Someone was following me. I could tell by the way the scales on my tail stood up and the vibration in the water. Heart pounding, I dove, trying to evade my pursuer. They stayed on my tail, however, matching me stroke for stroke. When I could swim no longer, when my lungs were begging for water, I paused in a cluster of rocks near the Whispering Reef.

Instinctively, my hand snaked to my neck, the locket resting there. It had been my mother's, but she'd passed it onto me after my 17th birthday (which had been a few weeks ago). I had finally caught my breath and was preparing to swim again when a hand wrapped around my wrist, squeezing painfully. I cried out as I was spun around, dark green eyes locked on mine.

I gasped for water, feeling as though all the water had disappeared from my lungs. The merman's gaze was as enticing as a siren's song, urging me to follow. Some deeply buried instinct inside me shouted to turn back, to swim away from what was clearly a trap. I blindly followed him, all the while unaware of the danger he was leading me into.

My eyes flew open as I woke, breathing heavily. I'd had nightmares before—I'd had them for as long as I could remember—but none as vivid as this one. I should probably introduce myself before I go any further. My name is Isadora Meri Singh. But you can call me Izzy.

I rubbed my eyes as I rose and got dressed, swimming down to the kitchen. Not surprisingly, Mom and Dad were already gone. They normally left before I awoke and returned long after I'd fallen asleep. I gobbled down some shrimp before leaving the house, my purple-and-grey messenger bag slung over my shoulder.

I ran through my to-do list in my head as I swam, trying to focus on anything but the merman's dark green eyes. 1. Make sure everything's running smoothly at the school.
2. Head over to Aunt Bella's sign language class and check on her.
3. Do last-minute preparations for the Celebration of Light.

The realm of Aegrem was in full swing, mermaids and mermen alike preparing for the Celebration of Light. It was a tradition that had been around since my mom and dad were my age. We lit lava torches and placed them strategically around the realm. Eventually, after they were lit, they formed a symbol—the sun, meant to honor the very thing that kept us alive.

It was also a celebration of Merais, the God of the Sea. He was the one who had created the species of merpeople, along with Antia, Goddess of Fertility.

Long ago, back when humans still lived above the surface, there was a great flood. There was no warning, no way of preparing, so when it came, the humans were helpless. They tried to flee, but were no match for the force of the water. It quickly consumed the land above the surface, sweeping away millions of men, women, and children. Many struggled, unwilling to let the waves take them. Some went willingly, but not enough.

Antia helped those who went willingly, her magic turning their legs into tails and giving them the ability to breathe underwater. Sadly, many humans died that day. Those who survived slowly adjusted to their new way of life, using their skills they had learned as humans to build cities and towns.

I swam over to the school, smiling at the mermaids and mermen I passed. Torches were lit inside, which meant classes had already started. I quietly swam inside, peeking through one of the classroom windows. A mermaid with whiskey hair and ginger eyes was at the front of the class, teaching a group of a dozen little mermaids and mermen. Her name was Jessica Campbell, and she was the first teacher they had here.

My heart clenched as I noticed a familiar little mermaid, her pink-and-blue-spotted tail making her easy to spot. Her name was Faye, and she had a older brother named Drew. Her older sister, Ella died a few years before I was born, but I'm not sure how. Mom and Dad never talk about her. Whenever I try to bring it up, Mom gets pale and shaky and won't talk to anyone.

Thankfully, after a lot of advertising, parents were lining up, eager to take advantage of the no-cost curriculum. So many mermaids and mermen were illiterate because there had been no proper schools where they lived. That was the very first thing my parents set out to change when they began ruling.

As I left the school, a flash of dark green caught my eye. I froze, my hand inching toward the dagger at my waist. When the hand landed on my shoulder, I was poised to strike. I spun around, my body relaxing as grey eyes met mine.

Uncle David floated in front of me, his face creased in concern as he noticed my grip on the dagger. He was my father's oldest friend, and one of my mother's dearest friends. Despite neither he nor his sister sharing any blood with me or my parents, they became honorary family members a long time ago.

I released a breath I hadn't realised I'd been holding as I sheathed my dagger. "You okay, Izzy?" He asked.

My heart pounded. There was only one person I knew other than my father with that eye colour. But, of course it wasn't him. Noah hadn't been seen in these waters for years. And believe me, if he showed, Dad would take care of him before he could cause a scene. Noah may have been my uncle by blood, but he wasn't one by choice.

"Yeah," I replied. "I was just going to check on Aunt Bella's sign language class. Want to join me?"

He nodded, offering me his arm. I took it, trying not to let my hands tremble. I tried not to show it, but I was relieved to have company.

After swimming for a few more minutes, we came upon a grey building with a large banner across the front. Free sign language classes offered from 12:00-3:00

Uncle David held the door open for me as I swam inside. Class was just beginning. We watched through the window as Aunt Bella swam to the front of the room, welcoming her students with a smile. Despite neither of them being deaf, after meeting my mom, she developed an interest in sign language.

Uncle David had a soft smile on his face as he watched his sister. After a few more minutes, we swam back outside. He turned to me, the smile still on his face. "What's next?" He asked.

I was about to answer when a merman suddenly appeared a few feet away from us, his brown hair stark against his pale skin. I couldn't breathe as he met my gaze, a sly smile appearing on his face. Noah.

Uncle David's grip on my arm snapped me out of my daze, his grey eyes wide. "What happened? Who did you see?" His voice was firm as he spoke, though it trembled a bit on the last word.

I shook my head, hugging my bag closer to myself as I continued swimming. All the way to the Whispering Reef, where the Celebration of Light was being held, I tried to convince myself that I hadn't seen him. That I had just imagined it.

But deep down, in my heart, I knew what I'd seen. I was quiet and withdrawn the rest of the night, eating dinner in silence then retreating into my room.

As I laid awake later that night, listening to the sounds of various sea creatures outside my window, the merman's face was frozen in my mind. When I finally did fall asleep, nightmares haunted me, each more ominous than the former. If only I'd known that what I'd seen in the nightmares was nothing compared to what awaited me in the near future.

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