Mako Mermaids: Rita Santos' Daughter

Chapter 29

Caitlan's POV:

Me and mum are enjoying a swim in the reef. Lyla, Sirena and Nixie always invite me to swim with them but I always prefer my swims with mum.

We got back, and as soon as we reached the water surface, we heard bickering. "One of the many reasons I'm glad I'm the only child." I whispered to mum, who smiled at me slightly before we got out and dry.

When we walked into the Grotto, Sirena and Nixie stormed out. "Do we sense a little bit of tension? You all need to be submerged for a bit" Mum asked. Lyla then said to mum "There's things we don't understand. Mermaid stuff". "Well that's understandable! You haven't got your Moon Rings yet" I pointed out. "You completed your mermaid studies, you were initiated to the pod" Lyla said. "Top of her class" I said proudly. "Like mother like daughter" mum added and brought me into a hug. "So you both know how Mako works? How the Full Moon affects the land tunnel?" Lyla asked. "We didn't even know there was one! So, whatever it is, you shouldn't meddle with it either" mum said sternly.

We left the Grotto, mum had to sort some paperwork. "I feel like a lost dolphin following you about" I joked. Mum laughed and gave me a gentle shove. "Are you done being silly?" She asked. "Possibly" I shrugged and put my arm around her as we walked back to the Grotto.

Poseidon was sat at the Grotto entrance and we heard a splash - Lyla must have just left. "What is it Poseidon?" I asked and scooped him up.

Mum had some work to do, so we sat on the roof; mum doing her work, me doing my homework. Nixie and Sirena asked if we'd seen Lyla. "She left about an hour ago" I told them. "Did she say anything about what she was doing or where she was going?" Nixie asked. "She wanted information about Mako" mum shrugged. "I told you! I knew it!" Sirena said annoyed. "What is all this about?" Mum asked curious. "Lyla wanted to borrow my Moon Ring, and I said no" Sirena told us. Me and mum looked at each other, then rushed to the Grotto.

Mum opened her chest, got out the shell that holds our Moon Rings and one was missing. "One of them is gone!" Mum said annoyed. "It's ok, we'll get it back don't worry" Nixie assured her. "How did she even know you had one?" Sirena asked panicked. "She was asking about the land entrance to the Moon Pool on Mako, is that what it's for?" I asked. Sirena told us that Lyla was going to try opening the entrance with the ring, and gone to Mako with Zac. "I warned her not to meddle with things she doesn't understand. She mustn't use that Moon Ring on Mako!" Mum sighed.

Mum grabbed my hand and we headed back to the roof. "I can't complete my work now, I'll do it tomorrow" mum said angrily. Never in my whole life have I seen mum angry. I put my arms around mum and brought her into a hug. "It's what you always do to calm me down" I said quietly. Mum sighed with what seemed relief. "Thank you baby girl" she whispered tearfully and put her hands on my face. "You and me against both worlds, mama" I felt myself tear up. "Always." Mum added and pulled me into a cuddle.

Me and mum stood in the Cavern, waiting for Lyla to come back. She finally arrived and she knew she was in trouble. "Got something of mine?" Mum asked.

We walked into the Grotto and Lyla gave the Moon Ring back. "Sorry" she said awkwardly. "If you ever steal from me again, you won't be welcome here" mum warned her. Mum then told the girls that there's forces out there that none of us understand. "Caitlan will you help us?" Lyla asked. "With what?" I asked confused. "Zac and understanding his powers" Nixie replied. "I can't. Zac doesn't know that I know, and it could be dangerous if I just show up helping, I'm not going to risk our exposure. I promised mum" I told them. "But why?" Lyla asked. "She's my little girl" mum said softly. "But she's not little? She's our age" Sirena said confused. "I'm mum's only child. We're all each other has" I held mum's hand and we left the Grotto.

A few days later, Sirena taught me how to carve on shells, it's really fun. She used one of mine and mum's shells. She carved two mermaids on hers, symbolising her and Aquata. "What do you think?" She asked. "It's gorgeous" I smiled. "Show me yours" she said excited. I carved a small mural on mine: a pregnant mermaid, to a mermaid holding her baby, then the mermaid baby a wee bit bigger with the mum, then two grown up mermaids - yes it's based on mine and mum's journey. "Oh wow that's beautiful, you're really good at this! Rita will love it!" Sirena said in awe and brought me into a hug.

