katherine would have been quite so open to your diet.¡±


    Though the words were spoken more to herself than to Katie, the girl did not miss the implication. The woman suspected and was testing her. She watched Dr. Manson reach into the bucket and pull out a long strip of raw flesh. There were no scales, and the piece was sized like a strip of uncooked bacon. It was still dripping. Katie was disgusted, but she knew she had to pass the test.


    She sniffed the air and then parted her lips to better drink in the scent. Instantly, she started salivating. While Luna mostly ate normal, cooked food, she had seen her younger sister snack on the occasional crustacean or clam out in the water when they swam together and it didn¡¯t surprise Katie that her new body craved the fish. Still, she knew a wild animal would still be leery of the scientist, so she slowly edged forward and then reached out and quickly snatched the squishy meat away from the tongs. She pushed herself backwards with her prize, sniffed it again, and then stuffed half the strip into her mouth.


    While Katie was usually well-mannered, hunger drove her to rip the strip in half, and then gobble both pieces eagerly. She barely chewed. The meat was a little slimy and cold, but it felt nice sliding down her throat and as soon as she finished, her belly rumbled. She wanted more.


    Katie''s gaze narrowed in on the bucket that the alluring smell of food was still wafting from. She felt a little like an animal at that moment; starved and focused only on feeding. She had to fight to keep the heat of a blush out of her cheeks as she heard Dr. Manson chuckle. It was hardly her fault they hadn''t let her eat anything in who knew how long. This new form clearly craved fish and she was too hungry to be squeamish about what she was eating.


    "Want more?" Dr. Manson inquired. She snapped the tongs again before reaching them back into the bucket and pulling out another strip. This one was a little smaller and fattier than the last one, but Katie''s stomach still rumbled eagerly.


    Once again, Katie slunk a little closer to the scientist without breaking eye contact. She was confident that the scientist was not using the fish to poison or drug her, not after the effort she went through and certainly not while the IV was still embedded in her hand. Regardless, Katie did not want to seem too willing or comfortable too quickly. No animal warned up to a handler as quickly as after a single piece of fish.


    When she could reach, Katie grabbed the fresh piece and lurched back again. She crammed the piece down her throat just as quickly as the last. She was starting to feel a little bit better now that she was getting something into her stomach, but she was still hungry. Instead of fixating on the bucket again, she began to lick a little juice off her skin that was rolling down the side of her thumb and over her wrist.


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


    Dr. Manson clicked the tongs together again and Katie''s attention snapped up. She knew that the woman was trying to establish an association with the sound and food. It was not a bad strategy with taming animals. Food was a powerful motivator and establishing a sound would typically help with a positive association with the person as well, without having food be anticipated everytime the scientist got close. Katie did not want to admit it, but it was working quickly even with - or perhaps because of - her ability to perceive what was going on. She began to salivate again and Dr. Manson certainly had her attention.


    Instead of using the tongs this time, the scientist reached into the bucket with her gloved hand and removed another strip to offer out. Katie hesitated just a little bit longer this time before shuffling a little closer and taking the fish. The scientist released it easily and didn''t attempt to move closer, so Katie stayed where she was and ate the offered piece a bit more slowly this time. "Good girl, Paisley," Dr. Manson praised.


    Katie ignored her and continued to slurp down the gooey meat. She knew she shouldn''t eat too much or risk being sick, and that she would probably feel disgusted by her meal later, but it was hard to resist the urge to gorge herself.


    "Alright, now let''s get a look at your back," Dr. Manson murmured as she pulled out another strip of fish. Instead of offering it to Katie, the scientist laid it out at the head of the bed and moved the bucket to the floor. If Katie wanted the food, she would have to drag herself across the bed past the scientist.


    She shifted her weight nervously. She did want it, she was still plenty hungry, and she knew the scientist would find another way to hold her down if she didn''t go for the food. What held her back was the uncertainty of whether or not an animal would actually go for it.


    Her hesitation did not go unnoticed. Dr. Manson picked up the fish and slowly held it out towards Katie''s face. Katie drew her head back slightly with parted jaws, and then reached for the scrap. Instead of relinquishing it, the scientist pulled her hand away. Katie shifted and reached for it again, and again it was pulled back. She knew what the scientist was doing, so she snorted in mock annoyance and shuffled further forward. When she was almost entirely sprawled on her belly, Dr. Manson placed a hand on the small of her back at the same time she finally let go of the meat. Katie snatched it up and growled faintly in warning at the touch before tearing into the meat.


    "Good girl," Dr. Manson praised again. She dropped four more strips of fish in front of Katie''s face - probably to keep her distracted - and then brought her hand up to pull Katie''s hair out of the way and trace the large lump on her back. Katie whined as pain radiated from her shoulders at the women''s touch. "It''s okay. Good girl. You eat your fish; it''ll just be a little prick," Dr. Manson murmured.


    That announcement was alarming, but to her credit, the scientist moved quickly. There was a sharp sting and Katie hissed, but by the time she jerked away, Dr. Manson had already filled a syringe with blood.


    "Looks clean, no sign of pus or infection,¡± she murmured to herself. She turned away from Katie and made her way over to a centrifuge and began making up a vial. Katie rolled her shoulders. The prick had eased some of the pressure in the sore, but it also left her with a sharp, lingering sting. Giving herself a shake, she busied herself with the last few scraps of fish that the scientist had left her. Her hunger was waning now, her belly pleasantly laden with fish. She licked her lips and tried not to think too hard about what she had just downed. Her belly was no longer twisted into a shriveled knot and that was what mattered.


    Still, she craved the taste of a nice home cooked meal more than anything. Katie curled her tail up by her side as she lay on her belly and pondered. She wondered what day of the week it was. Lewis tended to barbecue on Friday nights, and Katie could not help mulling how nice chicken skewers sounded. They were Luna¡¯s favorite. She adored the notion of tiny portions of meat, potatoes, and vegetables to eat off a stick. Katie suspected that she mostly just loved how Lewis would grill mango or pineapple cubes on hers too.


    Katie chewed her lip so she wouldn¡¯t smile fondly at the nostalgic thoughts or burst into tears as a wave of homesickness washed over her. She missed her family terribly, and it saddened her to know her disappearance was probably causing them a lot of distress. She wondered what they might be doing now, and hoped they weren¡¯t worrying too much. At least for the time being, there was no way for her to get back to them, and she could only hope that they wouldn¡¯t worry over her for too long and that they could find a new routine without her. Luna deserved to still lead as happy a life as she could, and she didn¡¯t want either of her parental figures suffering anymore than necessary either.


    Katie sighed softly and shook herself free of the obsessive thoughts; they weren¡¯t going to help her deal with her present reality and they certainly wouldn¡¯t help her get back to her family either. What she really craved at the moment was the water. The new instincts that came with her Mer form were beginning to surface and they were powerful. Even though the tank in the room was little more than a glass holding box, there was an urge deep in her gut drawing her attention towards it. She hated the idea of being penned in, but she knew that the water would soothe the dry itch in her scales.


    Before she even totally knew what she was doing, Katie had twisted over the rail of the bed. Gravity yanked her quickly, but she caught herself on her palms and carefully slithered the rest of the way off the bed. Her scales clacked a bit more noisily against the floor than she¡¯d expected, but the armored limb sustained no damage from the drop. It did draw Dr. Manson¡¯s attention, however.


    ¡°Paisley!¡± she gasped. ¡°What are you doing?¡± She came scurrying around the back side of the gurney and Katie curled up and sunk low to the floor as she approached. She bared her new fangs at the scientist, who pulled up short and sighed. ¡°Oh Paisley, what are you doing, you silly creature? You cannot just go diving off of furniture, you know.¡± Her scolding tone made Katie feel a little like a naughty pet getting reprimanded, and indignation swelled in her chest like a balloon. She hissed at the scientist as she took another step forward.


    Dr. Manson crouched down to eye level and placed her hands on her knees. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Paisley, you don¡¯t need to be afraid,¡± she attempted to soothe. The scientist kept her movements slow as she reached around and dragged the bucket of fish closer. She picked up the tongs and snapped them. Katie snorted and pressed her palms flat to the floor to push herself further away from the scientist. She wasn¡¯t hungry. She had another basic need to satisfy.


    Once she was out of grabbing range, she flipped over and began hauling herself across the floor. It was harder than she anticipated, and she puffed from the exertion. Behind her, she could hear the scientist¡¯s exasperated sigh.


    ¡°Fickle creature. You¡¯re just going to drag yourself across the floor? Where are you go...oh¡­¡± the woman trailed off as Katie reached the tank and raised an arm to grasp the sill. She had no idea how she was going to haul herself into the water, but her need for the aquatic environment urged her forward.


    ¡°Not so comfortable out of the water, huh?¡±


    Katie was too busy trying to drag herself up into the water to notice Dr. Manson approach. She yelped as she felt the woman wrap her arms around her tail. Before Katie could turn to react in any way, the woman upended her into the water. She sputtered for a moment before her gills opened and she could breathe properly. Katie¡¯s back arched and she flicked her fin, contorting her body to move in a circle within the tight confines. It felt strange to swim this way, and she wound up crashing into the glass an embarrassing number of times, but the water felt so pleasant and refreshing that for the moment, she didn¡¯t care.


    As she lounged, Dr. Manson dipped a hand into the water. Katie felt the woman¡¯s fingers gently brush over her shoulder and Katie wanted to tense, wanted to keep up the act, but she could not muster any further concern than to simply dip lower in the water.


    Above her, Katie heard Dr. Manson begin to chuckle. ¡°Does that feel nice, Paisley? Were you just grumpy because you were dry? Thea doesn¡¯t seem to like being out of the water very much either. Maybe you¡¯ll calm down a bit now,¡± she murmured.


    Her hand moved and she continued to rub Katie¡¯s lower back. For a little while, Katie let her. There was not much room in the tank to avoid her anyways, and the scientist¡¯s nails felt nice scratching down her spine. Then Dr. Manson¡¯s hand moved up her back and an itch inflamed the area around her shoulders where the lump was. Katie hissed in discomfort and jerked away from the woman. She contorted her body to reach behind her back, but her fingernails only made the pain worse. Finally, she rolled onto her back and used the base of her new fin to drag her back along the bottom of the tank. She imagined it would feel better if there was sand or smooth pebbles to rub over, but at least her weight put enough pressure to soothe it a little.


    ¡°You¡¯re like a teething toddler,¡± Dr. Manson sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t want to keep you on the cocktail much longer; you¡¯ve already been on it for a while longer than I anticipated and I don¡¯t want to encourage more drastic aquatic changes. The effects could be unpleasant. I¡¯ll keep an eye on it,¡± she seemed to decide finally. ¡°I should get you to a proper tank now, hmm? I want to see how well you move about, and I¡¯m especially curious to see how you¡¯re going to interact with Thea. She¡¯s such a feisty critter, but maybe a companion of her own kind will help calm her down some.¡±


    The scientist¡¯s words filled Katie with unease. She wanted to meet the Mer they had here, but was not so keen on the idea of being tossed into the water with a much more aggressive occupant. After all, Luna had been so young when Sophie had found her, and even she had been difficult to soothe in the beginning. Katie had no idea what a wild born and raised adult Mer would be like, and she was not eager to find out.


    Katie started when she heard the door open, and she flicked her fin. Her palms dragged over the glass as she flipped over and turned herself around in the tiny space in order to watch a young man walk in. She had seen him before a few times. He often helped Dr. Manson with her work. He had shaggy brown curls and pale, freckle coated skin that speckled around his brown eyes. He wore jeans and a pressed, black shirt with an intern ID tag clipped to the breast pocket.


    ¡°Ah, Andrew, perfect timing,¡± the scientist greeted.


    ¡°Good morning, Dr. Manson,¡± he greeted. ¡°I brought you some coffee.¡± He offered out a tall to-go cup and a crumpled paper bag with a coffee shop logo on the front. Katie didn¡¯t recognize the brand.


    ¡°Thank you, Andrew,¡± Dr. Manson replied as she accepted the items. She set the bag aside and tipped back the thick paper cup. Katie¡¯s attention darted back to the boy as he stepped closer. He was probably in his late teens to early twenties - though she wasn¡¯t exactly sure - and she shifted nervously under his curious gaze.


    ¡°Paisley is up and moving now?¡± he inquired. ¡°Looks like your genetic cocktail worked perfectly. I wonder why she looks nothing like Thea though. Weren¡¯t we expecting a near carbon replica because of the direct genome sequence transfer?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a puzzling mystery for sure,¡± Dr. Manson agreed. ¡°I plan to be looking into it more once we get Paisley properly settled in. This was only the first trial, and we may have to perform the test again to get more accurate data. For now, I want to get her moved, but we have to get the IV out first. Think you can hold her?¡±


    ¡°I can do it,¡± Andrew confirmed with a determined nod of his head.


