It was two o'clock. On a Monday. And Zac Blakely still hadn't left his room.
In fact, he had barely even left his bed, despite the fact that he had been awake for several hours.
He was sure that his parents, and Rita, were going to be angry at him if they found out that he was skipping school but he couldn't really bring himself to care.
He had put a note on his door, telling his parents that he had left early—and he had used his invisibility to hide when they had come into the boathouse to double check. Zac felt a bit guilty for tricking them, but he had far more serious things to worry about at the moment.
His long lost "mother" was back, and his so-called sister had seemingly jumped on her delusional bandwagon. As annoyed as he was with Nerissa for showing up and turning his life upside down once again with her talk of ridiculous prophecies, Zac found himself more disappointed by Mimmi's betrayal.
Although he was still getting used to having a twin sister, he thought that they had been growing closer during the past few months. For the most part, he had liked having her around and he had thought that they shared a bond that went even deeper than their visions.
But yesterday, after he had shown her that their mother was clearly insane, she had sided with the woman that had abandoned them both. Mimmi had wanted to give Nerissia a chance. To hear her out.
And Zac had been furious about her lack of support.
To add insult to injury, Mimmi had also decided to go on about his deep connection to the mer-world, and had felt the need to tell him that he and all of his descendants would never manage to escape the magical mess his life had become.
According to his sister, any children he had would be merpeople too—even if he ended up with a land girl. It was something that he had never thought about before but, as much as he wanted to deny it, he knew that she was probably right. This curse would not end with him.
Perhaps it was silly, but that was part of the reason why he hadn't been able to make himself go to school that day.
Evie would be there, and he wasn't sure if he was ready to tell her what was happening yet…and he certainly wasn't ready to tell her what Mimmi said. As much as it pained him to think about it, he knew that Evie was determined to be normal again one day. She had accepted being a mermaid for now but she saw it as a temporary state of affairs. Rita and Mimmi were both convinced that if Evie returned to the moon pool on the anniversary of her transformation, she would go back to normal again—and that was only six months away.
They didn't talk about it much, but Zac knew that she was looking forward to that day. She hated keeping secrets from her father, she hated being on guard every time she left the house. Plus, at her core, Evie was human.
He couldn't blame her for wanting to return to her regular life. To the life she was always meant to have.
But a part of him was jealous. He would never be able to go back to the way things were before and the life he had known and loved had never really been his.
He was always going to be stuck as a merman.
He also feared that, one day, Evie would decide that having him around was simply too complicated. She loved him, of course—and she always said that she didn't care what he was. But, despite her proclamations, he knew that it mattered. She wanted a normal life, and she couldn't have that with a guy who was part fish.
With him.
And although it was far away, if they ever did get married and have children he knew that their lives would just get more difficult. He was pretty sure that she would not be happy with the thought of giving birth to little mer-babies. Perhaps he would be able to use the same spell that Nerissa used on him to hide their tails for eighteen years. But one day, sooner or later, they would be condemned. And it would be entirely his fault.
With a dejected sigh, Zac rolled over and pulled the blankets over his head. It didn't fully block out the sunlight, but it did help him feel as if he was escaping from his messed up world for at least a moment.
If only he could stay here, in his warm dark cocoon. No crazy relatives, no tails, no magic and no destinies. Just him and the comforting softness of his childhood bed.
Despite his effort to keep his mind clear from dark and troubling thoughts, he found himself wondering how much longer he was going to be able to stay in this place.
In his home.
There was no doubt that his childhood was painfully and permanently over now. The last few months had stripped him of most of the comfort and security he had one had.
Now that she was back and intent on making him "fulfil his duty to his people," would Nerissa somehow force him to go away with her? Would she cast another powerful spell to take away his legs forever, forcing him to live his life entirely in the ocean?
The thought sent a shiver down his spine.
He doubted that she would do anything quite so dramatic, but the fear still lingered in the back of his mind. She had taken away his life once before—changed him into something he was not and made him live in a world that wasn't his. It was entirely possible that she could wreak havoc on his life once again.
He had no idea what she was capable of. He hardly knew anything about her.
And he was pretty sure that he didn't want to find out more.
