When Vanessa woke up she remembered she wasn't at home but in the ice cave. She sat up and brought her injured ankle up. It didn't hurt anymore and when she unwrapped the gauze her ankle was healed. She touched her scarred leg and moved it around. It felt like a polar bear never grabbed her.

She turned to Raphael and thought about waking him up but he seemed so peaceful. She leaned down towards him and pushed his black away from his forehead. "Thanks for staying with me." she whispered before kissing his forehead.

She heard voices at the entrance of the ice cave leading to where Ninda jumped from yesterday. She crawled over to the ledge of the cave. She saw Nina and four other Mermaids talking to each other. She couldn't understand them, speaking in another language. She was trying to grab their attention by waving because now that her ankle was alright she needed to talk to Ninda some more and head home real soon.

She cleared her throat, "Uh, hello?" she said shyly. They all stopped talking and looked up at her. Her face heated up but she forced a smile, "Hi."

*

Vanessa swam next to Ninda, "James—the other boy. I don't love him." she told Ninda. "The guy up in the cave is who I love."

"You probably able to resist because of your abilities. You're soul is higher and stronger." she said. "You have a connection with him, do you?"

"I. . .like what kind? I want to help him deal with this. Like me, we have no choice but to become a Merfolk. Queen Severina wouldn't let me stay human and I'm sure she's doing the same for James. I'm so scared about everything and the last thing I need is some love triangle happening." Vanessa groaned. "I love Raphael and Raphael believes I will leave him for James. James is scared of this. I didn't even really know him when Queen Severina, he was just pulled into the situation."

"Queen Severina always done what she wants." Ninda said, sighing heavily.

"She's ruining people lives." she said. "I turned Raphael into a Merman. I didn't mean to do it, I didn't even know I could. Queen Severina was trying to drown him and while I was trying to save him it just happened. She thought about killing him but since I had done it she left him with me."

"Queen Severina has a plan, she just isn't doing it so quickly. She's sneaky like that. She can do something in a week or in ten years. She's clever like that. Get you when you least expect it." she said.

Vanessa breathed out heavily, "She only caused more to the trouble with James. I don't even understand why she did it. Is she planning to ruin my relationship with Raphael or wanting to use James for something else? I don't know."

"What kind of things do you see when your hands touch?" she asked.

Vanessa was quiet for a moment, "Mostly of us getting attacked. And him dying. He's a Merman fully in them but he says he feels like he's drowning. Last time I saw him drowning and well—I kissed him."

"Well I can only answer the drowning part. It rarely happens but sometime a Mermaid body rejects the change even after the full transformation." she said. "He is gonna dye."

Vanessa stopped and turned to face Ninda, "What?"

"Is he sick?" she asked. "If he was sick before Queen Severina gave him the gift then yes his body will reject the change and he will die. She must have learnt this somehow and why she choosed him."

Vanessa scoffed, "I don't know! I barley know the guy! Oh God this is bad!"

"You should really ask him." she said. "There is a way to save him but it's gonna be hard."

"How?" she asked quickly.

"Change him back." she said.

"That isn't very helpful when the only person who can do that won't do that." Vanessa said coldly. She didn't want to be rude but she couldn't help it. What if James is sick but never told her? And if he's sick, what is wrong with him? He looks perfectly healthly.

"There is two ways." she said. "Queen Severina or Elixir. Elixir can cause immortal life—it's what created Queen Severina long ago. She found some, drank it, and became a Mermaid. When she drank it again, it took away her abilities and turned her mortal. She so dranked again and became even stronger with powers. If she gave you both her blood, that's what her blood has in her."

Vanessa jaw dropped, "Adalyn never told me this."

"This Adalyn doesn't know. None of them know but me." she said. "I know allot of Queen Severina secret. We use to be that close, I looked up at her like a big sister. We find the Elixir and this James will turn back into a mortal. We gotta find it before he dies."

"But if we have the Elixir in our blood—gross as it sounds can't we just like have a drop of mine or Queen Severina blood?" she asked.

She shook her head, "It needs to come straight from the source. The bottle is at Queen Severina home. An Island in the Indian Ocean miles away from Africa. It's very small and not on most maps. No one has ever gone near it because they disappear if they try."

"I would have to go there." Vanessa said slowly, looking away and already felt defeated. "I'll have to or James will die. But I wouldn't be able to protect myself since I hardly know what I'm doing. I'm not some spy or something. I'm not brave enough."

"You won't have to do it alone." she said. Vanessa lefted her head and stared at Ninda confused. "The girls and I were talking. There's never be another queen, only ever Queen Severina. Let us follow you, Vanessa. We want you to be our Queen."

Vanessa stared at her for a moment before scoffing, "No. I'm only eighteen, I don't know anything about being a queen."

"I believe in you, Vanessa. I see strength in your eyes. You are hidden inside your insecurties, it's wrapped around you like some shell. You break that shell and you'll have strength. You won't be alone anymore, we will help you." she said. "You're the only one who can save us from Queen Severina and her wrath if we leave. We will be following you now, not her. Like you said, I'm the second oldest Mermaid and I can help you with many, many things. I will help teach you how to use your powers. We will help you get to the island and get the Exilir."

