My eyes flew open as the sob finished echoing, the grogginess I'd felt upon waking quickly replaced by tense alertness. I'd fallen asleep as soon as my head had hit the pillow, but judging from the moonlight streaming through our windows, only a few hours had passed. I reached for Ani, my mouth already open in a shout—only to find her wide awake with silent tears flowing down her cheeks.

Wordlessly, I touched her heart and laid my head on her shoulder. A few minutes passed before I spoke, and my voice was barely more than a whisper when I did. "Did you have the dream again?" I didn't clarify, but it wouldn't have mattered. We both knew what I was talking about.

The moment that still haunted my sleeping and waking thoughts—the moment when I stared death in the face for the first time. I still heard my family's anxious and panicked voices outside Waverly's hospital room. From how Ani's body shook when I drew her close to me, I knew she was also hearing their voices.

Dad: "Drew! Son, please!"

Mom: Ross, let him go! Please!"

Ani: "DREW!"

The latter's voice still echoed in my mind, which had me shuddering as I reached for her. I swallowed hard, hugging her tightly as twin waves of terror and anxiety washed over me. "We're safe now. He can't hurt us anymore. We're safe now," I repeated. I wondered how often I'd have to say those words before I started believing them.

We'd known her recovery was going to be a long and delicate process before... it happened. But what about now? How much had the attack set her back?

"Are you hungry? I can get Mom to bring us some food." My voice was soft when I spoke, but I knew she heard me.

Neither of us had touched a single bite since Ani had been released from the hospital. The weight of worry hung heavy in the water, making the thought of food seem distant, almost foreign. As the hours passed, our stomachs grumbled softly, a muted reminder of our neglect amidst the chaos of the past few days.

She didn't move from where her head was buried in my chest, but I felt her nod. I knew she was exhausted—mentally, physically, and emotionally—but I also knew she was terrified of sleeping. No sooner had I grabbed a piece of paper and a pen than I heard a soft knock on the suite door. "Come in," I called out, making no effort to move from the bed.

The door cracked open as Mom stuck her head inside. "Drew?"

I let out a breath as I wrapped my arms back around Ani. She hadn't said a word, but I'd felt her body tense, and her head snap up when Mom had knocked on the door. "We're in here, Mom," I responded.

I knew that hypervigilance was a symptom of PTSD—one of many. Mom swam inside the bedroom with a loaded tray of bubble tea, shrimp, lobster, crab, and scallops. She smiled at us, but there was a sadness in her smile.

"How are you doing?" She directed the question to both of us, but her eyes were on Ani—as if she could see the shadows in her eyes. Neither of us had spoken aloud about the thoughts that haunted our sleeping and waking thoughts, but I think Mom (if not Dad as well) had eventually figured it out.

Ani's breath hitched, but she didn't respond. I sat up, bringing her with me, and reached for the cup of bubble tea. After taking a few sips, I handed it to Ani, who drained the rest. I did the same with the food—between the two of us, the shrimp, scallops, lobster, and crab disappeared in seconds. "Tired," I finally responded, but I wasn't sure if there was an adequate adjective that could describe the bone-deep weariness that had taken root inside Ani and me.

The soul-crushing hollowness accompanied by the various mental disorders (PTSD for Ani and depression for me) was like adding more salt to the wound. I realized the note was far from her mind, but what occupied her thoughts worried me.

Ross's attack had left many scars—mental and physical—but that didn't stop me from wanting to wrap her in my arms and protect her from harm. Having Waverly as her lady-in-waiting would add protection but also risk, meaning both mermaids were now vulnerable.

I blinked when I realized Mom was still talking. I must have zoned out. I gave her an apologetic wince, but she shrugged it off before continuing. "I was just saying that after a few weeks—if you both feel up to it, of course—we could try having dinner in the dining room: you, me, David, Ani, and Waverly. We'll start small and work our way up. Take it one stroke at a time."

I nodded as I digested her words. We'd have to leave the suite eventually, and she was right. As much as I was sure Ani wanted to stay in the suite forever, I knew she would eventually get restless. I would never force her to go out, nor would I force her to stay inside. It was her recovery on her terms.

Mom and I were both shocked when Ani responded. "I think I'm ready to eat in the dining room tonight." I kept my mouth shut, even as I glimpsed the shudder that traveled down her spine as the last word left her mouth. I caught Mom's eye, a silent conversation passing between us, and she nodded.

Mom would let Dad know, and they would set up a private table away from the din of the dining room. I stretched and rolled my neck, surprised at the lack of pain from either my collarbone or back. It had been months since either injury and given my body's strain, I would have thought they would flare up again. But aside from a general ache from sitting too long in a chair, there was no pain.

A few hours later, we swam into the dining hall. As requested, a table was tucked away from most occupants in the back. Due to the late hour, there weren't many diners tonight. I kept a tight grip on Ani's hand, and my heart clenched painfully at the soft smile that spread across her face as we sat down at the table. Waverly grinned, and a few seconds later, the rest of us were smiling as well.

