Lake's POVLux yawned softly and stretched her arms above her head before suggesting we call it a night. I glanced at the clock and realized how late it had become. I had finished my meal a while ago, and for the past hour, we had been sitting in the kitchen, talking about everything and nothing.I didn't think I had the energy to discuss what happened between me and Kairos. But despite my best efforts to avoid it, it came up, and I told Lux what had happened, how I wanted to talk to Kairos, what we said, and how we decided to be friends.She asked if it was not better to cut ties and avoid each other rather than hang out. But I told her that we would make it work.Lux did not press it; she was dealing with her own issues, such as Alec. The way he treated her still irritated me, and I didn't want to break my promise to Lux, but I was not going to let it slide. I planned to see my cousin first thing in the morning and talk to him.Getting up, I took my plate and mug to the sink for a q
Lux's POVThe cool air forced me to pull my robe tighter around me as I went outside. Reed's car was parked right in front of the building, just as he had said. He stepped out as soon as I appeared, and our gazes met in the orange glow of the streetlamp.He smiled, and I found myself returning it instinctively as we walked toward each other. Meeting halfway, we shared a quick hug."Sorry for bothering you so late," he said, pulling back.“It’s not a bother,” I quickly replied. “If it was, I wouldn’t be out here.” My voice came out sharper than I expected, but that was not the only thing that surprised me. The statement also surprised me, and I wondered if I was telling him or myself. He didn't seem to mind it, though, as he opened the car door for me. I slid inside, adjusting my robe and tucking my slippers under the seat.He took his seat on the driver's side. "So, did everything go well with what you needed to do earlier?" I asked, hoping to quickly relieve the tension that only I c
Kairos's POVI lost all sense of reason and direction as Lake's phone rang and rang without an answer, and I removed my phone from my ear, checked the screen as if that would change anything before hitting redial. However, there was still nothing."Come on, come on," I muttered, pacing in a circle before coming to a complete stop. I couldn’t find my car keys. My heart slammed so hard it hurt as if it was trying to punch its way out of my chest, as I ran back to Darian's side of the dorm, still calling Lake as the phone rang again.The door was still ajar from before, and I saw his car keys immediately as I stumbled in and I snatched them without a moment’s pause. I had no shoes on. Just my pajama bottoms, but I didn’t care.My mind was too loud, my thoughts too jumbled, and I did not even try to hide my superhuman speed as I leaped down the staircase. There was no time to run like a human now. "Please help me," I begged any power that would listen, switching back to calling Darian as
Lake's POVI watched Darian as he directed the car to pull over to the side of the road, his movements remaining eerily calm. My hands clenched in my lap as he stepped out and shut the door without saying anything, and I leaned forward, looking around for Kairos.But it was not just dark, but pitch black. There were no lights along this stretch of the beach, and no signs of life either. The only thing I could see was the ocean ahead, and the sound of it crashing and churning filled my ears, becoming louder with each passing second.I stared out, my heart racing, as Darian began walking down to the water, his steps unhurried. Pushing the door open, I stepped outside, my feet crunching into the sand as I took a step forward, but then I came to a halt.My legs would not allow me to move. "Is he over there?" I called out, pointing ahead into the darkness, hoping, needing Darian to say something that would calm my racing nerves and give me the courage to continue, and he stopped."Yes," he
Third-Party POVLux was still frozen in the crashing waves, staring at the impossible vision in front of her, when the world was suddenly swallowed up in darkness again.The lightning was gone and Kairos, or whatever version of Kairos she had seen, vanished into the black. That was when the terror truly sank in.Her breath hitched and caught in her throat. The image of Kairos, the one with the tail suspended in the storm, burned itself into her memory like a curse. She had no idea what she had seen, but she knew one thing for certain: she needed to get out of there.Her feet pivoted before her mind could and sand kicked up behind her as she sprinted away from the shore, wild and ungraceful. Her knees buckled once, but she caught herself scrambling forward in the pitch black.The water's roar faded behind her, and her own ragged breaths became quiet, leaving only the pounding of her heart, which thrashed in her chest as if trying to claw its way out.A voice screamed in her head, "Run!
