See You Soon (See the Moon)

6. New Changes

For the break after senior year I went back to Brooklyn. My mum tried to convince me to go to college in the states but I still had at least one term to do at the College of Queensland.

I had found a family with the girls back in Australia and I wasn't willing to give that up.

So when a month had passed I was heading back, this time to start my first semester at college.
The Gilberts welcomed me back with open arms. They insisted I stay with them rather than go to a shared dorm at the college so I took them up on the offer and found they'd left my room just as it had been before.

I was busy with the new semester so it wasn't until the first full moon since everyone got back from vacation that I joined the girls at the Gilberts.

Lewis met all of us there as well.

He had been researching the planetary alignments that lined up with each full moon. He was convinced that it was important and although the girls were dismissive I sat beside him as he pointed out the details he'd figured out so far.

Cleo and Rikki decided to leave for home.

I pointed to Lewis's screen, "Something about that math doesn't add up."

"Of course it does...oh wait..." His eyes widened only to jump up and go after the girls with me following.

The girls stood in the moon's glow looking up at the skies.

"It rose an hour early."

"You don't say." I looked at the girls to see completely blank expressions as they began to walk out towards the pier. I looked back at Lewis. "I have a bad feeling about this one, it's best that I be the one to follow them. You stay here."

I ran after the girls to see them watching the moon rise higher and I heard the patter of Lewis following.

"They can't go, Darcy."

"No one will be able to stop them but I can help manage them."

Splashes were heard as the girls dove in. I jumped in after, thankful for the fact that I wore a skirt today instead of pants before I raced after the girls.

No sooner did we arrive at the moon pool before the bubbles began to form around us, rising glowing toward the full moon. I felt it again, another change...something that sent all my senses tingling.

We were dunked under the glowing water and as I rose I felt as if my senses had been enhanced. I could hear approaching footsteps before they even arrived in the cave. I rose out of the water as I watched Lewis come through.

"I warned you Lewis."

He ignored me and immediately called out to his soulmate, "Cleo?"

Cleo's head bobbed up from the water, her eyes showing she was under the thrall.

I looked at Lewis, "It's dangerous, Lewis you need to leave."

Of course the boy didn't listen and bent down toward Cleo, "Don't you want to go home?"

"I am home." Cleo spoke.

"I know but I think you'll be more comfortable under your covers in your own bed." Lewis pursued his lips, his voice firmer. "Let's go, let's get you out of this moonlight."

I winced, this wasn't going to go over well.

Natural born mers and mers turned from moon pools all felt the strong pull toward the full moon. If something challenged them they'd feel threatened. Base instincts to the forefront, overriding even soulmarks.

I wondered if that's true with mer soulmate pairs. My Babya's journal went into depth about the different kinds of mers but I hadn't read through that part very thoroughly yet.

A yell from Lewis had me looking toward him to see Cleo raising her hand summoning a strong wind that threatened to throw Lewis backwards. In an instinctual moment where I only sought to protect Lewis I raised my hand in the air too. A large wall of water rose from the depths of the pool separating Lewis from the blast of air, with another flip of my wrist the wall froze solid.

"What's going on?" Lewis's voice filtered through the rising storm of powers the girls had. Rikki summoned lightning to come crashing from the skies above toward Lewis.

I opened my mouth, before something disastrous happened, a low hum coming from my throat that relaxed the three girls.

I shouted at Lewis, "Cover your ears and run away Lewis. I've got this."

I opened my mouth and sang the siren song calming the storm and turning the girls attention to me.

Lewis was safe.

I could hear his footsteps pounding away running through the brush of Mako.
I could hear everything. Every creak of every tree, every breathe from every animal. Mako was alive and I could hear it.

I sang the whole night guiding each of the girls to their homes, tucking them in tight in their beds. Then singing them to sleep. They listened to the song even when I parted to help each girl into bed. The lullaby keeping them in their beds until sunrise.

As the moon set, and the sun rose I went to check on Lewis.

I called him and it went to voicemail.

I made my way quickly back to Mako finding his boat adrift. I pulled it back toward the island.

When I made it back to Mako's beaches I saw him sitting on the sand. His knees pulled up to his chest, shivering in the early morning light.

He glanced up at me, "Are they back to normal?"

"They should be. The full moon is gone."

He glanced behind me, "You brought my boat." His face eased up and his eyes crinkled as he smiled, "Thanks Darce."

I laughed and shrugged, "It's the least I could do."

We found the girls at Cleo's pacing back and forth.

"Girls I've got Lewis. He's safe."

Cleo ran forward but Lewis stepped back.

"I need a bit more than a day before..."

Cleo looked like she was about to cry. "What happened Darcy?"

"You turned on Lewis with your new abilities if I didn't stop you with mine Lewis might have been injured."

Cleo shook her head, "I can't believe it."

"Believe it." Lewis and I said at the same time.

I sat between Rikki and Emma on the sofa, each scooting to make space for me.

"I'm going to be busy with college classes but in the meantime, no powers." I pointed at Cleo and Rikki specifically, "We'll reconvene about them this weekend, agreed?"

The girls grumbled, "Agreed."

I turned to Lewis, "Lewis, you can call me if you ever need anything."

"Thanks Darce."

I think I didn't mind the new nickname.