"Hey guys," Rikki said. "I got something to tell you. It's not exactly a secret, but it's still sort of low-key, so don't go around advertising what I'm about to say, okay?"

It was a week later. The four friends had just left Emma's house to head to Juicenet. It was a pleasant morning; the sky was overcast and the wind a bit more brisk than usual, but no rain threatened.

As they strolled along the greenway beside the beach, Rikki told them about her deal with Harrison. They were surprised.

"You did this three weeks ago, but you're only telling us now?" Emma asked. She was irritated, but only slightly.

"I didn't want to say anything until I saw concrete proof my plan was working. Until then, it would have sounded like I was just being a dreamer, and I didn't want you guys thinking that, or accusing me of that."

They absorbed this in silence for a moment, seeing it from her point of view.

"Okay, I can see that," Emma said. "And as for getting something in return for what he did to us, I kinda get that, too. But...actually working with him?"

"I didn't marry him!" Rikki said. "It's a business arrangement. And he does owe us."

Cleo shuddered. "I don't think I could ever be alone with him again."

"Seriously," Lewis said. "You walked into his house with no one knowing where you were. He could have done anything."

"First of all, he doesn't know we're still mermaids, so he'd have no reason to do anything," Rikki said. "Also, I trust Zane. His dad's not evil, he just lost his way. And Harrison chose to help me; I had no way to force him to do this."

"Well...I hope it works out for you," Emma said. "It just gives me the heebie jeebies."

"I can take care of myself," Rikki said. "And it's already working. After just three lessons, I've already learned so much. The stock I bought has appreciated, and it looks like it'll keep going up. He had me put some money into a six-month CD for safety, and there's a major hotel renovation up the coast which is looking for investors. He's considering the offer, and if he goes in, and if I think they're ethical, so will I."

"I'm glad for you, Rikki," Cleo said. "But I don't think I could be in the same room with him any time soon, maybe ever." She shook her head. "I don't know what to do about Dr. Bennett. His family, mine, and Emma's have been friends since before we were born. He didn't just betray us, he betrayed his friendships with our parents. And our parents don't even know that!"

"Someday they might," Emma said quietly.

"And then everything will hit the fan," Lewis said.

"Well, Harrison made his bed, and he'll have to lie in it," Rikki said.

"If he has remorse, why hasn't he apologized to us like he did to you?" Emma asked.

"I don't know," Rikki said. "Maybe he's afraid it's one of those situations where contact with you would just make it worse."

"If that's what he's afraid of, he might be right," Cleo said.

"He can't avoid you forever," Lewis said.

"And we can't avoid him forever," Cleo said sadly.

"Listen, I'm not gonna act as peacemaker between you guys and Harrison," Rikki said. "If you want an apology, or even some restitution like I'm getting, go knock on his door. You might be surprised."

Lewis gave Rikki a quizzical look. "Why were you so eager for payback from Harrison, but you couldn't give a toss about Denman?"

"Denman's got nothing I need."

Lewis made an I-guess-that-makes-sense face.

"I take it she hasn't replied?" Emma asked.

"Nope," Lewis said. "And it's been three weeks, so at this point, I doubt she will."

 

Emma started to put out the fire but Lewis called out, "Please don't, Emma. I'm still kind of cold." He emerged from behind the bushes wearing his scorched shorts.

"Are they okay?" Cleo asked, as Emma fed a little more wood onto the fire.

Lewis winced. "They chafe, but I'll manage."

"Sorry...again," Rikki said meekly.

"Could have been worse," Lewis said, walking to the fire and holding his hands out to warm them. "You could have zapped them with lightning."

"Lightning." Rikki made a face. "Did I really call down lightning?!"

"From the tornado Cleo created, yeah," Lewis said. "It hit right next to me."

The girls looked at each other, dumbfounded. And scared. There on a beach on Mako Island, with a fire going to warm Lewis, they tried to piece together the previous night.

"Lewis," Emma said. "You have got to be the most patient and understanding person to put up with all this. We cannot thank you enough."

