Later that night, I curled up in bed, the faded leather book balanced on my lap as I flipped through its worn pages. I hadn't even bothered looking at my project because my mind had been stuck on why Elara gave me this. A book about full moons. As if that had anything to do with me. Full moons. Seriously? I had scoffed at the idea all the way home, dismissing it as another one of Elara's vague riddles. Full moons meant werewolves, right? What did it have to do with mermaids? Sure, Eclipse Bay had a moon pool, and I had looked up at the sky a few times while swimming there, but it was just a name, not something that actually mattered.

At least, that's what I had thought.

After leaving Waves and Whispers, I hadn't even stopped by The Cozy Corner like I normally would. I had gone straight home, and surprisingly, my parents were back. At first, I had been shocked, but then the moment they saw me, my mom handed me money, and my dad barely looked up from his phone, muttering a quick "hi" before telling me they were going to a party. That was it. Five minutes home, and they were already waving goodbye. By now, I should've been used to it. But for some reason, it still stung.

I had barely even spoken to them before heading straight upstairs, flopping onto my bed, and staring at the book. At first, I ignored it, planning to edit some vlogs, but my mind kept circling back. There was something about the way Elara had handed it to me. Like she knew something I didn't.

So, I gave in and started reading.

The golden emblem of the full moon on the cover gleamed under the dim glow of my bedside lamp, and for the hundredth time, I wondered why this book. Why this subject? Why was it important?

I sighed, running a hand through my hair as I carefully turned the next page. The ink was faded in some places, the script old-fashioned, almost lyrical. I skimmed through various legends about tides, the cycles of the moon, and its connection to the ocean. Interesting, sure. Maybe useful later.

But not what I was looking for.

Then, a passage caught my eye.

"A merperson must never look directly at the Full Moon or its reflection in water, for they will fall under its mesmerizing gaze. Bewitched, they will forget themselves, lost to the moon's pull. What happens while under its thrall will never be remembered."

I froze. My fingers tightened around the edges of the book, my pulse ticking faster. I read it again, making sure I hadn't imagined it.

"...will never be remembered."

My throat felt dry. If I looked at the full moon... I wouldn't remember anything afterward? What did that even mean?

I turned the page quickly, scanning for more.

"The moon's effect on a merperson varies. Some will only feel a pull to the sea, their senses clouded by the night's enchantment. Others, however, will experience something far more dangerous."

I inhaled sharply, heart pounding now.

I turned another page, my stomach twisting.

"The Full Moon can cause a merperson's powers to surge beyond their control. It can amplify their abilities, making them unpredictable, unstable. It is advised that all merfolk remain cautious on these nights."

Unpredictable. Unstable. The words burned into my brain.

I turned another page.

And that's when I saw it.

A single paragraph—smaller than the rest, almost hidden at the bottom of the page.

"In rare cases, the Full Moon's influence may be more than just an enchantment. There are whispers of those whose very nature changes under its gaze. The energy of the moon may turn a mermaid into something else entirely. Something darker. Something meant to lure."

My breath hitched.

I swallowed hard, my fingers trembling as I traced over the final words.

"...the Full Moon can awaken the call of the Siren."

I snapped the book shut.

Whoa. Wait. What?

I could turn into a Siren?

I sat there, my mind spinning, staring at the closed book in my lap. So, if I looked at the Full Moon, I could be bewitched, completely losing myself in its pull? And on top of that, the moon could change me? I could become a Siren. I could lure people.

But what happened after?

What did it mean to be bewitched? What did Sirens do under the moon's influence?

I had no idea.

Because apparently, I wouldn't remember.

A shiver crawled down my spine.

Elara knows something.

She wouldn't have given me this book for no reason. She had been watching me, glancing at the ring on my hand, speaking in half-truths. She had been waiting for me to find this.

My heart pounded against my ribs.

This had to be a joke. A myth. Some old legend that had been stretched and exaggerated over time. But I knew better.

Elara never did anything without reason.

She had given me this book. This story.

And I had a feeling it was only the beginning.

I had a million questions.

And they all started with her.

The next day, I walked into Waves and Whispers with one goal in mind. Get answers.

Everything was too much. The book, the warnings, the full moon and what it could do to me. It couldn't be a coincidence. Elara had given it to me for a reason, and I was going to find out why. But I had to be careful. I couldn't just demand answers outright or start blurting out things that would make me sound insane. I barely knew her, and yet, she always seemed like she knew something.