    Dr. Manson inclined hers. ¡°Be careful. She¡¯s been very skittish today. Lots of hissing and growling, though she hasn¡¯t lunged. I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll become too aggressive so long as we¡¯re fast, but it would be a nasty wound if you get bitten.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Andrew replied. He stepped up around the far side of the tank.


    Katie didn¡¯t fancy the idea of being held down like an animal, but she did want the IV tube out now, and she also wasn¡¯t supposed to be able to understand them, so when the boy knelt down and put his hands in the water, she reacted accordingly. She bucked and hissed, her tail slapping above the surface to shower them with water as he placed one hand to the back of her neck and the other to the small of her back. He shoved her down against the glass with more strength than Katie was anticipating and she gasped. It put enough pressure on her chest to force water to jet back out past her lips, and she was left feeling like a floundering fish for a moment before her body relaxed from the shock and she could continue breathing again. Her gills were proving to be a little annoying in these situations.


    She lashed her tail again. She didn¡¯t really have the desire to buck him off, but she had to give him some show of resistance. ¡°She¡¯s certainly not as bad as trying to deal with Thea,¡± the boy announced.


    ¡°She has been calmer, which is good. She¡¯ll probably be the easier of the two to train,¡± Dr. Manson confirmed. ¡°Just hold her still.¡± The scientist knelt and reached into the water. Her fingers curled around Katie¡¯s wrist and pulled her arm at an awkward angle up to the surface of the water. Katie tried to thrash again, but it jolted up her arm at the unnatural position, so she froze and lay still as she was held down against the glass bottom. She had no desire to snap the bones in her arm.


    ¡°Good girl,¡± Dr. Manson praised. ¡°It¡¯ll just be a second.¡± Katie felt the tug of the tape up her arm being slowly peeled away, and then in one swift movement, the scientist had the IV out and a cotton ball pressed to the back of her hand in its place. She kept pressure there for a few moments, and then pulled away. ¡°You can let go now, Andrew. Thank you.¡±


    As the pressure let off, Katie curled up into a ball and snorted with mock protest.


    ¡°I know.¡± Dr. Manson clucked her tongue. ¡°You¡¯ve been so tolerant, haven¡¯t you? And you seem to be keeping your breakfast down fine. Andrew, I¡¯ll need a hand again, but I think it¡¯s time we got Paisley into a proper tank. It¡¯s time for her and Thea to meet.¡±

 Through the Eyes of a Mer - Part Seven

    Hannah sat back in her chair and watched as Paisley twisted herself in agitated circles within the small tank. Just a few minutes ago, she and Andrew had latched a lid onto the glass box and hooked up a large black hose to the port on the side of the container. It was currently sucking the water out of the tank and the lower the level got, the more Paisley seemed to fuss.


    She knew the mermaid wouldn¡¯t be happy about being stranded out of the water at the bottom of the box, but it would be much easier to move the tank without the water. It may also encourage Paisley to behave herself when the transfer came; as she seemed to want to be in the water above all else.


    But the scientist was concerned about Paisley¡¯s back. The large lump was nestled between her shoulder blades and was cherry red and inflamed. It seemed to be getting larger and was now nearly the size of a golf ball. Paisley kept contorting herself to scratch at it or rub it along the glass walls and floor of her cage. Hannah wasn¡¯t sure if she should treat it like a teething stage, where perhaps Paisley was developing some sort of extra fin or spine or patch of scales, or as a bed sore or other rash that needed to be medicated and tended to. Thea had some elaborate displays other than her tailfins, it was possible Paisley was developing some too, although her back seemed like a strange place unless she was growing a dorsal fin, which seemed unlikely with the rest of her features. She decided to take another look once the water level dropped more.


    And it was draining rapidly. It was now shallow enough that Paisley¡¯s belly was flat against the floor and her head had been forced above the water. Hannah watched the mermaid snort water from her nose and shake her head. Her body shuddered and she made a soft huffing sound. Watching closely, Hannah saw rivets of water streaming from her neck. The droplets splattered noisily into the shallow puddle that remained in the tank. After a moment, Paisley¡¯s chest expanded, and Hannah was left staring in awe. Despite having seen it several times before, it always amazed her how easily and fluidly these creatures could switch from breathing air to liquid and back again.


    "Want me to move her down the hall?" Andrew offered.


    Hannah shook her head. "Not just yet. Now that you''re here and I''ll have help, I''d like to get a proper look at the sore on her back. She''s been very fussy about letting me near it though."


    "I can hold her for you," Andrew agreed.


    "Put some shucking gloves on first," Hannah instructed. "I''ll feel better knowing there''s a buffer between her and your hands."


    Andrew shrugged as though he wasn''t overly concerned either way, but he complied and shuffled over to the desk to pull a pair of oyster shucking gloves out. Hannah nodded as he pulled the tight chain mail onto his hands.


    Paisley was eyeing him as he approached her again. Her attention remained glued on him and her lips pulled back as he crouched beside the tank. Paisley hissed and her fin raised behind her. The main membrane stretched and the little top sail flared as her hiss dropped into growl.


    "She''s more like a lizard puffing up than a fish," Andrew laughed. He held one hand in front of her face and she fixated on it instantly. It gave him the opportunity to grab her by the back of the neck.


    Though Paisley howled with surprise and began to buck, Andrew proved himself faster and stronger as he pinned her to the floor of the tank. The mermaid continued to protest, squirming and hissing.  She forced Andrew to jerk back slightly as she slashed at his face. It didn''t seem she would have been able to do much damage as Hannah had already trimmed her nails short. It was interesting to observe the alternate defensive methods the mermaid seemed to instinctually implement now that she could not twist to wrap her jaws around Andrew''s arm.


    Hannah pulled over her small trolley of supplies and knelt beside them. Paisley hissed again. Hannah grabbed a brown glass bottle and a cotton ball, which she soaked in the medication. Carefully, she dabbed the topical antiseptic over the lump on Paisley''s spine.


    The mermaid''s protests had faded to whines as Hannah worked, but she paid the creature no mind as she dumped the cotton wad and busied herself with closing up the medical bottle and gathering a few additional supplies as she gave the numbing agent time to take effect. As she picked up a small scalpel, Paisley must have seen the little knife because she spooked and her cries rose to a deafening caterwauling.


    Andrew grunted as he grappled with the panicked beast. He shifted his weight and stepped into the tank. He knelt on the mermaid''s tail to pin the thrashing limb with his knees while keeping a hand on the back of her head. His free hand stroked the small of her back. "Easy now, Paisley; it''s alright. We don''t want to hurt you. Dr. Manson just wants to make you feel better, yeah?"


    Hannah hummed her approval of his soothing tone as she came closer once more. Paisley was effectively immobilized, and she was quivering. Her eyes squeezed shut and her fingers curled into clenched fists, and the motions made Hannah pause. Watching Paisley, the woman genuinely could not tell if she was staring at a frightened animal or a girl who would have had an excellent chance at an acting career had fate allowed her to pursue it.


    Another whine from her reluctant patient shook Hannah from her thoughts. Regardless of the answer, leaving the mermaid in this terrified state was unnecessarily cruel and she had a job to do; she could look more extensively into the creature''s mental state later.


    Wielding the scalpel with clinical efficiency, Hannah cut a shallow slit through the lump. It began to bleed, but not heavily like a blister might have, and there was no sign of pus either. Setting the scalpel aside, Hannah used a thin pair of tweezers to peel back the cut flap of skin. Paisley whimpered and shuddered beneath her touch. "Good girl," Hannah assured her. The flesh beneath was pink and healthy, if slightly irritated. The source of the bump seemed to be the cone shaped piece of cartilage sprouting up from deeper into Paisley''s meat than Hannah had cut. It was about as thick as Hannah''s thumb and half as long, and tapered at the tip. "She is growing something else," Hannah reported. It seemed a strange place to grow a single spine, but Hannah merely made a mental note to keep an eye on its progress.


    She grabbed a tube of paste that should help with the irritation and swelling, and began to smear it into Paisley''s skin. Since the flap of flesh was still sliced, she then smoothed a waterproof patch over it to keep the salve in place. Hopefully Paisley wouldn''t pick at it too much.


    Since the topical anesthetic wouldn''t last long, Hannah finished up by injecting Paisley with a stronger dose of painkillers and then backed off.


    Andrew carefully stood up off the mermaid, remaining bent to keep his hands pressing on her as he stepped out of the tank. He then lurched away out of range in case Paisley tried to retaliate. It was unnecessary because she didn''t. The adolescent mermaid simply curled herself into a protective coil and watched them with a weary, betrayed gaze.


    Hannah clucked her tongue. "I know, you''ve been so tolerant - better than I could have expected - and I don''t even have a treat for you." She walked around the tank to the handle jutting out from the back of it. "Can you get the doors please, Andrew?"


    The wheels on the bottom of the tank squealed with protest as Hannah shoved the tank into motion. A sharp grating sound rose from the tank as Paisley¡¯s scales slid over the glass, and the mermaid herself made a noise Hannah could only relate to the bark of a seal as she was jostled. Paisley threw her arms out to the sides to brace herself, and her wide brown eyes darted around with confusion.


    Hannah chuckled softly and reached a hand in to pat the mermaid on the head. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Paisley. Settle down,¡± she cooed softly. The mermaid seemed content to allow her the contact for a few seconds before she then ducked down out of reach and Hannah chose to respect the actions. It would take time to build proper trust with the creature, but she was impressed at the lack of wild aggression they saw in Thea. Paisley seemed more frightened than aggressive, and other than showing her teeth and hissing, she had made to move no lunge or snap at them. It had taken Thea seconds to do both. Hannah winced as she remembered the torn, jagged flaps of flesh and muscle that had been the remains of the arm of the unfortunate worker whom she¡¯d gotten her jaws around the first day they had her. They¡¯d needed to herd her into a holding tank by jabbing her with wooden poles in a tight circle so she couldn¡¯t go anywhere but where they¡¯d wanted. At the time, they weren¡¯t sure if mermaids could be sedated, so it made the process very tedious.


    Hannah sighed. Thea had been here almost three years now, but despite the length of time, she hadn¡¯t calmed down any and still reacted violently whenever she tried to get near. She didn¡¯t like Hannah, though the scientist supposed she wasn¡¯t surprised, given how many tests she¡¯d done personally on the heavily restrained mermaid. She¡¯d been the one to dart the wild thing with the tranq gun on more than one occasion. Thea was not easy to hit after the first few times when she¡¯d realized they could hit her without moving. Whenever she saw the gun, she was anything but a stationary target. Thea had given Hannah a lot of shooting practice over the years.


    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    The woman sighed softly. She certainly hoped that she could introduce the two mermaids effectively, and that Thea¡¯s hostile nature would not result in violence between the two. She knew Paisley would have no hope of winning that fight, and it would come down to separating them before Thea killed her. But hopefully it wouldn¡¯t be necessary. Thea was likely a very social animal, and Hannah suspected her isolation played a role in her continued aggression. With a little luck, Paisley would help her feel less lonely and insecure, and they would both settle down and adjust to human interaction. She couldn¡¯t build trust with Thea when she couldn¡¯t get close to the mermaid without sedating her or restraining her. It had been all stick and no carrot with the creature, and it was allowing a rather rotten relationship to fester.


    Hannah glanced down at the mermaid in the empty tank she was still pushing. Paisley had relaxed from her tightly coiled position and had now pulled herself up so her chin was resting on her hands curled over the rim of the tank. Her tail was scooted up under her - much like a child sitting on their knees - and she was gazing around the halls with a quizzical expression on her face.


    There wasn¡¯t really much to look at in the basement lab, though the floors were clean and brightly tiled, and the concrete walls had been painted a soft green to brighten it away from the dreary natural slate of stone, and it was well lit and decently heated for being three levels underground. Though after spending almost a month down here, Hannah had to admit she missed sunlight, and windows for that matter. But it was likely all new to the lab-grown creature in the tank - Hannah still couldn¡¯t decide if she was looking at a blank, newly conscious animal experiencing things for the first time, or a girl with impressive acting skills, but she decided to have faith in the former - and it was holding her attention, so there was no harm in letting her look about.


    Andrew stayed a few steps ahead, pausing to hold open any doors for Hannah. She appreciated that he held open even swinging doors, because she didn¡¯t want to spook Paisley by using the tank as a battering ram.


    As they walked, the formerly silent halls began to develop an eerie echo. The further they progressed, the louder it got. Paisley shuffled her body within the tank, and Hannah thought she might have heard the mermaid whimper softly as she lowered herself back into a coil.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Hannah assured her in a hushed tone, although she wasn¡¯t so certain. The cacophony of hissing, growls, and wails were growing louder with every step forward.


