Sophie had been surprised when Luna actually stood up for herself. She was glad – although she was also quite worried for the girl – and it was good for her to find some courage and realize that no one from Lemuria was untouchable. She had not been anticipating Luna to react physically, however. It was rather stunning to watch the young Mer swing her tail, though she suspected Luna didn’t fully understand what she had done. The Mer didn’t have visible genitalia, and Sophie doubted any of them were familiar with the concept of that sort of vulnerability.

Still, Dr. Patron turned a few different shades of gray, white, and green before slipping sideways and collapsing with a gurgling whine. It was a triumphant visual.

“No more!” Luna sobbed, and she sounded so broken that Sophie’s heart fractured. It had likely taken all her courage to stand up to the man who terrified her so much, and Sophie knew she hated physical violence.

Sophie watched Dr. Patron a moment longer, but when he didn’t get back up, she glanced over at Jenny, who was staring with wide eyes. Sophie licked her lips to moisten them before speaking. “You might want to go get some help,” she suggested. “I don’t think he’s getting back up on his own.”

Jenny shook her head and took a step back. “Yeah,” she agreed. All her former bravado seemed to have fled, and she looked almost as pale as Dr. Patron currently did. Sophie had a feeling that she had been reminded of how capable the Mer were, how dangerous they could be. She might think twice the next time she taunted one of them.

The woman hesitated for a moment longer before turning and fleeing the room at a brisk jog. It wouldn’t be long before she returned with help – and there would probably be a reckoning when it happened – but for now, Sophie had other concerns.

“Luna,” she called in a gentle tone. “Come over here.”

Sophie tugged uselessly against the ropes binding her wrists and winced when it jarred her hip. She had landed badly earlier and suspected she had dislocated something. It would have to be tended to, but not right away. There were other priorities. For now, she wanted Luna away from Dr. Patron as much as possible. If he got up again, he’d be out for blood.

“Stay still,” Ixion instructed. Sophie flinched. The Mer had startled her, and she craned her neck to see him. He met her gaze evenly before lowering down to examine the ties keeping her bound to the fence. She twisted back to face forward to give him a better angle but had to suppress a shudder as his fangs grazed her skin. He hooked under the ropes and pulled, and while it wrenched Sophie’s shoulders back a bit, the ropes quickly snapped and freed her.

“Thank you,” she murmured as she drew her hands back around and rubbed at her wrists.

Luna had finally dragged herself over. Her eyes were wide and haunted and her face had paled further than it normally was. She kept glancing back at the scientist. “I did not mean to…” she trailed off in a broken tone.

Sophie reached out and wrapped an arm around Luna’s shoulders to pull her closer. “I know you didn’t,” Sophie agreed. She gently adjusted the wire cap still secured to Luna’s head, and then squeezed her shoulder. “You didn’t do anything wrong, Luna. He was hurting you, you had every right to defend yourself.”

“I just copied you,” Luna whispered.

Sophie couldn’t stop the bark of laughter that ripped from her lips. She shook her head and chortled. “I saw that, hon. It’s okay, you didn’t do anything wrong. But for future reference, humans – particularly human males – are incredibly delicate there, and so you should only make a point to strike if absolutely necessary, alright?”

Luna nodded. “I do not want to hit anyone, ever.”

“That is okay,” Rebecca replied. Sophie turned to find the other woman had pulled herself up out of the water to lean against the rails of the fence. She stretched an arm through and cupped Luna’s cheek. “Are you alright?”

Luna’s eyes watered, but she nodded. “I am alright,” she agreed. “It did not hurt very much. I-I have experienced worse,” she admitted. Sophie watched her swallow heavily, and she frowned. She was already familiar with the highlights of Luna’s past, but what just happened should never have simply been brushed off like that. It was a strong indicator of just how much healing Luna still needed to do.

A quick glance at Rebecca’s expression revealed her mother seemed to agree. Rebecca’s brows were dipped forward and the corners of her lips were pulling into a frown. “Luna, I was not asking for a comparison to the past, I was inquiring as to your current well-being. Are you hurt?”

