Chapter 2: The Choice

Mermaids are always caught on hot monsoon nights.

That’s when they go into heat, and their resistance is at its lowest. The streets run with muddy water, frogs croak in the drains, and the air is so heavy you can barely breathe. It’s as if the whole city is waiting for something miraculous to crawl out of the darkness.

I still remember how Tejas and Sairaj looked when they were brought before me. Two extraordinary creatures in a battered net, the floor beneath them streaked with water and blood. The whirring of ceiling fans did little to dispel the oppressive heat.

Both were covered in wounds, tangled in a giant net—one with brown eyes and golden hair, the other with red eyes and silver hair.

Strangely, even though I chose Tejas, it’s Sairaj who left a deeper impression on me when I think back to that day. Perhaps it’s because there was something about him that reminded me of old stories Dadi used to tell—the wild gods, untamed and beautiful, who refused to kneel even before death.

That beautiful creature, as if favoured by the gods, had eyes burning with endless fire. Even covered in wounds, he radiated an aura that kept people at bay—his expression fierce, constantly struggling, trying to tear apart anyone in front of him with his claws, refusing to back down even with guns pointed at him. His pride, his anger, seemed almost holy—something our world could never contain.

He was clearly the weaker one, but the light in his eyes was that of an untouchable king.

Tejas was different.

He didn’t struggle at all, just lay quietly in the net, gazing at me with those deep, sorrowful brown eyes. His golden hair clung to his skin, and in that moment, he looked almost human—a lost boy, not a creature of legend.

A member of the capture team nearby was slashed by Sairaj’s claws. The bulletproof vest he wore was sliced open like a packet of milk. Terrified, he jumped back and injected Sairaj with anaesthesia. His curses echoed in Marathi, mingling with the hum of the lab’s old AC.

The kind of tranquiliser that could knock out a bull only made Sairaj lower his arms. The fierce light in his eyes never faded; he stubbornly refused to collapse. The doctors whispered amongst themselves, awed and fearful—none dared to get too close.

"Dr. Meera," the team member pointed at Tejas, "I suggest you pick this one—he’s much more docile."

"As for that one..." He glanced at Sairaj, still shaken. "It took three teams to catch him. If you get close, you’ll be torn apart. Don’t do anything foolish, madam."

Kabir sneered nearby, kicking Tejas’s tail with his foot. His laugh grated on my nerves, echoing off the white-tiled walls.

"Dr. Meera, I’d pick this one too. Look, he’s perfect for you."

I hesitated.

To be honest, in this lab, I’m one of the best in biological research. My reports are cited in journals, and my parents finally stopped pestering me to go abroad. But none of that prepared me for this—choosing between lives.

That’s why these two rare mermaids were brought for me to choose first. The others watched jealously, pretending not to care, but I could feel the weight of their eyes.

The other, if nothing went wrong, would go to Kabir.

Kabir is useless, but if that were all, it’d be fine. The problem is, he’s also a sadist with countless twisted ideas. He’s the sort of boy who pulled wings off dragonflies as a child, I’m sure.

I don’t know how many experimental subjects he’s already ruined.

Any mermaid handed to him—I could imagine their fate without even thinking. Even the other researchers whispered behind his back, but his father’s donations kept everyone silent.

My gaze kept shifting between the two. Truthfully, I wanted to pick the silver-haired, red-eyed one more. There was something about him—something wild, something desperate, that called to me. But I knew what would happen if I made the wrong choice.

I knew he was more dangerous, but for some reason, those burning eyes seemed to draw me in, as if my mind was being pulled by an invisible force. My throat felt dry. Even now, remembering, my hands clench into fists.

Just as I was about to speak, something brushed my foot.

I looked down. The brown-eyed mermaid had somehow reached out his hand to me. He was trembling, his skin slick with water, his eyes pleading.

He’d been injected with a massive dose of anaesthetic, barely able to move, yet he still forced himself to look up at me.

It was as if the whole Arabian Sea and night sky were reflected in those deep brown eyes. He stubbornly touched me, his lips moving, uttering a few broken syllables I couldn’t understand. A language older than memory, heavy with longing.

I didn’t know what he was saying, but I could feel he was pleading with me. For mercy, for hope—maybe just to live.

Kabir glanced at Tejas and laughed:

"This one’s so badly hurt, he probably won’t survive many experiments."

"No wonder he’s begging you—much smarter than the other."

"But if he dies, I can always dissect him."

He licked his lips as he spoke, reaching for Tejas’s hair. The gesture was cruel, almost obscene—something in me snapped.

Tejas didn’t resist, just kept looking at me, his gem-like eyes full of sorrow. I felt a strange, heavy ache in my chest—like the first time I saw a dying crow as a child and could do nothing.

As if he’d already accepted a cruel, unchangeable fate.

Instinctively, I blocked Kabir’s hand, taking a deep breath. My heart pounded in my ears, but I forced myself to speak. As I did, I heard my mother’s voice in my head: *Don’t make trouble at work, Meera. Think of your future rishta.*

"Wait."

"I choose the golden-tailed mermaid."