"Seriously," Cleo said, and Rikki nodded.

"Well, hey," Lewis said, embarrassed. "You're my friends."

"And we are so glad of it!" Rikki said.

"The moon got all of us this time," Cleo said. "Usually it picks one of us, and the other two sit on her until sunrise. But we've never succumbed as a group before!"

"And it massively jacked our powers!" Rikki said.

"Our full moon record is one and four," Lewis said. "Our sole win is the lunar eclipse."

"And those four losses weren't even close," Rikki said. "We got trounced."

"What I don't understand is why we don't have any morals, or empathy, or sense of ourselves when we're under the moon's spell," Emma said. "I sort of get that we can't remember what happened. But that we could look right at Lewis, our dear friend, and hurt him with no conscience? What's that about?! We could have killed him! We're mermaids, not werewolves! No matter how full the moon is, we should still have our identities and our values!"

Rikki said, "News flash: obviously we don't."

Emma looked at her in consternation, but it was clear she wasn't irritated with Rikki so much as with the truth she spoke.

"I...don't...like the werewolf comparison," Cleo said, shaking her head and looking miserable, her arms folded tightly.

"None of us do," Emma said. "But Rikki's right. It fits." She threw up her hands in frustration and turned away.

"Maybe there's some rule about the first full moon after a lunar eclipse," Lewis said.

"Sound sus," Rikki said. "Too esoteric and specific."

"Maybe we're just weak," Emma grumbled.

"Guys," Cleo said meekly. "I don't know about the memory loss, but...I have a theory about the other stuff."

They all looked at her. "Do tell," Lewis said.

"I don't know," Cleo said with a shrug. "But...about a week ago, Rikki and I had a really emotional talk at the moon pool about our parents. We both got really angry and upset. Not at each other! I mean, just in general. I mean...I got really, really mad. You can ask Rikki, she saw me."

"I do confirm," Rikki said. "Total ragefest."

"And we cried a lot," Cleo said. "We both had a lot of pain and rage going on." Cleo hugged herself tightly and gave a little shrug. "And I wonder if...maybe...the moon pool sort of...absorbed it somehow?"

"You mean, overloaded on all that pain and rage, and fed it back into us?" Emma asked.

"Under a full moon," Cleo said. "Yeah."

The others considered this for a few moments.

"That is an interesting theory," Lewis said. "But there's no way to test it." He thought for second. "No good way, that is."

"What's a bad way to test it?" Rikki asked.

"You do not want to know," Lewis said.

"Well, whatever the reason, we've got supercharged powers we can't control!" Emma said. "Just in time for school to start."

Cleo's eyes widened at that. "Oh, no!" she said, in the way that only Cleo could.

 

One week later, Lewis saw the nine-by-twelve manila envelope his mother had tossed onto his bed.

His mother thought nothing of Lewis receiving a letter from Dr. Denman, which was exactly why Lewis had requested Dr. Denman use only his address. If any of the girls received a letter from a marine biologist, their parents would want to know why.

Lewis opened the envelope and turned it upside-down.

Out tumbled four smaller envelopes, each with a different name hand-written on it.

 

They gathered in the Gilberts' living room that evening, as the rest of Emma's family was out for a little while. Lewis handed each girl an unopened envelope. "A reply to each of you, but she sent them to me, as requested."

Cleo held her envelope like it was a dead rat. "Is it good or bad?"

"If it's like the one she sent me, it's good," Lewis said, sitting down. "Mostly."

Cleo gave him a side eye.

Rikki tore hers open, impatient to get it over with.

Emma and Cleo looked at each other, then opened theirs with trepidation. Emma opened her envelope neatly by carefully and precisely pulling at the adhesive.

 

From: Linda Denman, PhD

To: [girl's name]

I am heartbroken, humbled, and humiliated to hear of the pain and distress I caused you.

You said it yourselves so very distinctly: I succumbed to the pursuit of scientific glory and financial greed. I burn with shame, and I would do anything to take it back.

