I was in that endless hallway with doors on either side. A knot of dread formed in my stomach the further I swam. Shoring up my courage, I swam to one of the doors, opening it with a trembling hand. Nothing could have prepared me for what was on the other side.
A familiar merman with blond hair and aquamarine eyes floated a few feet away, roughly clutching the arm of a very familiar, very scared mermaid.

My heart lurched, a shout forming on my lips. Faye. The mermaid, only a year old, was terrified, her chest rising and falling rapidly as her breathing quickened, eyes wide with fear. I started to swim toward them, but froze at the sight of a familiar-looking pendant around the merman's neck. The dark-blue stone glinted in the light, causing a shudder to run down my spine.

She cried out as she saw me, tears forming in her eyes and spilling down her cheeks. I continued swimming toward her, my hands trembling slightly as I reached for her. Before she could so much as grab my hand, the merman reacted. He released Faye and grabbed my arm, roughly pulling me against him. I could do nothing but lock eyes with Faye, mouth opening to mouth a single word, my eyes widening in urgency: Swim.

I doubt she even realised what was happening, but she turned and started swimming, her shape getting smaller and smaller until it was just a speck in the distance. While I'd been distracted, the merman had used that opportunity to undo the pendant from around his neck and bring it over to me. I didn't even have time to so much as open my mouth before it was around my neck. I shivered, the coldness of the pendant sending a chill down my spine.

That was the last conscious thought I had before my mind went blank, my thoughts becoming scrambled and disoriented. With a single wave of his hand, a mermaid's body appeared before us, her tan skin drained of colour. Her dark-blue eyes—identical to my own—were frozen open, her face arranged in an expression of pure horror.

No recognition crossed my face as I stared down at the body. My hand didn't so much as tremble when I laid it on the mermaid's chest, gripping the pendant with my free hand. For a few agonising seconds, nothing happened. I flinched as the colour came back into the mermaid's face, her dark-blue eyes fluttering, then widening in shock.

I was dazed when I lifted my hand from her chest, struggling to get my thoughts straight. The mermaid, on the other hand, was glowing, her eyes clear and alert. She turned to the merman and spoke, her expression hardening. I let myself drift into unconsciousness, unable to resist its tug any longer.

I couldn't catch my breath as I opened my eyes. Faye's horrified face was frozen in my mind. A warm hand landed on my shoulder a heartbeat later, causing me to flinch. Jay's face was grave, his green eyes filled with unease. We have a visitor. Though his hands remained steady, he gripped my own tightly after he signed the last word.

To say I wasn't prepared to see the merman floating outside the house was an understatement. I froze as we swam outside, chills running up and down my spine. The merman in question locked eyes with me, a malicious smile on his face. Jay spoke before I could so much as lift my hands. "What are you doing here?"

Hands found mine, gripping so tight their knuckles were white. I didn't even have to look beside me to know it was David and Bella. The former's expression was identical to Jay's, his grey eyes filled with anger. The latter's face was bone-white, her eyes wide with fear. Not for herself, I realised. But for Faye and Drew.

The merman's expression was nothing short of sardonic. "Can't a father visit his children once in a while?" From the expression on his face, I could tell his voice was dripping with malice.

Jay answered for me, his eyes flashing. "They don't want to see you. And even if they did, you certainly wouldn't be able to get any alone time with them."

I could have sworn hurt flashed across the merman's face before the sardonic expression settled back into place. "How silly of me. I completely forgot to introduce myself. I'm Jacob Mercer."

Despite myself, my heart hurt for the truth I was about to reveal. The grief it would cause. My own face was expressionless when I finished reading his lips, though my hands trembled slightly as I grabbed my notepad and wrote. Your wife and oldest daughter... Carla and Ella were killed a few weeks ago by a vengeful merman named Noah. I didn't dare mention Jay's familial connection.

