The pools, as Devin had called them, were housed in a giant enclosed space that could have easily fit two large football fields. There was a massive in-ground pool that opened into wide tunnels Sophie assumed went right out to sea. Offset from the primary pool were several smaller ones. Some were connected via small channels just wide enough for someone to swim through, while others were sectioned off by a thin walkway of tiling. One entire side of the main pool was sloped in a gradual incline that acted as a perching ground. Sophie had been surprised by how many Mer were currently milling about, but apparently, there was a small pod that had taken refuge when a pregnant member had gone into labour prematurely.

Some of the others were simply visitors or lived here. It was amazing to see.

Sophie gently nudged Riley in the ribs with the curve of her elbow. The girl was perched on the side of the pool with Sophie, leaned back on her hands with her fins trailing in the water. “Hmm?” she hummed as Sophie nudged her.

“What do you think of all this?” Sophie inquired. “We haven’t really gotten a chance to talk.”

Riley hummed again. “I am impressed,” she admitted.

“Really? I’ve been a little worried. I want to believe this is all genuine, but I’m wary.”

Riley leaned back a little further and flicked her fins to send droplets skipping across the surface. “Mer can be deceived too, but not this many of us. Mer do not interact with humans very often. There is an inherent wariness in us. For entire pods to consider this a safe place to stay, they must have genuinely proven themselves. Devin and Carson mean us no harm.”

Sophie smiled and draped an arm over Riley’s shoulders. “How’s your back?” she asked.

Riley winced and rolled her shoulders. “I anticipated getting a bruising if I tussled with her, but I had not quite expected that blow. It hurts, but I will heal.”

“It was scary to see,” Sophie admitted as she hugged the girl more tightly. “You could have been seriously injured landing on your back like that. I don’t like the idea of working with her anymore, I just don’t see another choice.”

Riley’s pale blue gaze twisted to look at her and her slender blonde brows pulled together. She shook her head and sneezed, and then brought a hand up to rub at her nose. “She messed up my senses rather badly, but I think there is more going on than we know about.”

Sophie frowned. “What do you mean?”

Riley shrugged and shook her head. “I do not know quite yet,” she admitted. “But I just get the sense there is something we are missing. Lukshia betrayed us, but then she helped us escape again. But Katie is not with us and Lukshia swam us in circles about getting the information we need. We should not trust her and yet…she did not resist me near as much as she could have. I should have easily been thrown more than once. And hitting the ground did hurt, but not nearly as much as it should have. She put more effort into making it seem like she was fighting me than she did into actually fighting me.”

Sophie pursed her lips. She wasn’t sure what to make of Riley’s statement, but she also wasn’t prepared to unbox Lukshia’s puzzling behaviour. “I’ll just be happy for all of this to be over and have some downtime. I want to get Katie back and get settled somewhere – anywhere – safe and just…live.” She sighed and cupped Riley’s cheek. The Mer hummed and leaned into the contact, and Sophie stroked her thumb over the side of the blonde teen’s face. “It sounds like we’re going to be by new waters – I don’t know if you’ve ever travelled this way – and that’s probably going to be tempting, but will you stay for a little while? We haven’t had a chance lately to just be a family.”

Riley flicked her fins through the water and nodded. “Yes,” she agreed. “This has been too much of an adventure for me too. I have hated being apart and I am not eager for another separation any time soon.”

Sophie grinned and pulled Riley sideways in her embrace. “You know, we never got the chance to discuss it when we moved because everything happened in such a rush and you had to leave the same day, but you’re going to get your own room when we get settled again.”

Riley’s brows pulled together and she cocked her head to one side. “A room? Like how you and Katie had at the apartment? But…what do I even do with one? It is not like I have possessions that require a space, and you know I am perfectly content to simply sleep on the floor or at the bottom of that pool we saw. I have no use for one.”

Sophie shook her head and cupped Riley’s face in both hands. She leaned in and kissed the Mer’s brow. “That’s not the point, Riley. You are a part of this family and you are going to have your own space within our house. Our house,” Sophie emphasized. “Yours too.”

