“Every spring,” Meela continued, “my people send a ship to Utopia to try and win back our freedom. We call it the Massacre. Every spring, Adaro has killed our warriors. He killed my friends, my allies. My brother.”
My stomach clenched. A voice in my head scolded me, telling me I was a terrible friend and girlfriend, and dishonest, and a coward.
“He tried to kill you, too?” said Deiopea, turning to me. “Why?”
Because I tried to assassinate him twice,I thought.
I shook my head and muttered, “Not here.”
Deiopea narrowed her eyes, her lips tightening at the corners. I would need to do better if I wanted her to trust me.
I lowered my voice to barely a whisper. “There was a group of us. The first time was at the mine. You probably heard how that ended. The second time, we tailed him and tried to use iron. Several of our group were killed.”
Deiopea turned to look at me properly for the first time. The pain on her face betrayed so much more than her guise.
“I don’t know where my mom and dad are,” I said in a hollow voice. “Or my brother. Considering the crime I’m wanted for, I wouldn’t be surprised if they’ve been captured.”
I had been trying not to think about my family. There was nothing I could do to help them.
I felt Meela’s gaze on me and looked away.
Matching my barely audible tones, Deiopea said, “When Adaro’s troops invaded the Moonless City and took the queen, we rallied against him with all we had. We barely had a military. There had been no need. Adaro took the city far too easily. My husband and son were killed the same day he invaded.”
“I’m sorry,” I whispered.
“That’s awful,” said Meela.
“I have nothing left to lose, now. When he imposed the curfew and forbade anyone to leave the city, I fought. When he reduced the food and supplies coming in, I fought. When we were ordered to report any former humans so they could undergo a screening—” She huffed, expelling a large bubble. “The Moonless City is sometimes called the City of Colour, did you know?”
I blinked at the change of subject, shaking my head.
“I’ve never seen it less colourful than it was before I left. Adaro’s occupation drained all life from the coral, the fish, the buildings. It was so quiet. No one knew what would happen to us. Would he force us to fight his war? Would he keep us there until we starved? Kill us all for resisting?”
She glared at the ocean floor. Rage and vengeance seemed to fill her like a pufferfish.
“I will not drift idly by while that happens. He cannot strip the colour from my city. He cannot take away my queen.”
“You’re right,” said Meela. “He can’t. That’s why we need to get to—to where we want to go.”
Deiopea looked at her sharply.
“Come with us,” I whispered. “When we…”
When we escape,I thought, letting it be implied. There were too many potential ears listening in.
Still, we must have given off an air of conspiracy because the nearest guard, a pale, dark-haired mermaid with an expression like someone had shoved a dead fish under her nose, shouted, “Enough whispering!”
She twirled her mace. All conversation died.
I raised my eyebrows meaningfully at Deiopea. She fixed her eyes ahead and swam in silence for a moment. When the guard finally turned away, Deiopea glanced at me, quickly, just long enough to nod once.
CHAPTER THREE - Ben
Kodiak, Alaska
Benjamin Reeves had trained for disaster scenarios for the greater part of his life. Earthquakes, forest fires, storms, and tsunamis. Terrorist attacks. He was prepared to help in any situation. Except this one.
He was cruising the long way home in his pickup truck, windows down, summer breeze lifting the hair on his arms. His mind was still on the matte black twin-engine helicopter that Bagh had just shown him—the latest addition to the air wing.
