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"You did what?" Sirena's voice reverberated off the walls of the grotto.

Nixie rolled her eyes. "Sirena, it's not a big deal. At all. You have to admit, what Lyla was planning? It was insane."

"That doesn't mean you give Cam the trident! You have no idea what he wants to do with it!"

"Actually, I know exactly what he wants to do with it. He wants to turn Zac back to normal! Just like us, Sirena! All I did was eliminate the possibility of Zac joining the pod."

Sirena sighed. "Nixie, this doesn't feel right. Does Cam even know what to do? And we can't just trick Zac into swimming out to Mako, saying we'll be there when we won't–––It'll actually be his best friend, who's going to take away his powers for good!"

Little does she know, Nixie thought, we are going to be out there. Or at least, I am. "Sirena," Nixie said soothingly. "It's going to work. Don't worry."

"What's going to work?" Lyla's voice echoed from the doorway. She stepped into the grotto, glancing between Sirena and Nixie suspiciously. "What's going on?"

There was a long pause. "Nixie," Sirena said. "We're all a team here. Aren't you going to tell her?"

Nixie sighed. "It's nothing. I gave the trident to Cam. We need to take Zac's powers away for good. Lyla, I–––"

"Nixie." Lyla's voice quavered. "What. Have. You. Done?! Why on earth would you do that? How did you even get the trident?"

"Lyla, I know you care about Zac." More than you should. "We all do. But he can't be part of the pod. If we ever want to regain their trust again–––"

"Nixie! I know! I know it was naïve of me to say that, and that Zac doesn't belong at Mako. Zac and I and Rita already talked about it. You were there! He said he was willing to give up his powers. He's going to let us! Why did you need to steal the trident–––and worse, give it to a Landboy?!"

"Stars, Lyla! Zac's a Landboy, too! Have you forgotten–––?"

"No, he's not." Lyla's voice had gone quiet suddenly. "He's like us. You just refuse to trust him."

Nixie didn't even bother denying it. Lyla was right. She didn't trust him–––not at all. "Lyla, if there's just one tiny chance that Zac's lying, that he doesn't want to give up his powers, this is the safer way. There's no risk."

"No risk in giving the trident to Cam? What were you thinking?"

"Lyla, we can trust Cam! He wants the same thing we do!"

"No, Nixie." Lyla was smiling. But it was an odd, strained smile that didn't at all reach her eyes. She spoke softly and slowly. "This isn't about Cam wanting the same thing as us, is it? This isn't about proving he's trustworthy. This is about you. It's always about you. You are such a fucking hypocrite."

Sirena's mouth fell open. Nixie barely noticed. "What exactly are you suggesting?"

Lyla laughed mirthlessly. "Easy, Nixie. I'm just going to say it, because we all know it's true. You're in love with Cam."

And then several things happened at once. Nixie threw her hand up, and power surged through the moon ring she was wearing. A huge gust of wind filled the cave, throwing Lyla backwards against the stone wall, just as Rita burst through the entrance. "What's going on?" She stared from Nixie to Sirena to Lyla, who was pulling herself up off the floor and glaring at Nixie.

Nixie turned around and ran through the doorway of the grotto, diving into the secret pool. With a flick of her tail, she was gone.

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