EPILOGUE, PART 1

The mermaids were assisted by unseen wires, Brook told me, to prevent accidents. We were seated before a rotating circular stage—part water, part land.

"We're meant to interpret the story," Brook had said on the ride to the theater. "There's no dialogue, but there is music. You love music."

The lively instrumentals weren't what seized my heart, however—it was their vocalizing. Although I knew my sisters would call the effort a pale imitation, I was still reminded fondly of my first home. The longing they portrayed made the performance unforgettable to me, just as Brook had predicted.

It was brilliant—the choreography, the many moving pieces, the unusual and often monstrous sea creatures. To my disbelief, the show did not go on forever, ending on a hopeful note. Applause, applause, mine perhaps the loudest.

As we left, I thanked my fiancée. No dialogue needed.

***

Just as I had many times before, I tugged Brook down with me, slowly blowing out a breath that surrounded her in a protective bubble. Inside it, her body could breathe and would be impervious to the crushing force of the deep—

The water was sucked away, swept out of the observation area. Observation area? I looked around. Wasn't this the oceanarium we once visited?

Brook held her hand to the glass, sadness in her expression. "I can have them all released."

"They're safer here, and they know it." Hadn't I already explained?

But suddenly I was frantic, slapping at the glass, stuck on the wrong side—a faceless man on the other. "You're safer here!"

A large hand took both of mine, dissolving the nightmare.

"Father."

He smiled. "I'm proud...proud..." Except his eyes were full of everything he could not change.

His hand reached up as if to cup my face, but he faded into the darkness that was his home, where I would never reach him—

I opened my eyes and glanced at the clock: hours to go until dawn. At least Roppo was in Nate's room, or my stress would've caused him to wake the whole house.

If I'd been caught before my surfacing day, might I have been stuck in such a place? Or was that simply the most optimistic outcome?

Brook pulled me closer in her sleep, as though sensing I needed it, and taking comfort in her nearness, the touch of her skin...I dreamed no more.

When the sunrise stirred me, my head felt heavier than usual. Brook stared down at me in awe.

My hands went to my hair and found...

Eyes heating, Brook said, "Now you know what you're wearing tonight: just that crown."

She explained her lack of shock as I studied it in the mirror, my cheeks flushed. Gleaming gems, every brilliant hue of the ocean.

"Sometimes I thought I saw it. At certain angles, under a certain light, or in the water. When you were really happy or angry. But I told myself it was just my imagination, because of what I knew about you..." Brook stared at me. "This is who you are. I don't think I've really been faced with that until now."

"You might as well face it," I said, staring back (the crown wasn't half as compelling as she was), "since I'm going to be your wife."

"I can't believe I'm joining your family."

She wasn't the only one; the whole kingdom would whisper about it for years to come. "I can't believe I'm joining yours."

This would be the last time we saw each other before the wedding—it had been arranged that way, to my secret disappointment.

Before she went, Brook whispered in my ear, "Until forever, my princess.

Forever sounded perfect.

She gave me a sweet kiss and walked backwards to the door, lingering there for one last look.

After she was gone, I put my hand to my chest, where my heart fluttered.

"Victoria! Victoria!" Shouts from the screen-in-the-wall drew my attention. Returning from a last-minute trip, Victoria was surrounded instantly at the airport.

"Brooklyn is getting married—how do you feel?" one reporter asked.

She walked through the flashes with confidence. "Incredibly blessed."

I beamed. That was exactly how I felt.

Picking up the conch shell by my bedside, I blew into it. Drops of water blew back in my face.

My sisters were ready to meet.

The meeting place was in a secluded corner of the beach—a cluster of boulders jutting over the water.

I heard their excited chatter before I stepped up to the edge and saw them.

I'd thanked the witchsea here (and gotten a bubbly response). Once a month, my sisters and I went to sing for her, so I supposed we all thanked her regularly.

Velde spotted me first. "Terra!"

I dropped down onto the largest rock, grinning as they greeted, taunted, and teased me from the waves. It was better than being greeted with four streams of water to the face—their preferred method, but my sisters were preoccupied with the reappearance of my crown.

"Well, it's always been there, of course," Lefi said. "It showed up whenever you were particularly monarchical, even as a child. It's part of you."

"That's right," Esola said. "You're a princess. Maybe you've forgotten, but nothing else has. And it remains a fact—you marry as a princess."

I glared at them. "I never noticed any of you with a crown."

"Well, your mind was usually elsewhere," Esola said.

"Mother's was pretty," Kindra said, smiling.

"What did it look like? Do you know?" Lefi asked eagerly, almost desperately. Velde, Esola, and I looked away from her.

"Like the sun," Kindra said. Her eyes seemed to focus for a moment, as though she was looking directly at it.

Lefi sank to her chin in disappointment.

Velde cleared her throat. "So. It's your marrying day at last."

"I suppose I shouldn't expect any of you at the wedding?" I said.

"We'll welcome Brook into the royal fold...since you've already welcomed her into y—"

"Esola!" I shrieked.

Velde shoved the brat's head underwater for me. "We'll be there, Terra...in our own way."

"Thanks," I said. "By the way, Velde, how long will you be...?"

"I'm back for good. Father and I are agreed: after your marriage, he will abdicate, and I will become the Queensea. I've seen enough. It's time."

Our sisters didn't share my astonishment; from their expressions, this was old news. None of them seemed against it, to my relief.

"You'll be there, of course," Velde continued. "The coronation is set for the next full moon. The human family is invited as well, if they wish to attend."

"Congratulations, Velde!" I cried, overjoyed.

"I'm only, finally, doing my duty," she said.

"Uh, sorry if I'm interrupting..."

Nate had arrived, Roppo trotting alongside him. "You said I could meet you here, Terra..."