Luna’s mitten-covered hand moved to her belly, where her skin was beginning to darken. The inky bruise was spreading rapidly across her ribs, down to her scale-line. “Not overly,” Luna mumbled.

Rebecca reached further through the bars to caress the tender looking skin. The Mer clucked her tongue and shook her head, and then her attention shifted to the injured scientist. She shook her head. “He is lucky for this barrier,” she growled.

“It will not separate us forever,” Ixion replied. His eyes were narrowed dangerously and glittering with bloodlust. It sent a shudder down Sophie’s spine, and she actually felt a surge of pity for the scientist. Luna’s parents had waited longer than they knew for retribution for their daughter’s abuse.

“Blasted little witch,” Dr. Patron spat. His voice was cracked and raspy, and he hadn’t managed to sit up, but his narrowed gaze was fixated on Luna with icy hatred. Sophie’s heart seized in her chest at the sight, and she saw Luna shrink down beside her.

Ixion snarled furiously and the sound echoed in the room. “I urge you to caution,” he growled, and his thick, muscular tail thumped the floor tiles once more. “I would take pleasure in worsening your situation if you dare touch her again.”

Dr. Patron glowered back at Ixion for a moment before his head dropped and he rolled onto his back with an agonized groan. Sophie felt it served him right.

The doors swung open before anyone had a chance for further comments. Sophie glanced up and her eyes narrowed as Dr. Auldon walked back in, accompanied by Jenny and three others. Two of them were carrying a stretcher between them, while the third was carrying a portable medical bag.

Dr. Auldon surveyed the room and folded his hands behind his back. He jerked his chin and the three workers hurried to Dr. Patron’s side. Sophie wrapped an arm around Luna and pulled the quivering girl closer.

Dr. Auldon’s footsteps echoed noisily in the otherwise silent room as he approached. He crouched down in front of them and plucked his glasses off his face. He took a moment to wipe at them with his tie before replacing them on his nose. “Would you care to tell me what happened?” he inquired.

Luna whimpered and sunk closer against Sophie’s side, and began to shake.

Sophie patted her on the back and then fixed her attention on Dr. Auldon. “It was his own fault; leave her alone,” she warned.

Dr. Auldon frowned and pursed his lips. “I am not concerned with blame right now, Miss Brooks, simply with the facts. Are you going to be forthcoming, or do I have to make my own assumptions about the situation?”

Sophie sighed. “She was finally falling asleep,” she growled. “She’d finally calmed down enough to relax when he came in. He grabbed her by the hair, was holding her up by it and shaking her around, and kicked her when she protested,” she explained. She gestured to the bruising still darkening against Luna’s pale skin. “She defended herself, nothing more. He took a hit from her tail…right between the legs.”

Dr. Auldon didn’t say anything for a few moments, and then his attention shifted to Luna. “So you finally worked up the courage then? I’m impressed. Look at me,” he instructed.

Luna merely whimpered in response and tucked her face closer against Sophie’s ribs. Sophie winced at the motion but swallowed the discomfort as she continued to rub Luna’s back.

“She’s been through enough,” Sophie protested. “Just leave her alone.”

Instead of responding, Dr. Auldon ignored her altogether and reached out to tap Luna’s scales. The young Mer cringed and shied away. “Look at me,” he repeated. “Right now.”

Behind them, Ixion growled in warning. Luna finally peeled her face away from Sophie’s shirt. Her eyes were wide and brimming with tears.

“I’m not angry with you.” Dr. Auldon’s voice was shockingly calm and even a little bit gentle, and Sophie raised an eyebrow in surprise.

Luna only whined and her fin vibrated side to side with anxiety.

Dr. Auldon shook his head. “I am not angry with you and there will be no consequences for what happened; you can relax.”

“Like hell, there won’t,” Dr. Patron hissed from across the room. He was being shifted onto the stretcher and groaned loudly. “When I get ahold of that little-”

“There will be no consequences, Richard,” Dr. Auldon repeated tersely.

Dr. Patron moaned loudly as the technicians shifted him onto the stretcher. “You don’t get to make that decision,” he growled.

“Dr. Patron, we’re both under review. Any operation or study done with these creatures must be cleared with the board first. You are not exempt from that. Do you want to report to them that you were injured by an animal you were handling improperly and are seeking retaliation, or do you want to pass it off as a freak accident and move on?”