If someone had told me just two months ago that I would one day take a 15-year-old boy hostage as insurance against retaliation from three teenage girls I had captured and was trying to exploit, I would have told them they were out of their mind and thrown them off my boat in outrage. Yet that's exactly what I did.

I am sorry. More than words can say, I am sorry. I give you my deepest, most humble apologies.

You needn't worry about me ever again. I will never again try to contact you, nor will I ever reveal the secrets I learned, or what I witnessed. The same goes for the men in my employ.

I know you must doubt my apology, and my promise to stay out of your lives. I certainly would in your place. Therefore, to prove my sincerity, I freely confess that I know you're still mermaids. I'm not sure how or why you're still mermaids, nor does it matter to me. As a trick, it was well done.

No, I'm not spying on you. I know you're still mermaids because a freak tornado and lightning storm over Mako Island the night of the most recent full moon, on an otherwise perfectly calm night, is not something I'm stupid enough to mark down as a coincidence.

The fact that I know your secret, yet still promise to forget that secret and never to contact you or to interfere in your lives again, should be proof of that promise's sincerity. I certainly hope so.

I also understand fully, and agree with, your admonition of my ethical failure as a scientist, and as a human being. I acknowledge this failure completely. It, too, is something I resolve never to experience again. I have expressed this promise to the men in my employ, and I have extracted from them the same promise, and the same remorse for their treatment of you.

I also thank you for your kindness. I was awful to you, and while you responded with anger and with a desire for satisfaction of some kind, you never once responded with hatred, or with a need for vengeance. Mostly, you focused on urging me to be a better person. More than anything else, that was a gesture of support, and I am floored by it.

It's an indescribable shame to look in the mirror and see a moral failure looking back. And when we fail, it's a life-changing event to experience someone giving us support and encouragement instead of hatred. It's a humbling lesson. May the entire world learn this lesson, also.

I understand if you wish never to hear my name again. Nevertheless, I make the following offer: if you ever need a letter of recommendation from a marine biologist as part of a college, university, or job application, it will be my deepest pleasure to supply one, no questions asked. As many times as you need.

I wish all of you the best. May no one else ever see your tail, unless it's by your choice, and yours alone.

Keep swimming.

 

Dr. Linda Denman

 

Even Rikki was surprised enough not to give a sarcastic response. She just made a face of irritation as she scanned her letter again.

"Hmm," Emma said, carefully refolding her letter and sliding it neatly back into its envelope.

"I guess we shouldn't have expected to fool her so easily," Cleo said.

"Well, she is a genius," Lewis said.

"Implying we're not?" Emma asked, but her wry smile indicated she was joking.

"No, no, I didn't say that," Lewis said, smiling also.

"Well, it's nice to have and all," Rikki said, crumpling her letter into a ball. "Seriously, Lewis, I'm not being sarcastic. It is nice to get an apology, and a promise she'll stay out of our hair. And...yeah, I admit that it kinda lifts a weight off my shoulders."

"Yes!" Cleo said, and it was clear that Rikki had voiced something they all felt. "It's like a weight I didn't even know was there until it just now disappeared!"

"Yes," Emma said. "It does feel good. Thank you for doing this, Lewis."

He smiled and nodded.

"This letter means something else," Rikki said. "It's even more proof that we reeeeeeally need to stop letting the full moon make monkeys out of us." She softly threw the crumpled paper at Emma and hit her on the forehead.

Emma smiled and playfully threw the paper back at her. "The full moon has done nothing but kick our butts since Day 1," Emma agreed.

"And on this last one, we hurt Lewis, and revealed our secret to Dr. Denman again!" Cleo said. "Each full moon is worse than the last! Somehow, we've just got to conquer that big round light in the sky!"

 

Two days later, all three girls sat cross-legged in a circle on Cleo's bed, facing each other. Lewis wasn't there.

"Are you sure?" Emma asked Cleo.

