Ace grabbed the nearest pebble and angrily threw it into the ocean. "That asshole!" she yelled at the top of her lungs, her voice carrying over the crashing waves.

Morgan watched her with an amused expression, his golden eyes glinting with mischief. His upper body rested on the sand while his long, sleek tail remained in the shallow water, his hands propping up his head. "You humans have the strangest way of expressing your anger."

Ace spun toward him, eyes blazing with fury. Her gaze locked onto him, her nostrils flaring. "Oh yeah? And how do mermaids express themselves?" she snapped, planting her hands on her hips.

Morgan's grin widened, his sharp teeth flashing dangerously. With a dramatic snap of his jaw, he replied, "We eat the hearts of our enemies."

Ace stumbled back, her eyes wide with fear, her heart hammering in her chest. Her reaction sent Morgan into a fit of wild laughter, his voice echoing like the deep rumble of distant thunder.

"Oh, you're so amusing," he wheezed, wiping a nonexistent tear from the corner of his eye.

Her body slackened, and she flopped onto the sand, covering her face with her hands. "I just want to go home," she whimpered, her voice muffled by her palms.

"What's at home that's so special?" Morgan's voice took on a curious tone, his grin dimming to a soft smirk.

"My family," Ace replied flatly, staring up at the sky as seagulls circled above.

"Tell me about them," Morgan prompted, shifting to get a better look at her face.

Ace's gaze grew distant, her thoughts drifting to Denver—to her father, who barely emerged from his home office; to her mother, who spent her time wrapped in the arms of another man; and to her older brother, who'd been in and out of prison for drug possession. Her throat tightened, and she drew in a shaky breath.

"They're... an okay family," she muttered, her voice devoid of emotion.

Morgan raised an eyebrow, his tail flicking lazily in the water. "Okay? That's not much of a description. Sounds more like you're just saying it to convince yourself."

Ace's lips pressed into a thin line as she dug her toes into the warm sand. She sat up, fingers adjusting the strap of her bikini. "Fine. They're dysfunctional. Not exactly role models."

Morgan's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "Then why go back?"

Her brows knitted together as the question lingered in her mind. Why did she want to go back? Her home wasn't exactly paradise. The only thing waiting for her there was a degree she wasn't even sure she wanted. She stared at her hands, her fingers curling and uncurling.

"Maybe," she said softly, "getting kidnapped by mermaids isn't so bad after all."

*******

Ren, Kai, and Atlantis left Destan to speak with his mother privately. The trio swam through the grand halls of the Emerald Palace.

"Do you think she'll tell him?" Atlantis's voice broke the silence.

"Tell him what?" Kai's voice was light but curious as he intertwined his fingers with Ren's.

"About his father," Atlantis muttered, his face grim. "I doubt Onerious was Destan's real father. His power was too weak."

Ren's eyes shifted to Atlantis. "There's a chance his father was human. There are so many reports of sailors lost at sea."

Kai's eyes flicked to her, his face softening. "And many of them die. Just like you almost did."

Her grip on his hand tightened. "But you saved me."

Kai's gaze warmed, his smile slow and genuine. "And I'd do it again, love."

**********

Destan sat across from his mother, his hands fidgeting with his white hair. His eyes darted to hers, full of unspoken questions. "I don't understand, Mother. Why did he send you away? Why tell those lies about you?"

Diana's fingers brushed his hair gently. "He hated me because I had something he could never possess."

Destan's brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

Her eyes grew distant, and her voice turned wistful. "When I was young, my sister was promised to Onerious, one of my father's advisors. With her marriage, I thought I'd be free to travel the seven kingdoms. I visited every realm, basking in the wonder of it all."

Her gaze darkened. "But one day, I ventured too far north. That's where I met him."

"Him?" Destan's heart skipped a beat. "A human?"

Diana's lips pressed together, and she nodded slowly. "Yes. It was a fateful day. One I'll never forget."

April 15, 1912

Diana clutched her small sack that held her personal belongings while she traveled through the seven kingdoms. A giddy feeling rose inside her. She had just one more kingdom to go to before heading back home. Diana had saved this kingdom for the last because it's waters were cold and dark. 

 "It's worth the journey. Many have said that the kingdom is so beautiful, that it creates it's own warmth," she murmured to herself as she stopped moving her tail, letting her body rise to the surface for a small break.As she rose, she noticed strange shapes that floated across the surface, distorting the moonlight that usually could be seen when one neared the surface. Curious, she swam towards the peculiar shapes. Their outline suddenly taking the shape of an all too familiar enemy. 

 Humans! she thought, her chest suddenly rising and falling in a rapid pace. Why would they be this far up north?With determination she grabbed one of the legs of a human and pulled it down, hoping she would be able to frighten them all away.She snarled when the human's face came to hers, but the human's features didn't change a single bit. It's eyes were wide open, unblinking, a glassy look on their dark orbs.It dawned on her, sending fear down her spine when she let go of the body as her head broke the surface.A scream passed her lips as she saw nearly a hundred bodies floating the surface, all of them frozen to death. 

 "Hello? Is anyone out there?" a man cried from a boat that had appeared from nowhere.Quickly, she hid herself behind a man, whose large frame provided a cover for her. 

 "H-help," she heard someone rasp. She turned her head and saw a woman trembling from the cold, her body on top of a small raft. The woman's fingers were wrapped around a young man's, who was in the water.The woman didn't notice her but seemed to know that other humans were coming. She watched her do something strange with the man, whose eyes were closed. The woman's lips moving slowly before letting go of the man's body which sunk into the water.Diana gasped and before she could stop herself she swam to grab the young man. She pressed her ear to his chest, searching for a heartbeat. 

 Thump... Thump... 

 It was faint but still there. She pulled him to the surface, hoping the boat was still there. But no sign of life was found. Not even the woman that held the man's hand.

***********

Her gaze softened. "I saved him. Gave him warmth and food. It wasn't long before... we fell in love. But one day, I left to gather food. When I returned, Onerious' soldiers were there."

Her fingers clenched his. "They forced me to marry Onerious, and they threatened to expose me if I refused and I would have if it weren't for the child I was carrying."

Tears streamed down her face. Destan's heart ached at her pain.

"What was his name, Mother?" he asked softly.

Her voice shook, but her eyes remained steady. "Jack Dawson. He sailed on a ship called The Titanic."

Destan's breath hitched. "And... and the child?"

Her fingers traced his cheek, her eyes filled with love. "That child is you, Destan. You are his son."