Mermaids Vs Mermen (A 'Moon Stones Gone Missing' Sequel)

Chapter 9

Mimmi and Zac (who had also had the same vision as Mimmi) hurriedly swam to Mako Island, where they talked to Veridia, Head of the Mermaid Council on Mako.

Veridia had ginger frizzy hair and dark green eyes. She liked to wear shell necklaces and bracelets and other bits of ocean-themed jewellery.

Mimmi and Zac were instructed to go back to Rita's house on land and wait for further instructions.

Sirena, Ondina, Lyla, Weilan and Nixie were already there. Rita was pouring everyone cups of hot chocolate whilst Mimmi and Zac explained what had happened.

"And now we wait until Veridia returns," Zac concluded.

Ondina sighed. "Erik can't be back..."

"Who's Erik?" Weilan asked.

"It's likely," Nixie said to Ondina. "For all we know, Erik could have been on land this whole time! We only searched the ocean for him."

"Who's Erik?" Weilan asked again.

"But why is he coming back?" Sirena asked. "Do you think he wants to apologise?"

Lyla laughed. "You think Erik wanted to apologise? Haha! He's back to try take our magic, or get rid of us, with his new merman army."

"Is anyone going to answer my question?" Weilan asked throwing her arms up in the air. "

"Erik is a merman," Sirena replied to Weilan.

Weilan blinked. "Thanks, Sirena," she muttered sarcastically. "That explains a lot."

"Erik once tried to activate the Merman Chamber on Mako," Lyla explained.

"Twice," Mimmi corrected.

"He's also Ondina's ex," Nixie added without thinking.

"Nixie!" Sirena cried, glancing knew nervously at Ondina.

Ondina appeared not to be bothered about Nixie revealing this information; or, if she was bothered, she was doing a very good job at not showing it. She looked straight ahead.

"What should we do?" Zac asked. "Should we have mermaids patrolling Mako at all times?"

"He has Charlotte with him," Mimmi reminded everyone. "And Dr Denman. And those other mermen."

"How many mermen in his army?" Ondina asked.

"Well there were four mermen in the vision," Zac said. "I don't think I was one of them. And if one of them was Erik, that would mean he has three mermen, so far..."

"Well, I think the best thing to do would be to stay here until we fully know about Erik's whereabouts," Rita said, entering the grotto with the cups of hot chocolate on a tray. "Veridia may already have a plan."

"And if she doesn't?" Ondina asked, raising her eyebrows.

Rita sighed, but did not respond.

Everyone fell silent, and the next ten minutes felt like eternity. Zac pulled out his phone and began tapping away; Ondina began pacing around the grotto; Sirena fumbled with her silver shell bracket; Weilan picked up an old blue China dish and began examining it; Nixie slowly sipped her hot chocolate; Mimmi sat down and stared at the ceiling; and Lyla undid the braid in her hair.

"What about Evie?" Lyla finally asked.

Zac's eyes suddenly shot up to Lyla. "What about her?" He asked immediately, raising an eyebrow.

"Do we tell her about what's happened?" Lyla asked.

"Well, if Evie is allowed to know, I think David should," Sirena said.