When Dr. Patron didn’t respond, Dr. Auldon nodded at the workers. “Get him to the hospital; there’s one up the road. Tell them it was a thrashing dolphin calf. Miss Barnes, escort them, and then return to overseeing the transfer of the other two.”

Once they were gone, he turned back to Luna. “I am not mad and there will be no consequences,” he reaffirmed. “This time. I appreciate that you’re able to stand up for yourself now, you never would have in the past. However, I will not be able to protect you a second time, so don’t do it again,” he warned.

Luna nodded. “I-I understand,” she whispered. Sophie watched her swallow heavily. “I am sorry…I did not mean…”

Dr. Auldon shook his head. “Don’t be. Under different circumstances, I might congratulate you. He’s needed someone to knock him down a peg or two for years now, and I personally don’t care for him, so you’ve done me a favour.”

Luna shuffled her tail but said nothing.

After a moment, Dr. Auldon’s attention shifted away and Sophie found herself the new focus. “Are you injured? Miss Barnes mentioned you couldn’t stand.”

Sophie shrugged. “I think the fall dislocated my leg; it’s not serious,” she replied. She hoped that was all that was wrong. The pain was prominent, but manageable so long as she didn’t move much.

“I can deal with it,” Rebecca offered. “I do not much care for this confinement. I see reason in a mutually agreed-upon truce – more or less – but I do not care for being physically separated from my daughter. I have waited a long time to see her again, you will not continue to put distance or barriers between us, or I am no longer going to be quite so reasonable.”

“Neither of us are,” Ixion agreed.

Dr. Auldon was silent for a moment and Sophie was expecting him to refuse. It wasn’t exactly a request either Mer had made, but so far any threats hadn’t seemed to phase the scientist much.

After a moment, Dr. Auldon rose and shoved a key into the padlock holding the gate closed, and tugged it open a second later.

Sophie was a little surprised, but she did not comment on it. She’d rather the man continue to consider the Mer’s needs.

He stepped back so that Luna’s parents could leave if they chose and then jabbed a finger at Luna. “She can’t go in the water with that cap on, and I don’t want it off until we get the data I need. I’ll allow the two of you to roam, but only so long as there are no further altercations. You’ll yield to my workers, or I will enforce confinement measures, am I clear?”

“I would not say we can see through you, no,” Rebecca replied. “But I do not see how that is relevant.”

Sophie had to bite her lip to stifle a laugh. “He’s asking if you understand, Rebecca.”

“Oh. Yes,” she agreed.

Sophie nodded up at Dr. Auldon. “They’re very literal.”

He pursed his lips and hummed his understanding, then turned when the double doors swished open once more, just as Ixion dragged himself free of the doorway. He placed a hand on Luna’s shoulder and crooned something at her that Sophie couldn’t understand.

Sophie craned her neck for a look, but it was only the two Lemuria workers who had brought Ixion in. This time, they had Nero strung between them. The younger male sagged low with his dorsal bumping against the floor as they carried him. His head was lolling off to one side and his eyes were rolled in his head.

“Nero!” Ixion called. He bared his fangs at the scientist, who held up a hand in return.

“He’s only sedated,” Dr. Auldon replied. “His behaviour has been far too aggressive for me to risk my employees when handling him.”

“You are holding his pregnant mate captive and separated from him!” Rebecca barked. She slapped her tail against the tiles furiously. “It is in our instincts to protect those closest to us – his actions are not his own so long as she remains at risk – and you cannot simply suppress that with your vile concoctions designed to inhibit the senses.”

“I think you’ll find that I can,” Dr. Auldon countered. “And I suggest that you calm yourself, or I’ll do the same to you and your mate, and I’m sure dear little Suzie would be much more relaxed with both her parents close. I have no intention of harming your son; I am merely looking to prevent further injury to my people.”

Rebecca’s furious hiss was close enough to Sophie’s ear that she flinched, and Ixion twisted his head to growl at the scientist for a moment before he turned to Rebecca and their whistling conversation filled the room.