We both went to the Grotto. "We've finally finished! What do you think?" Sirena showed Lyla and Mum her shell. "It's beautiful!" Lyla smiled. "I hope you don't mind that we used shells from here?" Sirena asked mum. "Not at all. There's plenty of shells around" mum reassured Sirena. "Told you so" I whispered and Sirena gently elbowed me. "Oooh show Rita yours" she said enthusiastically. I turned red slightly, but I gave mum the shell I carved for her. "Oh Caitlan, darling. It's beautiful, I love it. Thank you" mum wrapped her arms around me.

Sirena told mum that her carved shell was for Aquata, she does one for her every year and she'll recognise it instantly. "What's the point Sirena?" Nixie added. Someone's woke up on the wrong side of the reef this morning! She said that they'll never get the pod back and Aquata won't get the shell. Sirena was adamant that Aquata will get it. "Who knows how far a tide might carry it?" Mum suggested. "I could ask one of the dolphins to pass it on?" I added and Sirena smiled. "We're never seeing them again" Nixie said sadly and left. Lyla and Sirena followed her.

"You really like your shell mum?" I asked, mum smiled and brought me into a hug. "I absolutely love it, sweetheart." Me and mum spent the day together, we went for a quick swim collecting shells, and the rest of the day eating seafood and cuddled up.

The next morning me and mum headed to the Grotto before school. Nixie was sat on the blankets. "What are you doing here?" Mum asked. "Is something wrong?" I added.  Nixie told us that she tried to give a young boy some advice, that he should just look after himself, he doesn't want to leave home to go sailing with his parents, and he's run away. "You think it was your fault?" Mum said softly. Me and mum sat either side of Nixie to comfort her. "There are a few things in the ocean that swim alone, but most are stronger as a pod. Alone, we're more vulnerable. One reason I'm glad I've got my Caitlan." Mum smiled and we both held Nixie's hand.

At school, me and Mum saw Cam looking at a website about a trident on the computer. "What's that you found Camster? A trident?" I asked as me and mum approached him. "Is that what they're called?" He asked. He's not fooling me, or mum for that matter. "Do you have a particular interest in them?" Mum asked. "No, just doing research for History." He replied. "Since when are you a History buff?" I scoffed slightly. "I love it! Genghis Khan and Jack the Ripper..." he said unconvincingly. "Well we'll let you get on with your studies" mum smiled and we left.

At the end of the day, mum printed off what Cam was looking at. We headed home and to the Grotto. "I think we need to talk" mum said to Lyla and Sirena. "Why is Cam so interested in this?" I asked as mum showed them the trident. "Maybe you should tell her." Sirena said quietly. "It's not Cam. It's Zac" Lyla said and told us about when they opened the land entrance. "And Zac saw the trident there" mum said panicked. "What were you thinking? Why didn't you tell us?" I added. Lyla thought she could handle it. "Handle it? The trident has powers that none of us could even imagine!" Mum told us that eons ago, a pod of mermen rose out of Mako carrying the trident, their strength and power was horrendous and destructive. A pod of mermaids from all five oceans seized the trident and hid it, commanding it to never be unlocked again. "I have a feeling things have just got a whole lot worse!" Lyla said phased out slightly.

"Cait, wanna sing with me tonight before bed?" Sirena asked before me and Mum left. "Sure, if it's alright with mum?" I looked at mum and she smiled. "Go for it sweetheart."

I swam to Mako - Nixie, Sirena and Lyla were there. "Aquata is going to get the shell!" Sirena said happily. We then sang Shine Your Light - Nixie and Lyla sat enjoying us singing.

I swam back, mum was waiting for me in the Grotto. "Okay, Little Miss Santos, let's get our tails to bed" she smiled. We went to bed and got cuddled up and fell asleep, hey I know I'm sixteen but I'm never too old to cuddle up to my mama! I do hope the Pod will come back one day, for the girls' sake.

That's this chapter guys! Hope y'all like it