The aquarium’s back hallways were dim, humid, and smelled faintly like brine. Rowan checked his notes again — Professor Halden’s office was supposedly near the jellyfish lab.

But instead he found a girl half-submerged in a shallow tank, hair tied in a messy knot, murmuring to the moon jellies as though they were old friends.

Rowan found himself watching for longer than he should’ve, braving his shoulder against the wall. His lips twitched upwards.

“Are they responding??”

He asked after about 30 seconds, glancing from her to the jellies.