Third-Party POVReed emerged from the ocean with Lake in his arms, salt stinging his eyes and throat as he gasped for air. But his relief was shattered when he looked up and saw hell.The road they had been driving on was no longer there. Entire stretches of asphalt were submerged, with only broken street signs and lampposts sticking out from the raging water. Their cars floated like forgotten toys, and Reed's heart lurched in his throat as he looked at his own car.Further up, a gas station was half-buried in the water, with fuel pumps bobbing like corpses, and he could not believe his eyes. Houses along the curve of the road were drowning, and the water was not just coming in waves; it was surging and he realized he needed to get away.His feet sank into the muddy slope of the shoreline as he adjusted Lake's limp body, feeling for his pulse, which he found. "Hang in there, man," he said quietly, adjusting Lake over his shoulder.His legs pumped furiously as he dashed through the ris
Lake A rush of excitement coursed through me as I stepped off the jet at Silverglate Airport. I couldn’t believe I was finally here, ready to start my varsity journey and embark on a new chapter of my life. Alec and I hurried to the curb, where our ride awaited us. As we got in the car, I could not help but feel both nervous and excited. This was the first time I was so far away from my family and the familiar comforts of home, but the excitement of all the new experiences that lay ahead quickly drew me out of it. As we began driving through the city, I realized it was even more beautiful than I had imagined, and there was a sense of freedom in the air. My cousin Alec was in his fourth and final year, and he told me that life was fast here. "Wow!" I marveled at how the city sparkled at night. It was one of its most striking features, and as someone from a small, quiet town, it captivated me. It also made me understand why Alec almost failed his first year. Silverglate was syno
Two days earlier Neridia Kingdom Prince Kairos "Are you ready?" Father asked, to which my brother and I enthusiastically responded, "Yes, sir!" This was the day we had been waiting for, and we were ecstatic. We were heading to Silverglade, where we would study for the next two years. We had grown up and spent our entire lives in the ocean, as future kings, constantly in the spotlight and under the scrutiny of our parents and the general public. We enjoyed our lives, but sometimes the pressure got to us. This was our opportunity to relieve some of the pressure, as we would not be known as princes where we were going. As part of our disguise, my brother and I had to wear contact lenses all the time to hide our golden eyes, which were a defining feature of us, and Father reminded us of this. Otherwise, we appeared human, albeit taller than the average human, which was not a problem. We also went by Kairos and Darian Neridia because we were required to have a last name. Merpeople
Third-Party POVReed emerged from the ocean with Lake in his arms, salt stinging his eyes and throat as he gasped for air. But his relief was shattered when he looked up and saw hell.The road they had been driving on was no longer there. Entire stretches of asphalt were submerged, with only broken street signs and lampposts sticking out from the raging water. Their cars floated like forgotten toys, and Reed's heart lurched in his throat as he looked at his own car.Further up, a gas station was half-buried in the water, with fuel pumps bobbing like corpses, and he could not believe his eyes. Houses along the curve of the road were drowning, and the water was not just coming in waves; it was surging and he realized he needed to get away.His feet sank into the muddy slope of the shoreline as he adjusted Lake's limp body, feeling for his pulse, which he found. "Hang in there, man," he said quietly, adjusting Lake over his shoulder.His legs pumped furiously as he dashed through the ris
Third-Party POVLux was still frozen in the crashing waves, staring at the impossible vision in front of her, when the world was suddenly swallowed up in darkness again.The lightning was gone and Kairos, or whatever version of Kairos she had seen, vanished into the black. That was when the terror truly sank in.Her breath hitched and caught in her throat. The image of Kairos, the one with the tail suspended in the storm, burned itself into her memory like a curse. She had no idea what she had seen, but she knew one thing for certain: she needed to get out of there.Her feet pivoted before her mind could and sand kicked up behind her as she sprinted away from the shore, wild and ungraceful. Her knees buckled once, but she caught herself scrambling forward in the pitch black.The water's roar faded behind her, and her own ragged breaths became quiet, leaving only the pounding of her heart, which thrashed in her chest as if trying to claw its way out.A voice screamed in her head, "Run!