    Andrew whistled sharply through his teeth and Hannah frowned as she watched Paisley spook at the noise. The new mermaid hissed quietly. ¡°Sounds like Thea is really in a mood today,¡± he stated.


    Hannah sighed and had to nod her agreement. ¡°A worse mood than usual.¡±


    ¡°Think it¡¯s still a safe idea to introduce Paisley to her? Perhaps we should wait.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s ever going to be a perfectly safe time for it,¡± Hannah refused. ¡°Thea is never in a good or calm mood, especially not with people around. We¡¯ll just have to take precautions.¡±


    Andrew hummed his acknowledgment and then opened the final door separating them from the room Thea was in. Instantly, the furious sounds grew deafening, and Paisley curled up in a defensive ball. She looked positively spooked.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Paisley,¡± Hannah murmured. She glanced up from the frightened mermaid and took in the situation before her. A small holding pool had been set up and filled halfway with water. It was roughly the size of the average above ground swimming pool, with a platform on either side to make getting at the mermaids easier, and the walls were made of clear plastic. Hannah frowned. She didn¡¯t like having Thea in a container that the mermaid could bite or rip, because she was so hostile that she would probably try, but she also wasn¡¯t currently in a position to question her employer¡¯s decision.


    When she glanced up towards the source of all the racket, Hannah¡¯s frown deepened. They had Thea suspended in the air in an opaque, thick sling hanging from two cables. It looked sturdy enough, but Thea was thrashing wildly within and from the viciousness and frequency of her howls, she was furious and rightly so. ¡°Andrew, get Paisley into the water if you can. She seems a little spooked, so be careful. I¡¯m going to go sort this out,¡± Hannah instructed without looking back as she began marching over to Mr. Winston.


    He turned as she approached and offered her a smile and a wave, both of which faltered as he seemed to register her fury.


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± she demanded as she reached him. She gestured wildly at Thea. ¡°Why is she in the sling like that?¡±


    Mr. Winston held up his hands. ¡°Relax, Dr. Manson. It¡¯s all under control. This way, Thea could be safely contained until you got here and were set up. I didn¡¯t want to simply put her in the water and allow her time to mark this tank as her territory and grow comfortable before the Paisley was here. Wasn¡¯t that the point of moving Thea from her tank in the first place? So that they¡¯re both in neutral waters without a claim to territory? To help them bond or something?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Hannah agreed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. ¡°But it¡¯s not going to make a difference if you piss her off like this! Do you hear her, Sir? She¡¯s furious and likely to behave far more aggressively to Paisley, who is currently cowering from the noise. That¡¯s not neutral ground, that¡¯s going to get Paisley attacked.¡±


    Mr. Winston¡¯s smile faltered and he gazed up at the sling with a new understanding on his face. He rubbed the back of his neck. ¡°How do we fix it?¡± he asked finally.


    Hannah took a deep breath and released it with an exasperated snort. ¡°At this point? Sedate them both, get a temporary divider into the pool, and let them wake on opposite sides. We have to hope the disorientation will snuff Thea¡¯s temper and they¡¯ll be more receptive of one another¡¯s presence. But you have to get her down from there. She and Paisley can¡¯t interact like this.¡±


    Hannah turned away to see Andrew pushing Paisley¡¯s tail into the water. She sighed. He¡¯d only done as she¡¯d asked him too, but now they¡¯d have to retrieve the mermaid to sedate her. That or dart her from above, which Hannah didn¡¯t want to do. She didn¡¯t want to sedate her at all, it wouldn¡¯t be good for trust right now.


    She began to walk back when a sharp ripping sound cut through her frustrated thoughts. She turned and glanced back up in horror as the sling ripped open from the bottom and Thea squirmed through to drop into the water. Hannah wasn¡¯t sure how she had managed to rip it open like that, but the mermaid had clearly had enough of the confines and found her own way out. And now she was plunging down into the same water Paisley was in, with no barrier to separate them.


    Hannah¡¯s heart caught in her chest and she took off racing around the tank for a better look, waving and calling for Andrew to get a catch pole or anything else to separate them as she ran.


    By time she made it around, Thea had already reached Paisley and was staring her down. The blonde mermaid was hovering in the water in front of Paisley, who had crouched lower and curled up with her fin raised. It seemed to be the threatened defense display that came most natural. Paisley was shifting her weight and quite obviously cowering. Hannah watched Thea¡¯s eyes narrow and she lashed her long, light brown tail. The large wing-like fins at her sides were flared and flapping and her lips were warped into a snarl.


    It looked like she was going to lunge, so Hannah slammed a palm against the wall of the pool and startled them both with the noise. ¡°Thea, no!¡± she scolded despite knowing the mermaid wouldn¡¯t understand or care regardless. She did know that Thea hated her a lot more than she did the mermaid she¡¯d just met, so it earned the reaction she wanted.


    Thea turned away from Paisley to snarl at Hannah instead, with her icy blue eyes narrowed and long fangs bared. Her bright turquoise and magenta fins stirred the water and she mock lunged at the wall. Hannah stood her ground, and after a moment, instead of backing down or initiating further conflict, Thea refocused on Paisley, who had darted back a slight ways. It was obvious the purple mermaid was looking for some escape from the other. This was not going how Hannah had hoped.


    Then, to her surprise, instead of attacking, Thea cocked her head and her large hip fins folded shut against her tail. A few seconds later, a shrill whistling began to echo from the tank. These were not the aggressive calls Hannah normally heard, and they sounded almost inquisitive. There was a pause and Thea fell silent as if waiting for a response, but Paisley merely tried to scoot further away from her.


    Again, more calls rose up from the water. This time, instead of sounding rather dolphin like, it was low and long, and reminded Hannah of whalesong.


    Again, Thea¡¯s calls were met with silence, and again the mermaid tilted her head and drifted closer to Paisley. She made some more vocalizations¡­had she just barked like a sea lion? Hannah had never seen this sort of behavior from Thea before, and her inner scientist itched to record and theorize.


    Andrew reached her with two catch poles a second later. ¡°They look like they¡¯re studying one another,¡± he observed.


    Hannah nodded, but she was barely paying attention. He was right, Thea did seem to be examining Paisley, and suddenly the various sounds and silences made sense. ¡°They have a language,¡± she realized.


    ¡°Pardon?¡± Andrew asked.


    ¡°A language. They communicate. Maybe not on the same level as we do, but they do actively communicate. Listen, Thea¡¯s trying different calls, she¡¯s testing what language Paisley speaks!¡± Hannah felt positively giddy as she announced it.


    ¡°But that¡¯s¡­multiple languages and the awareness to speak more than one? That¡¯s a higher brain capacity than we¡¯ve ever observed in a marine species. They can be smart, and they both seem self aware, but do you really think that¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Hannah announced when Andrew trailed off. ¡°I do. Oh, I want to get a scan of Thea¡¯s brain very badly. I¡¯ve always considered it, but she¡¯s just too aggressive to scan without sedating her, and I can¡¯t see the active neurons firing when she¡¯s drugged.¡±


    ¡°But then how come Paisley isn¡¯t responding?¡±


    Hannah winced. Thea sounded like she was becoming frustrated, and had returned to the first dolphin-like whistling she had been making when she first interacted with Paisley. Hannah hoped the lack of response wouldn¡¯t spur a fight. ¡°Because Paisley doesn¡¯t know the language¡­how could she? Language isn¡¯t passed genetically, it¡¯s learned. Paisley is the equivalent of an infant¡­this could be bad,¡± Hannah admitted. ¡°Maybe we¡¯d best separate them for now.¡±


    Just as she was about to climb the platform to go for Thea, Hannah pulled up in surprise. There was a new, more hesitant voice in the water. Paisley had just whistled back.

 Through the Eyes of a Mer - Part Eight

    There were a lot of things in this place to hate. Sometimes she felt that was all she knew anymore, was anger and hatred and distrust. But more than anything else, right now, she mostly just hated this sling. It offered no true support, bobbing and wobbling in the air, and it was dry and scratchy against her skin, and she could not see anything, and it smelled so strongly of chemicals and fabric and the squishy foul stuff that her other senses felt muffled.


    Riley had been in one before ¨C more than once ¨C but never for this long. She had let them know how she felt about it, had been doing so until now her throat felt raw and strained. They did not seem to care, because they did not let her out or down, the sling did not even move.


    She swallowed a rising lump in her throat. She was not good about being penned in like this, pressed in on all sides with no way out. It was making her hysteria rise. She fisted her fingers in the fabric below her and tried to jerk herself onto her side. It was difficult to keep her balance in this thing, but she needed out and ¨C though she could hear them talking about something below her ¨C the humans did not seem inclined to let her out, so she would have to figure it out on her own. She carefully raised the spines on one arm, wincing as they pricked her in the side.


    They had grown recently ¨C in the last few seasons or so, though she had no real concept of time in this place ¨C and she had been cautious to keep them hidden from the humans. They had taken quite the interest in her gliders when they found her. They had only just started to properly grow at the time, and continued to expand in size over her time in captivity. That too had fascinated the scientists, and she had no desire to have them probing about the tender, sensitive pockets the spiny fins on her arms folded into when she was not using them.


    Plus, they would probably rip them off her so she would not have another weapon to strike them with. Not that she needed it, her teeth and tail worked just fine. She would rather keep the fins a secret until an opportune moment to use them, hopefully to free herself.


    She was not sure if they were watching her within this contraption, but she also knew that having a panic attack would make her situation worse, so she stabbed her spines down into the fabric and pulled. The serrated edge slit the sling easily and Riley took a breath before shoving her head and shoulders through the opening. She had merely wanted to get a proper breath and a look around, but she had cut the hole too wide and the rest of the sling refused to take her weight. With a squeal of surprise, she slipped from the contraption entirely and plummeted. Luckily, there was water beneath her, so she did not have to suffer a painful drop.


    Her temper flared as she lashed her fins and straightened herself out in the water. She despised these people, and their scents were strong in this room. She could see them too, but the scent was worse, cloying, bombarding her with every unpleasant interaction she had endured in the past. The woman, with her probing fingers, poking her with sharp needles and performing one test or study or another. And the man, the large one with the leering, oogling looks and false grin that made Riley prickle with unease. He always watched her, obsessively when he was in the room. It was eerie, and Riley hated it. She snarled at them before she caught on to the new scent, the new presence. There was another Mer in the water.


    Riley whipped around and saw the other ¨C a purple scaled Mer with long brown hair and wide brown eyes ¨C who was staring directly at her from a hunched position with her fin raised aggressively. She was shifting her weight around in a confusing display that set Riley on edge. She could hear the human woman shouting at someone to get a pole ¨C she hated the wooden sticks with their thin metal loops too ¨C but she paid it little heed. Already lost in her fury, staring down a threat display, in an unfamiliar environment, Riley¡¯s instincts overwhelmed her and she surged forward. If this other Mer wanted a fight, she would get one. Riley had learned from a young age to never turn her back on a potentially aggressive opponent, and this Mer was definitively more than potentially aggressive. Riley snarled and flicked her fins until she was hovering close to the purple Mer, who¡¯s lips had pulled back. Riley flared her gliders and growled.


    When she did, the other Mer cringed and sunk deeper into the coils of her tail. That was odd. Riley parted her lips and drank in this newcomer¡¯s scent. She smelled of this place, of chemicals and the scientist, and of something odd, something Riley almost recognized, and below that, the scent of something else, something she truly could not place. It was like other humans and other Mer, but it was warped and faint, and so faded Riley could not figure out what it actually was. But her emotional scent was strong and clear. Terror. Terror and sorrow and confusion. There was no anger. Despite her raised warning and tense posture, this Mer smelled more of a frightened child than an angry or territorial opponent who wished to fight for dominance.


    Before she could address the issue, a loud banging echoed through the water and startled her. It startled the other Mer too, based on how she jumped. Riley turned to find the science woman staring at her with a stern expression on her face. ¡°Thea, no!¡±


    Riley bared her fangs and hissed at the false name and scolding command. She lashed her tail and jerked in the woman¡¯s direction in hopes of scaring her off. She was not surprised when it did not work, but she did not feel like combatting the woman in a stare-down today. Instead, she turned back to the other Mer who had shied even further away. Riley tilted her head at the strange behavior and carefully folded her gliders back down to her sides. There was something off about this Mer, but whatever it was, Riley had clearly spooked her quite thoroughly.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± she asked.


    The other Mer stared back at her blankly and her only response was to shuffle her fin and shrink down a little bit more.