Mimmi could do what she wanted, but they would have to leave him out of it. Perhaps he hadn't been born on land, but this was his world now. He wanted this life. He wanted to be with his parents, his friends…with Evie. He wanted a career and a future that didn't involve floating listlessly through the sea.
He'd keep the tail if he had to. And he'd talk to Mimmi if she agreed not to mention their mother.
But that was it.
He wouldn't give the merpeople any more power over him.
They were all the same, and they all wanted him to "face his destiny."
Unintentionally, Zac let out a loud yawn and stretched out his cramped limbs. He was a naturally athletic and active person and was not used to spending this much time immobile. It didn't feel great, and he was admittedly a bit antsy, but he still couldn't force himself to get up.
As soon as he went outside, he knew that he would hear the alluring lapping of the ocean. He would feel its call.
And he simply didn't want to think about any of that right now.
He needed a day away from the water, no matter how much his body ached or how much his skin itched. He needed to be normal. He needed a day on land.
And, as everyone around him knew, Zac Blakely was extremely stubborn.
Drawing a deep breath, Zac pulled the covers off of his face and tried to clear his mind by starring at the plain white ceiling.
Before he had a chance to take another comforting breath, however, a knocking sound caused him to sit bolt upright in his bed.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
It wasn't loud, but Zac's heart instantly started pounding as he looked towards the boat house door.
He had been hoping for at least one day of seclusion, and he had no idea who was on the other side. It was only two fifteen. His mum was off visiting her sister until later that evening, and his dad never made it home from the hospital until at least 6pm. Most of his friends were still at school…
Perhaps he was overreacting, but he was willing to bet that whoever it was did not follow a regular human schedule.
With a frustrated growl, Zac jumped to his feet, allowing the blankets to fall onto the floor in a heap.
There was another knock, and he knew that his unexpected visitor was not going to go away.
It was probably Mimmi, he told himself as he walked towards the door. This wouldn't be the first time she had come for an unannounced visit. She had done it a lot the first few months after they had discovered their connection, in an attempt to bond with her brother. At first, he had been annoyed—but eventually, they had managed to have pleasant visits.
Perhaps she was hoping to make amends and rebuild their relationship in the same way she had before.
As much as he didn't really want to see his sister right now, Zac knew that anyone but Nerissa would be a welcomed relief. And, if it was her, he had a few choice words in mind…
The person knocked again and, with a final huff, Zac grabbed the door knob and yanked it open.
He looked up, expecting to see Mimmi but his mouth fell open in surprise as he found himself face to face with an unexpected figure.
It was certainly not his sister.
Instead, it was a middle aged man with dark hair and slightly almond shaped eyes. He was tall, perhaps an inch or two taller than Zac, and his white t-shirt did not hide the fact that he was rather muscular.
He was handsome but, aside from that, quite unremarkable. He wasn't wearing seashells, or strange gauzy fabric. At first glance, he appeared to be a completely normal bloke.
Although, Zac realized as he continued to examine the new arrival, there was something oddly familiar about him as well.
"Can I help you?" Zac asked, trying to keep his voice steady. He was nervous, in light of everything that had happened yesterday, but he still hoped that this had nothing to do with that. Maybe this man was just a salesperson, knocking at the beach house door after discovering that no one else was home.
"Hello, Zac." The man replied, offering a worried smile.
Zac's stomach sank and he contemplated slamming the door in this mystery man's face. Clearly, this was no accidental house call…the man knew who he was and Zac suspected that he knew what was going on.
He suddenly realized that he had looked into those eyes before.
He looked into them every day in the mirror…
"Your…Nerissa told me where I could find you." The man continued, all but confirming Zac's fears. "I know you're upset with her, and you have every right to be—but I still think it might be useful for us to talk." He paused, shifting his weight nervously from foot to foot.
The young man froze and he felt his appendages go numb. The possibility of this had, admittedly, crossed his mind during the last twenty four hours, but he hadn't actually thought that it would happen.
And he certainly hadn't thought that it would happen so soon.
But, he supposed, it was foolish to make any sort of prediction when his crazy "family" was involved. With them, it seemed, anything was possible.
"You're my father, aren't you?"