After we got our food, we all fell back into our easy rhythm, conversation flowing steadily between us. "Do you have a cometball game scheduled soon, Drew?" Waverly suddenly asked, the question shocking all of us. I blinked at her, momentarily speechless. After being gone for so long, I wasn't even sure I still had a place on the team, much less remembered being part of one.

Nevertheless, I sent a silent thank-you to her for the ounce of normality she'd given us. "I don't know. I'll have to check. But if I do, you'll still be in the front row, right?" I responded, playing along.

That smile widened as she nodded. "Of course! Mom and I love watching you play. I can't throw to save my life, so it's nice watching someone with actual coordination win a game."

We all laughed at that. If I was being honest, I hadn't even thought about cometball since Faye died. When Ani had gotten hurt, I dismissed the thought of ever playing again entirely. But then I remembered Ani mentioning that she and Della had gone to cometball games when they were younger, and I wondered if she'd even want to go.

I glanced over and saw Ani staring at her plate, not saying a word. Gently placing my hand on her arm, I spoke softly, just for her to hear. "You okay?"

I knew this was a difficult adjustment period for her, and I wanted her to know that we would do so without question if she needed to leave. She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly before responding. "Yeah. I guess I'm just not hungry."

The words were spoken with quiet exhaustion, but I knew that wasn't the only reason for her silence. Even though we were away from most occupants of the dining room, snatches of distant conversation could still be heard.

We didn't know everyone in the palace—there were too many guards, servants, and courtiers—but regardless of station, everyone was welcome in the dining room at any time, day or night. Numerous guards worked either day or night shifts, making the always-open dining room very useful.

I took a breath and placed my hand over Ani's. "How about we go for a swim after dinner? Getting out of the palace and away from everyone will be good." I caught Waverly's eye as the last word left my mouth, and she nodded.

Both mermaids had readily agreed that Waverly's role would be that of a companion and protector. I knew Waverly had been missing female companionship after Faye's death, so when I suggested her becoming Ani's lady-in-waiting, she'd eagerly accepted. Ani was excited about getting to know her better, so it was a win-win for us all.

When Waverly spoke, her voice was so soft I had to lean in to hear her. "After Ross attacked me, it took me a while to get used to doing everyday things again, like going for a swim by myself or eating out at a restaurant. He may have broken my body, but he did not—and cannot—break my spirit. The same is true for you. It may take a while, but we'll return to our routines. We're not alone. Drew and his parents are all here for us."

Waverly's chest hitched as tears filled her eyes. She reached across the table to take Ani's hand, squeezing gently. "I miss Faye every day and wish to the gods I had been able to do something to save her. But even though the tragedy changed us, it wasn't all bad. We never would have met or learned what a kind, caring, and loving mermaid you are."

Ani was speechless, staring at Waverly as tears streamed down her cheeks. Mom was also staring, the tears in her eyes dangerously close to spilling down her cheeks. As I looked at Dad, I noticed the silver lining his eyes. When Ani found her voice, it was hoarse. "I wish I could have met her."

Dinner passed quickly, and soon, the three of us were out in the open water, gazing up at the surface and watching the moon travel across the sky. Mom and Dad had returned to the palace, but we'd stayed behind. I kept a soft grip on Ani's hand as we swam, but with Waverly on her other side, the odds of someone ambushing us were low.

"You were right," I said quietly, the words breaking the comfortable silence that had fallen over us. Ani and Waverly looked at me, but I felt Ani's gaze soften. She didn't respond, but she didn't need to. She knew what I meant.

"Ross had gotten into my head and, in doing so, had discovered my deepest fear. Ever since Carla and Ella died, I've felt lost. Losing Faye was like someone had reached inside my chest and ripped my heart in half. I know now it was anger and jealousy that caused him to write the note in the first place. He'd never had someone care about him like we do each other. But after you got hurt, Ani..."

I trailed off, my heart clenching in my chest. "I hadn't been that scared since Faye died. And now, with what happened to Waverly, it feels like he's taunting me." After all, he'd told me, in no uncertain terms, that I did not deserve to be this happy and not have to pay for it.

We all froze simultaneously as Aunt Izzy hurtled toward us, ghostly pale and gasping for water. Her eyes were filled with tears, and I froze when I noticed the tremors wracking her body. "What happened?" I asked, forgetting about Waverly and Ani entirely.

She didn't answer right away. I swam towards her and took her hand. After she'd caught her breath, her voice trembled as the words poured out in a rush. "Oh, gods, Drew... I got here as fast as I could... She'd faked it before, but we had never thought she would... We were too late."

The rambling scared me about as much as the tremors wracking her body. Aunt Izzy was usually so composed—seeing her in near-hysterics made my heart skip a beat. "Take a breath and tell me what happened." My voice was calm, a direct contrast to her panicked one.