    Riley frowned, wondering if perhaps she was just too frightened still. She took a breath, shot bubbles out of her gills, and forced some of her tense posture to relax. She did not like that the scientist was so near, but she did want answers and she felt a little bad terrifying this girl out of her wits. ¡°I am Riley,¡± she introduced. ¡°What is your name?¡±


    Again, there was no response, and Riley¡¯s frown deepened. It was clear this Mer did not speak dolphin, which was odd. It was usually the easiest of the shallow water languages to pick up. It was a common tongue, taught to most young. Riley began to wonder if perhaps this Mer had been raised in captivity? It did not make sense why they were only just meeting now, but the isolation would explain her odd behaviors, misleading body language, and lack of understanding. Still, it was perhaps just a difference in culture. Riley decided to try again, swapping tongues to that of the large, blue, bowbacked whales. They travelled far, and if this Mer was from another part of the ocean, perhaps she would know this tongue instead. After, she tried seal, and shark, and white whale even though this Mer did not look so much like a deep-water Mer. At least, not one from the stories Riley had heard in the past.


    She herself was well versed in many languages, but the Mer before her was only looking more and more confused, and she was running out of tongues that the Mer might know. The rest were advanced enough that there would be a common tongue known first, and  Riley had run out of those that she knew. Her theory about captivity was seeming far more likely and it set Riley on edge. She wanted to pity the girl, but did that mean she was being sent to interact with Riley so that the scientists could learn more? It felt like a trick. Still, she supposed it was cruel to leave the girl so frightened and disoriented like she still looked.


    Riley sighed. ¡°It is strange, you know,¡± she commented as she returned to the common dolphin tongue. The girl would likely pick it up quickly. ¡°You should know this tongue. We are practically born knowing it. Still, I assume there is an explanation for it. You will pick it up soon enough. Not that you are giving yourself any real alternate option. I cannot match or learn your tongue if you refuse to speak. Are you silent, perhaps?¡± she inquired and touched her own throat. It happened, that some Mer simply could not speak. Or perhaps she could not hear¡­no, because she had reacted to Riley¡¯s vocalizations already. ¡°No? Do you understand what I am saying?¡± she attempted to clarify.


    The other Mer continued to sit there, but now there was something new in her eyes. A new form of distress that rankled her scent even further.


    ¡°I am not going to strike you, you can relax,¡± Riley continued. It was all she could really do. Exposure was the best teacher. ¡°I apologize if I frightened you earlier, it has been some time since I have interacted with another. Even longer for you, I presume. Your scent is of fear, but your actions speak of hostility; it is misleading and you should be more cautious what you show. Had I had something to protect or been any more enraged, I very well may have struck you. Ah, there was some understanding there, yes? Beginning to catch on, are you?¡± Riley inquired as she watched recognition spark in the Mer¡¯s gaze.


    The other Mer¡¯s lips parted, but she did not speak. Instead, only a faint gurgling sound left her throat. ¡°It is not hard,¡± Riley assured her. ¡°You need only whistle your words, but speak them from the back of the throat instead of the lips.¡±


    The girl¡¯s eyebrows dipped together and she gurgled again, but then a few hesitant words left her lips. ¡°H-how am I l-lear-learning a language this fast?¡± she stammered.


    Riley grinned and sucked in water to settle down on the floor of the pool. ¡°You are Mer,¡± she reminded. ¡°It is what we do best. And dolphin tongue is one of the easiest, and most commonly spoken. You knew none of this?¡±


    The other Mer¡¯s cheeks tinged red and she shook her head. ¡°No, I did-¡± her words were cut off by a terrible squawking sound that made Riley wince.


    ¡°What was that?¡± she hissed as she rubbed at her ears.


    ¡°I do-¡±


    Riley winced as it happened again and she reached out to slap a hand over the other Mer¡¯s mouth to silence her. She understood now. ¡°Stop,¡± she growled as she rubbed her ear again. ¡°I understand now. You speak as a human does.¡± She eyed the other Mer warily. Captive raised might be an understatement. ¡°Their short-words do not exist in our languages. Stretch them and please do not make that sound again.¡±


    ¡°I am sorry,¡± the other Mer responded. Her shoulders slumped and she looked away. ¡°I did not know.¡±


    ¡°What is your name?¡± Riley inquired.


    The girl hesitated and chewed at her lip for a moment. She brought a hand to her face as if it pained her. ¡°They have been calling me Paisley,¡± she murmured finally.


    Riley cocked her head. That was not the response she had been expecting. ¡°You say it like it is not your name,¡± she stated. ¡°Were you not raised here? Have you not gone by it all your life?¡±


    The Mer shook her head. ¡°No. No I have only been here a few w-¡±


    Riley winced and covered her ears as the Mer produced that terrible sound once more. She hissed in discomfort and the other Mer¡¯s eyes shone with apologetic regret.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± she whispered. ¡°I have only been here the past¡­the past moon or so,¡± she said finally. Riley frowned at the odd pause. It looked as if the girl was fumbling to remember something.


    ¡°If you were not raised in captivity, why are you struggling with the basic tongues and ways of our people? And why do you keep trying to use human words? And what is your name then? If not the label they have given you?¡±


    ¡°Katie,¡± the girl admitted finally. ¡°My name is Katie¡­and the rest¡­.the rest is complicated.¡±


    ¡°So simplify it,¡± Riley suggested with a low warning in her tone. She flicked her fins. She did not care for this Mer¡¯s secrecy. Normally one could be entitled to their pasts ¨C there were things Riley would not openly share with a stranger ¨C but this was a different, more pressing circumstance. They were captive and surrounded by humans who wished to study and examine them and keep them as pets. If this Mer was somehow being coerced or working for them in any way, Riley needed to know.


    Katie stayed silent for several heartbeats, picking at the skin on her arm as though it held the answer to some great puzzle she was trying to solve. ¡°No,¡± she said finally. ¡°You would not understand. It is just complicated, okay?¡±


    Riley shrugged. ¡°Fine,¡± she agreed. ¡°You and your complications stay over here then. I have no interest in getting tangled up in whatever mess it is that you have brought with you. Not without the truth.¡± Riley pushed off the floor of the tank and darted to the far side. There was no point jumping while the various humans were still wandering around, but Riley at least wanted away from that Mer, and away from the scientist woman still perched on the platform that had been above them both. She glanced back and was relieved that the other Mer had not followed.


    Katie ¨C whoever she was ¨C had her head bowed and she was looking the other way, but she did not attempt to chase after Riley. For a moment, she looked so small and lonely that Riley almost felt guilty. But she shook those feelings away; she could not afford to put trust in someone who was so obviously hiding something linked to humans. Not in a place like this.


    Riley glanced around the pool. It was not very large, and the water tasted strange. She was used to it having the lingering scent of the glass, but this strange, smooth but malleable substance was not glass and had an odd taste to it. She was sure they only brought her here to introduce her to the other Mer, but that had hardly gone well. Deep down, Riley was disappointed. She had been alone for a very long time, even before she had been captured. It would have been nice perhaps, to have a companion. A friend that she could share the burdens of captivity with. Not that she would ever wish this life on another, but at least they could have supported one another.


    She did not know who this new Mer was, and her scent was so strange and tangled up Riley could not even tell what part of the ocean she was from. If she had ever been in the ocean at all. She had said she was not captive raised, and yet she knew nothing that a wild Mer should. Riley wanted answers, but she was not the type to pry in that way. If Katie did not wish to tell her, that was fine, but she was not going to put her faith or trust in someone who could not be honest.


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    She glanced up from her thoughts to find the scientist staring at her from a few tail lengths away. The woman had her brows furrowed and one hand resting on the clear wall of the tank while her other was tucked into the pocket of her long white coat. She was staring at Riley with a curious expression on her face and something akin to disappointment lurking in her gaze. Riley snorted. Of course she was disappointed. Riley had not instantly latched to the social offering. Whether the Mer was raised and conditioned by them, or simply had some other story to tell, they were not pets, and Riley despised that they assumed they could just simply analyze and control her.


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Thea?¡± the woman crooned. Riley shifted her fins and ignored the woman. She hated the condescending tone and the pet name that they had given her. ¡°I thought you would be excited to have a friend. You must have been so lonely all this time. Is that why you¡¯ve been so angry? Still, I was hoping to see you two get along better. Maybe you just need a little more time, hmm?¡±


    Riley kept her gaze averted and refused to give any indication that she had heard the woman. She truly loathed every one of them that came and went. It was typical that they shoved the two of them together and just expected they would get along. It did not work that way, and Riley had been a lone wanderer for at least two cycles of the seasons before they had captured her. She was used to being at least partially solitary, and though she had missed the comforts of company these last several cycles, she was not going to instantly latch to a stranger and put her trust in them just because the scientists figured they had deigned to find her a ¡®friend¡¯.


    She could feel the woman¡¯s gaze fixated on her and it was making Riley¡¯s scales crawl. With a heaving sigh, she shoved herself off the floor of the tank and flicked her fins. She had never been very good at staying still, especially when she felt on display. As she inevitably wound up swimming past the woman, Riley pulled her lips back and snarled furiously. She struck the wall of the tank with her tail and the whole thing shuddered. They really had found something incredibly flimsy to contain them. Riley wondered for a moment if she could break it open. Their reactions then might be quite amusing. It would get her into trouble, but she was not so sure she cared about that sort of thing any longer. Her entire life felt like one prolonged punishment at this point, what was a little more?


    She struck the side of the pool again, just because she could, and there was a prickle of satisfaction that spun through her as the scientist¡¯s face pinched with annoyance. ¡°No, Thea,¡± she scolded again. ¡°Stop that.¡±


    Riley hissed at the woman again, then darted away. She did not want to be too close to the surface, so she chose a midway depth to pace. Usually she would pace the bottom, but regardless of her distrust, it would be rude to stir up the immediate waters around her unwanted companion, and Riley did not feel much having do dodge her on every lap either. As she swam, she struck out at the walls some more. The material shuddered around them, but her thick armor of scales absorbed the blows entirely. It did not hurt much to strike the glass of a tank either, but after a while it would start to sting. She imagined she would be able to shatter this barrier without so much as bruising herself. She was not actively trying, but it was irritating the woman, who kept walking around trying to scold her, and ¨C petty perhaps as it was ¨C it made her feel a bit better to be openly defiant.


    ¡°What is your plan once you break it?¡±


    Riley snorted and glanced back at the purple Mer, who was still curled up on the floor. She had not moved and had her gaze averted, but Riley¡¯s fins twitched with annoyance. She did not feel Katie had much of a right to question her. ¡°I am not trying to break it. If I wanted it broken, I would tear into it.¡±


    ¡°You are just trying to make her angry?¡± Katie inquired. She finally looked up and met Riley¡¯s gaze. Her soft brown eyes were deflated, and upon testing her scent again, Riley found a lot of the initial fear had faded, and now only a deep sorrow remained that made Riley¡¯s gut twist.


    She shook her head to clear the overwhelming sadness from her gills, and then shrugged. ¡°It makes me feel better. You should try it.¡±


    Katie stared at her for a moment and said nothing, then pushed off the ground and drifted over to the closest wall. Her tail twitched ¨C almost as if she was not certain how to move it properly ¨C and then her muscles tensed and she struck the opposite wall than the one Riley was hovering in front of.


    The reaction was almost immediate as the woman came scurrying around to Katie¡¯s side. ¡°Paisley, not you too!¡± she groaned. ¡°Thea, stop teaching her your bad behavior. Paisley, no!¡± she scolded the other Mer, tapping on the glass as she did.


    Riley smashed her tail against the container again, harder this time, and the water within vibrated as the whole container shook.


    ¡°Thea!¡± The woman was shouting now. ¡°Knock it off! This isn¡¯t going to work,¡± she groaned finally. ¡°Andrew, go down the hall and get a wading pool set up. We¡¯re going to have to move them.¡±


    Both humans finally moved away from the tank and Riley rolled onto her back and stretched. ¡°That was fun,¡± she decided.


    ¡°I suppose it was a little funny,¡± Katie conceded. ¡°I¡­I did not catch your name? I assume it is not Thea?¡±


    Riley shook her head. She hesitated at introducing herself, however. She was not sure who this Mer was or why she seemed so off, and she still suspected that perhaps she was a captive raised pet who was supposed to either learn more about Riley so the scientists could try to tame her too, or directly influence Riley the same way. Neither would work, but Katie obviously spoke English or else she would not be trying to use human short words and measurements of time, so it was not impossible for her to report back to the humans holding them captive, and she already knew far more than Riley ever wanted the scientists to find out about her.


    ¡°Riley,¡± she answered finally. There was no real harm at this point in the girl knowing. They were going to find out about Riley¡¯s own sentience one way or another if Katie truly was intentionally planted, and it made no difference if they called her Riley or Thea or animal in her opinion. She was not going to respond to them regardless.


    ¡°Riley,¡± Katie repeated. There was a strange tone to her voice as though something new was confusing her.


    ¡°Something wrong?¡± Riley inquired.


