"Kaerius," Rowan thought, staring in the direction of the island, wondering if his grandparents could see them standing on the edge of the rocks, looking so helpless. "What do you think we should do?"

"I think we should ditch the werewolves and fight in the water. After all, it's a battle between Thalassic Mortals and humans."

"But the werewolves offered to help. They want to help their friends."

"How would they get to the island without making it so obvious?"

Rowan couldn't answer. He eyed his parents, wondering what they would do. Rowan could ask them, but at that moment, he had the opportunity to end the fighting and to give up. He didn't want to lose anyone else, though Volher believed in him. Rowan wanted peace. How could he achieve peace if he stopped trying? "The hunters, they're on the island," he found himself saying before he could properly think.

"Excellent They have boats, I assume," Braiken said, wiping the sweat from his forehead, despite the night feeling so cold. Fighting vampires was no lazy task.

"Speeds boats. We'll only keep up if we're in the water." Rowan made eye contact with his mother, then his father. They seemed to be waiting for him to make the choices. Rowan wasn't comfortable playing with the lives around him. "What does everyone think we should do?"

"Well, the werewolves can't swim. The hunters will spot them miles off. They're probably watching us right now. Surely, they'll know we're coming for them if we all grab boats and jump into the ocean. The hunters will be gone before we get there, but we can't just let the Thalassic Mortals deal with them," Jack said with a frown, the kind he showed when he was deep into his studies.

Everyone suddenly started talking all at once, and Rowan's head darted from face to face, trying to keep up with the discussions. His mother wanted to leave it and enjoy not being cursed. She said her brother would have wanted them to move on. His dad disagreed. Michael wanted to fight for the peace and Braiken agreed, so did Jenya. Jack wasn't sure and sided with his dad and his soulmate. Rowan soon stopped listening and tried to think of his own plan.

"This fight could all be for nothing if we all die," Mandy said, shivering in the cold. "I want the revenge, but I don't want to see anyone else get hurt-"

"They tricked us," Rowan interrupted. "I think it's our turn to trick them." Everyone fell silent. "They'll be watching us somehow, but I doubt they'll know what's being said. Let's look confused and look like we're giving up. We'll say goodbye to each other and go our separate ways. Thalassic Mortals will go in the ocean, and the werewolves will go home, or it'll look like we've done that." Rowan looked around at the confused faces. "Let them think they've gotten away with it. Then when they start to move from the island, we'll stop them."

"What's stopping them from getting in their speedboats and just driving away until we get tired?" Braiken asked.

"I'm sure the Thalassic Mortals can sabotage the boats somehow. We'll also need Jack." Rowan patted Jack's shoulder. "You successfully lifted one of the most stubborn curses that has probably ever been made. My dad's parents might use their fairy to their advantage. We could use you and Braiken."

The flicker of Jack's lips told Rowan that he was more than happy with the opportunity to use his fairy magic. "Have werewolves on boats too, so if the hunters try to escape, the werewolves can follow them, and I'm pretty sure the hunters don't stand a chance against those... beasts." Jack avoided Jenya's eyes. "Sorry but you guys are pretty horrifying when you've shifted."

Jenya smiled proudly.

"The rest of us will get in the water then," Mandy said, staring down at the sea twinkling from the moon. "Rowan, I need to talk to you."

Rowan watched everyone begin to talk among themselves about the new plans and decided that he had time to spare. His mother guided him far enough away so their hushed voices wouldn't be heard. "Mum, if you're going to talk me out of this, just think of Wez and Volher and-"

"I'm not going to talk you out of it." Mandy took his hands; they looked so big compared to hers. "You need to know something about what you can do now that you're next in line to be god of the sea."

Rowan tensed. "Mum, this isn't the time-"

"Kaerius told me what happened when you rolled off the cliff onto the rocks, the day the hunters shot you." Mandy squeezed his hands. "The water rose up to carry you into his arms. The sea has chosen you. That means a great deal."

"The water was just choppy or something. I didn't do that. I was barely conscious."

"I don't think this business of Royalty has sunken in yet. Rowan, being god of the sea doesn't just mean that you're important. It means that the sea is yours and you rule everything in it."

"What gives me the right to rule others?"

Mandy sighed. "You can be so stubborn sometimes. You're just like your father," she smiled and looked out to the ocean. "You can manipulate the sea. You can call on the sea life to help you. You have the power to wash away the hunters and end this, Rowan. The sea would have never helped you that day if it didn't want you to be its god."