Zac blurted the words out quickly before giving it much thought. His voice wasn't angry, or even surprised. It was just…flat.
In truth, he was a bit surprised that he wasn't filled with the same sort of boiling anger that had overcome him yesterday on the beach. Perhaps he was just too drained to muster much of a reaction at this point.
Even though he was standing face to face with his biological father for the first time he felt surprisingly little emotion. Sure, he was reasonably nervous, but he knew even less about this man than he did about his mother and he had not spent much time during the past few months thinking about that side of his parentage. Nerissa was always the topic of discussion amongst the mermaids he associated with.
Nobody knew who his father was, and even Mimmi hadn't known his name.
Although part of him was still tempted to slam and lock the door, the flickers of vulnerability in the man made him hesitate—he struck him very differently than Nerissa had. Nerissa had approached him with a confidence and arrogance that had completely rubbed him the wrong way. She had clearly expected him to run into his arms and profess that he had missed her greatly.
But this man—his father—didn't seem to be projecting the same expectations. It annoyed him that Nerissa had sent him, but something about the man's demeanour made him more open to giving him a chance.
There was no way in hell that Zac was going to be roped into Nerissa's games, no matter what his newfound father said, but he'd be lying if he said he didn't want to know at least a little bit about the man who had given him life. Even if he chose never to see him again after this discussion.
"Yes, I'm your father." The man replied, his eyes examining his son for the first time. Zac could see the emotion behind them, but the new arrival managed to keep himself in check far better than Nerissa had—much to Zac's relief. He didn't really know what to think, or what to do— but he did know that he would not be able to tolerate a tearful reunion.
He was curious, yes, but he was also determined not to get attached. He wanted his questions answered, and then he wanted this man out of his life. Period.
He needed to keep his distance.
"But you don't need to call me that, of course." The new arrival continued hurriedly. "I know you have land parents and I know what that's like. I'm not here expecting to replace them in any way. You can call me Jon, if you'd like."
Zac was a bit surprised by his words, but he nodded curtly. Clearly, Jon was far more perceptive than his so-called mother and the teenager was admittedly intrigued.
So, despite his better judgement, and everything he had told himself about severing his ties to the mer-world, Zac opened the door a little bit wider and gestured for the man to come in.
He was fairly certain that he was going to regret this soon enough, and yet he could not find the strength to turn him away.
"You'll need to be gone by the time my parents get home, but I guess we can talk for a little while." He said, folding his arms across his chest as Jon entered the room and looked around.
For a moment, there was silence and Zac watched his newly found relative examine his surroundings. He brushed his fingers across one of Zac's surfing trophies before looking down towards a framed photograph of him and his parents. Jon paused for several seconds and a sad smile crossed his face.
"But, just so you know," Zac added, direction the conversation towards the most pressing matter in hopes that the sight of the photograph would not lead to an emotional outpouring about regrets and missed opportunities. "I am not going to agree to any of Nerissa's crazy schemes. So if you're only here to win me over to her side, then I suggest you go now."
He plopped himself down in the nearest chair and watched as Jon made his way towards the adjacent couch and took a seat. The man offered Zac a small smile and shook his head, apparently somewhat amused.
"It is okay, Zac." He began warmly. "Despite what you might think, I'm not just here as some sort of hostile lackey. And I want to be entirely open and honest with you, if you'll allow it." Zac said nothing and he continued. "Your mother found me a few weeks ago and told me that she had finally located you and your sister which, of course, I was overjoyed to hear. She also told me that she hoped you would both help her reunite our people—which, for the record, is a cause I do support."
Zac let out a scoff and kept his arms tightly folded against his chest. Maybe letting Jon inside had been foolish. He shouldn't have let his curiosity about his father cloud his better judgement.
If the last few days had taught him anything, it was that the fewer mer-people he let into his life, the simpler his life would be…
"But, in my mind, that is entirely secondary." Jon stated, looking up to meet Zac's narrowed eyes. "I may agree with Nerissa's aims but, more than anything, I just wanted to meet you."
The man paused for a moment and he gazed towards the window, as if suddenly lost in thought. Before Zac could cut in, however, he spoke again.
