Vanessa walked over to Adalyn who was fast asleep on the guest bedroom bed. She sat on the bed and nudged Adalyn. Adalyn groaned, swapping her hand towards Vanessa and telling her to ‘go away’. It was early, almost six o’clock and no one wants to wake up at six o’clock but this is important.

“Adalyn, wake up.” Vanessa said. “Something serious happened.”

Adalyn groaned, pulling her covers up closer to her, “What? What is so important that you need to wake me up for?” She didn’t open her eyes and she appeared too fallen asleep, so Vanessa pinched her roughly. Adalyn sat up quickly, hissing, “Vanessa! Ow.” she hissed, rubbing the spot on her arm where Vanessa pinched. She pushed her blonde hair out of her face, rubbing her eyes as she yawned. She glared at Vanessa than, “What?”

Vanessa held her hand up where the seashell scar was and Adalyn eyebrows furrowed together, confused. “Do you know what this is?”

She winced, staring at it for a moment before shaking her head, ‘No, I don’t. How’d you do it?”

“I didn’t do it, she did.” Vanessa said and Adalyn arched her eyebrow. “Queen Severina. I had walked out of this house like a zombie and went to the beach. Raphael and James was there, but Raphael was completely fine. James and I held hands while we were under Queen Severina chance and I saw things. James has it to. Adalyn, Queen Severina is trying to do something with me.”

“Like?” she asked. “What did you all see?”

Vanessa lowered her head, looking down at the floral blanket. What she had saw was both James and her under water, kissing. She doesn’t know why, but they were. It scared her and she felt so guilty. None of was right and when she looked at him after, she wanted so badly to see if he saw it. She didn’t feel that way about James. The only person she ever wanted to be with was Raphael since the beginning. She just knows this means something serious between James and her.

She looked up at Adalyn, “I think they means James and I are supposed to be—I can’t say it.”

“Why not?” Adalyn asked.

Vanessa eyes stung up with tears, but she held them back, “Because I love Raphael but I think Queen Severina turned James for me.”

Adalyn put her arms around Vanessa and pulled her towards her for comfort, “I don’t see why Queen Severina would do that, though.”

“I don’t see why either, but I think she wants James and I to be together.” she said. “James is handsome, but he’s not who I want. Adalyn, tell me more about the old mermen.”

“Allot of us didn’t talk about them, but Queen Severina noticed how unhappy some of the girls were without love. She told them to pick a man out and made the men fall in love with them, turning them into merman so they could be lovers.” she said. “But soon the man broke free from the spell and tried going against Queen Severina. She took their tails away and killed them. She banned the girls from falling in love ever again. Mermaids don’t fall in love with humans, but they will with merman. It’s why the girls are so attracted Raphael.”

“Queen Severina is so confusing.” I said.

“Yes, she is. I believe though she didn’t make James just for you, though. She’s planning something.” Adalyn said and Vanessa lowered her head, running her hand through her hair.

Raphael

Raphael was flipping through a magazine when he felt a presence in the store. He lifted his head to see Zirina, a mermaid who had showed up at Adalyn graduation party came in. She smiled at Raphael, waving before she walked around the shop. Raphael winced his eyes, walking out from around the counter. He walked over where he noticed the girl going, but she wasn’t there. It’s as if she just vanished.

He felt hands touched his waist and he took in a sharp breath, turning around to see Zirina. She smiled up at him, tilting her head innocently, “Did I scare you, Raphael?”

He shook his head, stepping back, “No. You guys are still doing checkups on me? I’m a full merman now.”

“You’re still new to this, though.” she said, stepping towards him real close and he stepped back until his back hit the wall. She brought her hand up, touching his bicep, “Why do you choose to stay on land? You should be out there, with us?”

“I don’t think Queen Severina would like that.” he said, smacking her hand away.

She grinned, “Actually, she hopes you will. You are the first mermen in a thousand years to be created. You belong with us, not out here with humans.”

Raphael scoffed, walking away, “You should go look for James, Queen Severina made him—“

“Queen Severina made James for Vanessa.” she said, making him freeze. “But you, Raphael—you deserve to be out there with us. You don’t know how important you. Queen Severina is willing to give you a chance.”

Raphael turned around and looked at her confused, “A chance to do what?”

She held her arm out, “To be out there, in the water. To be with us, let you be what you are. Vanessa doesn’t want to be out there, only when she wants to be.” She placed her hands on his biceps, her brown eyes looking up at Raphael, “You need to be who you are, Raphael. Don’t be in denial about still being human like Vanessa. You’re life belongs in the ocean, not on land anymore. You can’t say you don’t feel as an equal to Vanessa, she has gifts.”

“Vanessa never made me feel—“

“James is at her level.” she said, her hands going up and wrapped around his neck. “With us, with all of us girls you will feel like an equal. You choose this life when you didn’t have to, but you did. I know you didn’t just do it to be with Vanessa. You love the ocean, it was a big part of your life before. Choose Queen Severina side.”

He stared down at her for a moment, thinking. He loves Vanessa, but Zirina was right. He didn’t feel like an equal to her since he was just a merman while James was up to her level unlike him. If he could, he would be in the water all day and he never wants to get out. Vanessa didn’t want to be a mermaid, but he wants to be a merman. Out there, he could always be a part of it.