All but Lefi abandoned me to surround them, squealing and cooing.

Lefi had been grumpy lately, though I hadn't commented on it...nor would I today.

"Oh, no," she said flatly. "Something is tangled in my fins. Inspect them for me."

I had no choice, after they smacked me in the face. An Esola-like move coming from Lefi was a bit worrisome.

Her fins hovered before me like an outstretched plate. Nestled between them...was a ring.

"Is this a new acquisition?" I asked the enormous, decorated pearl, as if it might answer.

"A gift, actually. For you—well, for you to give to Brook."

"Me?"

"Which other sister is getting married? You only had simple bands, and we do not do simple. I couldn't allow it."

Giving up one of her treasures must have been difficult for her. My heart ached sweetly. "Thank you, Lefi."

She shrugged. "There are things I don't know how to tell you, so I'm showing you instead, you silly mer-human."

I touched the ends of her short hair. "You've shown me already."

"And you've grown more affectionate since you started living among humans," Lefi lamented. "Some distance might be good, for a while. I fear I'll get the urge to take the ring back...while it's still attached to a finger."

As Nate and I strolled back to the house, I turned at a gasp.

A man had fallen—no, he was kneeling, bowed so far forward that his nose was buried in the sand. I quickly glanced around, fearing witnesses.

"Princess!" The man's entire body shook.

"Rise before you're seen," I hissed, helping him up. "Hurry!"

He stumbled, and his darting eyes avoided me as I dusted off his shirt. He took several steps back and hunched so his height wouldn't tower over mine. When one of his legs started to wobble under the urge to kneel again, I gave him a firm, "No." The clear command appeared to steady him.

"What is your name?" I asked.

"S-S-Sanic. I do not know if I can bear this honor," he said. "Not...worthy..."

"Worthy?"

"Of your presence."

"Nonsense!" Victoria's fast approach was somewhat hindered by a shocked Annette, who clutched her arm. "You'll come to the wedding."

All Sanic could do was stammer.

"Let's discuss the details, shall we? You are, of course, free to bring a date..." Victoria took him away.

I would have to thank her later for the rescue.

"Wow," Nate said. "His eyes got big and shiny, and then he took off his hat, and I thought he died, but he was just—"

"Let's go, or we'll be the last to arrive on the ship."

I didn't want to be late to my own wedding.

Completing my look required a group of people. My hair alone took hours—half up and half down, intricately weaved around my crown. It was a lot of fuss, but I didn't mind.

They did seem very happy to leave, though.

As I blinked at my reflection, at the lack of scars on my bare shoulders and arms, I thought of Velde. She would be a wonderful ruler.

The material of my dress, seemingly a simple white, sparkled in every color when hit by light. It rested smoothly against my figure until it poured out on all sides like a waterfall.

One day a woman had come to offer "concepts"—each showcasing a different gown style. I had chosen my favorites.

"Something like these? So a princess dress." She'd created several more dresses on the spot, until I fell—literally, out of my seat—for this one.

Sighing, I floated to the edge of the large bed and sat down.

It was difficult for me to understand why I couldn't be where Brook was, but I didn't dare complain. This would be one of the brightest days of my life, and its shine would follow me forever. I'd be thankful for every moment.

Nate entered the room with a knock, his smoothed-down hair and tuxedo forcing me to face how much he'd matured. "You—whoa—it's too bad you can't avoid Brook until after the wedding, huh?"

I was struck by unexpected emotion—no matter how tall he grew, he would remain my prince.

"Why?" I said, composing myself.

"Because," he laughed, joining me on the bed, "she's going to pass out when she sees you."

Nate said I'd love the gift he'd picked out. I pleaded for a hint, bouncing and making the foamy skirts jiggle.

He smiled. "I love that you're still the same. Exactly the same. All right, I'll say...it has a partner, just like you."

I failed to guess what it was, but that only gave me another thing to look forward to.

Hovering by the door, Nate said, "I'll officially be your brother."

"I've never had one before."

"I know—that's why I'm nervous. Probably more nervous than you are."

"I'm too excited to be nervous!" It was the truth; I could hardly contain myself.

Nate threw his hands in the air. "Right, what am I saying? When have you ever been nervous?"

"Just around your sister, sometimes."

"Yeah...I better go."

"Do you know why you're going to be an amazing brother, Nate? Because you already are. You've always been amazing to me in every way. That's something that will never change."

He turned away. "All right, enough of that." But before he left, I thought I heard a sniff.

Victoria cried instantly upon seeing me. "My sweet daughter..." She hugged me while Annette, who seemed to only be there to adjust Victoria's makeup and scold her for messing it up, pickled in the background.

Annette wasn't unimpressed, however. In fact, she nearly approved. "Oh, well, naturally you'd want a tiara to complete the princess theme..." But then she saw the back. "This hair! Do you know how many times Brook has almost choked on it?"

"I rarely let it down anymore." I kept it secured, mostly because the most dangerous thing Brook and I dealt with...was my hair getting in her mouth when we tried to kiss. I couldn't forget the nightmare she'd had about being suffocated by a tentacle, which turned out to be my ponytail.

"Try not to jump on Brook's back while you're in this dress, hmm?" said Victoria.

Annette countered, "No jumping on any part of Brook—time for that later—"

Victoria spoke over her. "All right, come on, it's about to start, and my last tear has made its escape."

Last week, Brook, Victoria, Nate, and I made mermaid tails out of sand while Annette complained. Due to my design, Brook's was the most intricate, with seashells and beach glass around the fins and hips. The others—including Annette, after she fell asleep on her face—were also great mermaids. I chose to stay tailless, lying beside them. That had resulted in one of my favorite photos—one I smiled at now as it zoomed across the wall.

I was ready.