It took her several moments before she could speak somewhat calmly. "The Celebration of Light is in a few weeks, so Mom and Dad started the preparations a week ago. They've opened it to all the realms, but when they sent word to Nepptheas, they didn't hear back immediately. When Dad went to Nepptheas this morning to see what was happening, the guards told him they hadn't seen or heard from Queen Irvetta in weeks."

My breath caught. Before I could open my mouth, she continued. "Dad went up to their suite, but when he got to their door..."

She trailed off again, clamping her lips together as a silent sob shuddered through her body. "It had been forced open and nearly ripped off its hinges. He burst inside, calling King Marlin and Queen Irvetta's names. King Marlin appeared after a minute, his shirt and hands stained with blood. His eyes were glassy with tears, and Dad barely managed to catch him before he faltered. It took several tries, but he finally calmed down enough to tell Dad what had happened.

"Queen Irvetta had been unwell for the past few weeks, so she'd been sequestered in their suite. No one thought it odd until she started complaining of severe stomach pains that left her bedridden. They managed to get a doctor to their suite, who finally discovered the truth: Queen Irvetta had been pregnant."

I sucked in a breath so hard it made me cough. Aunt Izzy took a shaky breath and swiped at her eyes before she continued. "They knew about the dangers of a mermaid getting pregnant, so they'd kept the news under wraps, not wanting to alert anyone lest something go wrong. But Mom received a note a few days ago saying that Aunt Naia had somehow found out about the pregnancy. When she'd kidnapped them decades ago, she'd injured Queen Irvetta severely enough that if she and King Marlin ever tried to have children, either the babe or the mother would die in childbirth."

Aunt Izzy swam to me and buried her face in my chest. We both understood all too well which old wounds had been painfully reopened, the familiar scars now throbbing with memories that we had tried so hard to forget. I released Ani's hand and held my aunt tightly as she sobbed, a mixture of anger and grief coalescing in my chest.

After a few minutes, I pulled back to face her, gently wiping tears off her pale face. "Has Aunt Naia tried contacting you or Aunt Nerissa since she received the note?" It wasn't her contacting them that scared me—it was what she would say.

I was positive she knew about Aunt Izzy's miscarriage years ago and the invisible scars it had left. When Aunt Izzy shook her head, I swallowed hard. "Where's Uncle Kai? Did you come alone?"

I was reeling, and I could tell by the expression on Aunt Izzy's face as she nodded that she was also. "He stayed behind with Elle. She's been having trouble sleeping these past few weeks." Her voice trembled as the last word left her mouth, and I sighed as I reached for her hand.

Given the emotional stress we'd all been under, I wasn't surprised that it had also transferred to Elle. "Why don't you come inside and wait with Ani while I get Mom and Dad? Then, we can all sit down together and figure out where to go from here."

I caught Ani's eye, and she nodded. She would stay with Aunt Izzy while I got Mom and Dad. Waverly swam to me and gently touched my arm. "Do you want me to come?" A lump formed in my throat at her words, so I nodded instead. Since Ani was staying with Aunt Izzy, I wasn't worried about Waverly coming with me.

The swim from the entryway to Mom and Dad's suite had never felt longer. Or maybe that was just the dread and anxiety swirling around inside me. With everything else we had going on, this was like twisting the knife in the wound. When we reached their door, I found myself hesitating. We'd all been under such burdens for the past month—did I really want to be the one to add another to their load? But even as I formed the question in my mind, I knew the answer.

Both would naturally want to help Irvetta, but I knew the news would be hard to stomach. Waverly squeezed my hand, and when I looked at her, I found strength in her gaze. "I'm right here."

Gods, I was tired—physically, mentally, and emotionally. All I wanted to do was swim into bed and sleep for a month. But I somehow found the strength to lift my hand and knock, the sound reverberating through the otherwise silent hallway. No sooner had the knock finished echoing than the door opened, and we were face to face with Mom and Dad. They both had smiles on their faces, but they quickly faded as they glimpsed our troubled expressions.

"Drew? Waverly? What's going on?" I could all but feel the confusion radiating from Mom, but I suddenly couldn't speak.

"Is Ani okay?" That was Dad, but I couldn't respond to him, either. I looked over at Waverly, a helpless expression appearing on my face. I wasn't sure I had the strength to swim inside their suite, never mind trying to dredge up the memory of what Aunt Izzy had told me.

Waverly nodded at my unspoken plea and took a breath before she spoke. "Can we come in? There's something both of you need to know." Looking at her, you wouldn't have been able to tell she was rattled—but the hand I held shook slightly.

We'd just been dealt a significant blow. This had been Aunt Naia's final move—her last-ditch opportunity to get back at her sister once and for all. The news would change everything once it was out. The only question was, would we be able to handle the fallout?

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