Riley grinned brightly and her eyes sparkled. “Thank you,” she murmured.

Her subdued tone made Sophie wince. Riley bottled up a lot more than Sophie wished she would, and she knew once they had some quiet time she was going to sit the girl down and drag the conflicted thoughts out of her so they could address them properly.

“What are you two talking about?” Lewis inquired as he walked up. He had gone back to check on Luna and her family, and Sophie wondered if perhaps they were finishing up there or if Lewis had just ducked back out to avoid being in the way.

“We were just discussing how you were going to come for a swim with me,” Riley announced. An impish delight glittered in her pale irises as she showed her fangs in a wide smile.

“Oh?” Lewis plopped down cross-legged beside them. “Is that so?”

“Yes,” Riley agreed.

Lewis leaned back on the palm of his good hand and pursed his lips. “I don’t know about that.”

Riley’s tongue poked out between her teeth and she jutted out her bottom lip. “Please, Lewis? It will be fun. Sophie, you will come too, right?”

Sophie shook her head. “I don’t have a bathing suit. Besides, I don’t think now is the best time for me to be getting into the water if I’m going to have to go soon. Later though, I promise.”

Riley flicked her fins. “Okay,” she caved. “But soon. Lewis has to come with me, though.”

Lewis shook his head and held up his arm. “I can’t get the cast wet, Riley. Once my arm is better and the cast comes off, I would love to come for a swim, but you’ll have to be patient in the meantime.”

Riley huffed and crossed her arms. She sent water droplets flying as she flicked her fins, and her nose crinkled up.

“You go,” Sophie urged. “Swim, burn off some energy, have some fun. I have a feeling that things are going to get very chaotic very soon. And I’ve seen you eyeing that,” Sophie nodded to the opposite side of the pool.

Devin and Carson had set up a rather impressive water structure. Steps and ramps and large blocks rose out of the pool and had been drilled into the wall. There were slides and two strings of monkey bars stretching out from the play structure, and they had pipes filtering water up from the pool to splash back down over the entire structure. It should have made it slick and dangerous, but everything was coated in a layer of waterproof padding. It was well thought out and there were a few younger Mer laughing and hefting themselves up over it.

Sophie supposed it wasn’t something the Mer needed or would usually interact with, but it was an excellent way to get exercise and looked like it provided both physical and mental stimulation. It warmed her heart that this much thought had been put into a communal space. She’d noticed Riley eyeing it more than once and knew the energetic girl was probably itching to test it out. “Go,” she urged.

Riley shifted her weight and stared off at the watery jungle gym. “But I-”

As if he shared Sophie’s thought, Lewis stretched out a foot and gave Riley enough of a nudge that she slipped off the edge and into the pool. Her squeak of surprise had Sophie dissolving into a fit of giggles as Riley resurfaced sputtering and with her bangs plastered to her face. She scowled up at them and then Sophie was covering her face against the wave of water Riley launched back at them.

The girl stuck her tongue out and then dove backwards and disappeared under the water. The next time she resurfaced, it was to launch herself out of the water and hook her fingers around one of the horizontal bars that stretched out from the top of the structure. She hauled herself up to perch on top of the set with her back facing them. Then she tipped backwards into the open air to splash back down.

Sophie chuckled and shook her head at the display. She slipped her shoes off and dipped her feet into the water as she stretched out her hand and placed it over Lewis’. “I want one of those,” she admitted.

“The structure? Should we really be tempting fate with how often Riley manages to hurt herself?”

“I think it would be fine,” Sophie replied. “And I think it would be a far more constructive use of her energy. Katie and Luna might like it too.”

Lewis pursed his lips and nodded. “We could talk to Devin and ask how they got this put together.”

“I think it would be nice to-oh,” Sophie broke off when she felt fingers curl around her ankle. She leaned forward to see a young Mer lightly tugging on her foot. He was small and didn’t look much older than five. When he glanced up and saw her looking, he sunk lower in the water and the spiny fin-like ears on the sides of his head drooped. Sophie clucked her tongue. “Hello there. It’s okay, you don’t have to be scared.”

