The waves rolled lazily over the shoreline, painting the golden sand a dark tan. The seafoam fizzled as it was pulled back across the beach and returned to the water. The ocean reflected the morning sky as Niylah walked along the wet sand. She had spent all of yesterday hiding out in her bedroom, trying to comprehend everything she had learned that morning. She had gone out before sunset to see if Joy had returned but she had yet to see her new mermaid acquaintance. Just in case Joy needed her throughout the night, Niylah had slept with the window open. She hadn't been called out like the first night she had spent here.

Now, Niylah was pacing the beach for any sign of Joy's teal tail but she figured mermaids were pretty good at remaining unseen. Throughout her early Siren's Bay years, Niylah had only heard of the folklore surrounding the town. She remembered her father telling her about fishermen claiming to spot mermaids once in a while but he always brushed it off as porpoise sightings. The town was built on the tales of mermaids and there were boats that advertised 'Mermaid Tours!' but anyone who said they spotted such creatures were kooky.

Then, she remembered the missing fishermen. Was it really just accidental drownings? Niylah herself nearly experienced it when she was out on the rough waters. Or, were these men also working with the same man as her father? Were they victims of something sinister? Niylah couldn't help imagining these men being hurt by the man that threatened her father. She slipped her hands into her pockets and something rough rubbed against her fingertips.

Niylah pulled out the tool she had kept hidden. Her stomach felt like it was being weighed down by rocks. She ran her thumb over the jagged tip. Or, did these fishermen fall prey to the siren song as Niylah had? Joy herself admitted to trying to drown her. She wasn't certain if this tool belong to Joy's people, but if it did, they'd be able to do some damage. It would make killing fishermen easy. As she was thinking about all of these horrible scenarios, her feet carried her towards the rocks Joy and her had occupied previously. Niylah was buried in her thoughts so, when Joy's voice spoke suddenly, it startled her.

“You came,” she said. Joy had settled against the rocks again, her hands grasping the edge of a rock so she wasn't floating into the waves.

Niylah held a hand over her chest, trying to calm her startled heart. “Of course. I said I would.”

“Halfling holds promises,” Joy said in approval. Niylah wasn't sure she was ready to admit her familial ties to Joy just yet.

Now that she was facing Joy, Niylah didn't know how to approach the topic. She fell silent as she struggled for her words. Her fingers traced along the bumpy surface of the tool and Joy seemed to notice.

“That,” she pointed at the tool. “Why do you have?”

Niylah cast her focus on the tool and held it out in her palm for Joy to see. “You know what this is? Is it yours?”

“Mine, no. V.” The mermaid reached up and took the tool from Niylah. She examined it over.

“What's a vee?” Niylah asked. Was she supposed to understand?

“V is family. His weapon. It broke when he saved our fish.”

“V is another mermaid...merman...merperson?” Niylah struggled how to address this new mer-creature. “He was the one captured in the net, wasn't he?” She recalled the night she'd fallen overboard. Before that, something broke out of their net. Something strong.

“Yes.” Joy didn't bother to correct her. Niylah guessed it didn't matter what he was referred to since they didn't refer to themselves as mermaids. “He protects us.”

Niylah inhaled, bracing herself before letting out her breath. “Did you use those to hurt fishermen?”

Joy didn't seem offended by the question. “No need. Weapon is for protection against creatures. Song is for protection against humans.”

“Your song is for protection against humans...?” Niylah trailed off, afraid of where this was leading. She knew she used her song to attempt to drown her. It didn't occur to her she was using it to kill the fishermen.

“Yes. Humans danger us for very very long time. We evolve to protect ourselves. Use song on humans, save our fish, save our species.”

Niylah's mouth dropped open. “You killed those fishermen...” She swallowed a nervous lump in . “They were innocent men! They had lives! They had families!”

A hiss came from Joy, something she hadn't heard before. “Not innocent! Starve us and kill us! Why humans more important!”

The last sentence struck her. Why were humans seen as superior? Why were they more important? They weren't.

“I understand. I will help you protect your people,” Niylah's tone was gentle. Joy became visibly more relaxed and she was no longer on the defense as she listened. “However, you cannot hurt any more humans. No more using your song to lure the fishermen out, okay? We will find a different way to stop them.”

Joy let out another annoyed hiss but complied with a nod. “I take help.”

“Good,” Niylah agreed with a smile.

“But,” Joy continued. “I come on land.”

“You're going to come on land?” Niylah shuffled back on the rocks as if Joy was going to scramble up them right then and there.

“Yes,” she said. “And you help so I help you.”

Niylah's brows furrowed in confusion, but before she could ask what she meant, Joy was already answering.

“I tell you about your mother.”

A/N: Sorry for the delayed update! I didn't realize that yesterday was Monday.