“Think about what we’ve discussed in our sessions, Seokga,” Jang says kindly, lacing her fingers together. “All the issues that stem from your relationship with your father can be healed. He wants to start again, like you have…And you, Seokga, can give him that. I know he would be eternally indebted to you.”

“Don’t listen to her, Seokga!” Kisa cries. The mermaids hiss, edging closer, and Kisa falls silent.

Seokga pauses, and slowly tilts his head as he looks at Jang. Sensing she’s got his attention, Jang presses forth. “Your brother, Hwanin, could never understand how much a person can change. Especially your father. It’s why I had to kill him, and I’m truly sorry about that. But you, you can understand. You changed during your punishment, just as Mireuk has.”

“How do you know my father?” Seokga asks softly, shifting his brother in his arms.

“By visiting his prison, of course.” Dr. Jang smiles beatifically. “There are those of us who are still loyal to him. He fashioned our rightful home, Gamangnara. The almighty creator is the only one who can reopen it after what you did. On the anniversary of the Dark World’s fall, we visit your father underneath this river and pay our respects. My first visit to him was some, oh, some fifty years ago. I was young then, and homesick for a place I’d never known. The home of my ancestors, lost to me. Locking a realm has its consequences, you know.” There’s a flicker of rage across her face but it quickly vanishes. Seokga pretends he hasn’t seen it. “But Eodum went about it all wrong. Violence isn’t the answer.”

“Oh, that’s rich,” Somi snaps, kicking her bare foot at a grinning mermaid. “You’re just Eodum 2.0 and—”

“You’re a murderer,” Hajun bursts out. “You’re sick—” He cuts off as a mermaid wraps sharp-nailed fingers around his ankle. Somi stomps on her head and the ineo snarls, but backs away, as if waiting for Jang’s signal.

“What are you even getting out of this?” Somi demands of the mermaids. One of them, missing an eye, smiles.

“Mireuk has made us many promises.” Her voice is as wet as the slippery gills on her neck. “The humans killed us, and so they will suffer when the Mad God returns to his throne…”

Dozens of tails thump in agreement, scales and fins pounding down with gusto.

Jang holds her hand up for silence. “This plan has been many years in the making, Seokga. I apologize for how much manipulation it required. I didn’t take any joy in killing your soulmate, but—knowing her karmic punishment from her past life would be to serve on this ship—it was the only way I could ensure you didn’t leave the cruise mid-voyage should you have figured things out sooner and been less…amenable. Everything had to go perfectly.”