Thirty-Four

Caspian, Tristan, and Adrian

~ o 0 o ~

Caspian Fontaine

The underwater world held a sense of magic, a realm where movement flowed seamlessly, and time seemed to stand still. It was where I found my place, where I belonged. As a merman, the ocean was my home, its currents my playground.

But I was far from the ocean as Moonlit Academy was nestled in the Rocky Mountains in North America.

So, the man-made pool with the ocean theme would suffice for now. The artificial body of water and the camaraderie of my swim team was my temporary sanctuary far from the kingdom my father insisted I rule. Diving, I pushed away thoughts of my overbearing father.

The morning sun filtered through the water, casting a warm glow on the vibrant coral formations that surrounded……