Cleo didn't look sure, but she nodded, then said, "And Lewis says he wants to go, too."

"I'm just worried that one of us will let slip that we're still mermaids," Rikki said.

"Would any of us really do that?" Emma asked, slightly exasperated.

"Hello, have you seen us lately?" Rikki asked. "I feel like we're kind of a hot mess these days. It's an easy mistake to make, and I include myself in that. We easily talk to people who know the secret, and we easily talk to people who don't know the secret. But this is different. We'll be talking to someone who knew the secret, past tense, but doesn't know it any more! I can easily see myself getting carried away and accidentally saying something like, When we swam back out to Mako just yesterday- oops!" She spread her arms in a do-you-see? gesture.

Emma nodded, looking abashed. "All right, point taken."

"We'll just have to be really, really, extra careful," Cleo said.

They all looked at each other with dread. Confidence was not high.

"But we've still got to do this," Emma said. She looked at Cleo for confirmation and got a tiny nod. Then she looked at Rikki and said, "Go ahead, if you would, please."

Rikki pulled out her phone and typed the text. Cleo, Emma, Lewis and I would like to come see you. Would tonight be ok?

Despite Rikki's assertion that she wouldn't act as a go-between, she had relented to sending the request, especially since Emma and Cleo wanted her with them so they could face Harrison as a trio.

His response was swift. Sure.

"All right," Rikki said, flipping the phone shut. "We're on."

 

They arrived at the Bennett house a little before seven. All four of them were a jumble of emotions.

Cleo and Emma were a jumble of emotions because they were about to talk to a man who had betrayed a lifetime of friendship and helped imprison them. This was not your everyday grievance.

Lewis was a jumble of emotions because he felt protective of the girls, especially Cleo.

Rikki was a jumble of emotions for an entirely different set of reasons. She would go to the ends of the Earth for her best friends, her newfound second family; but she had already made peace with Harrison, and now she was walking into a situation where he might feel like she was attacking him a second time. Zane was pressuring her to get back together with him; Zane knew Rikki was still a mermaid; he therefore knew the others were still mermaids; and Rikki was keeping all these things secret from Cleo, Emma, and Lewis. And now they were all about to have an awkward talk with Zane's father, who also knew none of these things. And Zane didn't know his own father had loaned Rikki twenty thousand dollars and was training her weekly, and now that Zane was pressuring her to get back together, it felt really awkward to tell him that, and also felt awkward not to tell him that.

Rikki really wished her life was a little less complicated.

Rikki knocked, and Harrison opened the door. "Good evening, girls, Lewis," he said with a friendly smile. "Come in."

They followed Harrison to the living room. The girls sat on the sofa, with Emma in the middle. Lewis took a chair. Harrison sat in the recliner.

"Thank you for seeing us, Dr. Bennett," Cleo said.

"Of course. And please, just call me Harrison."

"We wanted to talk about what happened on Mako Island last month," Emma said. "We know you've already sorted things out with Rikki, and you've been helping her, which is great. She doesn't have any problem with you or anything new to say. She's here because Cleo and I felt more comfortable with her here, talking to you as a trio."

Rikki nodded. She had insisted the other girls say this. She and Harrison had a rapport which she didn't want to damage by seeming to become an antagonist, but she also wanted to support her best friends all the way.

Fortunately, Harrison got the tricky politics of it all. "Yeah, I understand, that's no problem. I imagine you would like an answer and an apology for my role in taking you captive and threatening to experiment on you."

"At the very least," Emma said.

"And more so because our families are friends, and you've known us all our lives," Cleo said, her face working with emotion.

"That's true, Cleo, and I'm sorry. I am infinitely, deeply sorry for what Dr. Denman and I did, to all of you." He looked each of them in the eye. "I wish I could take it back."

"Why did you do it in the first place?" Emma asked.