    Katie shook her head and a small smile pulled at the corners of her lips. ¡°No, not at all. Riley is a very pretty name, it suits you. I just¡­my head is spinning a little is all.¡±


    Riley¡¯s brows furrowed together and she examined the Mer more closely. ¡°No it is not,¡± she said. ¡°Are you sick?¡±


    ¡°What? Oh, no¡­wow, I guess the literal thing is actually a thing¡­no, I just meant I am feeling a little overwhelmed is all.¡±


    Riley nodded, but did not reply. The girl was odd, and while she seemed harmless, Riley hated that things with her did not make sense and she had no answers. Katie blatantly refusing to provide those answer rubbed her the wrong way too.


    ¡°Riley?¡± She shook herself from her thoughts when Katie called her name hesitantly. The other Mer was wringing her fingers and chewing on her lip. Riley watched her wince as she sliced her lip with a fang, and had to swallow a scoff. ¡°Do¡­I know you have probably realized that I have not really had much experience being¡­well¡­¡±


    ¡°That is an understatement,¡± Riley agreed. The girl looked the part, but she was hardly a proper Mer. It was part of what was making Riley so uneasy.


    ¡°I just¡­I want to learn and I do not want to be alone. Being alone these past few¡­Is there any chance of us being friends?¡± she inquired finally.


    Riley¡¯s eyes narrowed as she examined the other Mer, who began to shrink down under her scrutinizing gaze. ¡°I do not place my trust ¨C or my friendship ¨C in others easily. Particularly when they are so obviously hiding something. Tell me the truth; who are you and why do you know nothing of Mer culture or ways, if you were not raised in this place?¡±


    Katie looked away. ¡°I cannot tell you.¡±


    Riley shrugged. ¡°That is your choice. You asked if there was a chance at our friendship? My answer is no. Not like this.¡±


    She turned to swim off, but paused and looked back when Katie called after her.


    ¡°I want to tell you, but¡­¡±


    ¡°I would not understand?¡± Riley countered. ¡°Because it is complicated? Try me, simplify it.¡±


    Katie only shook her head.


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Because I am afraid.¡±


    ¡°Of what?¡± Riley pressed. Her fins lashed in irritation. She had been alone for a long time, she no longer knew how to hold a proper conversation either, and this girl was taking all of her patience.


    When Katie glanced back up at her, her eyes were glistening and wide, and her lips were parted with dismay. ¡°Of you,¡± she whispered. Then she shook her head. ¡°I am sorry, that came out wrong. I am afraid of how you will react¡­If I tell you, will you promise not to be mad?¡±


    Riley shook her head. ¡°No. It is always those situations when it is necessary to be angry. I will make no such vow,¡± she refused.


    Katie sighed. ¡°Will you at least let me tell the whole story before you decide to get mad or not?¡±


    Riley pulled at the inside of her cheek with her teeth and tapped her fingers on her opposite forearm as she mulled that over. ¡°Alright,¡± she conceded. ¡°I will withhold judgement until you have finished, but only until then. But no more nonsense.¡±


    Katie nodded. ¡°I did not know Mer could learn languages so fast. My head is spinning with so many new words, we did not even speak for very long, it is amazing. But I did not know, and I do not know a lot about your people or your ways, because I am not one of you¡­or at least, I did not used to be. I have grown up on land, with legs and feet. I am not a Mer, I used to be human.¡±


    Riley frowned and shook her head. ¡°That is not possible,¡± she stated flatly and her fins twitched with irritation. She did not appreciate being lied to, but also found such a joke to be in poor taste given their situation.


    ¡°Before all of this, I would have agreed with you,¡± Katie admitted. ¡°Not long ago, I woke up in a sterile room, strapped down to a bed, with Dr. Manson and Mr. Winston standing over me. They were talking about all these crazy things about genetic grafts and using your genetic code to kickstart a mutation, a transformation if you will. Did they put any needles in your back recently?¡±


    Riley frowned and nodded. ¡°Many times,¡± she replied. Her back still ached from the most recent time. ¡°That is how they made you Mer, if what you say is true?¡±


    Katie nodded. ¡°I do not really understand it anymore than you probably do, but it is the truth. I am as much a captive as you are, but I am not a Mer. Not really.¡±


    Riley pursed her lips as she mulled over this information. It was jarring, and certainly upsetting. She did not like knowing that pieces of her could be used to cause such harm to others. ¡°I thought humans were only cruel to those of other species. Apparently, the abuse extends to their own people as well.¡± Her tone was laced with poorly concealed fury, but to her surprise, Katie cringed at it. ¡°I am angry, Katie, but not at you. Why were you so afraid to share this?¡±


    Katie shrugged. ¡°Because you are here, in this place, and have been for a long time? I can only imagine what they have done to you, or what sort of impression you have gathered about humans. I thought that if you knew that I am one too ¨C or at least that I was ¨C that you would think it was some sort of trap, or that you could not trust me. And I was worried you might attack me. I only barely know how to swim, I would not stand a chance in a fight.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Riley agreed. ¡°You would not. Answer me this; you were human once, but where does your loyalty lay now? Will you help these ones? Have they sent you in hopes of learning more about me?¡±


    Katie shook her head. ¡°No, no I do not want anything more to do with them than you do. They took me from my home, put me through something awful, and are penning us both up in a cage like animals. They kept telling me I was going to be a pet. Even if I had been sent for that ¨C which I have not been ¨C I would never do that to you.¡±


    Riley nodded and sunk to the floor beside Katie. The girl sounded genuine and distressed enough that Riley believed her. ¡°Then I have no qualms with you. I do not like your people, Katie, but what has been done to you is not your fault and I would be little more than a wild beast if I attacked you for something you could not control. I am slow to trust, and this has been disorienting. We are not friends, and I do not entirely trust you, but I respect your courage to speak the truth, and I am not opposed to the potential for friendship in the future.¡±


    Katie¡¯s shoulders sagged and her face fell, but she nodded. ¡°I suppose it is unfair to ask for more than that,¡± she agreed. ¡°If it means anything, you can trust me. Even if I wanted to hurt you, I am pretty sure I would be dead before I truly got the chance to try, and besides¡­betraying you would run too deep. I may not know much about being a Mer, but I would be betraying one of my own to betray your people.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡±


    A small smile touched Katie¡¯s lips, but the smell of anguish spiked in the waters around her. ¡°You are not the first Mer I have met. My little sister is a Mer too. My mother runs a marine park, and when I was just a little girl, a baby Mer was beached after a terrible storm. My mom looked for her family, but we never found them, so she wound up raising Luna alongside me.¡±


    Riley scowled as she listened to Katie speak. Hearing how the humans had changed one of their own to a Mer was one thing ¨C a terrible thing, but ultimately human business ¨C but hearing about a young Mer having grown in captivity like a pet being spoken about so casually rubbed Riley the wrong way. ¡°Mer are people, Katie,¡± Riley stated bluntly. ¡°This Mer you speak of should not be forced to stay on land, that is a cruel and grueling fate.¡±


    Katie shook her head. ¡°You misunderstand, Riley. Luna is free to come and go as she pleases. My mother had our house built right on the water¡¯s edge, and several of the walls are connected with tunnels of water that open up in pressurized pockets all over the house, so that Luna can swim and be comfortable in her element, and still join us. She is free to leave the water at any point, and her tunnels lead outside to a large cove. A lagoon of sorts that is connected right to the open ocean. Luna is not a captive,¡± Katie insisted.


    Riley¡¯s fins lashed, but she sighed and shrugged. ¡°I suppose it does sound at least like you attempted to give her a home,¡± she conceded. ¡°But I do not like it. Not with where we are and how I have been treated.¡±


    Katie stared back at her and was silent, and then she nodded. ¡°I understand. I would be concerned too, in your position. But she really is happy, I promise. We have never tried to keep her penned in. She is my little sister, and my best friend.¡± Katie paused and stared off into the water past Riley¡¯s shoulder and smiled. ¡°When we were little, Luna and I used to do all sorts of silly, stupid things. She used to be afraid of thunder, and whenever a particularly big storm would hit, we would build a fort out of blankets and huddle up inside eating treats and telling stories to help distract her from the rain. We would race out in the lagoon and Luna would always try to dunk me under, or swim very slowly underneath me. I always swore I was going to beat her one day, but I never did. Perks of a fin, I guess.¡± Katie¡¯s fond smile slipped and she wrapped her arms around her torso. ¡°I miss her. The last I saw her, I had to head out for a bit and she did not want me to go. I promised her I would bring her back her favorite iced cream and we would spend the evening together. I have never broken a promise to her before.¡±


    Riley shifted her weight awkwardly. She was not very well versed in the social cues of comforting someone, so she shifted her tail so that her fins brushed lightly over Katie¡¯s amethyst scales. ¡°I am sure she misses you too. I hope you get back to her someday.¡±


    ¡°Thanks Riley,¡± Katie replied with a smile that did not quite reach her eyes. ¡°I hope you get to go home too.¡±


    Riley shrugged. She wanted back into the ocean and to reclaim her freedom, but she had left her family and her home long ago, and was not looking to race back to them any time soon. Still, she supposed of all the potential people she could have gotten stuck with joining her in captivity, Katie was not so bad, even if she was a little odd and a little more social and emotional than Riley would typically care for. She sighed and forced another smile. ¡°Alright. I suppose,  you can maybe consider us¡­successful acquaintances. I would not quite say friends but,¡± Riley paused and shrugged. ¡°I suppose you are not so bad.¡±


    Silence stretched between them for a few heartbeats before Katie¡¯s smile grew a little more genuine. The girl then launched herself at Riley, who grunted with surprise as she crashed into her. Katie¡¯s arms tightened around her neck. ¡°Thank you,¡± she whispered in a voice that sounded choked with sobs.


    Riley shifted her weight and patted Katie on the shoulder. ¡°Alright, alright,¡± she protested. ¡°Okay, Katie let go. Get off,¡± she demanded with a laugh as she shoved the other Mer away. ¡°Less of the touch-and-feel stuff, got it?¡±

 Perfect Pair

    Karina hummed in the back of her throat as Nero nuzzled her cheek and kissed the side of her jaw. She had been on her way to find Rebecca when she had passed him on the reef. She had not intended to stop, but he had pulled her down into his arms and she was reluctant to break away from his embrace. ¡°Your mother is going to come looking for us if I do not show up. I am meant to be meeting her,¡± Karina protested softly.


    ¡°Let her come,¡± Nero murmured dismissively. ¡°I want to hold you.¡±


    Karina sighed softly and fell limp against his chest. It was hard to protest when she loved being close to him. Nero showered her with affection and always had since they bonded, but recently his attention had doubled as had her desire for proximity. As they cuddled, Nero¡¯s hand drifted down to caress the swell of her belly and Karina began to purr. Two moons into her pregnancy and she was beginning to experience the intense fatigue that tended to come with pregnancy. As her middle grew heavier, it began to cost her more energy to do the things she could usually do with ease. She had finally worked up the stamina to keep up with Nero¡¯s pod, even though they did not travel much anymore, and now her energy was gone. It was a small price to pay though.


    Karina angled her head to kiss Nero¡¯s cheek and she tangled her fingers in his hair, which she began to tug on playfully.


    Nero growled softly and tightened his grip on her. ¡°Are you looking to tussle?¡± he warned.


    Karina clucked her tongue against her teeth and giggled. ¡°Of course not, you cannot tussle me, I am carrying something precious and fragile.¡± She pressed her nose against his cheek and then let her teeth graze gently over his skin. ¡°I am just looking to pick on you.¡±


    Nero leaned forward and pushed Karina¡¯s back into the soft tendrils of seagrass and hovered over her. ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Karina stuck her tongue out and nodded. ¡°Uh-huh.¡±


    Nero scoffed and then he shifted and began to run the tips of his fingers over her ribs. Karina squealed and began to squirm, but he was still holding her. ¡°Nero! Nero, no, stop it,¡± she laughed while pushing on his chest as he tickled her.


    Nero shook his head and leaned down. ¡°Not a chance,¡± he refused. He muffled her laughter with a kiss and continued his onslaught despite her squirming, but Karina knew he was being especially careful. His body was angled so that he had her pinned, but none of his weight pressed on her torso.


    ¡°Nero¡­okay, okay, mercy! Stop it.¡±


    ¡°But you are so cute when you laugh,¡± Nero countered as he kissed her again.


    And laughter was certainly involved. Breathless cackling on her part and amused chuckles resonated from Nero¡¯s chest too. ¡°I mean it!¡± Karina insisted. ¡°I¡­Oh!¡±


    That single exclamation brought the play to a halt. Nero pulled her up out of the grass and hugged her close with concern etched on his face. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    Karina stared up into his purple-gray gaze and nodded. ¡°Yes,¡± she murmured. There was wonder leaking through her veins and a purr started up again deep in her chest as she felt another bump against the taught skin of her belly. That was what had caught her off guard initially.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Nero pressed.


