Before Stella could voice her question, the world around her seemed to vanish. The vibrant colors of Alloan faded into an all-consuming darkness, heavy and suffocating. Out of the void emerged a figure—a mermaid, or something that resembled one. Its form was undefined, constantly shifting, as though it were made of smoke and water.
Stella's breath caught in her throat. Her wide eyes followed the blurry figure as it moved closer.
"Some answers," it spoke, its voice hauntingly soft in the ancient mermaid language, "are not meant to be found. They can break you. Are you truly ready for this? Can you promise not to let the truth destroy you if it does?"
The words struck Stella like a tidal wave. Her mind raced, and she felt the weight of the moment pressing on her chest. Every decision she had made, every step she had taken, had led her to this.
She lowered her gaze, her thoughts chaotic. The truth she sought could reshape everything she believed about herself and her world. But then she steadied herself, remembering something she had always held onto: everyone carries burdens, everyone faces betrayal, but it's not the fall that defines you—it's how you rise afterward.
Stella clenched her fists and lifted her head. "I'm ready," she said firmly, though her voice trembled at the edges.
The figure didn't move away. Instead, its presence became heavier, colder, as if testing her resolve.
"What if I told you," it said, its voice now sharper, "that it's someone you trust? Someone close to you?"
Her heart dropped, and a chill ran through her body. "You mean... the Siren of Cosmos is someone I know?"
The figure didn't answer. Instead, it began to dissolve, fading into the darkness as silently as it had appeared.
Stella was left standing alone, her chest heaving, her mind reeling. No answers. Just more questions—and the sinking realization that her world was unraveling piece by piece.
A picture appeared before her, and as Stella's eyes settled on it, her heart felt as though it shattered into a thousand pieces. Could her heart break any more than this? She stared at the image, her mind reeling. Two faces she never thought would betray her stared back at her. Milo—her trusted friend, her uncle. And Nora—someone she had confided in, someone she believed to be on her side.
The betrayal from both of them felt like a blade twisting deeper into her chest. It was too much, too raw. Stella's breathing became shallow as the weight of it all pressed against her. Alloan's energy intensified around her, tightening its grip, as if sensing her despair and feeding off it.
But then, something shifted. While the power of Alloan threatened to overwhelm her, it couldn't. The force that had nearly crushed her seemed to hesitate, unable to fully take hold. Somehow, she was resisting it.
Summoning what strength she had left, Stella swam back. Each stroke was heavy, her body weak, but she kept moving. She glanced back at Alloan one last time as she exited its bounds. Even with all it had revealed—its truths, its pain—this place felt like a part of her. A connection she couldn't explain, but one she knew she would return to.
I will come back, she thought, her determination unshaken despite the heartbreak.
Breaking through the surface of the water, Stella gasped for air, her lungs burning. Her gaze immediately landed on Simon. He wasn't standing on the shore, but floating just above the water, his body suspended as if the sea itself was holding him up. His eyes were shut tight, and his hands were clasped together, blood dripping from his palms and pooling beneath him. Yet, he didn't falter. His lips moved rapidly, murmuring a spell Stella recognized instantly.
Her heart clenched at the sight. It was a life-protecting spell—a ritual she'd only seen once before, when Gigi had saved Mallory from the brink of death. The realization struck her like lightning. Simon had been protecting her, pouring his energy and life into keeping her safe while she was in Alloan.
Suddenly, it all made sense. Why Alloan couldn't harm her. Why its power hadn't crushed her completely.
Stella swam to the shore, her chest heaving with exhaustion and emotion. Tears welled up in her eyes as she watched him, his devotion breaking through the chaos of her mind. It wasn't just the weight of the secrets she had uncovered or the betrayals she had endured—it was the love she saw in Simon's actions.
"Simon…" she whispered, her voice trembling as she reached him, unsure if he could even hear her through the spell.
Her tears finally spilled over, and for the first time in a long while, she felt both broken and whole, standing on the edge of everything she had learned and the love that anchored her.
Simon's eyes snapped open, and before Stella could react, he leapt gracefully back onto the yacht. He didn't hesitate for a second, his gaze locking onto hers with an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine. Without a word, he extended his hand to her. She swam toward the yacht, her body still trembling from the intensity of what she had just discovered. He pulled her in with ease, lifting her from the water with a tenderness that made her heart ache. She was still in her mermaid form, her tail glistening with droplets of water as he held her close.
He didn't say a word as he walked toward the bathroom, never once breaking eye contact. Stella followed him, her heart heavy with the weight of everything she had learned. When they reached the bathroom, Simon gently lowered her into the tub, the warm water enveloping her as she sat there, feeling completely exposed in more ways than one.
Stella closed her eyes for a moment, the raw emotion of the past hours weighing on her chest. She opened her eyes and looked at Simon, her voice barely above a whisper. "Can I stay alone?"
Simon's heart tightened at the sound of her words. He wanted to stay, to comfort her, to hold her until the world stopped spinning, but he knew—deep down—that she needed space. She needed time to process everything, to come to terms with the truth that had shattered her world.
He fought the urge to argue, but slowly, reluctantly, he nodded. "I'll be right outside if you need anything." Without another word, he turned and left, closing the door behind him gently.
Stella remained still in the tub, staring at the blank wall in front of her. The emptiness seemed to stretch on forever. Her heart, heavy with the weight of betrayal and sorrow, felt like it was slowly cracking apart. But even as the grief threatened to consume her, she made a choice. She wanted to embrace the darkness, the familiar void that felt like the only place she could hide from everything. She sighed deeply, closing her eyes, trying to shut out the world.
Her mermaid tail began to fade, the shimmering fins slowly retracting as her legs returned. She rubbed the herbs Simon had given her over her skin, watching as her mermaid form disappeared, but her eyes still glowed with a faint blueish green hue, a reminder of what she truly was. She stood up, wrapped a towel around her body, dried herself, and then grabbed one of Simon's shirts, pulling it on. It was oversized, reaching down to her knees. It felt oddly comforting, like a piece of him she could hold onto.
When she stepped out of the bathroom, everything around her was dark. The silence was suffocating. She frowned, wondering if she was still lost in her own mind. Suddenly, a small candle flickered to life, casting a soft glow across the room. Stella's eyes followed the light, finding Simon sitting on the couch, his gaze focused on her.
"I told you why I like you, Stella," Simon's voice broke the stillness. "There are moments when we want to succumb to the dark around us. But you, my little fish, are light. You were born with it and will live with it. You are a strong woman, and whenever you feel low, I will be there for you."
Tears welled up in Stella's eyes, and without thinking, she walked toward him. Her legs trembled with every step, and her chin wobbled as the weight of his words hit her. She couldn't hold back any longer. As soon as she reached him, Simon pulled her onto his lap, his arms wrapping around her with a tenderness that soothed her fractured soul.
And that was it. Her tears broke free, flowing freely as she cried in his arms. There was no more holding back. She let herself feel everything—the pain, the heartbreak, the betrayal. And in that moment, Simon held her tighter, patting her hair softly as he whispered comforting words, offering her the solace she so desperately needed. The darkness around them seemed a little less suffocating now.