"I got caught up in the excitement of it all," Harrison said. "It was like finding proof of Bigfoot, or UFOs. It felt like a classic boyhood adventure of solving an exotic thousand-year-old mystery, like the fun of following a cryptic map to discover Atlantis while dodging traps along the way. We were so swept up in the adventure that it didn't occur to us that normal people who could be hurt, and who had a right to be left alone, were at the end of that treasure hunt. We were giddy with the thrill of discovering something mind-blowing, and with the fame and fortune which comes with such an achievement. By the time we discovered that these amazing creatures we hunted were actually my friends, I was too enthralled with the mystery, and the riches, to stop. I somehow felt it was okay to proceed. Looking back, I have no idea why. It's so surreal how easily I agreed to horrible and illegal things. Zane snapped me out of it, brought me back to Earth."

Rikki spoke up. "Zane told me you actually told Denman not to harm us."

"I did, yes, for what it's worth. After that, I despised myself for what I had gotten involved in, and walked away. It doesn't erase my role in things."

Cleo said, "Dr. Ben-...um, Harrison, I have to ask...what if your three mermaids had turned out to be complete strangers? What would you have done, then? And what would Zane have done if he hadn't had feelings for Rikki?"

Harrison sighed, but to his credit, he faced the question head on. "I can't answer for Zane. As for myself...I honestly don't know. I'd like to think I would have come to the same realization. I hope I would have. Going forward, I know I would, as this has been a sobering experience.

"I mean...one of you saved Zane's life! Even if nothing else mattered to me, that alone should have meant everything. What kind of person repays an act like that with hunting and imprisonment? I should have been on my knees in that cavern thanking you, instead seeing dollar signs over your heads." He sighed, then asked quietly, "Which of you rescued Zane that day?"

Emma raised her hand a little. "That was me. I'm also the one Zane saw when he dove to the boat."

"Thank you for saving my son's life, Emma."

She nodded. "You're welcome. I couldn't have done otherwise."

"No, you couldn't have," Harrison said. "Because that's the type of person you are." He gave a tiny snort of realization. "It's ironic. When I was a boy, your mother saved me from drowning. Years later, her daughter saves my son from the same fate."

Emma gave a small smile. "Yeah, but Mom's not a mermaid, I promise you."

Harrison looked at all of them. "If there's anything I can do to make up for any of this, please, by all means, let me know."

Emma said, "Well...we thank you for your apology, and for your offer. And like I said, we know you've been helping Rikki, and we think that's really wonderful what you're doing for her.

"Speaking for myself, I accept your apology, but I don't really think I need anything more from you. In a way, I get it; mermaids are a bizarre and wonderful thing to discover. But it all worked out, so I can live and let live."

"But it didn't work out," Harrison said. "You gave up your powers just to stop people from trying to exploit you. I feel terrible about that."

Emma blinked a few times, trying to keep a straight face, and mentally kicked herself. She had just done exactly what Rikki had warned them not to do.

Cleo picked up the ball and ran with it, though she wasn't very smooth. "Oh, well...keeping the secret of being mermaids from our families, and constantly being afraid of water, was a horrible burden. It was destroying our lives. We were glad to return to normal. So yes, it actually did all work out." She smiled a little too broadly.

"Well, I'm deeply relieved to hear that," Harrison said, and definitely looked it. "Even though I'm sure that's only partially true."

"What do you mean?" Cleo asked.

"I mean that three weeks ago, Rikki rescheduled her lesson. It rained that Thursday night, but I didn't think anything of it at the time. Two weeks later, when we heard thunder because a storm arrived two hours earlier than the weathermen said it would, she suddenly had to leave, and was a little frantic about it. Put that together with the fact that you're a terrible liar, Cleo, and it's kind of obvious."

Everyone was silent for about ten seconds.

Rikki scrunched her mouth up in a grimace and breathed out slowly, as if fiercely containing her emotions.

Emma turned to Rikki. "You can say, I told you so."

Rikki just shook her head.

"Guys," Cleo said despondently. "We've reeeeeeally got to find a way to up our game. It's like we're flopping around in the mud."