    A smile stretched across Karina¡¯s lips wide enough to show off her fangs, and she held her hand out. ¡°Give me your hand.¡±


    Nero still wore a small frown of concern, but he placed his hand in hers. Karina brought his palm down against her belly and Nero spread his fingers. ¡°What?¡±


    Karina shushed him gently. ¡°Just wait,¡± she urged. Nero fell silent and a few moments later they were both rewarded with another kick from the baby. This was the first time Karina had felt activity from their unborn child. She watched with pride swelling in her gut as Nero¡¯s expression morphed from silent concentration to awe. His lips parted as his jaw slackened, and then a dopey grin pulled across his face and he turned to gaze at her with pure elation in his sparkling gaze. He purred and Karina hummed in response.


    When he leaned in to kiss her, Karina wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed closer to him. ¡°I love you,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°And I love you,¡± he replied.


    They broke apart after a moment and Nero returned his attention to her stomach, where his hand was rubbing gently. It felt nice, so Karina just leaned her head against his shoulder and tucked her tail under the base of his fin with a content smile on her lips. The baby was still active and the movements did not hurt, so she just relaxed into the moment so that Nero could experience his first interaction with his child.


    ***


    ¡°There you are!¡±


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Karina had been half-asleep and was startled awake by the statement. As she had predicted, Rebecca had come looking for them when Karina had not shown up to meet her. The woman¡¯s vivid emerald scales blurred into the seagrass as she settled down next to them and quirked a brow. ¡°Lose track of time?¡± she inquired.


    Karina flushed and ducked her head. ¡°I umm¡­got distracted on my way over,¡± she admitted.


    ¡°I can see that.¡±


    ¡°Hush!¡± Nero protested. He was stroking his thumb over Karina¡¯s belly. The baby¡¯s activity had waned and then started up again, and Nero seemed determined not to miss a single kick. Karina did not mind, the subtle massage was soothing.


    ¡°Nero, there is no need to be rude,¡± Rebecca scolded. Her tone turned firm and her gaze narrowed at her son.


    Karina reached out and placed a hand on Rebecca¡¯s arm. ¡°The baby has been kicking,¡± she elaborated. ¡°I am not allowed to move yet.¡±


    ¡°You hush too.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Karina twisted her wrist for a better angle and pinched her mate on the ribs.


    Nero winced and shifted away from her grasp before he bowed his head and kissed her brow. ¡°I uh¡­just do not want you to tire yourself out. You were napping.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh. Let go now,¡± Karina grumped. She waved his arms away and pulled out of his lap. ¡°You have lost belly-rubbing privileges. Shush me, hmph.¡±


    She enjoyed watching his expression fall as he stretched a hand out toward her. ¡°Karina, wait, I did not mean-¡±


    Karina cut him off as she leaned in to kiss him. ¡°I know,¡± she agreed. ¡°But you did, and now you will suffer for it because I am pregnant, so therefore, I get to win every skirmish and you get to grovel.¡±


    ¡°She who holds my heart is cruel,¡± Nero murmured as he cupped her cheek and kissed her back.


    ¡°Only when necessary,¡± Karina countered.


    ¡°I will remember that next time,¡± Nero laughed.


    ¡°You had better,¡± Karina retorted. She leaned in and rubbed her nose against his and he caught her by the wrist.


    ¡°Stay?¡± he pressed solemnly. Though his tone was stoic, he had his brows raised and a crooked smirk lifted one side of his lips.


    Karina pursed her lips as she pretended to mull it over, then leaned in and kissed his nose. ¡°No,¡± she whispered back as she tugged her hand free and twisted away from him. She purposefully flicked her fins hard enough to snap a few bubbles in his face as she made her way to Rebecca¡¯s side. The other mer was smiling and her gaze was trained unwaveringly on Karina. Then she began to shake her head and Karina¡¯s smile slipped. ¡°What? Is something wrong?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Rebecca responded. ¡°I was just thinking that you two are truly a perfect pair.¡± Karina flushed and ducked her head as Rebecca made the statement. Despite the cycles that had passed since she had joined their pod, Karina was still equally incredibly thankful for their acceptance and timid about her place among them. Though she had become very close with Rebecca, it still felt reassuring to have her mate¡¯s mother approve.


    Rebecca¡¯s smile turned from playful to knowing and she leaned in and plucked a few pieces of hair free from Karina¡¯s mane. The membrane quivered as Rebecca¡¯s fingers passed over it and Karina ducked her head again, this time to evade the small sensation sending shivers down her spine. Rebecca did not comment on her anxious ticks that she likely knew well by now, and instead simply took Karina by the hand. ¡°Come on,¡± she urged. ¡°Just because I had to come to you does not mean you get to evade it altogether. I still want to check up on you and the baby. Is this the first time you have felt movement?¡±


    Karina curled her arms around her belly and nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°It is a bit early for the baby to be kicking,¡± Rebecca admitted.


    ¡°Is it a bad thing?¡± Karina¡¯s heart plummeted at the thought. She knew very little about pregnancies. While she had often helped her grandmother tend to minor injuries among her own pod when she was young, theirs was small and babies were not often born, so she had very little experience.


    Thankfully, Rebecca shook her head. ¡°Not at all. It means your baby is very strong. Strong and healthy and progressing well. Although you might feel a little beat up later in the pregnancy if they are already restless.¡±


    Karina purred in response and shook her head. That would be a small price to pay. It meant the world to her to have a family with Nero. There was an aching cavity in her heart that she knew could never truly be filled and while she loved Nero¡¯s pod, this particular miracle for just the two of them was helping her feel more whole again.


    ¡°Now come on,¡± Rebecca urged.


    As they both turned away, Nero rose from the ground and began to follow them. ¡°I will come with you.¡±


    Before Karina could respond one way or another, Rebecca twisted back around and placed a hand on her son¡¯s chest to stop his progression. ¡°You will stay here,¡± she decided.


    A frown overtook Nero¡¯s mouth and his brows furrowed. ¡°Why?¡±


    Bubbles jettisoned from Rebecca¡¯s gills as she huffed. ¡°Because I am your mother, and I told you to,¡± she countered.


    ¡°I am hardly a child anymore,¡± Nero protested.


    ¡°Oh? You are an adult now, so you stop being my child? I stop being your mother? How about because I am the healer handling your mate¡¯s pregnancy and you will do as I say.¡±


    Nero held up his hands in defeat and backed up a few strokes. ¡°Okay,¡± he relented. ¡°Karina, find me after?¡±


    Karina nodded and then turned to follow Rebecca. ¡°So why can he not come?¡± she inquired in a hushed tone as they swam side by side. ¡°Is everything alright?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Rebecca agreed. She linked her arm through Karina¡¯s and offered her a wink and a wide smile. ¡°But I thought you were punishing him for that comment. Let him stir up silt for a little while and then go bask in the attention afterwards.¡±


    Karina felt her jaw fall slack as she stared at Rebecca. It took her a moment of floundering before she found her voice. She had never known Rebecca to have a mischievous streak. The woman was friendly, stern when she needed to be, and incredibly loving, but she always had a more serious nature that left little room for jokes or jesting. ¡°I¡­I did not expect you to go along with that,¡± she admitted after a moment. ¡°I was only teasing Nero.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Rebecca agreed. ¡°But you are right, you are pregnant and you get to make the rules.¡±


    Karina grinned. She was never one to take advantage of a situation like this to get what she wanted but she would be lying if she claimed she did not enjoy the appeal just a little. ¡°And what if I were to decide I do not really feel like a check-in?¡± she ventured.


    Rebecca snorted. ¡°You get to make the rules for Nero, Karina. I still make the rules for you.¡±


    Karina clucked her tongue against her teeth and giggled. ¡°Aww well, it was worth a try.¡±

 Into the World

    There was quite a buzz of commotion in the pod and Ixion was in the middle of it. He did not normally care to be a focal point of attention, but it could not be helped. Their pod was small and liked it that way, and was about to get three members smaller. As Ixion turned, he caught sight of his mother, Cysali, swimming towards him. He had gotten his sleek, brown-gray skin tones from her, though he did not share her golden eyes that seemed to flash in the low light. Her tail was a dark, mucky brown but her fins were pale yellow and shimmered as she moved. Her tailfins, along with the sleek fans that ran down either side of her tail were lures for prey in the darker waters of their home, and she had taught Ixion well to hunt where food was scarce and flighty.


    She placed a hand on his chest and smiled, though her eyes shone with the mixture of pride and sorrow that they had a few cycles earlier, when she had looked at Ixion¡¯s older sister. Though Ixion knew that she held more hope for him than his sister. His sister would have been better to stay, their parents would have picked her, but she had wanted independence despite her sicklier physique. They had not seen her since, and likely never would, but it was also unlikely she had survived. Now it was Ixion¡¯s turn, and his youngest sibling, a brother of only three cycles, would be guaranteed a place in the pod if he wanted it. That was their way. The pod lived in too fruitless a territory to support large numbers and so their children were sent out when they came of age to find lives of their own. This was a time of celebration, but also of mourning. Children who left were mourned as dead because few ever returned, which was likely equally due to how far they may travel rather than just because they perished. His parents would always love him and he them, but he would die for them today as well.


    Cysali placed one hand on Ixion¡¯s chest and cupped his cheek with the other. ¡°I am proud of you,¡± she murmured. ¡°You are strong and skilled and decent. I have hope for you.¡±


    ¡°You are not supposed to do that,¡± Ixion reminded as he wrapped his arms around her for a final embrace. It was not that it was wrong for a parent to hope for the well-being of their children, just that it often made it harder and could lead to heartbreak.


    ¡°Perhaps not,¡± Cysali hummed. ¡°But I am hopeful regardless. I have hope that you will swim far and fare well, that you will find a mate and raise a family should you choose, and that you will live a full life of happiness and well-being. And I shall hold you in my heart and my memories and know that you have achieved all that you desire.¡±


    Ixion tensed his arms to hug his mother more tightly. ¡°Then I promise to return in the future and confirm your hopes.¡±


    Cysali shook her head. ¡°Do not hold yourself to such a vow, Ixion. All I wish is for you to take me in your heart and live a prosperous life.¡±


    ¡°I will do that, but I still promise.¡±


    Cysali clucked her tongue and patted him on the back before pulling herself from his embrace. ¡°Then I will hope for that too. Swim far and hunt well, my son.¡±


    Ixion leaned in for one more quick hug before he backed away. ¡°I love you,¡± he whispered, but he turned his back to scan the small crowd that had gathered. Not everyone in their pod would see off the departanting, this was just for parents and siblings. Though Ixion knew his younger brother would stay away. Lingering with his mother any longer would be inappropriate. It was time to move on so that it wouldn¡¯t hurt her further to watch him go. As he scanned familiar faces, his gaze met the charcoal eyes of his other mother. Nern blinked slowly and then inclined her head to beckon him closer. He heeded the summons solemnly. His love for Nern was as strong as it was for Cysali, but Nern was more aloof and reserved with her affection, so Ixion did not expect much of a farewell from her.


    Like him, Nern was born in the midwaters, but her father had come from the depths, and Nern shared a few of his traits. While many mid-mer had eyes that flashed in the low light, Nern¡¯s glowed all the time. They were vivid and gleamed like silver. Her pale skin contrasted that of his and Cysali¡¯s, and while her inky black tail blended with the low light, her stark white fins had glowing veins racing through them. Nern was also known for her crooked smile, because she sported a proper set of fangs, but two additional incisors on one side of her mouth. She had not quite gotten the full extra set the mer of the depths were known for. Though Ixion shared few traits with Nern, he did get his dark slate hair from her.


    When he reached her, Nern took his hand and smiled at him, showing off her asymmetrical fangs. ¡°You grew up well,¡± she acknowledged.


    Ixion pulled his hand away and grinned at her. ¡°What, that is it?¡± he teased.


    Nern scoffed and bubbles jettisoned from her gill slits. She twisted in the water and snaped her bone-white fins near his nose. ¡°Were you expecting more?¡±


    ¡°I suppose not,¡± he relented.


    Nern hummed, but she sobered rapidly and reclaimed his hand. ¡°It is our way, but Cysali is right to place her hope in you. You have learned and grown well, and misfortune will have quite the chase to catch you. But you are lingering longer than you should. Swim far and hunt well, Ixion.¡±


    Ixion inclined his head. ¡°May dusk bring you light,¡± he replied.