The little Mer sunk deeper into the water, and then his ears perked back up and he slowly broke the surface. He had dark skin and short, soft hair that was plastered to his skull. It was a little eerie to see bright blue eyes that almost seemed to glow and were set a little further into his head than usual. His gill slits gaped and water flowed down his neck from the five slits.

Sophie frowned. She was used to seeing three gills on the Mer, not five. But she’d come to learn that many of the Mer were vastly different, so she shook it off.

“Hu-hu-human?” he inquired with a tilt of his head.

Sophie nodded.

“Bad?”

She shook her head. “No, sweetie, we don’t want to hurt you. What’s your name?”

“N-nom?”

Sophie pressed a hand to her chest. “My name is Sophie,” she introduced. Then she gestured to Lewis. “And this is Lewis.” Finally, she gestured out to the young boy. “What is your name?” she asked again.

The boy touched his chest and Sophie wasn’t sure if he understood what she had meant with that or if he was just mimicking her, but then his ears flicked and he smiled. “Baodoe,” he answered.

“It’s lovely to meet you, Baodoe,” Sophie replied.

The boy reached up and placed a hand on Sophie’s knee. He frowned and tapped on it with two fingers.

“That’s my knee,” Sophie explained as she chuckled.

“Knee?” Baodoe echoed.

Sophie nodded and slowly extended her leg. “It’s a joint, so that my leg can bend.”

Baodoe’s frown deepened and he tapped on her pants again. “Leg?” When Sophie nodded her confirmation, the boy looked more closely. It was cute, so she just leaned back and let him fiddle with the hem of her pant leg. “Like oodile?”

Sophie frowned at first, then chuckled. “Yes, I suppose crocodiles have legs too,” she agreed.

“Oodile bad. Stay far,” he told her.

“Yup,” Lewis agreed. “They can be dangerous and you shouldn’t get too close. Did your parents tell you that?”

Baodoe nodded. “Yes. Teach much. Careful.”

“And who are you here with, Baodoe?” Lewis inquired.

Baodoe turned and pointed further down the poolside. Sophie followed the gesture and saw who he was pointing at. A male with red scales wrapped up around his ribs. A pale, spiny fin protruded from the nape of his neck and extended all the way down past where his tail disappeared beneath the water. He was leaned against the side of the pool and watching them very closely with narrowed brown eyes. His pale skin was a sharp contrast to Baodoe, but Sophie supposed the young boy could have taken after his mother.

When the Mer noticed her looking back, his eyes narrowed further and he parted his lips to release a sheer whistle. Baodoe turned his head and chirped something back. “Bye, go,” he called back to them with a wave before he dove underwater. His stubby tail flipped up into view as he swam away, revealing deep indigo scales with bright orange spines running down the sides and back. His fins looked like they were separate, but made of thick cartilage.

“Poor kid’s probably got a ‘don’t talk to strangers’ lecture coming his way,” Lewis stated with a cluck of his tongue.

“He was precious though,” Sophie murmured.

Lewis hummed.

“Sophie!” Sophie turned and shoved herself out of the way as Luna came barreling across the room on a small wheeled board that looked somewhat like a wider, longer skateboard. She was rolling rapidly towards the edge of the pool and at the last moment attempted to slow herself with the palms of her hands, but all the sudden force did was cause the board to flip and fling her forward into the water with a startled yelp.

She came up sputtering and Lewis reached out a hand towards her. “Are you alright, Luna?” he inquired.

Luna shook herself and nodded. She was smiling, but the hollow look in her eyes had Sophie pressing her lips together. She hadn’t seen it too often, but once or twice, Luna would try to mask her pain by being overly happy or silly and throwing herself into a childish game.

She didn’t like how the young Mer was depending on that as a way of avoiding her problems, but since her eyes were also currently bloodshot, Sophie decided not to say anything for the moment. Luna looked like she just didn’t want to cry anymore. “You should be a bit more careful,” Sophie scolded gently instead as she flipped the board right side up. “That would have hurt if you’d hit the ground instead of the water.”