Lake's POVI watched Darian as he directed the car to pull over to the side of the road, his movements remaining eerily calm. My hands clenched in my lap as he stepped out and shut the door without saying anything, and I leaned forward, looking around for Kairos.But it was not just dark, but pitch black. There were no lights along this stretch of the beach, and no signs of life either. The only thing I could see was the ocean ahead, and the sound of it crashing and churning filled my ears, becoming louder with each passing second.I stared out, my heart racing, as Darian began walking down to the water, his steps unhurried. Pushing the door open, I stepped outside, my feet crunching into the sand as I took a step forward, but then I came to a halt.My legs would not allow me to move. "Is he over there?" I called out, pointing ahead into the darkness, hoping, needing Darian to say something that would calm my racing nerves and give me the courage to continue, and he stopped."Yes," he
Kairos's POVI lost all sense of reason and direction as Lake's phone rang and rang without an answer, and I removed my phone from my ear, checked the screen as if that would change anything before hitting redial. However, there was still nothing."Come on, come on," I muttered, pacing in a circle before coming to a complete stop. I couldn’t find my car keys. My heart slammed so hard it hurt as if it was trying to punch its way out of my chest, as I ran back to Darian's side of the dorm, still calling Lake as the phone rang again.The door was still ajar from before, and I saw his car keys immediately as I stumbled in and I snatched them without a moment’s pause. I had no shoes on. Just my pajama bottoms, but I didn’t care.My mind was too loud, my thoughts too jumbled, and I did not even try to hide my superhuman speed as I leaped down the staircase. There was no time to run like a human now. "Please help me," I begged any power that would listen, switching back to calling Darian as
Lux's POVThe cool air forced me to pull my robe tighter around me as I went outside. Reed's car was parked right in front of the building, just as he had said. He stepped out as soon as I appeared, and our gazes met in the orange glow of the streetlamp.He smiled, and I found myself returning it instinctively as we walked toward each other. Meeting halfway, we shared a quick hug."Sorry for bothering you so late," he said, pulling back.“It’s not a bother,” I quickly replied. “If it was, I wouldn’t be out here.” My voice came out sharper than I expected, but that was not the only thing that surprised me. The statement also surprised me, and I wondered if I was telling him or myself. He didn't seem to mind it, though, as he opened the car door for me. I slid inside, adjusting my robe and tucking my slippers under the seat.He took his seat on the driver's side. "So, did everything go well with what you needed to do earlier?" I asked, hoping to quickly relieve the tension that only I c
Lake's POVLux yawned softly and stretched her arms above her head before suggesting we call it a night. I glanced at the clock and realized how late it had become. I had finished my meal a while ago, and for the past hour, we had been sitting in the kitchen, talking about everything and nothing.I didn't think I had the energy to discuss what happened between me and Kairos. But despite my best efforts to avoid it, it came up, and I told Lux what had happened, how I wanted to talk to Kairos, what we said, and how we decided to be friends.She asked if it was not better to cut ties and avoid each other rather than hang out. But I told her that we would make it work.Lux did not press it; she was dealing with her own issues, such as Alec. The way he treated her still irritated me, and I didn't want to break my promise to Lux, but I was not going to let it slide. I planned to see my cousin first thing in the morning and talk to him.Getting up, I took my plate and mug to the sink for a q
Third-Party POV "I'm stupid for being heartbroken," Lux said. And Lake froze before the eggs in the pan sizzled and popped forgotten. He walked around the counter and wrapped his arms around Lux, engulfing her in a firm, protective hug that she fell into. Something twisted deep inside his chest. He was familiar with Alec and his friends' operations, having heard their stories when Alec returned home during breaks, the bravado, the casual bragging, the way girls were reduced to themes and moments. But he had hoped Alec would not pull such a stunt with Lux, knowing how much Lake cared for her. Lake's jaw tightened, and Lux gently drew back, just enough to look up at him, as she told him everything that had happened, including how Alec behaved as if he had never seen her before, how it broke her heart, and finally about Charlotte. She told Lake everything Charlotte said about Alec and his friends. But she paused as Lake's face turned red, and his eyes hardened with each word she s
Lux's POVReed looked at me as he ended the call, his expression changing to apologetic in a matter of seconds. “Hey, I'm really sorry… I need to go somewhere. Right now.”“It’s okay. I understand.”"I promise to make it up to you," he said quickly, and I nodded again, smiling slightly. One of the guys nearby must have overheard and chimed in, "She could hang with us; I will drop her off later—""–Absolutely not," Reed interrupted before the guy could finish, giving him one of those long, knowing stares that made me look between them both.Charlotte's words returned to my mind. They are all players. I shook the thought away as he gently touched my arm and motioned for us to leave. We turned and walked away, back towards his car. I could sense the tension in the air, as if he was half in his head and half trying to hold it together.“I really am sorry,” he said again as we reached the car. “It’s fine,” I replied. I was actually getting into the racing thing, but whatever was pulling hi
Lux's POVThe ride through Silverglade was breathtaking. After leaving the stadium and the chaos behind us, Reed suggested we stop for ice cream, which we did. There was this cute little roadside stand with the aroma of sugar and waffle cones dancing in the air. He chose mint chocolate chips, while I went with salted caramel.We talked as we drove, and the blur of streetlights and people faded, leaving only the quiet edges of town. Silverglade looked stunning in the evening light. And I stared out the window, watching everything pass by.Reed followed a winding road up a hill surrounded by trees that arched slightly over the road. The way the light hit them made them appear almost enchanted, and I pointed out the trees with curiosity. “What kind are those?” I asked, leaning forward to take in the long trunks and far-reaching branches.“Those..” he said, his eyes flicking between the road and me. “Jacarandas. You’ll see them bloom soon, purple flowers everywhere. My father refers to th