It was late, and I was too anxious to sleep.

I'd spent the day preparing for the end of the week, when I would be introduced to the Cains' friends and extended family. That morning, just as Nate and I had practiced, I'd posed statue-like for Brook, hand on my hip, clad in the latest fashion.

"Isn't she like a model?" Nate had said, with a pleased, expectant expression.

"I'm definitely convinced," Brook had replied. She'd crossed her arms, cocked her head. "Let's see the walk."

"Nooo!" Nate had yelled as I'd taken a single step forward and ruined all our hard work by somehow flipping in the air and landing on my back.

Brook, covering her mouth, had rushed over. They'd helped me up, then, clothing askew and rear bruised, I'd wandered to the mirror to pout.

Nonetheless, when I'd bowed, palming my squashed hat, and Brook had said, "Beautiful," I'd believed her.

Now I sank into the cool waves, my breath held. Something soft bumped me on the nose, and I emerged to smile down at the flower.

Velde was grinning at me when I looked up. With a screech, I flung myself into her waiting arms. And we weren't alone: around us, our sisters tittered and spoke over each other.

"Look at her, golden-skinned already!"

"Has she grown?"

"What's that red smear by her mouth?"

Blushing, I quickly rubbed the place where Brook had kissed me.

"Hiding her chest like a human—not much to hide..."

"Thank you, Esola," I said pointedly, and she winked.

It was their hair that halted me. Their hair, their beautiful hair, had been sliced away at the shoulders.

"What did you do!" I cried, clutching my own hair.

Velde, more scarred and more pink than ever, was the one who explained.

"The witchsea allowed an exchange. Our long hair, for your tail to be returned to you—" She raised a hand as I swore. "—upon every full moon, should you enter the ocean."

Stunned, I covered my open mouth.

"Because you belong with us, too," Esola said, with more feeling than I'd ever heard from her.

"Tell me it'll grow again," I begged.

"It will not," Kindra said, smiling serenely.

"We don't need it to," Lefi said, tears in her eyes. "We only need our sister."

"Grandmother may leave behind her bitterness one day, and Father may rediscover happiness," Velde said. "But only they can bring about those changes. This, we were able to do."

"I—"

There was a gasp behind me.

Brook. I'd left her sleeping in bed.

I reached out a hand to her. She came forward to take it, walking into the water in her night clothes, wide black eyes on my sisters.

"Brooklyn Ava Cain, I'd like you to meet my sisters," I said.

She began to smile and then laugh in amazement as they surrounded us.

Like Grandmother had warned, the dream hadn't been matched—it had been surpassed. My imagination had turned out to be a poor substitute for the reality I'd been offered.

"Is this the reason you do that head-flopping thing?" Brook asked.

Ah, the mermaid salute.

"It works better underwater," I said.

I'd have to show her sometime.