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I hovered there for a moment, my mind struggling to assimilate this new side of Kona. It was a shock to realize that the guy I’d fallen for was a warrior, capable of killing so easily. And yet, what alternative did he have? Lie down and let Tiamat’s forces overrun his people?
I shoved aside my horror at how cleanly he killed, determined not to let it paralyze me right now. Later I could freak out over it, but right now I had worse things to worry about.
Kona was searching the crowd, looking for what I assumed was his next point of attack, when his eyes locked on mine. Then he was speeding across the water toward me, the light of battle still in his eyes, only this time it looked like it was directed at me.
He had almost reached me when someone grabbed me from behind. A blade came up and I froze, unable to do anything as it plunged toward my chest. And then I didn’t need to do anything, because Kona was there, ripping the guy away from me and breaking his neck with his bare hands. There was no telltale crunch like in the movies, but when Kona let him fall he was obviously dead, his head hanging at an odd angle off his neck. I shuddered, despite my resolve.
What are you doing out here? Kona grabbed me and I was shocked to realize he was shaking. I told you to wait in the cave—
It was Malu. He was the one who sold us out.
Kona’s eyes narrowed and he looked around, as if expecting Malu to jump out of the shadows. Or, I realized with a sinking stomach, to see his brother.
Oliwa’s dead. I blurted it out to get it over with. M-m-malu slit his throat and then c-c-came for me. He attacked me in the cave. I—I k-k-killed him. I’m sorry. I’m so s-s-sor—
Don’t ever apologize for defending yourself—what happened down there wasn’t your fault. Rage was alive in Kona’s eyes and I knew a part of him wanted to zoom down to the cave, to check if what I had said about his brother was true.
But he didn’t. Instead, he shoved me behind him and started backing away from the battlefield, his sword once again at the ready.
What are you doing? Where are we going?
I’m getting you someplace safe.
But the Lusca—
He’s been around for hundreds of years, Tempest. Today isn’t going to change that.
But he’s killing people!
We’re all killing people. You don’t know how sorry I am that you had to be here for this. He kept moving me, dragging me away.
No! I yelled. I was getting more upset by the second, the water starting to roil around me. This isn’t right.
None of it’s right, but I’m not letting anyone else get close to you. I lost Oliwa today. There’s no way I’m losing you too. Come on! When I continued to struggle, he pulled me into his arms and took off.
At that moment, as we were speeding away from the carnage, a high-pitched laugh cut across the sea. It was like nails raking down a chalkboard and it sent chills up my spine like nothing I had ever felt before.
Who is that? It was a whisper from my mind to his.
Kona stopped in midstroke, spun us around, and I watched as one of the most beautiful women I’d ever seen swam into view. She cut through the water with the grace and glamour of an old-time movie star, her face chiseled and perfect, her long red hair flowing behind her. She had a tail, but it was different from any I had seen so far—pitch-black and long, it had numerous spikes shooting off in various directions and it curled in like a sea horse’s.
Tiamat. Kona’s voice was grim.
She’s the evil sea dragon?
Yeah, well, that’s not her natural form. She only looks like that after drinking mermaid blood. Without it, she looks like a cross between a fire-breathing dragon and the Lusca, except uglier. Much uglier.
Suddenly every vile word I had ever heard, and then some new ones that I had to assume were native to the selkies, whipped through Kona’s head, at least until he slammed some kind of mental wall down between us.
Come on, let’s go. His voice was urgent now, the fingers resting on my elbow growing more firm as panic whipped through him.
What’s going on?
Nothing. I just want to get you out of here before she—
Leaving so soon, Kona? And with your pretty little mermaid too? Her voice, sharp as nails, rang through the ocean between us. After I’ve gone through such trouble to provide a show for her?
I pulled back against Kona, forcing him to stop our headlong flight. Normally it never would have worked—he was much stronger than I was—but I think he expected me to want to get away from that thing as much as he did. Which, to be perfectly honest, I did. But there was something else at play here, something I didn’t understand, and every instinct I had told me to hold my ground.
What aren’t you telling me? I asked, scanning the people in front of me. What do you see that I don’t?
Don’t let her get to you, Tempest. It’s a trap.
What’s a trap? The chills had worked their way out from my spine to cover my entire body, and alarms were shrieking in my head. Suddenly I didn’t want to be there any more than Kona wanted me to be.
But it was too late. With a loud cackle, Tiamat screamed, Bring her out!
Her crowd of followers parted and out came one of the strange human-but-not-human creatures, leading a mermaid in chains. She was almost as beautiful as the sea witch, her long blond hair winding and curling around her body.
Kona tensed beside me and I looked at him curiously, wondered if he knew the mermaid. It was as I was looking into his eyes, dark with grief and rage, that it finally hit me. The mermaid had a bright emerald green tail.
I whipped back around and terror crashed down on me as I saw the emerald green tattoos that covered her arms.
No! Screaming as loudly as Tiamat, I tried to rush forward but Kona was blocking me.
Tempest, don’t! The command was sharp, the order obvious, but I ignored him.
I’m right here, Tiamat, I said, using the universal path Kona’s brothers had shown me a few hours before. I didn’t know if it would work on nonselkies, but it was the only one I knew.
There she is, Tiamat cooed. Sweet little Tempest. Come on out from behind your big, strong protector and play with me. The last was said in a low hiss that no one could misconstrue as a friendly invitation.
She’ll kill you, Tempest. Kona tried to hold on to me but I jerked away.
So what? Already rough, the ocean around us started to crash and swirl. It was responding to my emotions, to the rage that was blocking out everything else inside of me—even fear. All I could see was my mother, bound in chains. Being used as a weapon against me.
Such a brave girl. That’s right, Tempest. Let me get a look at you. I’ve waited a long time for this moment. Tiamat swam closer, circled me as a shark did its prey. I let her, even as the energy built up inside of me. Even as the power ripped through every part of me. I didn’t know how to use it yet, how to harness it, but I knew it was there. I could feel it in every clench of my fist and every breath I took.
Behind me, Kona kept talking, kept trying to pull me back to him, but I slammed up my own mental block so I wouldn’t be distracted by his fury—or his pleas.
Let my mother go! I sent the command spinning toward her on the back of a particularly strong current, saw her eyes go wide as she received it—and the message I had yet to put into words.
You think you can take me, little girl?
If I have to.