“And you could have hit someone else,” Rebecca added as she pulled herself over on an identical board that she seemed to have much better control of. “I am glad you are doing a little better now, but I do not wish to see you being needlessly reckless.” Rebecca’s expression was stern for less than a moment before it softened and the creases along her brow vanished. She waved a hand at her daughter. “Go swim, release some energy and have a little fun, but behave yourself.”

Luna stretched an arm out and beckoned. “Come with me?” she begged.

Rebecca was silent for a moment until Ixion placed a hand on her spine. The three of them had come in on those boards and Sophie began to wonder if it was a substitute for wheelchairs around here. It certainly would be easier for the Mer to pull themselves onto.

“Go,” Ixion encouraged.

Rebecca twisted to glance at him and her expression softened further. She hummed and nodded, and the board she was sitting on jolted backwards as she jumped from it and dove into the water. The two Mer disappeared to the middle of the pool and Sophie sighed. It was going to be good for Luna. She probably hadn’t had any proper time to swim and play and just be in her mother’s company. She was happy for the girl, but seeing them made Sophie’s gut prickle with uneasy jealousy. At least Rebecca knew where both her children were and that – for the moment – they were okay.

“Thank you.” Ixion’s voice cut through her thoughts and she glanced at him. He had slipped off the board and pulled himself up to sit beside them.

“For what?” Lewis inquired before Sophie could respond.

Ixion shook his head. “Hearing her recount everything just now…You held back a lot of details when you told us what had happened. And I realize now just how much Rebecca and I owe you our thanks. People did not come to Luna’s rescue, they came to Katie’s, and none of you were under any obligation to help her as much as you did. I am not glad that she suffered, but it has been made clear that without her, my daughter would not be breathing ocean water now, and we would not know her.”

Sophie hesitated before reaching out and placing a hand on Ixion’s arm. She wanted to treat all the Mer as equals, but it was hard not to be intimidated by Ixion’s size and predatory capabilities. The Mer was massive and composed of solid muscle that made Sophie feel tiny in comparison. She wouldn’t have been able to wrap both hands around his upper arm and if he wanted to, she was fairly confident it would take him little effort to snap any bone in her body that he desired.

But at this moment, he felt less like an incredible force and more like a broken father desperate to help his child. Everything Lemuria had done to her must have made him feel immensely helpless. It had certainly made her feel that way more times than she cared to count.

“We were never going to leave Luna behind. Katie may have been the unintended reason that attention was drawn to Luna – and I may have had no control over how they initially got free of Lemuria – but Luna is always welcome – all of you are – and if there’s ever anything more that any of you need, you only have to ask and we’ll do anything we can.”

Ixion’s dark gaze remained as solemn as ever, but he dipped his head as she spoke. “Your generosity has not been lost on me. I do not believe there is much your people value that we could use to return the favours you have granted us, but they are appreciated.”

He sighed and swivelled his gaze out over the water. Sophie followed his line of sight and saw Rebecca with her arms wrapped around Luna. They were surrounded by a cluster of other Mer and Luna had a bashful smile on her face and was leaned close to her mother, but she wasn’t trying to cower or flee and Sophie smiled. Moments like this showed that Luna was going to be alright. She just needed time.

“Rebecca wishes to take her home as soon as possible,” Ixion murmured. “Personally, I do not care where home is so long as I have my family with me. I do not believe we are going back to our reef any time soon.”

“What makes you say that?” Sophie inquired.

Ixion shook his head. “Karina will not want to travel that far right now. Her son is too young and she will not feel secure about his safety and Nero will stay wherever she is. And your daughter is not going to come with us. I would not expect her to. But I have been watching and Luna will never leave her behind. In our absence, Luna has had to create her own family. As a father, there is no greater feeling of failure than knowing my daughter needed to depend on strangers because I was not there to protect her, but it does not change that she will not split from that new family now.”

Sophie winced. She wasn’t sure how everything was going to play out and she longed to ask Ixion what their plans were for the future if that was how he was thinking at the moment, but she wasn’t sure she was prepared to have that conversation at the moment. It was probably better saved for a time that everyone was present to participate.