"I'm scared." Vanessa admitted. "Not to long ago all I was worried about was school and now this? Jeez."

"Life always has a different meaning. This is your fate, Vanessa." she said. She brought her hand up to her scale covered shell, "I will protect you with my life and follow you."

Vanessa sighed heavily, "But Ninda, I don't live like normal Mermaids. I live on land, in a house with many other humans in a town."

"You think I can live like a human again?" she asked. "I know how to adapt to new things and the girls will to. You see how allot of them are? Their skin? It's the effects of the Arctic, the energy around here. It's why were sent here, it's does things to us. Being back out there we will be saved. Have trust in us, we can do this. All of us are older Mermaids, we can do this. Admit it, you need us as much as we need you."

Vanessa stared at her for a moment, knowing she was right. She just wasn't sure if it was a good idea to bring them on land in Coasta Sirenas since Adalyn has a hard enough time. Ninda was right though, Vanessa needs her.

*

Vanessa told Raphael everything when they got back inside the cave. He couldn't believe it as well but agreed it probably is a good idea if they come back with her. The four other Mermaids introduced themselves to her and she felt so shy being the center of attention.

Vanessa went over to Ninda, "We should leave real soon. Adalyn is probably worried sick about me since we didn't come back last night."

"Who is this Adalyn?" she asked. "And believe me—I'm more than ready to leave."

*

Alia—the red head Mermaid they had first met—skin looked clear now as they closer to home. Her skin was beautiful pale like a porcelain doll and she didn't look like a scary mermaid anymore but another beautiful mermaid.

It was still early in the morning when they got home. They saw Adalyn and James waiting for them at their secret place at the beach and Adalyn looked so relieved when she saw them. She ran into the water and hugged Vanessa when they got to the bank of the water and Vanessa stood up on her legs.

"I thought you were dead." she said, squeezing Vanessa. She sniffled a little, "You are like my little sister, Vanessa. Don't scare me." She pulled away and looked at the five Mermaids Vanessa brought back, "What's happening? Did they come here with you?"

"I know what to do." Vanessa said quickly. "I got hurt yesterday by a polar bear and we had to stay the night. I have to talk to James first." she said, walking quickly out the water and over to James. She grabbed him by his wrist and pulled him away from the other.

He looked at her confused, "So what did she say?"

"James, are you sick?" she asked. He stared down at her for a moment and her mouth parted a little, "Why did you tell me?"

He sighed heavily as he looked away as his face turned red a little. He brought his hand up behind his neck and scartched it, "Trying my best to not think about it."

"Will that's why you're gonna die." she said. "Because your sick even after becoming Merman fully your body will reject it and you will die. What sickness is it?"

He cleared his throat and looked a little embarrassed, "Cancer. . ." He took a deep breath, "Testicular cancer."

She looked up at him confused, "Why do you look embarrassed."

He scoffed as he quickly looked at her, "Knowing your sick because of your stuff down there? I was getting cemo and about to have surgey but then I came here before I was suppose to and this happens. I thought I was feeling better because I haven't been throwing up and feeling sick. Apparently now I know I'm not."

"It's nothing to be embarrass about, James. You're sick, that's all that matters. You should have told me!" she said, hiting his arm.

"My life is ruined because of it. I want kids some day and even though the doctor says I will still have a high chance of having kids it still scares me that something will go wrong and I won't. I use to be so athletic but I have to stop playing baseball, soccer, and footboll. I'm always stuck home at the bathroom puking. My body was failing me. My uncle died of the same thing." he said, his blue eyes hurt and anger. "At least as a human, I know I would have a strong chance to survive because I caught it early in stages but now I know I'm gonna die?"

She shook her head, "No, I won't let it happen. There's a chance we can save you, James. Queen Severina isn't your only chance of becoming human again. There's this Elixir, it'll turn you back into a human. We gonna find hopefully soon and you'll be human again."

He stared at her for a moment, "Are you sure about that?"

She nodded, "Yes, I'm certain."

"Alright." he said. He turned to look at the other Mermaids in the water, "And who are they?"

"They were banned to the Arctic by Queen Severina. They decided to follow me back here and their gonna help me find this Exilir. I'm. . .they consider my their queen since I have powers." she said, her face getting a little hot.

"And what about this?" he asked, holding his hand up where the seashell scar was.

She stared at it for a moment, "Well. . .technically speaking it's means we're mates" she said. She watched his eyes widen and spoke quickly, "Back in the old days when the first Mermen were created each couple got them and they fell in love. Queen Severina did that but since we're stronger than normal Merfolk the spell didn't fully work with the lust part. The point is it's a good thing because at least we can see a future and save you in enough time."

James looked pale now as he pointed across him where Raphael was watching, "And I'm sleeping in the same house as him."

Vanessa forced a small smile, "Raphael knows there's nothing between us. He's gonna stay calm, promise."

"You remind him I'm sick." he said quickly.