    There was a brief moment where they both hovered in silence. Nern made no move to initiate a final embrace, so Ixion did not push for one. The gentle squeeze to his fingers before she pulled away was message enough. He watched her retreat back to Cysali¡¯s side and smiled. There was no guarantee he would see his parents or his birth family again, but watching them, he at least knew they would be alright. It was not the first time they had needed to watch a child leave, but they had each other and that was enough. He had witnessed how fierce their bond was over the cycles to know that much.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ¡°Hey Ix, you ready to go yet?¡±


    The loud call jostled Ixion from his thoughts and he turned to face the speaker. It was a reminder that he was not going alone, and that he was holding up the small group. Two of his closest friends were leaving with him. Zerim and Ferick were brothers, and while sixteen cycles was their age out cycle from the pod, Zerim was seventeen. Traditionally, he would have left the previous cycle, but the two had big dreams of travelling the oceans together when they left, so he had been allowed to wait for his brother, who was not quite ready to leave a cycle early last term. And Ixion was glad for it, because it meant he could go with them. A trio would fair far better in unknown waters than one alone.


    But Zerim was still staring at him, waiting for a response, so Ixion nodded. It was time and he would be lying to himself not to admit he was excited. None of them had left the midwaters their entire lives. He wanted to know what the surface waters were like, where it was sunny and colourful. He had met a few surface mer before, as their travelling pods sometimes crossed paths with his, and there were not many differences between them, except that their scales tended to be more vibrant. He wanted to see what the coral reefs and sunlit waters were truly like for himself.


    He glanced back at the pod that had raised him, and caught Cysali looking at him. He smiled and offered her a reassuring wave before lashing his tail and taking off after his friends.


    ***


    ¡°It looks like your brothers are preparing to move on.¡±


    Ixion turned to face the older mer who was settling himself down on the sandy dune beside him. Chuck was lively for his age, though his face was wisened with creases and age lines, and his coconut hair was silver at the roots, with more white interwoven in the locks than not. Everyone in this pod deferred to him and considered him a grandfather even if they were not related by blood.


    ¡°They are,¡± Ixion agreed in response to the question. He and Zerim and Ferick had been pod hopping for the better part of a cycle now, and while it had been a thrilling adventure at first, Ixion was growing weary of it. Though his friends were still riding high on their nomadic, independent lifestyle.


    ¡°You seem reluctant.¡±


    Ixion shrugged. ¡°They have more wandering spirit than I do, I suppose. I am feeling ready to settle someplace.¡±


    ¡°Here?¡±


    Ixion shrugged. ¡°I like it here,¡± he agreed. ¡°With all of you,¡± he clarified after a moment. This pod still travelled, but at a more leisurely pace and a stable pod was truly what Ixion wanted. He did not care if they travelled or were stationary. ¡°But I am not sure what your customs are on that.¡±


    ¡°There are not really any,¡± Chuck replied. ¡°This pod is made up of quite a few misfits, you know. Started when a pod cleaved in two, our size has mostly grown due to wanderers deciding to stay. You would not be the first. We have not crossed paths with many midmer, but you are a strong, capable hunter with tracking skills unlike any I have ever seen.¡±


    ¡°Food is a bit scarcer the deeper you go.¡±


    ¡°I imagine so. Still, we have no customs or requirements and a fair few are going to miss you three on the hunt. There would be no opposition if you decided to join us. But that is your choice, of course. I imagine leaving your friends will be a bit of a challenge?¡±


    Ixion pursed his lips as he mulled it over. He would certainly miss Zerim and Ferick, just as he missed his mothers. But they had been raised with the fact that loss was inevitable and gain only came after sacrifice. If he clung to his friendships, he might lose the chance to find a family. ¡°It is inevitable. Zerim and Ferick will do as they please, but we grew up knowing that a time like this inevitably comes. We leave our pod to find our own way. It is just time for me to part ways with them.¡±


    Chuck whistled through his teeth and Ixion watched the elderly mer pick at a few loose charcoal scales along his tail. A few of the scales had begun to leech with shades of white and gray with age, but many still retained their dark luster. ¡°I would by lying if I said the custom was not a little strange to me, but I suppose I understand it. Regardless, you are more than welcome to stay as long as you like.¡±


    Ixion rose from where he had been sitting and turned to gaze out over the reef. The pod he was choosing was not a large one. It was a larger group than his birth pod, but he had seen and swum alongside far larger since he and his friends had set out on their own. But he enjoyed the way they languidly travelled and how warm and accepting they all were. It made him feel like a future among them was a bright one. He grinned and nodded at Chuck. ¡°I suppose I should start referring to you as grandfather, then.¡±


    The older mer began to laugh. He clapped Ixion on the shoulder and grinned widely. ¡°If you like. Though you should probably start by letting your friends know that you are not going with them.¡±


    Ixion winced. He supposed that was what he had to do next. Though he was ready and had accepted that it was time to part ways, he was going to miss Zerim and Ferick. They were his last true connection to his origins. It would not be an easy parting, but a necessary one. It was time he found his own way.


    ¡°You are staying behind.¡± It was not an inquiry, merely a blunt observation that Zerim made. Ixion had not even had a chance to say anything yet, it seemed like they both already knew by the time he had swum up to them.


    ¡°Yes,¡± he agreed with a rueful shrug of his shoulders.


    Ferick inclined his head and swiped some of his obsidian hair out of his face. ¡°It was only a matter of time. We have noticed a decline in your enthusiasm to continue on. Are you sure this is the pod though? You could stay with us a bit longer if you need, we can slow the pace and just seek out groups until you find a good fit.¡±


    Ixion shook his head. ¡°No. I like it here. This is a good place. I have found where I need to be.¡±


    Ferick clapped him on the back and grinned widely. ¡°Good on you, Ix. Though we are going to miss you, especially during hunts.¡± He flicked his translucent fins and forced his smile wider, but Ixion could taste the hesitation oozing from his friend. He and Ferick had been close since they were kids and parting ways was not easy, even if it was inevitably expected of them. But he had his brother and Ixion knew the two of them would be fine.


    ¡°Maybe our paths will cross again,¡± Ixion suggested. ¡°Until then, swim far and hunt well, and let dusk bring you light.¡±


    ¡°And may your found light stay bright,¡± Zerim agreed. ¡°Goodbye, Ixion. Live a long life.¡±


    It was hard to share departing words with them, and after they turned to leave, Ixion remained hovering in the water, watching after them until they disappeared from sight and their scents grew stagnant. He knew they would be alright, but he would miss them, just as he missed his parents. Sorrow, mixed with love and fondness. There was a small part of him that yearned to chase them down and rejoin them. But he did not. Instead, he turned and saw his new pod gathering for a hunt. Silently, he flicked his fins and moved to take his place among them. Instantly, he was greeted with warm smiled and welcoming nods, and he knew he was in the right place.

 The Merge

    Ixion had not thought there was much that could stun him at this point. After a cycle of travelling with Ferick and Zerim, pod-hopping and experiencing the cultures and ways of various open and mid water pods, he thought he had a fair idea of what to expect. But this blew his mind. It had been six moons since he had parted ways with his friends to remain in his current pod. Life with them was wonderful, but relatively mundane. He appreciated the more languid pace to their travels, as well as the routines and stedfastness that they maintained. It had been a pleasant change from the chaos that Ferick and Zerim so often sought out.


    Now, however, he was discovering what a merging was. It was not something mid-pods ever did, so the concept was completely foreign to him, yet here he was, surrounded by at least four other mer pods all sharing the same vast reef as a resting point in their migratory routes. According to his new family, most of these mer would linger here for at least a few moons before splitting ways again, and it was a tradition that took place every three cycles. Ixion did not normally consider himself shy, but having been raised in a pod of thirty mer all this life, being surrounded by over two hundred now made him feel very small and out of place, and unsure of how to interact with so many new faces in the crowd.


    Though he had grown close with many of his podmates, they had all scattered in search of friends from other pods that they had not seen since the last merge. Ixion understood, but it was leaving him feeling abandoned and out of place. He decided it would be better to back away to the outskirts for a while to regain his bearings. But as he turned to go, he crashed into another. The blow did not hurt him, but it was enough to knock the other mer to the sand below. Ixion winced. This was definitely not how he wanted to start out. He glanced down at the other mer and found her staring up at him as well. Her brown eyes darkened stormily beneath a furrowed brow and her lips were pulled into a tight frown. Her dark brown hair was puffed out around her head, likely displaced by her sudden tumble, but was gradually settling back down below her shoulders. Her scales glittered brightly in the sun in a shade of green so vivid, Ixion was beginning to question if he had known prior what green even looked like. Scattered around her were long strands of a very dark green plant that she must have dropped when they collided.


    ¡°I am sorry,¡± Ixion apologized as he dropped to the sand to begin gathering up some of the discarded plant stems. ¡°I did not see you.¡±


    ¡°You should be more careful,¡± she growled back. ¡°There is far too much commotion to be absent-brained like that.¡±


    Ixion bit back a retort and reminded himself that this was his fault and she had a right to be irritated with him. ¡°I know,¡± he agreed. ¡°I am definitely out of place. I have never been a part of a pod merge like this before. I only joined up with my current pod a few moons ago. My birth pod was very small,¡± he explained. He had gathered up most of the fallen plant fronds, so he held them out to her.


    She accepted them and sighed, but a lot of the tension left her shoulders and back, and her scowl softened. ¡°I suppose this could all be pretty overwhelming if you are not accustomed to it,¡± she relented. ¡°But still, you should try to be more aware if you are going to dwell in the center of the reef. Someone could get hurt, you are not small you know.¡± Finally, he saw a little mirth from her as she grinned and flicked her lime green fins.


    Ixion snorted. Then his grin faltered as he realized he had not checked on her well-being. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± he inquired.


    ¡°Just my pride¡­and well..these,¡± she lamented with a frown as she shook one of the sand-coated plants. ¡°They are not so useable once they have been down in the silt like this.¡±


    After fishing around in the sand for a moment, Ixion plucked up another shoot. It was covered in sand grains and they clung stubbornly to the gooey surface of the plant even when Ixion tried to gently brush them away. ¡°What are they for?¡± he inquired. They did not look very appetizing to eat.


    ¡°They are medicinal. You chew them into a pulp and press them into gashes or bite wounds to help with infection and inflammation. Which is why sandy stalks are a problem. You cannot exactly rub grit into an open wound and anticipate a positive outcome.¡±


    ¡°You are a healer,¡± Ixion realized.


    The girl inclined her head towards him and dipped her chin. ¡°Almost, anyway. My training is nearly complete. Though I am going to have to replace these swiftly or my father is going to set me back. Silty fronds is a novice mistake.¡±


    ¡°I never introduced myself,¡± Ixion lamented. He picked himself up out of the sand and extended a hand out to her. ¡°My name is Ixion. What is yours?¡±


    Her dark eyes lingered on his outstretched hand for a moment before she reached out and placed her hand in his. ¡°Rebecca.¡±


    Ixion pulled her up out of the dust and took a moment to marvel at the difference. Compared to his darker gray-brown skin, Rebecca was pale. Not quite as pale as his mother, whose skin was pale white and veiny, but more of a lightly pink sandy hue that he had only seen since venturing to the surface waters. ¡°Well, Rebecca, I have to apologize again for all of this. I feel it is only right that I offer my assistance in replenishing your supplies since I am the reason they were ruined in the first place.¡±


    Rebecca glanced up at him and her lips parted to say something before she hesitated. She glanced back down at their still interlocked hands and then back up at him. For a moment, it looked like she wanted to smile, but then something shifted and she shook her head. Her brows furrowed and her lips pursed, and she pulled her hand free from his grasp. ¡°I think you have helped enough,¡± she muttered coolly. ¡°Just¡­be more aware of your surroundings next time.¡±


    She wove around him and took off with a flick of her fins that tousled Ixion¡¯s hair up, and he was left staring after her with a strange feeling in his chest. He brought a hand up to where the tense knot was forming in his heart and frowned. He knew that there were plenty of differences between mid-mer and open-water mer, especially in their lifestyles and social cues, but while he was still learning, her demeanour shift had left him completely baffled. But despite her bristly personality, there had been a few moments where interacting with her had been pleasant, and Ixion strangely found himself wanting more of her company. He decided it must simply be curiosity, a desire to learn if her personality was truly prickly that she hid behind a polite fa?ade or if it was merely a protective shell over a much kinder nature. He glanced down at the single plant frond still in his hand and twirled it between his fingers. It was not a bad idea, so he turned in search of a little guidance.


    ¡°What is this?¡± he asked as soon as he located one of his podmates and held up the tendril for inspection.


    Jordan pursed his lips and examined the wilting plant gripped between Ixion¡¯s fingers. His patchwork white and gold tail stirred the water and he shrugged. ¡°It looks like marso grass to me,¡± he stated absently.


    Marso grass. Ixion had never heard of it, though he had not been expecting to. ¡°Where does it grow?¡± he pressed.


    Now confusion flickered in Jordan¡¯s hazel gaze and he frowned. ¡°Uh, I think you can find it around the reef. I am pretty sure it tends to be in darker spaces, so try the crevices. But it is not very good for eating, so why do you want it?¡±


    ¡°I have to make amends for something,¡± Ixion replied. He thanked his friend and then took off to the fringe of the reef where the rocks cut deep grooves in the ground. Every day he found himself more and more content with his life. The world of the upper waters was beautiful and full of light and life that took his break away, and he had learned and experienced so much. But he still had a lot to adjust to and he knew that he had to make up for mistakes or strife he caused or he risked making enemies where he wanted to make friends.