Rebecca hissed again and then Sophie heard her sigh, and she must have caved because Dr. Auldon nodded his approval and then jerked his head at his employees. They moved further into the room and stepped around Ixion to walk to the far end of the pool.

“You did make one valid point,” Dr. Auldon stated as he watched them dump Nero into the water. One of them held him up by an arm while the other clapped an iron collar over the top of the red leather one they’d already fitted him with. It was secured to a chain feeding into the wall. It certainly wasn’t a feature the room had originally had. Sophie grimaced as she watched the workers release him. He sunk in the water immediately.

“He’s going to remain too protective of the orange one to leave him free to roam,” Dr. Auldon finished. “This will be for the best.”

“That isn’t covering his gills, right?” Sophie inquired. The metal band was thicker and wouldn’t shift as easily. If it pressed Nero’s gills closed while he was unconscious, he would drown.

Before Dr. Auldon or either of the workers could respond, Ixion twisted around and dove into the water after his son and surfaced with his arms wrapped around his chest. He whistled something at Rebecca, who then dragged herself beyond the confines of the fence to hover over Sophie and Luna.

She laid a hand on Luna’s shoulder and gently tugged the girl backwards. She pressed her lips to Luna’s temple – just above her ear – and then nudged the girl with her tail. “Scoot over and let me have a look,” she instructed gently. “Are you hurt?”

Luna wiped a bit of dried blood from her lip and shook her head, though Sophie could see the distinctive blue-black colouring of her abdomen where Dr. Patron had kicked her.

“I am okay,” Luna whispered.

Rebecca nodded, and then her attention fixated on Sophie. “I have never worked with a human before, but I have reset many bones pulled out of place. Will you allow me to look?”

“Have at it,” Sophie agreed with a wince. Now that most of the adrenaline had faded away, her leg was beginning to burn and throb.

Rebecca nodded and hunched over Sophie. She ran her fingers down Sophie’s side and over her good leg, applying a bit of pressure as she did. Then she did the same on the other side and Sophie winced as it aggravated the injury. “I believe you are correct; the bone is no longer in the correct place, but it is not broken. Can you move at all?”

“A bit,” Sophie replied. “I can’t stand, though.” She wished she could, she’d have gone after Dr. Patron had she been able to.

“Roll onto your good side,” Rebecca requested.

The moment Sophie moved to comply, Rebecca grabbed her bad leg and held it rigidly. It made it hurt worse, but Sophie decided to trust the Mer knew what she was doing, and continued shifting onto her side.

“Take a breath and hold it,” Rebecca urged.

Sophie had barely filled her lungs when the Mer wrenched her leg and then shoved. It burned terribly and tears watered in Sophie’s eyes, but then there was a loud popping noise and most of the pain faded away. “Thank you,” she gasped between gritted teeth.

Rebecca hummed in agreement. “Your bones are easier to work with. A tail is much more of a hassle to reset.”

“I can imagine,” Sophie agreed. She pushed herself upright and then gingerly tested her weight on her leg until she was standing again. It was a relief to be back on her feet, even if her exhaustion slammed her again the moment she stood.

Loathe as she was to leave them all, Sophie found herself wobbling over to the gurney in the room and taking a seat so her head would stop spinning. She had not eaten or had enough to drink in the last couple of days to keep her body functioning properly, and it was catching up with her.

She braced her hands on the edge of the cot and observed the situation continuing to unfold. Dr. Auldon had knelt beside Rebecca and Luna, and Luna was shrinking away from him despite being the object of his intentions.

“I am not mad at you,” Dr. Auldon reminded her. “There is no need to be shy. I do want you to go lie back down on the mattress now. Be good about it and I’ll consider removing those mitts.”

Luna’s eyes were wide and she seemed to hesitate.

Rebecca gave her a gentle nudge with her tail once more. “Come on, I will come with you,” she encouraged.

Luna nodded and began dragging herself across the floor. Sophie offered her a smile and beckon. “Come on, kiddo,” she called. Luna smiled hesitantly back, while Rebecca flipped onto her stomach to follow her daughter.

Just as she did, Dr. Auldon cleared his throat. “Actually, you stay here for a minute. You’ve obviously got some medicinal knowledge and I have a couple of questions, especially regarding the pregnant mermaid.”