"Like most mermen, I never met my biological mother and rarely saw my biological father. It pained me that I never got to meet you or Mimmi either— but it was simply too dangerous until now. I know you'll probably never see me as a father, and even though that is difficult for me, I am grateful that you were raised by such wonderful parents here. I don't want to interfere with the life you have built, but I could not pass up my chance to see you—my flesh and blood—at least once."
Zac opened and closed his mouth several times after his father had finished. He was searching for the right response, but he found himself taken aback by the man's short speech.
Already, this was entirely different than any other encounter he had had with a merperson. Usually, they insisted on turning his life upside down, and none (with the possible exception of Rita) had ever expressed the empathy or understanding he had just received from Jon. At first, they had wanted to make him human again. Then, they had wanted to rope him into some sort of magical destiny. Mimmi had wanted him to integrate herself into his life, and Nerissa insisted that he had a higher calling. None understood or acknowledged his attachment to the land. In fact, the mermaids always seemed to have difficulty accepting why he wanted to stay on land at all. To them, the sea was the most desirable place to be and they could not comprehend any other way of thinking.
"That's fine, I guess." Zac finally replied, trying to ignore the slight lump he could feel building in his throat.
In truth, he had gone from nonchalant to vulnerable fairly quickly, but he did not want the other merman to know.
He wanted to keep this encounter as formal as possible.
"I suppose I wouldn't mind asking you a few questions. I know almost nothing about you." He stated, his eyes locked resolutely on Jon. "Where are you from, for starters? You sound Australian."
Jon chuckled and nodded towards the dark haired teen. "Yes, I was raised in Australia." He confirmed, leaning back against the couch in a more relaxed position. He appeared to be relieved that Zac had not yet turned him away and seemed interested in talking. "As far as I know, my mother was actually from Indonesia but, like most mermen, I was taken away from her at birth and don't know much more than that."
Zac nodded. Erik had once told him that mermen mated with human women to create offspring, and he wasn't surprised to hear that this was part of his father's story. It was a slight comfort to know that he at least had some human family out there somewhere.
Perhaps his human grandmother was even still alive…
In any event, he was grateful to know about the link, and it certainly explained the slightly Asian features that both he and Jon shared. The more he looked at the man before him, the more resemblances he noticed—in one respect, at least, Nerissa had been right. Zac looked quite a bit like his biological father.
It was eerie, and unnerving, to say that least.
"My father was a merman from the northern coast of Australia, though, and he took me there as an infant to be raised on land in one of the merman orphanages in that region. When I was old enough to know how to hide my identity, I was released into the regular foster system. I lived in about six or seven different homes during the next twelve years—but none of those places were nearly as nice as this." He said, looking around the beach house once again. "Like I said, Zac, I am happy that you had things better than I did growing up."
Zac gave him a soft smile before glancing out the window towards his parents' house. Although he had spent a fair bit of time feeling sorry for himself during the past year, he knew that Jon was right. He had been fortunate to end up with the Blakely's—he'd had a much easier life than either Erik or Jon and he would always be thankful for that.
Sure, the revelations about his true identity had been upsetting and destabilizing. But he would always have his happy childhood to look back on. That was certainly worth something.
"Yeah, things are good here." Zac acknowledged, fidgeting with a stray piece of thread on the chair. "So, did you go off to live in the ocean when you were eighteen, then?" He asked curiously. Erik was the only other merman he had met, and he had to admit that he didn't know much about the typical merman's life. Erik still lived on land, but he was also still in school. Apparently, most merman completed a basic human education, at least. But he wasn't so sure what usually happened next.
Would he be expected to make a home for himself in the sea after he graduated? Would the call of the ocean become too strong to resist by then?
Zac had no idea what to expect.
To his surprise, Jon chuckled again.
"No, of course not." He replied with a smile. Upon seeing the serious look on Zac's face, however, he elaborated. "You haven't met many mermen before, have you? Well, you might be relieved to know that the many live their adult lives on land. Some return to the sea and form small tribes, but countless other chose to live quiet lives by the shore. We still need to swim frequently, of course—and I've spent a few months in the ocean here and there. But after school, I went to the University of Melbourne and now I live just outside of Sydney. I work in a medical supply office there."
