A Mermaid's Tears

IV

The head maid is enjoying her time dolling up the siren.

Terrence was bored while he sat on Lloyd's lap. Lloyd simply observed the toddler while nursing his mother. However, Sabina's condition deteriorated faster than expected.

Lloyd was once again thrown outside the room, while Terrence remained to assist her.

It took a bit more time before Terrence came out but he nodded and told them that Sabina wanted to be alone. Lloyd carried the young boy in his arms and walked away.

Terrence felt the fear of being unable to do anything and embraced Lloyd' strongly.

He pinched Lloyd's cheeks and said, "Mama will be fine. Not yet, but she will."

There were already huge changes in the novel that he read. The siren coming here, him coming here—it changes so much that it's impossible to change everything more.

"Of course, she will," Lloyd said, pinching Terrence's cheek back. "It's amazing how you reassure me, like it's going to be like that."

Terrence was used to acting like a child, and he knew that this world could finally provide him with a mother.

"Hyung-nim, have you ever felt as if no one was there, or that you were forgotten in the middle of nowhere?"

He boldly smiled and continued, "You sound like someone who could disappear as you fall and no one would hear, but Hyung... even if you hate your bloodline, it does not mean you and your family are cursed."

Lloyd looked at him, listening intently to the child's ramblings about hell.

"Cures can be like disguised miracles."

It enables you to meet someone and change the thing you feared the most.

The loneliness washed away, along with a reason to be strong enough to stand.

"Reach out. Reach out your hand and someone will come running to hold it and save your world. Even if it is the darkest time, crashing like tidal waves or when you are broken on the ground, someone will surely find you or accompany you in your despair."

Terrence cupped Lloyd's hand against his cheeks and spoke.

"That is the kind of world this family will be in."

Sink, or we will sink together.

"So do not reject someone who could be your savior."

Lloyd smiled and laid his forehead over his little brother's.

Lloyd Cardenas Valentine chose to be a madman and then fell madly in love. That is the book Terrence read. Two broken hearts and two poor souls are falling to hell together.

"You will meet someone worth more than the world."

Someone who will become your entire world.

[LLOYD'S POV]

Everything had been running smoothly since the little redhead arrived at the house. He honestly believed that despite his strong divine powers, he would not be able to survive in his corrupted land, but Terrence appeared to be more at ease in it. Not to mention that he knows what to do and what not to do at such a young age.

"What's on your mind?" Tristan asked him.

"That kid seemed to have been forced to grow up despite being only five."

Tristan tucked the pen away and looked at him. He took a file from the stacks of paper and let him read it.

"Azrael?"