The bookstore was just as quiet, just as enchanting as before, but this time, I wasn't distracted by the glow of the chandeliers or the scent of old books and vanilla. My focus was set on one person.

Elara.

She stood behind the counter, flipping through what looked like an old ledger, the sound of soft classical music humming from a nearby radio. She didn't even glance up when the door chime rang. I wondered how old she actually was. She looked young, but there was something about her—something timeless, like she had seen far more than she let on.

I swallowed, pushing down the small flicker of unease creeping up my spine as I approached the counter.

"Elara," I said carefully, keeping my voice even.

She glanced up, smiling as she turned down the music. "Back again so soon?"

I exhaled sharply, gripping the edge of the counter. "Actually, I am. That book you gave me..." I hesitated, unsure how to bring this up without sounding crazy. I couldn't just say Hey, so about this full moon thing—am I about to turn into a Siren? I had to play this carefully.

Her green eyes lifted, locking onto mine with quiet amusement. "What about the book?"

I hesitated, then crossed my arms. "It wasn't a coincidence that you gave me that book, was it?"

Elara tilted her head slightly, her silver hair cascading over her shoulder like liquid moonlight. "I just thought that book would be something you'd enjoy. I didn't expect you to have questions." She hummed softly, closing her ledger with a soft thud. "And here I thought you were just browsing."

I ignored the bait. "Why full moons?" I asked, watching her carefully for any kind of reaction. "Why did you give me a book about them?"

Elara's lips pressed into a thoughtful line. "Why not? The moon is a mysterious force. You seemed like someone who would appreciate the knowledge."

I let out a sharp laugh. "Right. Because tides and moon cycles are so relevant to me."

She arched a delicate brow, her expression still unreadable. "Aren't they?"

My pulse ticked faster.

I had to be careful.

I couldn't just blurt out what I had read last night, couldn't start throwing around the fact that a full moon could make a mermaid lose control of their abilities or, worse—turn them into a Siren. I needed answers, but I couldn't reveal too much.

I forced a shrug, shifting my weight. "I just think it's weird. That whole section about people getting bewitched by the full moon? Not remembering what happened?" I let out a casual scoff, trying to keep my voice light. "Sounds like a fairy tale."

Elara didn't blink. "Most myths start that way."

I leaned forward slightly. "So, you believe it then?"

She smiled faintly, cryptic as always. "Do you?"

I hated how she always answered a question with another question.

I exhaled through my nose, tapping my fingers lightly against the wooden counter. "What about the part where it says a person's abilities can spiral out of control?" I paused, carefully choosing my next words. "Or... change them?"

Elara studied me for a long moment, her green eyes flickering with something unreadable. "The moon has always held a powerful influence," she said smoothly. "It's been known to pull at the ocean's tides, shift the energy of the world, awaken things that may have otherwise remained dormant."

That wasn't a real answer.

I pressed my lips together, frustration curling in my chest. "You gave me this book for a reason," I said, pushing now. "Why?"

Elara was silent for a long moment, her gaze flickering—just briefly—to the ring on my hand.

My stomach twisted.

She kept looking at my ring. Again. I had noticed it before, but now, I was sure.

She knew something.

And she wasn't saying it.

I forced myself not to tense, not to react. Instead, I lifted my chin slightly. "Why does it matter to you?"

Elara smiled softly, but there was a weight behind it. "Some things are better discovered on your own," she murmured. "Guidance is helpful. But experience? That is where true understanding begins."

My stomach twisted. "So, you're not going to tell me anything?"

"I'm giving you exactly what you need," she said lightly, reaching for her ledger again. "You just haven't realized it yet."

I opened my mouth to argue, to demand more, but before I could get a word out, a voice cut through the air.

"You're talking about full moons?"

I stiffened.

I turned just in time to see Eli standing near one of the bookshelves, watching me carefully.

Shit.

How long had he been standing there?

Elara didn't react, simply flipping a page in her ledger, but I caught the slight flicker of her gaze as she glanced in Eli's direction—almost like a silent warning.

Eli's eyes flickered between the two of us, his usual easygoing smirk nowhere to be seen.

I forced a quick shrug, pretending like this wasn't a big deal. "Yeah, I mean. It was in the book she gave me." I let out a small, forced laugh, shifting my stance. "You know, how full moons make people act weird or whatever."