Zac stiffened in his chair. It felt as if a bolt of energy had just run through him and he turned towards his father, his eyes wide with surprise. It shocked him to think that his father had been so close this entire time, living a seemingly normal life.
"What? Really?"
The older man smiled. "Yes, really." He replied patiently. "You've clearly been hanging around too many mermaids." He stated with a small wink. "Almost all mermaids stay in the sea, and they need moon rings to even acquire legs. But since mermen have human mothers, we can change at will when we're dry. Plus we're raised to be familiar with land, even if we decide not to stay on it."
Zac let out a quiet "hmm" sound before drawing several slow breaths.
This was certainly a big, and very welcomed, revelation for him and he could not supress the smile on his face. For the first time in weeks, he felt as if he had received some good news. The mermaids constantly talked about the ocean, and the lives they had left behind with the pod—and Zac had always assumed that he would one day be drawn into that sort of world, no matter how hard he resisted.
Nerissa's appearance had strengthened those fears and, by now, he was used to Mimmi talking about all of the adventures they would have in the ocean "one day."
He didn't hate the ocean, of course. There was no way he could. And he was willing to admit that he felt most comfortable when he was swimming in the open water. Despite his desire to be normal, and the all of the times he had heatedly proclaimed that he wanted to be human again, he knew that deep down he would not have felt complete without his tail.
But, at the same time, he wanted some degree of what he considered normalcy. He wanted to be part of two worlds, not one or the other—and it sounded as if Jon had achieved that sort of balance.
"I wasn't sure if any of that was possible." Zac admitted sheepishly, averting his gaze down to the floor. He felt a bit foolish for letting his worries overtake him—Jon probably thought that living a dual life was easy and obvious—but Zac had never been told that.
Even though he had been a merman for over a year, he was still figuring a lot of things out. He'd had no idea what his future held.
"I mean, I grew up thinking I was human." He began again. "And when I found out I wasn't, everything suddenly seemed so uncertain. I didn't know if living the sort of life I envisioned was an option anymore. It's a relief to hear that it is."
Jon smiled before leaning forward to pat his hand reassuringly. "You can live your life however you would like, Zac." He said comfortingly. "I imagine finding out that you're a merman must have been difficult at your age, but it doesn't have to be a curse. You get to experience the ocean more deeply than any human, but you can do most human things as well. It's not so bad, trust me."
Zac nodded, his mind flickering back towards something he had been thinking about earlier.
"Do you have any other kids?" He asked, his voice slightly more hesitant than before. "Another family?"
He wasn't completely certain if he wanted to know the answer to that. It would hurt a bit to know that his father had moved on and replaced he and Mimmi—but, on the other hand, if he didn't have a family of his own it might mean that it wasn't something mermen were allowed to do.
"No, I don't." Jon replied. "It isn't unheard of." He added, perhaps seeing the look of worry on Zac's face. "But your mother is the only woman I have ever loved. Even though our time together was short, I knew that she was my match. Initially, we both hoped that we would find a way to be together without the mermaid or merman councils finding out—they would have killed us both if they had learned about our relationship."
Zac cringed. As angry as he was at Nerissa, he was happy to know that his biological parents had been in love and it sickened him to think about why they had been driven apart.
If it hadn't been for the stupid war…for all of those silly rules…
Zac shook his head. What was done was done, and his life would have been very different if they had been able to stay a family. He would never have met the Blakely's, for a start. And he probably wouldn't have met Evie or his friends either. He hated the thought of changing any of that now.
But, in principle, the reason for his parents' separation was unjust. And that was upsetting.
"But we never found a way." The older man continued with a sigh. "Both councils suspected that something was going on and I was forced to go into hiding. That's why your mother wasn't able to find me when she had you—and that's why I didn't even know about you guys until several years later when she finally managed to get a message to me. I wish I could have been there, done more, but…"
"It's okay." Zac cut in, not wanting to hear the man go down a path of regret. "Like you said, I got lucky and I grew up happy. I know it wasn't your fault and I don't blame you for not raising us."
Jon paused and ran a hand through his dark hair. Zac had the sense that he wanted to say something, but wasn't quite sure if he should.
After another moment, he spoke.