“What questions?” Rebecca pressed with a wary tone.

“How close is she to going into labour?”

Sophie was curious to know too. Karina’s pregnancy was protecting her from abuse, but Sophie was worried once the child was born, that Lemuria would take it from her. It wrenched at her gut to consider, and she hoped they could find a way to keep mother and infant together. Karina didn’t seem like she could take any more stress, and losing her baby was almost certainly going to send her over the edge.

Rebecca didn’t answer right away. When she finally did, her tone was terse. “Very,” she admitted. “Half a moon at most, but it could just as easily be only a few turns from now.”

“Turns?” Dr. Auldon queried.

“Days,” Sophie clarified with a roll of her eyes. She wasn’t completely fluent in the Mers’ unique lingo, but she was growing annoyed at having to explain these basic terms to the scientist. He had been spying on her for months, he had to have heard her learn them from Riley. The fact that he hadn’t bothered spoke volumes of how much he cared about interacting with them.

“I never understood why humans used that to explain the passage of time,” Rebecca commented. “The length of a day is equal to the length of a night, so when you say two days, it should mean one day and one night to account for the time, not two turns of the sun and moon.”

Sophie smothered a chuckle and shook her head. “I couldn’t tell you,” she replied. When she saw Dr. Auldon frowning, she rolled her eyes again. “I told you; they’re very literal.”

“Clearly,” he replied dryly. “What do we need to help ensure the safety and success of the birth?”

Rebecca sighed. “She will need a natural water temperature. If it is too hot or cold, she will struggle. She needs space to swim and plenty of food and rest for after because her body is going to exhaust itself.”

“We can give her a shot to boost her energy levels,” Dr. Auldon replied.

Rebecca bared her fangs and hissed. “Do not,” she snarled. “She will recover naturally. I will not risk your chemicals affecting her or the infant.”

“It was merely an offer,” Dr. Auldon soothed. “You mentioned a high-calorie intake. Should we be offering her – and the rest of you – anything specific?”

Rebecca’s tail fin began twitching and tapping repeatedly against the floor. “Anything nutrient-rich now, but she will need to build her fat reserves after. The rest of us balance both, but you are forcing us to push the limits of what is healthy for not eating. And fruit, if you have it. It is hard for us to obtain, but exceptionally good for us, especially during pregnancy.”

Dr. Auldon nodded. “I can arrange that,” he agreed. “I know you don’t like me and you’re more comfortable responding with hostility; and for now, that’s fine. I don’t need your loyalty or your respect, but I do need your compliance. I appreciate the information you’ve supplied, and I trust that you at least know that our interests in the health of your kin are – more or less – aligned for the moment. Let me do my job and I won’t bother any of you beyond that, for now.”

Rebecca was once again silent for a while. She picked at her fingers and snorted, and her fin continued to tap the ground over and over.

Sophie didn’t blame her reluctance to answer. They were all captives with uncertain fates at this point. She was spared having to respond when Lewis pushed through the doors. Sophie sighed with relief when he did. She had been worried about where he was. Tucked up in his arms was Karina. The Mer’s maternity fins were folded over her chest, and her one arm was curled around her heavily swollen middle, while the other clung to Lewis’ shoulder. Her eyes were bloodshot and her chest was heaving. By the way Lewis was rubbing her arm and cradling her close, Sophie guessed something had deeply distressed her, and he was trying to offer consolation. It was probably being separated from Nero again after watching him be rendered unconscious. Her stress levels had to be astronomical.

Sophie stood up from the cot with the intent of moving over to them, but Dr. Auldon beat her to it. He rose from beside Rebecca and walked over. As he approached, Karina shrunk closer against Lewis and chittered fearfully.

“You’ve been very helpful this evening, Dr. Patter, but you can take a break now. I know you must want some time with your loved ones as well. Give her to me,” he instructed as he reached towards Karina, who whimpered and shied away from him.

Lewis shook his head and tightened his hold on the pregnant Mer. “She’s not comfortable around people,” he reported. “It’s better if I do it.”