Eli's expression didn't change, but something about his posture shifted, almost too subtly to notice.

I waited for him to ask something, maybe make some smart comment, but he didn't.

Instead, he just nodded slowly. "Huh. Interesting."

That was it.

Just that.

But for some reason, it didn't feel like nothing.

I glanced at Elara, expecting her to say something, break the weird tension, but she simply returned to her work like nothing had happened.

Okay, weird. It was like both of them were playing some kind of game.

What do they know?

Why was Eli acting weird?

Why was Elara being cryptic?

Whatever. If Elara was going to be vague and Eli was just... watching me like that, then fine. I'd figure this out on my own.

I cleared my throat, gripping the book tighter. "Well, anyway. Thanks, Elara. I guess I'll, uh... keep reading."

Elara smiled, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "I'm sure you will."

I turned to leave, but as I passed Eli, I caught the way he was still watching me, his expression unreadable.

I couldn't tell what Eli was thinking, but the way he looked at me sent a prickle of unease down my spine. I didn't like it.

After leaving Waves and Whispers, I kept replaying the conversation with Elara over and over in my head. She knew something. I was sure of it. But what exactly did she know, and more importantly, how did she know? The way she had glanced at my ring, the way she had dodged my questions while still guiding me toward some inevitable realization—it wasn't subtle. She was waiting for me to figure it out myself.

And Eli?

He had been watching me.

I didn't know what that was about, but something about the way he had reacted when I mentioned the full moon didn't sit right with me. Maybe I was imagining things. Maybe he had just been curious, but at the same time, something about it felt deliberate. What if Eli thought I was crazy? What if he told Jack?

I didn't even want to think about Jack right now. I had avoided him all day at school, slipping through the crowds, blending into the background before he could notice me. I had seen Brooke flirting with him at his locker, but I ignored that too. I even skipped AP English—which was rare for me—by going to the nurse's office.

I never skipped class. But today, I had. Not only that, but I had lied straight to the nurse's face, telling her I wasn't feeling well, and she had let me stay.

I hated it.

I hated feeling like everyone around me knew something I didn't. The whole thing left me on edge as I walked down the street, gripping the book tighter against my chest, heading toward The Cozy Corner. I needed caffeine. I needed to clear my head.

The late afternoon sun warmed my skin, and the air smelled of saltwater and fresh bread from a nearby bakery. The sky was clear, the town buzzing with the usual sounds of cars, people chatting, seagulls calling overhead. Everything was normal. Completely normal.

Until a car rolled past a street puddle at just the wrong moment.

Cold water slammed into me, soaking my entire left side.

I gasped, stumbling slightly at the shock of it, my breath hitching from the sudden chill.

"Are you fucking for real?!" I muttered, shaking out my arm, my soaked sleeve sticking to my skin.

My heart lurched into overdrive.

I could already feel it happening—the slow, inevitable shift, my legs growing numb, the tingling heat crawling up my skin.

My stomach dropped.

I needed to get out of here.

Now.

I bolted.

I didn't know where I was going, didn't care, as long as I got somewhere hidden before it happened. The book was forgotten, my only thought was move, move, move before someone saw me.

I rounded the first corner I could, slipping into a narrow alley between two buildings, barely breathing as I pressed my back against the brick wall. My entire body shuddered, heat pulsing through my veins as the transformation took over and then I belly flopped onto the ground as I heard my tail slap onto the pavement.

Belly flopping hurt.

Sucking in a sharp breath, I gritted my teeth as I pushed myself upright.

No one saw, right?

Right?

I froze. I didn't have time to react, to put on my invisibility, but I guess it was too late.

A shadow loomed at the entrance of the alley.

Eli.

I swear my soul left my body.

He stood at the edge of the alleyway, half-hidden in the dimming light, his expression unreadable.

He had followed me.

Why the hell did he follow me?

I couldn't believe he had trailed me all the way into the alleyway and now he was seeing me in my full mermaid form. I hadn't even reacted in time to use my invisibility because, honestly, what was the point? He was already seeing this.

His gaze flickered downward.

To my tail.

His eyes widened slightly.

Another beat of silence.

Then, slowly—too slowly—he tilted his head, exhaling as he ran a hand through his hair, muttering something under his breath.

"...Well, shit."

My life was over.

Eli stared at me.

I stared back, my pulse hammering so loudly in my ears that I almost couldn't hear anything else.