    He found a few nooks in the ground beneath some large, sprawling branches of red fan coral, and as he ducked his head inside, Ixion had to retreat as he spooked a small school of miniature reef fish that all went darting at his face in a rush for the exit. He shook his head and snorted bubbles from his gills before dipping back into the space and locating his prize.


    Ixion spent a chunk of the afternoon collecting as many fronds of the marso grass as he could find. His fingers were stained an inky green from pulling up the plants, and he had been extra cautious to ensure that he did not crush or crumple them, or allow them to grow silty. While he knew very little about plants, he had learned in his time on the reefs that harvesting them meant he could only take so much from any given plant or new shoots would no longer grow, so he was very careful not to take too much so that he would not ruin the plants¡¯ growth. The last thing he wanted was to kill of a plant that healers used to aid in mer recovery.


    Once he had gathered enough to replace what he had ruined, Ixion set off in search of Rebecca. He knew her pod was part of the merge, so she could not be too difficult to find.


    ***


    Though he had been optimistic in his thoughts, it actually had been more difficult to find her than he had originally anticipated. He was an excellent tracker, but he did not know her scent very well and there were far too many mer congregated for him to distinguish any individual from the group. But finally, he caught sight of her curled up on the peak of a large, flat-topped boulder. Her dark brown hair had been woven up into several tight twists and she currently had her fingers tangled in the long blonde tresses of another mer. This one was younger, perhaps thirteen cycles or so, and she was fidgetting as Rebecca wove her hair up too.


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    ¡°I just do not understand,¡± the younger girl complained with a sigh. She beat a fist against her magenta scales and pulled her lips into a snarl. ¡°How come you make a mistake and you get a ¡®I am disappointed in you, Rebecca, you are better than this¡¯, but when I mess up, father shouts and rants and makes like he wants to tear my fins off?¡±


    ¡°You caught the brunt of father¡¯s anger because he was already displeased with me, that is all. Do not allow it to bother you.¡±


    ¡°You say that as if this is an unusual reaction. He is always angry with me, even when I have done nothing wrong.¡±


    ¡°Father is rougher on you because you are so unruly,¡± Rebecca scolded. ¡°You do not think and you make trouble and run off and never do as you are told. But he and mother care for you just as much as me. You only make it harder on yourself.¡±


    ¡°Not all of us can be perfect.¡±


    ¡°I am not suggesting that anyone is perfect and you know that.¡±


    ¡°But our parents think you are. They never give you trouble. Well, except for today. I thought I would never live to see you get a scolding, even if it was a really lame one. That is why everyone wants me to be like you. No one wants me to be me.¡±


    ¡°It is not nice to wish misfortune on others,¡± Rebecca retorted. ¡°I never want for you to get into trouble. And I want you to be you, I just want for you to be the best version of yourself is all. That is all anyone wants. No one is expecting you to be me.¡±


    ¡°Mother and father do.¡±


    ¡°They have never said that.¡±


    ¡°Not with you around. Ow.¡±


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Rebecca apologized as she tugged on a few more strands of the girl¡¯s hair. One more twist and she dropped her hands away. ¡°There, you are finished,¡± she announced. ¡°Look, just¡­do not antagonize them. You know how they are, but you always push too far. Just behave yourself and you will not have such a hard time.¡±


    The younger mer ¨C Iliene ¨C scoffed. ¡°What, so they can pretend to love me the way they pretend to love you. Which one of us is living the lie, Becca?¡±


    Ixion frowned as he watched Rebecca stiffen. Her shoulders hunched and her lips pulled back into a snarl. ¡°I am only trying to help you. It is not my fault that you are a brat and mother and father punish you for it, so stop taking your errors out on me. Grow up a little, Iliene, you are not a child anymore.¡±


    Ixion frowned. He was beginning to feel like he was eavesdropping on a private disagreement and knew he should not continue to linger without announcing himself. He set his jaw and swam forward.


    Meanwhile, the younger mer shook her head and snorted loudly, but there was a raw clog in her throat when she spoke. ¡°Yeah, sure. Whatever you say, Rebecca,¡± she spat before she whirled around to swim off and Ixion had to pull to a halt so that he would not experience another collision today. ¡°Oh¡­umm¡­sorry.¡±


    ¡°It is alright,¡± Ixion assured her.


    ¡°You again,¡± Rebecca observed.  As quickly as it had come on, her fury seemed to vanish and a small, neutral smile touched her lips as she leaned back on one arm and flicked her fins. ¡°Was there something you needed?¡±


    ¡°I came to apologize.¡±


    ¡°You already did,¡± Rebecca interjected.


    Ixion shook his head and extended the marso grass to her. ¡°Properly,¡± he added.


    Rebecca¡¯s gaze dropped to the fronds in his hands and her lips parted slightly. For a brief moment, her smile twitched just a little wider. But then it faltered and her brows furrowed. ¡°I hope you did not rip the whole plant out,¡± she warned.


    Ixion shook his head. ¡°I was very careful,¡± he assured her. ¡°I know having too many fronds plucked can kill the plant and the last thing I wanted to do was make it harder to harvest more in the future. I only took a few pieces from any clusters that I found.¡±


    ¡°I am impressed.¡± Her polite smile was back, but there was a twinkle in her gaze and her tone was sincere. ¡°Thank you, but you did not have to do this.¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± Ixion insisted. ¡°I ruined your supplies and I needed to make that right.¡±


    Rebecca finally reached out and took the marso grass from him. ¡°Well, thank you,¡± she caved.


    Though he reminded himself that he had interrupted a conversation between her and who he assumed was her sister and knew he should not overstay his welcome, Ixion found himself hesitant to excuse himself.


    After a moment of awkward silence, Rebecca tilted her head. ¡°Ixion, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°You mentioned that you are new to your pod. Where are you from originally?¡±


    Ixioni grinned and sank down so he could sit on the lip of the rock Rebecca was still settled on, taking her inquiry as an invitation to linger. ¡°My birth pod dwells in the mid-waters.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Finally, some genuine interest was leaking into Rebecca¡¯s tone and a light sparked in her gaze as she leaned forward a bit. ¡°What is it like?¡±


    ¡°Wait, you are a mid-mer?¡± Suddenly, Ixion had Rebecca¡¯s younger sister practically in his lap she had swum so close. He had to lean back a bit just to be able to see more than her ice-blue eyes staring at him eagerly. ¡°That is so cool! Is that why you look so weird? Is it true that mid-mer banish their kids? Is that why you left?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡±


    ¡°Iliene!¡± Rebecca snapped. ¡°You are being incredibly rude. Here, take these to father, take credit for collecting them.¡± She dumped the marso grass Ixion had collected into Iliene¡¯s hands and made a shooing motion.


    ¡°But I want to hear-¡±


    ¡°Go,¡± Rebecca ordered with a snarl in her tone. For a moment, it looked like Iliene wanted to argue, but she finally turned and retreated without another word. As soon as she was gone, Rebecca sighed. "I am sorry about my sister. She does not mean any harm, she is just...spirited."


    "That is alright. I have met far more headstrong mer. She seemed sweet, maybe just a little conflicted,¡± Ixion remarked.


    Rebecca sighed. ¡°There is a lot of anger in Iliene. Most of it is directed at our parents and some of it is justified, but she is making things harder than they need to be too,¡± she admitted.


    Ixion chewed his lip. He knew that what he had overheard did not make him privy to any sort of opinion or comment, since he had not been invited to that conversation, but he could smell the unease rolling off of the mer beside him. He suspected that Iliene was not the only one who was bitter and struggling, just that Rebecca hid it better. He risked reaching out to touch the top of her hand, which was bracing her upright. ¡°You do not need to explain,¡± he assured her. ¡°We only just met and while I am happy to listen if you are just hoping to talk, you do not need to feel like you have to share details of your private circumstances to explain the actions of another. I am sure there are plenty of wild rumours about mid-water mer, I am not offended.¡±


    The lingering tension in Rebecca¡¯s posture fled and she slumped, although she did shift her hand subtly away from his touch, so he returned his hand to his lap instead.


    ¡°I think you are the first person not to pry or try to offer sage advice,¡± Rebecca revealed. ¡°I appreciate it.¡±


    ¡°It is none of my business,¡± Ixion agreed.


    ¡°I¡­I would be curious to hear more about what life is like in the deeper waters¡­if you do not mind sharing,¡± Rebecca ventured. ¡°I have only heard stories.¡±


    ¡°I do not mind. Life in the midwaters is different than what I have experienced up here. It is darker, there is less light.¡±


    ¡°How dark is it?¡± Rebecca interrupted, then bowed her head when she realized that she had interrupted. ¡°Is it like night all the time?¡±


    Ixion pursed his lips and mulled it over. ¡°No,¡± he replied carefully. ¡°The nights are darker than they are up here, but the day is more like¡­late dusk. Not when the fading sun paints the sky in darker oranges and pinks, but after, when it fades to gray but there is still lingering light.¡±


    ¡°That¡­that sounds a little gloomy.¡±


    Ixion inclined his head and nodded. ¡°I suppose it would seem that way if you were raised up here, but it was all I knew so it never bothered me. Besides, there was light sometimes. Often, glowing plankton would flow up for a short time from the depths and it would be like swimming through stars. Sometimes it continued past us or sank back down after a short while, occasionally it would just wink out where we were, but those bursts of luminescence are a sign of hope and luck to us.¡±


    ¡°I have seen the glowing plankton too,¡± Rebecca admitted. ¡°It is very pretty, although up here it congregates on the surface in bright blue waves that gradually fade or get swept away.¡±


    ¡°I will have to look out for that then. I have missed it since leaving the midwaters.¡±


    Rebecca hummed in agreement.


    ¡°Our pods are smaller than the pods up here,¡± Ixion offered after silence lapsed between them for a few heartbeats. ¡°Food is scarcer the deeper you go, so large groups would starve. My birth pod had eight permanent members and two young mer when I left. But most of us are very strong trackers. You have to be, when you need to travel further and look harder for food.¡±


    ¡°That is a small number compared to most pods I have met,¡± Rebecca agreed. ¡°Life sounds harder, but you speak of it with so much fondness¡­why did you leave?¡±


    ¡°It was my time.¡±


    A frown marred Rebecca¡¯s previous content smile and her brows furrowed. ¡°Ixion, please do not think me callous, but¡­what Iliene said earlier¡­it is a rumour about mid-mer that we have heard. Is¡­is it true?¡±


    Ixion shrugged. ¡°Yes and no. Banish is a very harsh term that implies we are not welcome back, and that is not true. I could return anytime I wished, but to some extent, it is also true. Because our pods are so small, children are trained as well as possible in all the skills they need to survive on their own, and when we are grown, we are sent out to find our own way. Otherwise, the pod risks growing too large, and we would never be able to find mates or pods or lives of our own. I am not sure if all mid-pods are like that, but that is how I was raised.¡±


    ¡°Do you ever miss your parents though? It must have been hard to leave your family.¡±


    ¡°I do miss them. I love my birth family a lot and I plan to visit them in the future, but we are not raised to lament what is lost, but rejoice in what is gained. I have had an incredible experience since leaving the midwaters, and sometimes you have to leave what you know in order to find happiness in something new. If my future lies elsewhere, I am only denying myself a chance if I am too afraid to leave my birthpod.¡±


    Rebecca had redirected her gaze to her tail as he spoke. She absently traced at her scales with a finger and hummed. ¡°I suppose so.¡± She sounded thoughtful, but did not offer up anything more.


    Ixion decided it was best not to question her, so he just pressed on. ¡°It has had some challenges though. With different cultures, it means I know very little about the proper social interactions of surface-pods and I am unused to large gatherings like this. Our initial meeting is not the only incident I have had. I have been gone from the midwaters for almost two cycles now, but I still have a lot to learn.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like you need a guide,¡± Rebecca commented. ¡°Someone to show you around and help you learn to navigate social dynamics and gatherings.¡±


    ¡°That would be nice,¡± Ixion agreed. ¡°Are you offering?¡±


    Rebecca began to laugh and her lips pulled into a wide grin as she nodded. ¡°Yeah, alright. It might be fun, so why not?¡±


    ¡°Friends?¡± Ixion inquired as he reached out a hand to her.


    She eyed it for a moment and then clasped it in a stronger grip than he was expecting. ¡°Friends,¡± she agreed. ¡°But only on one condition.¡±


    ¡°What is that?¡±


    ¡°Someday, I would like to swim through the stars too.¡±


    Ixion smiled and joy expanded in his chest. ¡°I think I can help with that.¡±