"But…you do blame Nerissa?"
The teenager flinched as soon as the older man spoke and his mind began to race as he contemplated an answer. He could understand why Jon had posed the question—after all, Zac had just professed that he didn't fault his father for not being around, and recognized that the circumstances had been out of his control. But, if Jon had spoken to Nerissa (which he clearly had), then he knew that their meeting had not gone well and that Zac had not indicated any hint of forgiveness during that conversation.
For a moment, Zac wondered if he was contradicting himself. Was it fair to blame Nerissa for abandoning him, and yet absolve Jon of all guilt?
But, he told himself, the situations were not exactly the same. Nerissa had been fully aware of what she was doing. She had held her children in her arms, and then left them—left him—in the care of strangers on the other side of the world. She had stripped him of his identity and his birthright, and let him grow up believing that he was a normal boy.
She was the reason his life had become a confusing mess. His father had very little to do with any of that.
And yet…
As this conversation had reminded him, both of his biological parents had been forced into situations against their wills—simply for being in love and conceiving him and Mimmi. Any way you spun it, it simply wasn't fair and it highlighted the stupidity of merpeople's laws and prejudices.
If he was being entirely honest, Zac wasn't sure what he would have done if he had been faced with Nerissa's choice. She could have kept him, and risked death for them all—or she could have given him a safe life far from the chaos his birth had created.
Neither was an appealing option for a parent and he did not envy her for having to make that choice.
Despite all of that, however, he could not ignore the ball of anger that still formed within him every time he heard her name. A small part of him was beginning to think that it was irrational, but he simply wasn't ready to fully entertain that option. No matter what Jon said.
"It's different." He muttered, his eyes locked resolutely on the floor. "And I don't want to talk about it."
He heard Jon give a small sigh, but much to his relief, the man did not press him further.
"Very well." He conceded, raising his hands in a gesture of surrender. "I do hope you'll spend more time thinking things through, but I can see how this must be very overwhelming right now. I am sincerely sorry that things have played out this way, and I wish it could have been easier on you."
Zac shrugged and tried his best to look nonchalant.
"I know what it is like to want to live your life on land." Jon continued, his brown eyes staring at his son pointedly. "And I am not here to tell you who you should forgive, and what your future should be. But—"
The boy cut him off with a loud huff.
There was always a "but" and he wasn't sure if he was in the mood to hear it. He was grateful, again, for the empathy—and he could tell that that man could relate, at least to some extent, to his struggle to balance two worlds. And yet he knew that Jon would not leave him in peace until he made him face the situation at hand.
Maybe all mer-people really were the same. They all seemed to be obsessed with grand plans and epic destinies.
"But," Jon started again, his voice firmer than before. "There are certain things in life that no one can control. Like it or not, our family line has always played an important part in the affairs of the ocean and, because of your lineage, you are a very powerful merman, Zac."
The boy opened his mouth to retort but his guest continued before he could let out a snarky reply.
"You can live the sort of life you want—you can be who you want to be, love who you want to love…but there are still certain, vital, obligations that you cannot escape. You and Mimmi have a very important role to play. You're the only ones who can end this silly war and make sure that families, like ours, never have to live in fear and danger again. You can finally allow mermaids and mermen to live in peace, without fear, without war, without unnecessary death." He leaned forward and clasped his hands, as if pleading for understanding. "I know you don't want this, and I know you're scared, but I also know that you can do it and I know that, deep down, you'll regret it if you don't."
As Jon spoke, Zac felt the all-too-familiar swell of anger grow inside of him. Sure, this conversation had started off well enough—but it had clearly taken a much dreaded turn.
The man claimed that he wasn't there to be Nerissa's lackey, but he had just regurgitated everything she had said to him last night. He was sick of all the cryptic nonsense and his patience had worn thin.
Letting Jon in, and letting down his guard, had been a mistake.
"That's enough!" Zac proclaimed loudly, standing up from his seat and throwing back his arms in frustration. "I've heard all of this gibberish from HER already, and I don't need to hear it again!"
He drew a deep breath in an attempt to gain some composure. Despite his annoyance he still didn't want his "father" to see him lose control.
"I need you to get out. Now."
