Naia's story haunted my thoughts, awake and asleep. My eyes were glassy when I awoke, my cheeks sunken. I knew I had to find Brandon; I just didn't know where to begin. For one thing, I only had a first name. And I definitely wasn't going to track down Naia again and ask. I washed my face with trembling hands, struggling to contain the anxiety rising inside me.

When I swam back into the bedroom, Jay was awake and sitting up, his face lined with worry. I felt his eyes on my back, his gaze like a brand. "What are you going to do?" he asked, his voice filled with concern. I swam to him, kissing him deeply.

I'm going to find Brandon. He knows more than he's letting on. We need to find out what it is. My trembling hands conveyed my nervousness, making my signing jerky and unwieldy.

Instead of answering, he kissed me deeply, neither of us breaking the kiss for several moments. When we finally broke apart, our faces were inches from each other. "Come back to me," he said. I nodded, hoping with everything I had to be able to keep that promise.

The pendant was a heavy weight around my neck, almost vibrating with power. It took everything in me not to clutch it, to feel the power radiating from it. I got dressed, grabbed my bag, and swam out into the open water. Mermaids and mermen alike smiled and gave me a gentle nod as I swam past. I had a dagger at my waist, but I desperately hoped I wouldn't have to use it.

I had neared the Whispering Reef when I sensed someone behind me. My dagger was in my hand a heartbeat later as I whirled around. A merman with short brown hair and dark green eyes stared at me, his face pale and eyes wide.

"Are you Nerissa?" He asked.

I struggled to read his lips as I sheathed my dagger. Obviously, Naia had failed to mention that I was deaf. I grabbed a sheet of paper from my bag and scribbled a message before handing it to him. I'm deaf. I'm Naia's sister.

Wow. The words felt wrong even on paper. She'd stopped being my sister the moment she'd sided with Tiger Shark. He read the message and nodded before flipping it over and writing his response on the back. I'm Brandon. I heard about his death. I know he was your father. I'm so sorry.

Hearing his name made Naia's story that much more real. This was the merman who'd betrayed her by siding with Tiger Shark. He must've asked around about me, hoping to run into me. This time when I wrote my response, I gripped the pen so hard my nails dug into my hands. He was never my father. My working for him was purely for his enjoyment. I had no say in it whatsoever.

His green eyes darkened as he read. It seemed Naia hadn't failed to mention that piece of information. A jolt went through me as I realised another task I had to complete. I had to go back to Aegrem and survey the area, check on the survivors.

Where are you from? I wrote when he handed the paper back to me.

He read the message and scribbled his response. Pelathas. My parents and sisters live with me. I only came here to see if I could find you and explain. I raised an eyebrow at that. Naia hadn't mentioned his parents or about him having any siblings. A shiver ran through me as I wondered, how, exactly, he'd known where to find me. As far as I knew, Naia hadn't had any contact with him since we were kids.

A sudden throbbing began in my head as the pendant started glowing at my chest. The ghosts appeared a moment later, this time with serious expressions. One of them inclined its head, beckoning to something. While every instinct was telling me to turn away, I shoved those thoughts away and followed them. Brandon had a confused expression on his face, but followed nonetheless.

The throbbing had turned into a full-on pounding as we arrived in Aegrem. I faltered when we swam inside, the little girl's expression burned permanently into my mind. The wary and angry gazes of the villagers hit me like a slap in the face as we swam. My heart hurt when I saw the ruined houses, some almost unrecognisable.

I turned to Brandon as we neared the Whispering Reef, but my eyes lit up as I realised who was behind him. Jay, David, Bella and Meri were floating a few feet away from him, concern in their eyes. I swam to Jay, hugging him tightly. I need you to translate.

He nodded as we broke apart, gripping my hand as we swam in front of the crowd of merpeople that had gathered. I caught Jay's eye and nodded as I raised my hands. Citizens of Aegrem, I come to you today as both your queen and a concerned citizen. Tiger Shark is dead. A few gasps and shocked expressions at that revelation. I took a deep breath and continued. Unbeknownst to me, he had been killing mermaids and mermen and storing their souls in the Lost Soul Pendant.

I gestured to the pendant around my neck. Before his death, he forced me to work with him, saying my family's life depended on it. A while after I'd started, I learned that my own sister was working with him. Even though Tiger Shark is dead, Naia Singh still lives. From this moment forward, she is considered a traitor. Be on your guard at all times. If you see her or know someone who has, please don't hesitate to contact me and my husband.

I took a shaky breath as I finished. Their faces were impassive as they stared at me. That's when it happened. The throbbing pain exploded, a cry escaping me as I sunk to the ground, clutching my head. Ghosts swam in front of my closed eyes, taunting me. My vision blurred, nausea surging through me. The last thing I saw was a blurry face staring down at me before I blacked out.

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