Families had moved into eight of the ten homesites that were part of our zoning, and another five lived in nearby towns. Our Pack was coalescing into two areas; many remained northeast of Melbourne, while others relocated between here and Adelaide. A number now worked for the Sharkbait Foundation or Sharkbait Productions, including a dozen Mermaids.

Nobody knew Master Caroline was such a philanthropist until she left most of her estate to the Sharkbait Foundation. Master Cyprian was unapologetic about the eighty-seven-million-dollar bequest to my charity they'd inserted into her will, along with large donations to other conservation organizations. "It was a good move, Vicki," he told me. "By donating...