(A/N- This chapter doesn't quite continue right where we left off. You'll get to more of the stories John told Melody later on in the story. They'll come up again when they're important. The big thing with this story is the backstories. They're really important.)


Chapter 3: Reunions

Dear Mom, Dad, & Elliot,

I'm going to Atlantica for a bit. Don't worry about me or how I regained my mermaid form,

just trust that I will be safe because I will. I won't be in any danger.

I hope to be back soon. I just need to sort a few things out.

Love you all,

Melody

As soon as I said goodbye to John I left the note for my family on my office desk. They'd find it eventually. I didn't want to worry them, but I had to do this, and I needed to do it on my own. I knew what I had to do, and I wasn't about to let anyone get in my way. Well, I wasn't exactly sure what to do, but at least I had a pretty good idea.

I kept in mind what John had told me about my grandfather, the Sorceress, and her scepter as I made my way down to the beach trying not to be seen. The less people who saw me, the easier it would be to keep this more or less a secret.

As soon as my feet touch my second home I put on the ring John gave me. My grandfather had foreseen that I would need a way to turn back into a mermaid without the power of the trident so the rest of the family wouldn't know about my journey. He had known that I would want to make this discovery on my own―that it was just meant for me―so he made the ring before his death and gave it to John to give to me when the time was right.

As long as I was in the sea I would be a mermaid, and when I was back on dry land I could turn back into a human, but had to make sure I didn't lose it. My grandfather only made one, and without it, I couldn't change my form. I would be stuck in which every form I lost it in, unless I when to my Aunt Attina, now the queen of Atlantica, for help.

I smiled as the pearl ring began to work its magic, forming my legs together to create my salmon colored tail. It was such a wonderful feeling to become a mermaid again. It was a part of me that I always missed. The last time I had been in this form was a year ago for my grandfather's funeral.

I made my way to Atlantica. I managed to remember the way only because of the few times I had visited with my mother, but it wasn't a path I knew perfectly just yet. I hadn't visited nearly as much as I wished I had while my grandfather was still alive.

It wasn't long until I was the golden city appeared in the bright, blue water in front of me. An arch stood proud in front of the city marking the entrance with Atlantica written at the top. The spectacular view always managed to take my breath away just like it did the very first time I saw it.

I hoped to get what I needed and get out without anyone seeing me. I didn't need anyone asking any questions of how or why I was there. Sometimes my aunts and uncles could be just as protective and worried about me as my parents.

"Melody!"

I cringed. I recognized the voice to be from one of my younger cousins, River. She was followed by her younger brother, Adrian.

"Oh my Neptune! What are you doing here? How in all of the seven seas did you get here?" exclaimed River.

"Um, it's a long story," I said, hoping for them to just carry on, but knowing them, they wouldn't.

"Can you tell us?" Adrian asked. "Oh! Can go and get the rest of our cousins so you can tell them, too?"

I rolled my eyes at my fourteen–year–old cousin. He couldn't do that. I needed to be as discreet as possible so questions wouldn't be asked. I didn't think my grandfather would want everyone to learn of his secret.

"Hey, listen," I rested my hand on his shoulder, "how about this just be our little secret, okay?"

"But how do you get here?" River asked, always being the logical thinker. "Only Aunt Attina can turn you into a mermaid with the trident, and she didn't change you, did she?" she placed her hands on her hips as she waited for my answer.

I sighed. "No, she didn't, but listen. I'm kind of in a hurry right now, but it you don't tell anyone I was here, I promise I'll tell you the whole story when I'm back, okay?" I said. I was sure that by the end of all of the craziness I could come up with a false story to tell them.

River and Adrian looked at each other as if they were sharing the same thoughts.

"Fine," River said. "We'll see you later."

I waved them off as I swam away as fast as I could. The first thing I had to do was find Alex. I needed his help.


I found Alex maybe ten minutes later. He had gotten a place of his own since I last saw him for my grandfather's funeral. At that time he had been living with his parents, Urchin and Gabriella, two old friends of my mother.

I knew Alex would be the only person I could enlist for help. He would hopefully be an expert on the subject. Plus, he was a good friend of mine, one I could always trust.

I often wondered after we had first met if we might end up together, but after awhile we realized that it couldn't work. We started to slowly drift our own separate ways. Anyways, I knew I would be stuck on land since I had no other siblings to take the throne and he would be stuck in sea.

I knocked on the door. As soon as he opened the door and recognized my familiar face he pulled me into a big hug. There was still no doubt that he was one of the best friends I ever had.

"What are you doing back here?" he asked, smiling, letting me in.

I explained to him about how I got back. I told him of John and how he told me of the Sorceress and her scepter. I explained to him that there was a curse, but John didn't tell me much about it. He didn't know much, either. That was the part of my grandfather's past that I had to figure out. I had to go and find the Sorceress myself to find the answers I was looking for.

"And you think that I can help how?" Alex asked.

"Alex, you've lived here your whole life. You must know more about her than I do. I don't even know where the cave my grandfather banished her in is, but you do, right?" I asked.

"Yeah, I do," Alex began. "Everyone in Atlantica knows where it is. We also know that we're supposed to stay clear of it."

"Oh, come on. All we have to do is asked her a few questions, and then we can be off," I explained.

"But what if she escapes?" Alex asked. I didn't remember him being this much of a wimp before.

"Alex, she can't get out. My grandfather put a spell on her so she can't ever escape. We'll be fine," I reassured him.

He thought a few moments as if this was a tough decision, but I knew that deep down he had a soft heart and had already made the decision to help me the second I asked for it.

"Fine," he rolled his eyes and laughed. "But first, let me grab a book about her that might help us."