He could see Jon tense but, unfortunately, the man did not move.
"Zac, please." He tried again. "I could spare you from this, but it has to be you. Our family created the merman chamber, our ancestor hid the trident…we have a duty to take on the burden of leadership once more and—"
"Just stop!" Zac cut in, unable to listen for a second longer. "I've had enough! I told Nerissa, I told Mimmi and now I am telling you: I am NOT interested in getting involved with this mess. I hope everything works out for you guys, but this is not my fight!"
"I'm sorry, Zac, but it is. You—"
"God, what part of "stop" don't you understand?" He snapped, cutting Jon off before he could finish his sentence. "You people need to take a bloody hint and leave me alone. I'm finished."
"You have to trust me, Zac. I don't want to take you away from your life or your family, but we need your help." Jon began again stubbornly, clearly not taking the not-so-subtle hint.
The man stood up as he spoke this time and Zac jolted back as he approached with his arm outstretched. There was no way in hell that he was going to let this man get any closer and there was no way in hell he was going to let him touch him.
Zac meant what he said and if Jon wasn't willing to leave then there was only one other option.
Glancing frantically around the room, the boy spied a glass of water on his desk and gestured towards it. On his command, the water flew across the room and splashed against Jon's side.
It wasn't much, but Zac knew that it would buy him time.
The logical part of mind told him to run right away—to get as much of a head start as possible. But something else made him want to stay.
Just for a moment.
He needed to see…
Jon let out a whispered "No" as he realized what his son had done and he looked up at the teen with a combination of sadness and anger on his face.
Zac almost felt bad but he pushed back the feeling as quickly as possible.
The man raised his arm once more and began to take a step but, before his foot reached the ground the magic overcame him. Jon crumpled to the floor, his powerful blue tail slapping against the wood as he fell.
He looked so helpless.
Stranded.
And Zac found it harder to be convinced by his statement that he could lead a normal life now that he lay before him with his freakishness on full display. He wondered if all of Jon's words were lies, designed to manipulate him into a false sense of security and lure him into Nerissa's world.
Zac took a shaky step back towards the door. Jon had pushed himself into a sitting position Zac knew that he should begin his escape. It was only a matter of time before the water dried. But, for some reason, he found himself unable to tear his eyes away.
Although he had swum with Erik several times, he had never seen himself in merman form (after all, mirrors were not common on the ocean floor). As he looked down at Jon, he found himself wondering if this was more or less how he appeared. Like it or not, he bore a striking resemblance to the man and he was particularly struck by their similarities now.
The face, the eyes, the build.
The muscular blue tail…
It was like starring at an older version of himself and it unnerved him greatly.
A wave of nausea passed through him.
"You don't need to leave, Zac." He heard Jon say, his voice surprisingly calm for someone who had just been caught off-guard with a forced transformation. "We can still talk. Or we can go for a swim, if you prefer."
Zac took another step towards he door, taken aback by the lump that was now building in his throat. He wasn't exactly sure what he was feeling, or why his anger had turned into…something else…so suddenly.
What the hell was wrong with him?
He didn't want to be part of this. He didn't care about these strangers who were trying to interfere with his life.
It was as simple as that.
"No. I can't. I won't…it's not me…"
He hated how much he stuttered, and how nervous he suddenly felt.
And, more than anything, he hated how difficult it was becoming to believe his own words.
As he looked down at the merman before him—the merman who looked so much like him— he knew that his denial was in vain.
This was him.
And there truly was no escape.
Zac backed against the doorframe. The image of he and Jon in the water flickered briefly through his mind and he felt an unwelcomed prickling sensation behind his eyes. It was something he never imagined—swimming through the open sea with the father he didn't know he missed, their tails creating waves behind them as they went.
He felt foolish for wanting that.
He hated that he wanted that.
And yet the thought filled him with so much yearning.
"I have to go." Zac choked out, finally stepping onto the patio of his beach house. He could hear the roar of the ocean in his ears, and he could see his future on display before him.
But, despite all of the overwhelming thoughts and emotions that were swirling inside of him, he knew that he wasn't ready.
He needed more time.
With one final glance at the man he had never expected to meet, Zac turned and ran inland.