Rowan wanted to argue and say that he wasn't sure he wanted the role. "How would I even do any of that?"

"Ask."

"The sea?" Rowan scoffed.

"Yes. It has been listening to you since you were young." Mandy looked him up and down, still barely believing that he was now an adult. "I'm sure you know that deep down."

"Maybe," Rowan mumbled, turning his wrist to make the red stones on his bracelet blink with the stars. "What if I can't?"

"You can. I might not have known this Rowan for long, but you're so much stronger than you think. My faith in you should prove that."

Mandy turned and left Rowan to think, but he wasn't on his own. Kaerius was in the water below, waiting for their eyes to connect again. Rowan eventually peered over the side of the rocks to see his soulmates face in the darkness. "This is all just a big mess, isn't it?" he thought.

"Mess can be cleaned. It's okay Rowan." Kaerius swam back a little, bobbing up and down in the water. "I'll wait for you by the docks."

Rowan sighed and returned to his family and the werewolves, where everyone was hugging and saying goodbye. As Rowan hugged Jenya, she whispered, "They won't know what hit them. For Wez and Volher, you can do this."

Rowan watched Jack leave with her pack, and then it was time to get in the water. He was cold, and the thought of going in the ice-cold sea wasn't appealing, though Kaerius was waiting for him, so Rowan jogged down the rocks, over the boat and down the dock. The mini pier wobbled under his weight.

Kaerius waited at the end with webbed hands holding the soggy planks of wood, so he didn't float away. Rowan reluctantly pulled off his coat and his jumper and his t-shirt. He unlaced his boots and took his socks off. The pier felt horrible and slimy under his bare feet.

Rowan then took off his trousers. He wore board shorts underneath. Rowan didn't like the idea of standing on the island naked, and in front of his dad's parents. Wearing board shorts was a 'just in case idea' if he had to get into the water.

Kaerius didn't move when Rowan sat on the side of the pier and plucked his legs in the freezing water. He let Rowan's body rub between his and the wood as Rowan slowly lowered himself into the sea. Rowan gasped at the cold, but the temperature didn't matter, not when Kaerius's arms coiled around him.

They kissed and Rowan's whole body trembled. He would have liked to blame it on the ice-cold ocean, though Kaerius's hands on his lower back turned on emotions that had waited for his touch.

Rowan held Kaerius's face as they kissed, taking the proper time to reconnect their souls. They barely noticed Mandy, Michael and Braiken getting in the water around them. Rowan was so invested in kissing Kaerius that when he pulled back to look at his reaction, he expected to be next to the rocks by his mother's house. Rowan wished they were.

Kaerius smiled and pecked Rowan's nose, happy to be back together. He looked around his face and pulled on Rowan's board shorts. "Take them off while we swim to the island, or I'll have to drag you there with your weak human legs."

Rowan scoffed. "They're not weak," he said and proved it by pushing Kaerius away with his feet. Rowan slipped off his shorts and watched his legs knit together, and a tail appear. The sensation was odd, though watching the transformation was even weirder.

Kaerius sank underwater and urged for Rowan to follow him. The others were already deep below, wanting to meet the other Thalassic Mortals and tell them their plans.

Rowan held his breath out of habit and dipped underwater. His skin was more stubborn to the cold in his Thalassic Mortal form. He let out his breath when he reached Kaerius and held his hand. They slowly swam deeper to the group of sea creatures talking on the ocean floor.

The group abruptly stopped when Rowan approached, and they all bowed their heads.

"Do you know who these are, too?" Laiken asked in the Thalassic Tongue, pointing to Mandy and Braiken. "They're prince and princess of the sea. Bow your heads to them too."

Rowan was a little awkward greeting everyone. He stayed polite, as Kaerius explained that Rowan couldn't understand their language.

The interest in Rowan soon died down when the topic of hunters thickened the water.

"I guess we have some boats to destroy now," Rowan thought, not once weakening his grip on Kaerius's hand. Kaerius faced him with a devilish grin, exposing his sharp teeth and the mischievous shine in his eyes.

"I've always wanted to leave a group of hunters stranded on an island, surrounded by Thalassic Mortal infested waters. I want to watch them panic when their boats sink, and the only way home is to swim."

Rowan shared Kaerius's enthusiasm. He wanted to see the fear and hear the spluttering words when the hunters realise they're on the losing side.