"These past two months have definitely not been our finest hour," Lewis said.

"It's all right," Harrison said with a smile. "I don't care. I'm happy to forget your secret entirely. I don't want to intrude on it. It's yours, and yours alone. Though you really need to solve the rain problem. You cannot run from the weather forever."

"Yeah, that one's a real bear," Emma said softly. "Thank you for understanding."

"If my understanding and closed mouth help erase my debt to you, I'm happy to do it," Harrison said.

"I agree with everything Emma said, and I also accept your apology," Lewis said. Harrison nodded to him gratefully.

"So do I," Cleo said. "But...Harrison...it's getting harder and harder to keep this from our parents. I feel like the day is coming when they'll have to know." She wrung her hands nervously. "Maybe we won't tell them every story and every detail. Or maybe we will, because it will just come out. I don't know. All I'm saying is...there's a chance...maybe a tiny one, but a chance...that someday, our parents will learn what you and Dr. Denman did. If that ever happens, you'll have to face whatever they have to say."

Harrison gave her a small smile of acceptance. "I understand, Cleo. You do whatever you need to do, and whatever you feel is right. If the day ever comes that I face your parents' wrath, I'll deal with it as best and as honestly as I am able, and I'll take the consequences."

Cleo smiled and nodded, much relieved to get that off her chest.

Harrison continued. "You know, I've never met Rikki's family, but Cleo and Emma, I've known your parents longer than you have. And may I say...if you told them about your situation, I think they would be much more understanding and capable than you might be giving them credit for. And keeping such an enormous secret from them really isn't fair to them. It doesn't give them the chance to be the parents they need to be for you, as every decision they make is based on false information."

The four friends thought about these words. Everyone was silent for a few moments.

"That's...probably very true," Emma finally said, looking at Emma and Rikki. "We'll have to think long and hard about that. As Cleo said...it gets harder the longer this goes on."

"It really does," Cleo whispered.

"One question," Lewis said, and turned to Harrison. "Are you still interested in developing Mako Island?"

Harrison shook his head vigorously and chuckled. "Oh, no! No no no. There's something there which should not be disturbed, something far beyond my understanding. In fact, I'd like to get the entire island tagged as an environmentally protected area so no one will ever develop it. I'm not sure how to do that, though. I can't make up a reason, but I'm hoping to find one." He gave them an ironic smile. "I'll need to find myself another marine biologist or oceanographer."

"Actually, if you're still on speaking terms with Dr. Denman, she might help with that," Emma said.

Harrison gave her a guarded, baffled look.

"Denman figured out our little trick and also knows we're still mermaids," Rikki said.

"Because we're stupid," Cleo said dejectedly.

"But she still sent us letters of apology and promised never to bug us again," Rikki finished.

"Did she really?" Harrison asked, looking deeply surprised.

"Yeah," Lewis said. "And she sounded just as remorseful as you. So, she might actually be the perfect person to find a way to protect Mako Island. After all, she understands the real reason better than any other scientist you could hire."

"And using her would prevent another scientist from discovering the moon pool, and starting this whole thing over," Rikki said.

"Huh," Harrison said. "A bizarre turn of events, but you might be right."

"Bizarre turn of events," Cleo said. "That's our whole lives right now. I don't think a truer phrase has ever been spoken."

After a beat of silence, Emma glanced at everyone, then said, "Well, listen, Harrison, thank you so much for seeing us." She started to stand. "Thanks for the apology and for clearing everything up. It means the world to us."

Everyone stood as Harrison said, "Hey, no, I should be thanking you. What I did last month wasn't my finest hour, either. You've seen me at my worst, yet you've been forgiving and understanding. All of you. It's...an incredible gift."

As they moved toward the door, Cleo said, "And thank you for spending money and time to protect Mako Island. I don't know what we could do to help with that, but if we can help, let us know."

"I will," Harrison said. "And my offer of help or restitution to all of you still stands, also. If there's anything you need from me, anything at all, please let me know."