His eyes flickered from my tail to my face, then back to my tail again. I was waiting for it—the reaction, the panic, the shouting, the oh-my-god-what-the-hell, but it never came.

Instead, Eli exhaled, muttering another low, "Shit, this is bad."

Yep, no kidding, Eli. This is bad. I'm here in my mermaid form and now he knew my biggest secret.

Then, to my complete disbelief, he stepped fully into the alleyway and positioned himself at the entrance.

He was watching for anyone who might pass by.

I blinked. "Are you covering for me?"

Eli didn't look back at me right away, still scanning the area, his posture tense but composed. "Have any better ideas? I mean, we don't want anyone to see you. Would you want to be a science experiment?" he said lightly, his voice calm in a way that unsettled me.

He had a good point there.

Eli finally glanced back at me, raising a brow before nodding toward my very obvious mermaid tail, its purple scales glinting in the dim light, as well as my matching top.

I sighed sharply. "Okay, cover me while I get dry."

Since there was no time for questions and he was actually helping me, I had seconds before someone could walk by and see me like this.

Taking a deep breath, I braced myself, closing my fist tightly over my tail and focusing on the lingering moisture clinging to my skin. Hydrothermokinesis was about control, about knowing exactly how much heat was needed to evaporate water without burning myself.

Pressure. Tension. Heat.

A sharp warmth surged through my hand, curling over my skin, traveling across the length of my tail, wrapping around every glistening scale. The dampness clung to me for a split second longer—then evaporated in soft wisps of steam.

The second the last trace of moisture was gone, my tail tingled, my body shifting, the transformation reversing.

The moment I was completely dry, my clothes reappeared—jeans, hoodie, everything as if it had never vanished.

I released the breath I'd been holding, flexing my fingers as the last bit of warmth faded from my skin.

Eli, to his credit, had already turned his back to the alley entrance, standing guard, giving me space.

"All good?" he asked, still keeping watch.

I stood up, brushing off invisible dust, trying to fix my appearance, even though nothing had actually changed. "Now I am."

Eli turned back around, his gaze flicking over me quickly before his shoulders relaxed slightly. "Good thing I was here."

I pushed myself upright, my legs still slightly numb from the rapid shift. "I want answers."

Eli arched a brow. "Yeah? Well, so do I."

I folded my arms tightly. "You first."

He smirked slightly, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Why don't we head to The Cozy Corner first?" His voice was calm, too casual. "I'll answer your questions there."

I hesitated. "Why not here?"

Eli's gaze flickered back toward the alley entrance, his smirk fading slightly. "Because standing in a sketchy alley talking about mermaid transformations isn't exactly low-key. And also, you're not the only one keeping secrets."

I clenched my jaw. Who else was he protecting?

I huffed, stuffing my hands into my hoodie pocket. "Fine."

Eli's smirk returned. "Good. Let's get some coffee."

I followed him out of the alley, my mind still spinning.

The warm scent of coffee, vanilla, and baked pastries drifted through The Cozy Corner, wrapping around me like a blanket. Normally, the comforting atmosphere would settle me, but not today. Not when Eli was leading me straight to a conversation I wasn't prepared for.

I was still on edge, still processing what had happened in that alley—how he had seen me, helped me, and covered for me like it was second nature.

And now?

Now, I was about to demand answers.

Eli pulled open the door, holding it just long enough for me to step inside before following after me. He moved like nothing was out of the ordinary, like we hadn't just gone through the biggest exposure risk of my life.

But before I could grill him, my stomach twisted at the sight near the counter.

Brent was working today.

Which meant—

Jack was here.

I immediately recognized his broad frame leaned casually against the counter, his chestnut-brown hair tousled as he lazily scrolled through his phone. He was dressed in his usual comfortable athletic fit—hoodie, joggers, sneakers—like he had just come from football practice. Brent, standing behind the counter, was mid-conversation with a customer but still spared Jack a few glances, probably checking if he was even paying attention.

And then, as if he felt me enter the room, Jack's head lifted slightly, his gaze flicking up toward the door.

His entire body tensed.

My stomach plummeted.

I had avoided him all day. Skipped class. Dodged hallways. Blended into crowds. I knew he had noticed I wasn't in AP English, but I didn't give him the chance to corner me and ask why. I had made it twenty-four hours without an actual face-to-face interaction. Sure, I had seen Brooke flirting with him, and I didn't even bother to see how he interacted with her. After what I said—after what I confessed—I didn't care.

