Chapter 21- EMMA'S POV

As we swim through the water towards Mako, we all take it slowly. Despite being terrified and desperately needing to see Ash again, I know this will be my last swim as a mermaid and that terrifies me even more.

Finally, inevitably, we arrive at the entrance to the moonpool. After making eye contact, Rikki, Bella, Cleo and I swim in.

"Hello girls," echos throughout the cave. Charlotte. "You're late."

With my head now above water, I look around and gasp. Angi, the other mermaid, is standing behind Charlotte, her face wet from tears. Lined against the wall are four boys, their hands tied and mouths gagged. Lewis, Ash, Zane, and Will. Their hand binds are all tied to a central pole; they look like dogs. I can't stand it. Maybe, just maybe, if I …

Quickly, I form an icicle and send it flying towards Charlotte. She tries to dodge but it clips her side anyway, and quickly a red mark forms beneath her shirt. Face angry, she hisses, "That was very naughty, Emma! Now look what you've forced me to do!" She nods at Angi, and, looking terrified, the girl conjures up some water plasma and sends flying to Ash. It's not enough to knock him unconscious, but his screams are echoed all through the cave. "NO!" I scream, pulling myself onto the shore. Ash struggles against his binds, twitching and shaking. "Please," I sob. "please, make it stop."

Slowly, Ash falls to his knees. I can see his chest moving up and down with labored breathing. I flop onto my side. Cleo, Rikki, and Bella follow my lead and drag themselves out of the pool; Rikki swiftly dries us and soon we're all standing.

"Well, well, well. We're finally having the showdown, the epic battle that everyone's been waiting for," Charlotte says sarcastically. Rikki scoffs.

"I thought that happened when we were teenagers, Charlotte. When we destroyed you," she says.

Charlotte's face grows red as she nods to Angi again. "Wait," Rikki says, stepping forward, hands out, "Wait, please don't-"

She's cut off by Zane's screams as electricity bolts through him. Face pale, Rikki steps back in line.

"So," Charlotte says casually after Zane's moans die down, "have you made your choice?"

Slowly, we all nod. "Wonderful," says Charlotte manically. "And?"

Bella steps up here. "We're going to give up our powers."

Grinning, Charlotte gives a little clap. "Well, then! Perfect! The moon should pass over any minute now, and then we'll all be even finally!" she screams. Dear Lord, she's insane!

"No."

I look around. None of the girls have spoken.

"No, you are not going to do this!"

I finally realize it's Angi who's speaking. Charlotte turns to her. I've never heard this girl's voice before.

The Indian girl walks towards us. She is shaking, face pale. "You're not going to ruin any more lives, you fucking psychopath!"

Looking almost a little nervous, Charlotte backs up. "Now, now, Angi. Don't forget that I have all the right people in all the right places!"

"No doubt other people who you're blackmailing! And you know what, Charlotte? You can't blackmail anyone if you're DEAD!" she shouts with a beautiful Indian accent.

Laughing concernedly, Charlotte retorted, "And what, Angi? You're going to kill me? With your plasma, I assume. We both know it's not powerful enough for that."

Angi takes another step towards her. We all watch, silent. "No, it's not. But I've been doing some research of my own, Charlotte! And did you know that, since this very special anomaly takes away the specific energy that makes a mermaid a mermaid, it takes the energy that makes a human a human from a non-mermaid? I mean, it's got to take something!"

"What?" Charlotte exclaims. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, CHARLOTTE, that if you are in this moonpool when the full moon passes over, you will die! It will drain your life force! And I assure you, you will be!" Angi screams. And, with that, she strikes Charlotte with plasma and she, who had been standing on the edge of the shore, falls back into the water.

Twitching and screaming, Charlotte flails in the water, until finally the moonlight begins shine through the volcano opening. The golden bubbles, just like every other month, rise up, and slowly, almost like a hologram, Charlotte begins to disappear. Finally, with one last sheen of white light, the moon passes, the moonpool settles, and Charlotte …

Charlotte is gone.