“What a glorious morning,” the merman said to the empty house, smiling ear to ear.
87
On thesmall table beside the bed, a piece of paper held a note from Tempest.
Reed,
Have to go to work now. Thank you for yesterday. When can I see you again?
The thoughtfulness of the gesture hit him right in the heart, the way she considered his feelings if he woke up to find her gone. More than that, the fact she had asked to spend more time together felt like sunshine warming his skin—like happiness in its truest form. She liked him, too. That was the best news he’d gotten in quite a while.
Unfortunately, he would need to go home and face his family today. Reed would need to hold tightly to this happiness, this glimmer of joy, as he prepared for another confrontation with his parents. The pod would surely be upset with him for returning to land after Lady Serena had specifically instructed him not to.
Reed could not resist the magnetic tug toward Tempest. Nothing had ever affected him like she did. He spent a few minutes wandering her quiet, empty house, marveling at the various human inventions he didn’t understand. Then he walked out the door, down the porch steps, and into the sea.
Regardless of the pod’s reaction, though, he couldn’t avoid this conversation. They didn’t have to believe him or listen to him, but the way they had always done things would soon crumble beyond repair. They would each need to make a choice when the time came—all he wanted to do was prove to them they had options.
Jaw set and mind made up, Reed dove into the sea. He shuddered as his body transformed, his lungs switching back from his primary source of breathing to his gills. He didn’t need oxygen under the sea the way he did on land.
His legs fused together, his turquoise scales reappearing down the length of his tail.
“That’s better,” he did a front flip, head over fins, and took off.
Reed took off at full merman speed. He navigated the currents and the sea creatures as effortlessly as ever, feeling particularly exhilarated by the way his body moved under the waves. It didn’t take long for him to reach the edge of his pod’s waters, the boundary of their home.
He paused to mentally prepare himself. Whatever happened, he would return to Tempest by sunset. His life would be forever changed, even if it meant saying goodbye to his pod. Reed’s chest constricted at the way that made his heart hurt but swam forward anyway.
“Mother? Father?” he called into the caves.
“Reed?!” his mother’s voice sounded panicked, higher pitched than usual. “Where have you been, guppy?”
Slowly, he swam into the main cave and met the worried gazes of his pod. Lady Serena threw her arms around him, crushing him to her with a broken sob.
“I have news,” said Reed simply, meeting her eyes.
Instantly, her mood shifted. “What have you done?”
“I have researched the magical town of Crescent Cove and learned much,” he explained, doing his best to keep his voice from wavering. “I know how you feel about land and mortals. This place is different. Please, will you hear me out?”
“You were strictly forbidden," his mother began, but his father interrupted her quickly.
“We will listen. We promise nothing beyond that,” River saidsoftly.
Lady Serena’s shock faded as his father took her hand, pulling her close to hold her. “Proceed.”
“Thank you, Father,” Reed nodded respectfully at his parents. “Humans are aware of the devastation their kind has wreaked on our oceans. Unfortunately, there is not a lot they can do to reverse the damage. Things will not get better.”
Murmurs and gasps rippled through the assembly, lips turned down in scowls and frowns. He needed to get this out of the way and to be as clear as possible, so Reed did his best to ignore their reactions.
“I understand this is devastating to our way of life. I had hoped to find proof of work underway to reverse the damage, but that is not the case. I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news,” the merman continued slowly.
“This is terrible!” whined Lumina dramatically.
“How awful!” her twin wailed at the same time.
Reed decided to ignore their antics, rolling his eyes. “I understand this is terribly upsetting. It is also not a death sentence for the Cascadia pod. Please, I beg you, consider an unexpected alternative that may provide us with opportunities and resources that can save us.”
“That imaginary town you heard about?” asked Jupiter, the oldest mer in the pod.