Before she had to worry about answering, her attention was diverted away by laughter. Carson had finally rejoined them and was pushing a wheelchair in front of him. Nero was sitting in it with his body twisted slightly to one side so his dorsal wasn’t pressed up against the back, and he had Karina on his lap. She was laughing and squirming in his embrace as he tickled her. Sophie wondered what had brought about the playful fight between them, but she imagined Karina’s breathless smile was incentive enough to spur Nero on.

Karina chirped something at him and then grabbed both his wrists and pressed them to his chest. Nero probably could have broken her grip if he’d wanted to, but he merely smiled back at her before his face disappeared from Sophie’s view as Karina leaned in to kiss him.

Nero pulled his hands free of Karina’s grasp and lifted them to cup her face. The fin crowning her head flicked back and then back up, and as they drew closer, Sophie could hear the content humming, though she wasn’t sure which of them it was coming from if it wasn’t just both.

When their kiss broke, Karina tilted her head to rest the side of her face in Nero’s dark tresses. Her chocolate gaze settled on them all as Carson wheeled them closer and a light blush dusted her cheeks. She lifted a hand and waved shyly.

Sophie returned the gesture and smiled. When she had first met the girl, Karina had looked so terrified of all people that it broke her heart. She didn’t blame the poor girl, given the circumstances, but it was nice to see her coming out of her shell a bit. She seemed to have a luminescent personality.

“Sorry that we’re late. Karina got a bit hungry, so I took them by the kitchens first for a snack,” Carson reported. “Is everyone doing alright here?”

“We’re all fine,” Lewis agreed. He turned his attention quite quickly to Karina and Nero. “Are both of you okay?”

Nero whistled something to Karina and the young woman frowned. Her brows dipped together as she seemed to mull something over. “We…we a-are fine,” she stammered after a moment of hesitation. “I am tr-trying to learn…it comes easy more with more talk,” Karina paused to gesture to all of them.

Sophie nodded. “English is not an easy language, Karina. You’re doing wonderfully.”

Karina dipped her head. “Thank you,” she replied. “I am finding that the w-words jumble in my he-head, but it gets easier the more I do it. The t-trans-transition is the most difficult.”

Nero hummed in the back of his throat and wrapped his arms around her waist. Karina turned back to him for a moment and they leaned closer until their noses brushed together.

“Sophie?” Carson’s inquiring tone pulled Sophie’s attention away and she fixated on him. He rubbed the back of his neck. “Devin filled me in on what happened with Lukshia. I was wondering if I could ask a favour of you. I want to come with you when you go to get Katie. Devin and I aren’t really comfortable sending you into a potentially dangerous situation alone – especially since we feel responsible for putting so much faith in Lukshia in the first place – and it would also be better to have someone along with some medical knowledge just in case Katie isn’t as alright as Lukshia is implying,” he explained. He hesitated for a moment and scuffed one shoe on the ground. “And admittedly…we need to know the rest of what’s going on and how much about us other parties might know. This operation can be moved, but it cannot be moved at a moment’s notice, so secrecy is our safest option. There are a lot of Mer here that we’re not willing to risk.”

Sophie nodded. “You want to assess and do damage control as needed. I understand. Honestly, I would feel better with someone watching my back,” she agreed.

Carson nodded. “Thank you.”

Sophie nodded, then turned in time to see the crown of Riley’s head split the surface. She smiled and braced her palms on the edge of the pool before boosting herself out. She tilted her head to one side and began wringing water from her long, blonde tresses.

“Did you get tired or bored?” Sophie inquired.

Riley shook her head. “Neither. I would just rather be over here,” she admitted.

Sophie frowned. “Are you alright?” she checked.

Riley nodded. “Yes.”

Sophie frowned. The Mer was decent at hiding the depth of her emotions, but she always sounded just a little off if she was trying to convince someone she was fine when she wasn’t. “Are you sure?” she pressed.

Riley nodded again. “I am alright,” she repeated.