His eyes widened, mouth parting slightly before returning to that sardonic expression. David's hand suddenly tightened on mine. I looked past Jacob's shoulder, grief and heartbreak in my gaze as I noticed a familiar face appear a few feet away from us. Her grey eyes were wide, darting between Jacob's face and my own.

His expression completely changed as he noticed Faye. The sardonic expression melted away, revealing a face full of awe and sadness. Faye was trembling as David swam to her, gently taking her hand and speaking quietly to her as he led her away. My hands shook as I wrote.

When I finished, I handed the notepad to him, each word filled with more bitterness than the former. I will have guards escort you to Aegrem's border. What you do outside of the city walls is not our concern. As of this moment, you are not welcome within Aegrem's border. If I or my husband hear about you trying to sneak in and see the kids, the results will not be pleasant.

Anger like I'd never seen flared across his face. He advanced on me and I flinched, waiting to feel the cool stone on my neck. Before he so much as got close to me, guards were behind him, tying his hands behind his back. My face was a mask of iciness as we stared at each other. He finally scoffed and let the guards lead him away. I didn't so much as breathe until he was just a speck in the distance.

I finally let the mask drop, anger and guilt warring for control of my expression. Jay swam to me, taking both my hands in his. It was the only play we had left.

I nodded. Movement over his shoulder caught my eye, bright red hair flashing in my vision. A heartbeat later, Jay was pushing me behind him, grabbing a dagger I hadn't even noticed him carrying. Dark-blue eyes—the twin to my own—stared back at me, filled with smugness. A roaring silence had filled my head by then, blocking out everything else.

"You're looking well, Nerissa," Alyssa said, her hands moving fluidly as she signed. "Or should I say Your Highness?" Though I couldn't hear the words, I could imagine the sarcasm dripping from them. My hands curled into fists, the guilt quickly replaced by red-hot anger.

I swam up to her and, despite her being an inch or so taller than me, managed to look down my nose at her. Do you know how many lives you've ruined? How many husbands, wives, sons, and daughters you've killed? My hands shook slightly as I signed, though my face was again a mask of stone.

She gripped my hand, leading me away from the others and to a familiar grave. The world dropped out from underneath me, my heart breaking anew. Tiny water lilies were strewn across a makeshift grave, the inscription on the newly constructed headstone gut-wrenching: Here lies Arabella Grace Mercer, a light in the darkness and a soul whose life was taken from these waters too soon. May she feel no pain as her soul rests for eternity.

She looked at me, sadness and regret in her eyes. "No amount of apologies would make up for the pain I caused. But I hope this at least will honour her memory."

Her words slowly sunk in, filling me with shock and confusion. You did this? I couldn't tear my eyes away from the gravestone.

She nodded. "It was the least I could do."

I couldn't find it in myself to be mad that I hadn't known about the gravesite; all I was thinking about was how much I would miss seeing her smile, feeling the warmth radiating from her as she'd laughed with me. I turned to Alyssa, struggling to think past the sadness inside me. Why'd you bring me here?

She shook her head and gestured again to the headstone. I had been so focused on Ella's that I hadn't noticed the identical one beside hers. The tears began anew, sliding down my cheeks and dripping onto my shirt. Here lies Carla Sydney Mercer, a wonderful, loving mother and a great friend. May she feel no pain as her soul rests for eternity.

It was only when I'd torn my eyes off the headstone that I realised that the water had started to darken. I turned to Alyssa, my mouth already open and hands raised, but she was gone. I shivered as I swam home, unable to banish the images of Carla and Ella's headstones from my mind. Before I had so much as put my hand on the doorknob, it swung open.

Worried grey eyes met mine, a hand reaching out to grip my own. I let myself be led inside, barely remembering to shut the door behind me. Jay swam to me, wordlessly gathering me in his arms. My entire body was shaking as he held me. He led me into our room and slid into bed beside me. Talk tomorrow? His hands were steady as he signed.

I nodded, struggling to push down the sobs rising inside me. As soon as I closed my eyes, darkness swallowed me whole.

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