“She’s going to have to learn to adjust,” Dr. Auldon replied. “That wasn’t a request, Dr. Patter.”

Lewis sighed and his gaze redirected to his passenger. “Karina…” he trailed off.

The Mer whined and buried her face in his chest before shaking her head. The spiny fin framing her skull was lowered with distress. It was not dissimilar to a dog or cat flattening their ears, and Sophie’s heart went out to the poor girl.

She tensed when she saw Dr. Auldon reach out and grip the pregnant girl by the chin. When he dragged her gaze away from Lewis’ shirt, her eyes were wide and fat tears were spilling down her cheeks. Sophie took a step forward, but then she saw the man caress the girl’s cheek with his thumb. The action didn’t seem creepy, but genuinely gentle.

“You’ve had a trying few days,” he murmured. “I know it was probably hard to watch that tussle with your mate, but no one is going to handle you like that. And he’s alright; just sleeping, no harm done.” Dr. Auldon twisted to show her were Nero was in the water. Ixion had gently slumped him against the side so that his torso was out of the water, and was hovering close by his son.

Karina chirped something and Ixion whistled back, but it didn’t seem to soothe the pregnant Mer, because her posture remained just as rigid.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” Dr. Auldon continued. “I just want to get you settled. Come on now.”

He held his arms out towards her once more, but Karina responded by wrapping her tail around Lewis and frantically shaking her head.

“Yes,” Dr. Auldon instructed. “I don’t want to hurt you, but I am going to insist you behave yourself or I will have to get more forceful.”

The fresh tears that leaked from Karina’s eyes, coupled with the way her hands shook as she released Lewis and reached out towards the scientist broke Sophie’s heart. The moment she was in his arms, she snaked a hand around her belly and remained tense and quivering. Lewis was biting his lip and Sophie suspected he was resisting the urge to reclaim the girl away from the scientist.

Dr. Auldon said nothing as he readjusted her weight and then stepped around Lewis. Instead of bringing her back towards the pool or one of the beds, the scientist climbed the two steps of a sturdy stool to reach the top of the isolated tank near the doors. The moment he threw the lid open, Karina whimpered again and another burst of chitters burst from her lips.

Ixion growled loudly at the scientist as he lowered Karina over the edge into the water.

“What are you doing?” Rebecca demanded. “Do not put her there!”

“She will be safest here. We can regulate the water temperature and keep a better eye on her.”

“She needs to be with her mate! No Mer gives birth alone if they can avoid it. It is incredibly dangerous,” Rebecca snarled. “There is not enough space in there for her.”

Dr. Auldon had two fingers hooked into Karina’s collar, preventing her from diving away from him. He was using the leverage to keep her in place while he carefully pressed various nodes to her neck and arms. He was fussing with the fins folded over her chest trying to stick more nodes under them, and Karina was twisting and whining as she tried to duck away from him.

“Leave her alone,” Sophie protested. “Can’t you see you’re stressing her out?”

Dr. Auldon seemed to ignore them both as he guided Karina’s attention back to him. “You leave those in place. If you pick or pull at them, I’ll take away the use of your hands,” he threatened.

Karina didn’t respond, but when the scientist tried to press more nodes to her belly, she finally seemed to stick up for herself, swatting his hands away and showing her fangs.

The action was super weak, however. It was clear she was only frightened and showing no true aggression. Sophie wondered why the girl seemed so subdued when all of the other Mer were quick to warn away any perceived threats.

Dr. Auldon pressed the patches to her swollen middle regardless and waved a finger in her face sternly. “I mean it; don’t touch,” he warned.

He released her and stepped down from the stool.

“You said you wanted a lack of hostility,” Rebecca reminded. “Earn it. Do not do this. Leave Karina out here with us; you are only putting her and her baby at risk this way.”

Dr. Auldon shook his head as he closed and latched the tank. “I’m afraid I can’t do that. You all are far too protective of her, and my main priority right now is ensuring that her baby is born healthy. I don’t need to be attempting to wade through a cluster of hostile mermaids to get to her when the time comes. You haven’t earned that trust either, I’m afraid.”

