Brooke's POV.
I felt the saltwater spray against my skin as we struggled to push Savanna's unconscious body toward the waiting mermen. The waves crashed around them, their rhythm a stark contrast to the frantic pounding of my heart. A mix of fear and desperation surged within me.
"Come on, just a little more," Molly urged, her voice strained as she leaned into the task, her hands slipping slightly on Savanna's wet skin.
With one final push, we managed to get Savanna close enough for Sean and Zander to reach her. I watched as the two mermen grasped Savanna's arm, pulling her into the depths of the sea. A flicker of hope ignites in my chest, but it was quickly overshadowed by an intense heat spreading through my own body.
"Brooke, are you okay?" Molly's voice broke through her haze, but she could barely respond as her body started to heat too. The heat intensified, overwhelming my senses. Molly collapsed. Zander pushed Savanna into Sean's arms. He was just barely able to grasp her hand and drag her into the water. I tried to stand, but my legs felt like lead, unable to support my weight.
"No… I can't…" I whispered, my voice barely audible over the crashing waves. Panic set in as I felt myself sway, the world around me blurring. "Chris!" I heard Sean yell.
"Yes, Sire?" I herd a voice I didn't recognize ask, he must be Chris.
"Can you reach her?" I hear Sean ask but I can no longer open my eyes.
I send a silent plea into the vastness of the ocean, "Please, protect us." It was a prayer to anyone who would listen, a desperate hope that we would be safe with the mermen. Then I slip into darkness.
Chris's POV.
"What's going on, Sire?" I ask the King, my gaze flicking between him and our unconscious Queen. I can feel the weight of the human girl I'm holding in my arms, and the confusion swirls in my mind like the tides.
"It's a long story," he replies, his tone clipped, leaving no room for further questions. I sigh, knowing that's the only answer I'll get.
Turning to Zander, who cradles another unconscious human, I can't help but feel a knot of worry tighten in my stomach. "Zander, are you able to make three necklaces to allow the girls to breathe underwater?" the King asks.
"I'm afraid not, not without being in my laboratory," Zander responds, his voice heavy with frustration.
"Then follow me and make sure to keep their heads above water. We don't want anyone drowning!" The King's tone is resolute as he starts leading the way, his posture radiating readiness for whatever may come.
"Where are we going?" I ask, still trying to piece everything together.
"We are going to a secret cave of mine," he explains, his pace steady. "It's a cave not too far from here with a deep pool of water surrounded by flat sheet rock almost all the way around it. I was going to take Savanna there."
As he speaks, I notice the sky beginning to lighten, the first hints of dawn creeping into the horizon. It's a strange juxtaposition—a new day dawning above us while we race against time on the surface, the weight of our responsibility heavy in the water. I glance at the two girls in our arms, the urgency of the moment pressing down like the ocean itself.
We reach the cave quickly, not wasting any time as the sun finally makes its appearance, casting a golden glow on the surface of the ocean. "Lay the girls here," I instructs, and we carefully lower Savanna, Brooke and Molly onto the smooth rock.
As I step back, I'm taken aback by the sight before me. Savanna's legs have fully fused together, resembling a tail, and I notice that Molly's and Brooke's legs look similar. The transformation is both awe-inspiring and alarming.
"I'll call for Klien to bring the doctor here!" I say, trying to mask the urgency in my voice. The weight of concern presses down on me. "Klien!" I yell, my voice echoing through the cave, revealing the desperation I'm struggling to contain.
I glance at Savanna, relief washing over me that she's still breathing. However the sight of her changing form raises a multitude of questions in my mind. What is happening to her? Will she be alright? My thoughts swirl, and I feel my head begin to spin. I can't bear the thought of losing her again; the mere idea sends a sharp pang through my heart.
Zander watches us closely, his expression neutral, but I can sense the tension in his posture. The uncertainty of our situation hangs heavily in the air as we wait for Klien's arrival.