Sophie’s frown deepened and a quick glance at Lewis told her that he was equally concerned, but Sophie doubted she would be able to successfully press Riley for more in such a public area. Riley was too reserved for that. She decided that – for the moment – it was better to let Riley stew on whatever was bothering her and pull her aside at a more opportune time to have a proper talk.

So, when Rebecca and Luna resurfaced next, Sophie forced herself not to fret about Riley’s subdued behaviour, and she instead pushed a smile onto her face. “Have a good swim?” she asked Luna.

The girl’s chin jerked once. “It was nice,” she agreed. “But I wish Katie was here.”

“Me too, hon,” Sophie agreed. Katie probably would have loved all the commotion going on. She was a social enough kid that she was comfortable in a crowd, but was also just as happy to sit back and observe any hustle and bustle going on. It squeezed at Sophie’s heart to be reminded that she had no idea about Katie’s safety. She wouldn’t feel better until Katie was back with them.

Rebecca placed a hand on Luna’s back. “It will be alright,” she assured her daughter. For now, there is nothing more we can do, but I am certain you will see her soon. Try to perk up, you are going to enjoy this.”

“Enjoy what?” Sophie inquired.

Rebecca’s wide grin grew larger as she inclined her head towards the gathering cluster of Mer. “You will see.”

“Oh!” Carson exclaimed.

Sophie wanted to grill him for further details since he seemed to know what was going on, but she wasn’t given the chance as the first lyrical notes rose up from the center of the pool. The initial voice was soon accompanied by several others.

At first, it was a little overwhelming as the calls echoed off the walls of the indoor pool, but the Mer all seemed to find a rhythm and the sound evened out into a pleasant tune. Sophie watched as more and more Mer began to join in, their voices rising and falling in a way that kept the tempo going even when some paused for a breath. Several of the children that had been climbing on the structure were now frozen in place with their lips parted to sing along. When Sophie glanced around, she saw Karina and Nero had joined in, as had Rebecca, and even Ixion’s deeper, rumbling voice joined the cluster after a moment.

“Wow,” Sophie whispered. She saw Lewis nod. This almost seemed rehearsed, but that couldn’t be possible with all these Mer supposedly stemming from different places, and the ones Sophie knew personally had just gotten here.

As she looked around, she saw Baodoe in the water. He had been boosted up onto the shoulder of the male Mer that had called him away earlier, and he was swaying slightly to the tune. He didn’t seem to be singing, but Sophie supposed he might just be too young to know the song or follow along properly.

She saw Rebecca nudge Luna and after a moment, the blue Mer opened her mouth and a few hesitant trills echoed from her throat. She seemed to gain confidence rather quickly and while she was a little off-key, Sophie couldn’t keep the grin off her face as she saw the wide smile on Luna’s features and the way the girl clung to her mother’s hand. It was good to see Luna being immersed in her culture, and clearly, this was something that ran very deep.

It seemed like the only truly silent Mer was Riley, who was watching with a strange, glossy look in her eyes while she picked at her tail. It caused Sophie’s smile to falter a bit. She leaned close and gently nudged the Mer. “Don’t know the song?” she asked.

Riley shrugged. “No, I do,” she replied. Then her tone fell to a hushed mutter that Sophie was barely able to understand. “I know them all.”

“Well, come on then,” Lewis urged as he gave her a friendly nudge. “Let’s hear it.”

Riley shook her head and forced a rye smile. “I do not sing,” she refused with a second shrug of her shoulders. Her attention returned to the Mer in the water and while singing wasn’t exactly something Sophie would have pegged Riley to enjoy, she could have sworn there was a faint longing in the girl’s gaze.

Sophie took a breath and reached over to put her arm around Riley. “I don’t think there’s a skill requirement right now,” she whispered. “I’m not really a great singer either, but there’s nothing wrong with enjoying yourself regardless.”

“You misunderstand, Sophie,” Rebecca cut in. When she looked up, Sophie found Rebecca staring at Riley with a stern expression marring her previously relaxed features. “You are still set on this?”

“Leave it be, Aunt Becca,” Riley muttered.