Dr. Auldon dusted his hands off on his lab coat and then adjusted his glasses on his face. “Miss Brooks, I suggest you plug Suzie’s cap back in as soon as possible. I’ll leave you all be for now and someone will be in with food shortly.” He turned on his heel and headed back towards the door.

“Wait!” Rebecca called after him. Sophie watched the scientist pause and turn back to face the Mer with a raised brow. Rebecca hesitated before meeting his gaze evenly. “When her baby is born, you cannot take it from her,” she warned.

Dr. Auldon shook his head. “I have no desire to separate them – or any of you – and the baby will be returned to her immediately after a cursory examination to ensure its health.”

Rebecca shook her head. “No, you misunderstand. As soon as that infant is born, it cannot leave her side, not even for a heartbeat. Mer children are born with sealed gills. They have no scales and are incredibly vulnerable. We nurse our children at the breast, the same as you, but it is more than that. For the first several turns, that will be how the infant will breathe. Karina’s heartbeat and warmth are what will keep the baby alive. If you take that away, you will kill the child. It will suffocate. If a parent dies during birth, the infant will not survive unless the other parent can get to them quickly enough, and even then it is rare. You will leave the baby alone,” she stated.

Dr. Auldon pursed his lips and was silent for a moment as he seemed to mull over the new information. “Thank you for telling me,” he replied after a moment. “That’s something vital to know. I’ll keep it in mind and ensure the medical team is alerted. She will stay in the tank for the night, and I will consider an alternate arrangement in the morning; provided all of you do as you’re supposed to. I want Suzie sleeping with that cap on and I expect those wires to still be in place when I come back,” Dr. Auldon decided as he turned to face Karina once more. She shrunk away from him as he did.

None of them tried to stop him as he left with his two employees tailing him.

The moment he was gone, Lewis stepped up and gently rapped a single knuckle against the glass of the tank. “It’s okay, Karina,” he murmured. The frightened Mer was hugging her belly with her fingers poised hesitantly over one of the wires secured to the bulging flesh. “It won’t hurt you or the baby. It’s just monitoring your vitals and reading your heartbeat; yours and the baby’s. Just to make sure it all stays healthy. Just leave them alone, they won’t hurt you. I promise.”

Karina chittered again – Sophie could hear her this time – and slumped down to the floor of the tank. She looked miserable, but at least she didn’t seem to be outright panicking anymore.

Lewis sighed and made his way back over. He crouched down beside Luna to hug her and pull the cord to her cap back into place. It had gotten ripped out when Dr. Patron was manhandling her earlier. “You okay, kid?” he inquired.

There were tears in Luna’s gaze too, but she nodded. Rebecca had pulled herself over at that time, and her tail arced around Luna’s as she pressed close. A hum rose in her throat and morphed into the same haunting melody she had been singing earlier. Luna sniffled softly, but she lowered herself down against her mother’s side and closed her eyes. The song continued for several minutes, and everyone sat in silence as she sang.

When it finally died away, Luna was breathing deeply and she didn’t so much as twitch. Glancing over, Sophie saw that the young teen was not the only one affected by the tune. Karina was also limp in her tank and seemed to be breathing deeply.

“Neat trick,” Sophie whispered.

Rebecca sighed. “Perhaps,” she agreed. “But it pains me to use it in these circumstances. It is meant to promise peace and safety, and both are now a lie.”

Sophie’s lips parted to protest as she watched Rebecca slump and hang her head. She wanted to reassure the Mer, but found she had nothing decent to say.

Finally, she settled for offering out a hand. “We’ll figure it out,” she promised.

Rebecca shook her head. “Your certainty is a false hope.”

“I know,” Sophie agreed. “But we’ll still figure it out.”

Rebecca’s dark eyes twinkled and she cracked a small smile. “You are lying to offer a form of comfort,” she acknowledged. “It will not work, but I do appreciate it. I never imagined I would want anything to do with your kind, but the two of you…you are each one of us, with or without a tail.”

Sophie wanted to offer something back, but she found herself too stunned to reply. The one thing she’d learned for certain about the Mer was that they were cautious and slow to trust, and they had every reason to distrust humanity. The statement carried a lot of weight and it felt like an honour. Finally, she settled for nodding. “Thank you,” she whispered.