I rolled my eyes. Lysi gave me a half-shrug that said,Well, they got there eventually.
“If Queen Medusa agrees, I would like to model our treaty after that of the Atlantic,” said Evagore.
“I am willing to advise,” said Medusa.
During the exchange, Lysi quietly rushed over to me. In our short time apart, I’d missed her smile so much that it ached to see it again. She grasped my hand under the water.
Behind her, someone’s head popped through the surface, and I gasped. Nilus.
Automatically, I twisted around to look for my parents. They were trying to navigate around the lava without stepping in it.
“Stay there,” I called. “We’ll come to you.”
I waved Nilus over, and we swam around and rose to the beach to meet them.
My parents’ arms wrapped around me the moment I surfaced.
I tried to speak but my voice came out muffled.
After a long moment, I said, “Mama, Papa, there’s something you need to know.”
I glanced back to Nilus, who waited at a distance like he was afraid to come near. My parents followed my gaze.
I drew a breath. Part of me resented having to be the one to drop this bomb on our parents. But I knew how scared he must be to come here after all these years, and the other part of me felt a rush of sympathy for my big brother. I wanted to help him with this moment.
“Nilus didn’t die on the Massacre. He … he was transformed into a merman.”
They stared at me, and then at Nilus, for what felt like several minutes. I wondered if I’d forgotten to speak in Eriana.
Then Nilus drifted closer and said, “Hi Mama. Papa,” in a way that was so reminiscent of how he said it as a boy that my eyes sprung with tears. His appearance had changed since becoming a merman, but his voice seemed to trigger something that set time back in motion.
“Oh, Nilus!” said my mother, dissolving into sobs.
She ran forwards and threw herself at him. They splashed into the water. Nilus laughed, holding her above the surface.
My father advanced more haltingly, a dazed look on his face.
Then all four of us were hugging. I lost track of time as we held onto each other. I’d never thought this would happen again—my mother, father, me, and my big brother, together and whole.
The sun dipped past the horizon, casting the beach into a soft glow.
Behind us, I heard James York say, “We’ll be in contact, then.”
“Until then, you can always find me upon the throne in the Moonless City,” said Evagore.
“Er—right. Reeves, you coming?” said Officer Miller.
Ben looked furtively in the direction where he’d left the other helicopter.
He gestured vaguely. “Uh, I’ve got …”
“Well, then, get that thing back where it belongs before I have to write you up for stealing it.”
“Yes, sir.” For some reason he looked immensely relieved.
Without another word, the two men left for their helicopter, where their armed and vested team waited obediently.
Ben watched them for a moment, then looked around, seeming to process where he was and what had happened.
