My thoughts scrambled back to that fateful night when the raging sea threatened to swallow me whole. Desperation had clouded my senses, yet I vividly remembered a mysterious savior, one with glowing amber eyes.
Was this really him?
The same creature that had vanished into the depths of the ocean after saving me?
My past and my present collided.
Wobbly-legged, I managed to take a hesitant step, my fingers trembling as they extended toward the tank. Every part of me was drawn to him, like a moth to a flame. Yet, despite the familiarity, an eerie undertone of tension settled in the pit of my stomach.
How had he ended up here, confined and on display?
The merman seemed to feel the pull, too. He gravitated toward me, his graceful hand coming up to mirror mine on the opposite side of the thick barrier. The glass, a stark reminder of the chasm between our worlds of land and sea, felt ice-cold against my skin.
Swirling emotions, a blend of shock, disbelief, and a heavy pang of guilt, coursed through me.
His amber eyes were mournful, but they still held an unspoken connection—a tether that had inexplicably bound us during our brief encounter.
Turning slightly, the merman tilted his head, a gesture so profoundly human that it sent shivers down my spine. His gaze never wavered, capturing mine with an intensity that spoke of recognition—and of silent pleas.
The intense glow of his gaze followed my every move, tracking me with an intelligence that could not be ignored.
Blinking hard, I shook my head as I pulled my eyes away from him, turning my head to look at my grandfather. “How…how did you find him?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper.
He cleared his throat, unable to conceal his mischievous grin. “Our offshore cameras captured footage of him. I managed to erase it before it caused a panic, but I kept a copy to study,” he explained smugly. “He was caught off the coast of Miami, almost halfway to Bermuda. On the border of the Bermuda Triangle, of all places.”
He leaned in closer, his voice just above a whisper. “With the recent tension over theStardancerincident, people are demanding answers. I used my influence, pulled a few strings, and managed to purchase him through the black market before the discovery was publicized.”
The implications of his words hung heavy in the air. They had captured my savior, held him captive for their own curiosities. And my grandfather, the man I trusted above all others, was part of it.
I turned back to the glass, my heart pounding in my chest. “What are your plans for him?”
My grandfather, the renowned marine biologist, looked at me with a mixture of fondness and seriousness in his eyes. He adjusted his spectacles and sighed. “Isla, my dear,” he said, his voice low and measured. “This creature is unlike anything we’ve ever encountered. I paid a hefty price for him. He may have saved you, but he is also a scientific marvel—a living bridge between our world and the depths of the ocean.”
I blinked, trying to comprehend the weight of his words. “But shouldn’t we be thanking him for rescuing me?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper. “He risked his life to save mine.”
A shadow passed over my grandfather’s face, his features tightening. “I understand how you feel. But this creature is a rare specimen. His existence holds immeasurable scientific value. We have the opportunity to study him, to learn from him, and perhaps even find a way to protect other species on the brink of extinction.”
My heart sank, my hand still against the cool glass, feeling the vibrations of the water from the other side. His words hit me like a tidal wave crashing down around me. I couldn’t deny the importance of scientific discovery and preservation, but it felt like a betrayal to keep my savior imprisoned.
The man standing before me had raised me, taught me to respect and cherish life in all its forms. Now he was willingly keeping a sentient being captive, rationalizing that he was acting for the greater good.
It felt like I didn’t know him anymore.
I forced myself to swallow down the anger that was rising within me. “So you’re just going to keep him locked up? Use him for your research?”
His eyes softened slightly. “It’s not that simple, dear.”
“He’s not another piece for your collection, Grandpa,” I snapped, struggling to keep my voice steady. “He’s a sentient being. Since he decided to save me, he must be capable of thoughts, feelings…empathy.”
He gave me a pointed look, his gaze drifting to where my hand still rested on the glass, against the hand of the sharkman inside. “I’m aware of that. And that’s why I need you. You’ve already established some sort of connection with him. You could be the key to communicating with him.”
“But what about his rights? His life?” I countered, my voice rising in anger. “This is wrong. It goes against everything you’ve taught me.”
“He’s acreature, Isla. Either from an experiment, hyper-evolution, or even from that alien government that has shown interest in our world since theStardancerdisaster.” His response sent a chill through me, wrapping around my heart with an icy grip. “He has no rights here on Earth. Not until our government has reached an agreement with the Interstellar Protections Agency. Only then can we ascertain if he was sent by them or not, and how he came to be.”
That wasn’t what I wanted to hear. “And until then? What’s your plan for him?” I pressed on, my eyes scanning the sharkman’s form behind the glass. The way he was watching us, his gaze unwavering, sent shivers down my spine.
Could he understand what we were saying?