He opened his mouth, but his throat tighten up. He stopped himself before he could do something he regretted. He reached up and pulled Zirina hands away. She looked confused, opening her mouth but he spoke, “My loyalty is to Vanessa.” he said before walking away.

Vanessa

Vanessa just wished she could have gone home, but she had to meet James. Luckily Adalyn came with her, making her feel much better as they went towards the end of beach where their place was. James was sitting on a large boulder, using his powers to do simple tricks.

He looked down at them when they got near and frowned down at Vanessa who frowned back up at him. “I remembered what I saw.” he said. “I was kissing you, but it was to do something.”

Vanessa eyebrows furrowed together, “Huh?”

“I felt something even in the vision.” he said. “I don’t know what it was, but it felt like I was drowning.”

“But you’re a mermen, you wouldn’t be able to drown.” Adalyn said.

“I know, but that’s what it felt like.” he said, hooping off the large boulder. He brought his hand up, showing Adalyn the seashell scar. He turned his attention to Vanessa and she bit her bottom lip. He held his hand out towards her, “I wanna see if it happens again.”

“Why?” she asked. She shrugged her shoulder nervously, “It doesn’t matter. Even, I don’t wanna see if it does.”

“Vanessa, please. I need to understand why I was drowning and I think I can’t only figure it out if we do this.” he said.

She stared at him for a moment before groaning. She hesitated, but reached her hand up and placed her hand against his. Nothing happened at first, but soon her their hands started to warm up. Something hit her in the stomach, as if it was a wave. It felt like it was gonna push her down, but it hadn’t. It just flashed a bright light in her vision and she opened her eyes. She was in water, looking up as if she was laying at the bottom of the surface.

She saw someone come near her and she realized it was James. His eyes were wide, holding his hand out towards her. He grabbed her, pulling her close to him as he pulling at something that looked like rope but he suddenly moaned, air coming out of his mouth as he looked like he was in pain. Vanessa in the vision looked at him worriedly, put her hand behind his neck. She looked at him with deep concern before she pressed her mouth against his. It was the same way she did last night in the first vision.

The vision went away and she was back at the beach with Adalyn and James. James eyes widen, stepping back with a panic look as he brought his hands up to his forehead, “Oh man! Oh man!”

“What?” Adalyn asked. “James, what is it?”

He brought his hands up to his chest, “I’m gonna die.”

“What?” Adalyn asked.

“How do you know that?” Vanessa asked. “And why were you coming near me?”

“I don’t know! All I know is what I felt and I was dying. I think—I think my body rejecting something.” he said.

“What?” Adalyn questioned. “Wait. Hold on a second. Were you a merman in this vision already?” she asked.

He nodded quickly, “Yes, I was.”

“Then you can’t die, you’ll be immortal.” she said. “James, nothing will be able to kill you.”

“I know what I felt, Adalyn.” he said. “I could feel the water going into my lungs and I couldn’t breathe.”

“Then why were you swimming towards me? Why was I wrapped in rope?” she asked herself. “What’s happening?”

“Queen Severina gonna kill me.” James said, licking his lips nervously.

“That wouldn’t make sense though.” Adalyn said. “Queen Severina is the one that gave you the gift. Why would she try to kill you?”

“I don’t know.” he said. He swung his hand and a waved hit the sand roughly, “I just know, I was dying in that vision.”

“You’re souls are connected together it seems.” Adalyn said to Vanessa and James. “I think that’s what the scar means. How else would you be able to see this?”

“How don’t you know what this means?” James asked.

“Because I was only a mermaid for a hundred years.” she said. “One of the older mermaids would probably know, but they don’t usually come to shore. The only way you can figure this all out is find one of them.”

“Fine an older mermaid?” Vanessa asked.

Adalyn nodded, “You won’t be able to find Queen Severina. Most of us never know where to find her.”

“And where do we find one of these older mermaids?” James asked.

She stared out towards the water and shrugged, “Well, how does Arctic sound?”

Vanessa eyes wide and James groaned, “It sounds cold.”

“Oh, it’s beautiful.” Adalyn said. “Actually, it’s one of my favorite places. Makes me miss it allot.”

*

Vanessa smiled at Raphael when they made it to the shop he worked at since his shift was over. He walked over and kissed her, wrapping his arms around her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and looked up at him, “I have news.”

“Oh really?” he asked. “What is it?”

“We need to make a journey somewhere.” she said.

“We?” he asked. “Please tell me that we is me and you.”

“It does, but it involves also James, Raphael.” she said and he sighed heavily, pulling away. “We need to find an older mermaid, Raphael. Her name is Ninda and the only place to find her is the Arctic.”

His eyes widen, “The Arctic?”

She nodded, “Yes. We have to do it tomorrow. You and I will swim all the way over there to find her. Adalyn is going to give us direction to get there. We find her, get some answers, and leave.”

“The scar is pretty mysterious.” he said and she nodded but she didn’t want to tell him yet that she also wanted to know where they could find Queen Severina and ask if she knows how Vanessa could work her powers. Adalyn knows stuff, but an older mermaid would know allot more.