I had avoided him for a reason.

Jack overanalyzed everything. My words, my behavior, my actions. I was tired of it. He was already too close to figuring me out, and after what had happened today, I had bigger things to worry about.

Like Eli.

I barely even knew Eli. I had barely spoken to him until twice at Waves and Whispers, and now this.

Shit.

I had completely forgotten about that.

For a brief second, I thought maybe Jack was going to say something, maybe he was going to push, but then his gaze flickered—just slightly—to the person next to me.

Eli.

Jack's expression shifted.

I didn't know what I expected, but whatever reaction I thought I would get, it wasn't this. His jaw tightened, his grip on his phone subtly shifting as his eyes darted between us, flickering with something almost like...

Irritation?

Annoyance?

Before I could even process that, Eli lifted a hand in a casual wave. "Yo," he greeted smoothly, his voice easygoing as he nodded toward them.

Brent, who had just finished ringing up a customer, barely reacted, glancing up just long enough to nod back before returning to his register. Jack, however, stayed completely still, his expression carefully neutral, but there was something there. Something simmering beneath the surface.

Eli, completely unfazed, patted my shoulder lightly, nudging me forward. "C'mon, let's grab a table."

I tore my gaze away from Jack's unreadable stare, forcing myself to follow Eli as he led me toward the corner booth, farthest from the counter. I didn't look back. I refused to.

Jack was not my priority right now.

Right now, my focus was on the one person who actually knew something.

Eli slid into the chair first, stretching his arms along the back of the seat, completely relaxed as if we were two normal people meeting up for coffee. I sat across from him, still gripping my hoodie sleeves, my heart still racing from what had happened earlier.

I waited a full second before leaning forward.

"Talk."

Eli raised an eyebrow, amused. "Wow. No warm-up conversation? No 'Hey Eli, how's life?' Just straight to the interrogation?"

I scowled. "Look, I know we are barely friends, but you saw what happened back there. You knew to cover for me. You knew I needed to dry off. You knew not to freak out. You knew something. So start talking."

Eli exhaled, tilting his head slightly, his usual smirk softening. "And what exactly do you want me to say?"

I glared. "Why you aren't freaking out."

Eli shrugged. "Am I supposed to?"

"Well—" I paused. Was he?

His smirk twitched. "Exactly."

I exhaled sharply. "So, that means you know about mermaids then."

Eli didn't confirm or deny it, just leaned back slightly, watching me, like he was deciding how much to give away.

I leaned forward, lowering my voice. "I'm just going to take that as a yes then."

Eli sighed, finally dropping the teasing act. "Look, Aria. I get why you want answers, but let me be real with you—I'm not the only one keeping secrets."

I frowned. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Eli hesitated, drumming his fingers lightly against the table. "I'm protecting someone."

That threw me off. "What?"

His jaw tightened slightly. "I know about mermaids, but I also know that trust isn't easy to give. And I can't just throw someone else's trust away just because you suddenly want answers. I can't out someone like that, and besides, she doesn't know you that well, so let's just leave it at that. But you're smart, so hear my words carefully."

I blinked, sitting back slightly, thinking over his words.

She.

So, I wasn't the only mermaid.

Eli smirked like he knew I had caught on.

Eli exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "See, you caught on real quick, Morales. Look, I'm not saying I won't tell you anything. I'm just saying... not right now. There's a reason why I work at Waves and Whispers too. Elara. But we'll save that for another day."

I clenched my jaw. Elara had something to do with this.

Frustration coiled in my chest. "Then why bring me here?"

He tilted his head. "I was off my shift at Waves and Whispers, and also, you and Elara were talking about full moons. I had to check up on you, and I had to confirm something."

My stomach tightened. "You followed me."

"Yes, I did, and I was right." Eli said.

I crossed my arms, glaring at him. "Wow. Stalker."

Eli chuckled, shaking his head. "Look, full moon's coming. Now I can see why you keep Jack at a distance, but come on, you also need someone who has your back." He smirked slightly. "And while we're at it, just finish the damn project. It's getting tiring watching you avoid Jack while he broods about it."

I scoffed. "I can take care of myself, thanks."

Eli smirked. "Sure, Morales. Sure."

I rolled my eyes.

Eli knew a lot more than he was letting on.

<>

A/N: Please comment, vote, and feedback is greatly appreciated.