Sophie rubbed Riley’s back. “Riley, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

Rebecca sighed and shook her head. “It is not that Riley cannot sing well – rather the opposite – it is that she will not. It is ridiculous to refuse a talent you possess when you enjoyed it so much as a child. Even now you reek of longing, why do this?”

“It is my choice,” Riley snapped. Her gaze had narrowed to pinpricks and her spines flexed as she curled her fingers into fists. “Just leave it alone. She wrecked it, just like everything else. I do not need more reminders of how inadequate I was to her.”

Sophie’s heart sunk. “Don’t fight,” she urged. “I’m sorry that I brought it up. Come here.” She didn’t bother waiting for a response before dragging Riley against her and giving her a squeeze. “Do you want to step away to somewhere quieter for a minute to talk?”

Riley hugged her back, but she remained rigid in Sophie’s embrace. “I do not wish to discuss it,” she murmured.

Before Sophie could respond, Rebecca scoffed. “You cling to your slights but refuse to address them. I had thought you had matured a little more than this, Riley.”

“Hey!” Sophie protested. She held Riley tighter as she felt her daughter stiffen further. “Give her a break. Rejection doesn’t heal like a cut or a broken bone, and harassing her further over it isn’t going to help anything.”

Ixion leaned forward over the pool and cupped Rebecca’s face in his hand. It broke her attention away from the brewing tension and when she gazed up at Ixion, she relaxed until Sophie swore she had the same expression Karina and Nero gave each other. Ixion leaned forward further until their foreheads met, and his fins flicked. “I love you. But Rebecca, you know this is not Riley’s fault. You know that. She is your sister, you love her, but she was a terrible mother and you cannot blame her daughter for that mess. We all tried to get Iliene to understand. She failed Riley, us, and herself, and I know you desire to defend her, but she did wreck things.”

Rebecca sighed and slumped in the water. The fight seemed to leave her instantly. “Riley, I-”

“It is alright,” Riley cut her off. “Just…please, I do not want to think about it anymore. It hurts.”

Sophie tightened her embrace on Riley and continued rubbing her spine. She wasn’t going to say anything more – not with how distressed the conversation had made Riley – but she still wanted to convey to the girl that she was loved and wanted and valued, regardless of her early life struggles and experiences. The other Mer were beginning to fall quiet now and – as pretty as it had been – Sophie was grateful for the silence. The music had only seemed to distress Riley further, so she was glad for the reprieve.

“I am sorry,” Riley whispered after a moment.

Sophie smoothed down Riley’s hair and shushed her. “Don’t you dare ever apologize for needing a hug,” she countered. “I happen to enjoy giving them.”

There was no response, but Riley made no move to pull away, so Sophie just continued to hold her. She held her until her name was called and she looked up to find Devin and Lukshia standing a few feet away, waiting for her. She sighed and gave Riley another quick squeeze.

“Take me with you,” Riley begged. “I want to help.”

“I know. I want to let you,” Sophie agreed. “But it’s safer for you here and Lukshia’s not going to bend on that. Besides, someone needs to babysit Lewis for me.”

“Hey!” Lewis protested.

It worked and Riley chuckled. Sophie patted her back once more. “Go to Lewis, okay? I promise I’ll be back soon.”

When Riley didn’t immediately move, Lewis reached out and grabbed her shoulder. “Come on,” he urged. “I’ll teach you some new jokes.”

“Good ones?” Riley asked as she sat up a bit.

Lewis shook his head. “No. Really, really bad ones that will make people want to beat their heads against a wall.”

After a moment, Riley grinned and nodded eagerly. She twisted and wrapped her arms around Sophie’s neck. “Please be safe,” she begged before she shoved herself out of Sophie’s lap to sit at Lewis’ side.

Sophie rolled her eyes. Riley didn’t need any new material to torment people with, but she was glad the girl was feeling a bit more like herself. She stood up and dusted her pants off. As she and Carson made their way over, she mentally steeled herself. She wasn’t going to play any more games with Lukshia or anyone else. She wanted her daughter home and safe, and she was going to do whatever it took to accomplish that.