Just as I saw the landing ledge in front of the cavern's opening, the air was knocked out of my lungs.
Something huge slammed into me. I gasped for air but got none. I was being dragged underwater.
The sudden attack and tumultuous, murky waters disoriented me. I tried to right my body to swim to the surface but I couldn't--something was holding me down on purpose.
What the fuck?I thought.
At first I thought it was Nautilus himself. Maybe he'd gone nuts or something--that would explain the random attack on his grandsonandthe messed-up storm. But when I saw a glimpse of sleek black and white, I knew it wasn't him. There was only one kind of animal that looked as iconic as that.
Is that... an orca?
I didn't have time to be awed by the magnificent beast because it clamped its teeth into my leg and dragged me under. The water grew darker and colder.
This asshole's trying to kill me!I thought, more pissed off than scared.
I scrabbled at the orca's side with my claws, trying to make him let me go. Was this a mute animal or a shifter? I knew natural orcas could be douchebags who played with their prey and killed for fun, so I wasn't sure. When my slapping didn't work I opened my jaws to speak, though my voice came out warbled from being underwater.
"Hey, dick!" I said. "Let go of me!"
The orca paused. Finally. I guess hewasa shifter and understood me.
"Can you take me back to the surface now?" I snapped.
The massive beast turned its head. The huge white spot on its face--the fake eye--was the only bright thing in the dark waters. His real eye, small and black, was glaring at me with hatred.
"How are you not dead?" the orca asked in a deep, rich voice.
Well,thatcertainly wasn't the answer I was expecting.
"Nice to meet you, too," I said sarcastically. "Can we have this conversation on the surface?"
"No," he said bluntly. "Tell me how you're doing this."
"Doing what?"
"Talking.Underwater."
I scoffed. "How about you let go of my fucking leg first?" He wasn't biting me hard enough to hurt but it was still annoying.
The orca tightened his grip in defiance. Fucker.
I rolled my eyes. "Okay, I don't knowwhyyou're trying to drown me, but let me tell you right now that it won't fucking work. So if you want to kill me, for whatever reason, you should bite my leg off and let me bleed out."
The orca met my tone with equal bitchiness. "I was actually trying to knock you out, but now I'm seriously considering your offer."
My patience was thinning fast. Even though I could breathe just fine, I didn't like being at the whim of this massive predator who had every advantage underwater. "Take me back to the surface. Now."
"No."
"Excuse me?"
"Tell me why you're still conscious before I decide to change that."
Was this guy for real? He must have a screw loose. I was starting to think he would seriously injure me so I decided to tell the truth.
"I'm the descendent of a water spirit," I told him irritably. "Happy?"
My comment took him visibly aback. He was silent before bellowing, "Don't fucking lie to me."