"Thanks," Lewis said, smiling.

As Rikki passed Harrison on her way out the door, she half-whispered, "I saw a rumor that TechWorld stock I bought is about to split! Should I worry?"

He gave her a small smile. "No. Stock splits are harmless, and internet rumor mills are nothing more than vile snake pits. I'll see you Thursday, Rikki."

"Good night!" they all said, and left.

 

Emma's family was out seeing a movie, so they had the house to themselves. They raided the Gilberts' freezer for some ice cream and sat in the living room.

"That went better than I thought it would," Emma said, toying with her bowl of mint ice cream. "And on top of everything, he actually wants to protect Mako Island."

"Yeah, that is such good news," Lewis said.

"Almost like it's meant to be," Cleo murmured.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Rikki asked.

Cleo shrugged. "Just that it feels like everything worked out to perfection. We're still mermaids; Harrison knows but won't say anything, so you don't have to lie to him when it rains on Thursdays; the people who wanted to hurt us are leaving us alone; and Mako Island will be protected." Cleo beamed with joy. Her ponytail actually bounced a little as she looked at them all.

"That last hasn't happened yet," Lewis said.

"But I think it will," Cleo said.

"It's like the island influences events to protect itself," Emma said thoughtfully.

"And to protect us," Cleo said. "In a way. I mean...a lunar eclipse on the very night we needed it? What are the odds?"

"Even with that bizarre coincidence, I'm not convinced," Rikki said. "I haven't really felt all that protected these past few months. If anything, the exact opposite. We're always dancing two steps from disaster!"

"But never actually meeting it," Emma said quietly, enlightenment blossoming inside her. "We always make it through."

Lewis said, "And all three of you are blessed with loving and understanding families who give you a lot of trust and leeway, so you're free to do the things you do."

Emma thought about her family changing an entire vacation tradition just for her, without even prying into her privacy to ask why. She suddenly wanted to cry.

"I wonder..." Cleo said. "Is it possible that...I don't know...the moon pool chose us?"

Rikki barked a laugh. "That's makes us sound awfully pretentious. Hey everyone, we're the chosen ones!"

But Emma wasn't laughing. "Cleo may be onto something," she said. "I've secretly wondered the same, but never had the guts to say it out loud. I mean...the sequence of events which led three people, one of whom was a stranger to the other two, to join together and discover the moon pool, at exactly the right time, on exactly the right night, on an island none of us had ever been to and had absolutely no plans to visit whatsoever!" Emma's face was full of amazement. "As Cleo said...what are the odds?"

Cleo said, "And the next day, the two of you were in public when you transformed into mermaids for the first time, yet somehow, no one saw you! Even as you were just lying there helpless for minutes, wondering what just happened and hoping the tail would somehow go away, still no one walked by!" She shrugged and held up her hands in a what-do-you-make-of-that gesture?

Lewis looked at Cleo and said, "When Zane and Nate threw you into the pool at Miriam's party, everyone would have seen you transform. But they didn't...because they all went inside, leaving you alone, even though normally, they would have stayed to taunt you further."

He shook his head in wonder, and said to all of them, "The idea that you were chosen, then protected, really does seem to fit everything we've experienced since this whole thing began."

Everyone was silent for a few moments, pondering.

"Protected, yes," Emma finally said. "But not spoon-fed protected. We still have to do the work, and we still have to be smart and careful. We can't just say, oh, I'm protected, I can do whatever I want with no fear now." She shook her head emphatically. "It doesn't work that way!"

"Right!" Cleo said. "We can't abuse it or take it for granted."

"I dunno guys," Rikki said, looking introspective and toying with her bowl of blueberry chocolate chip. "It all sounds good...and I admit, it even sort of feels right. But...if we're protected and chosen for greatness...why am I still flunking biology?"

Emma lost it. Comically fuming with blind rage, she frantically scrabbled around for a couch cushion. She quickly found one and hit Rikki with it, again and again and again.

Cleo and Rikki squealed with laughter.