Wherever the waves would take her

My affections for her

Fontus sat back and frowned, his eyes following the reflected light shimmering over the conference table.

"That might explained how your family might have ended up in Oceania, Evie. Assuming she hypothetically could be related to you - just indulge this old merman's mind for a moment." Fontus lifted up a finger to draw circles in the space next to his head. "Could her presence here be related to this letter of yours?"

"Perhaps." Evie swiftly reached over to Rowena's purse to pluck out the small jar of pufferfish edibles and popped one on her tongue. It tasted slightly bittersweet, slowly becoming sweeter the longer Evie held it in her mouth. "How do we check for that?"

"Maybe our library records here might have mentioned something too about the Guardians." Mayor Fontus offered as he tossed his communication device to his son who barely caught it. "Cross-reference any records regarding information regarding any human-Merfolk disputes before and during the Great Relocation. Call in someone from the Oceania libraries as well, a history expert. Preferably one still with a pulse."

"I want to do it. I'll work with them." Evie offered. "Please give me the rest of the week to comb through the records of both Venice and Oceania with my sisters for any mention of this person in the image or the Guardians."

"Make that three days." Rowena checked her own device before removing all the surrounding holograms to showcase a hologram flyer displaying the Reefine logo. "Eli is holding a gala at the National Archaeological Museum in Venice and I have acquired invites myself, Dana and Cas-" Stopping mid-sentence to perform a mock curtsy to the group she intoned, "You're the best Rowena, thank you Rowena."

"What's the occasion?" Cas asked, turning the hologram flyer around before handing it to his parents.

"He's preparing to unveil their project to the world, finally. My guess is that it has something to do with why they were moving all those people out of the older parts of Venice and taking all those samples." Rowena said as she pulled up a 3D hologram model of a man. "He will lead us to Theodore."

Eli Anderson was handsome, still well-built and sprightly despite his human age with a generous amount of salt and pepper hair that was combed back and well-trimmed.

But it was his eyes that told a different story, one that expected and was capable of getting anything that he wanted.

That was enough to send a uncomfortable chill down Evie's back.

Evie gazed up at Eli's clean-shaven face and barely repressed a shudder, regaining that prickly sensation over her body that she knew would get out of control if she didn't rein it in. Curling up her fists and shutting her eyes like she did many times before, she focused on pushing and sealing that energy back within her.

It felt a lot easier this time, and as she opened her eyes she realised that Cas had gripped her hand under the table. His own way of giving her strength, no words were needed. Evie squeezed his hand gratefully before leaning over to whisper to him.

"Have you ever felt it?"

Cas turned and angled his head to look at Evie, his eyes fixed on hers. "The electrical outbursts?"

Evie nodded.

"You might have a better future as a portable power source once Irma and your sister are done with you." Came the reply.

All she had to do was to imagine him kissing Destiny as she powered up to give Cas a little electrical jolt.

Turning back to the room, Evie smoothly moved to the head of the table to speak.