My heart gave a painful squeeze. Fear had turned her eyes blood red. I wished I could tell her something other than the truth: that they probably had orders to take us to Adaro by any means, in any condition.
If we could find somewhere to hide—
We rounded a boulder and I expelled a breath in surprise. A square-set merman blocked our path, eyes blazing through the dim light. His reptilian mouth was creased in a snarl.
He raised his spear. There was a heartbeat of silence. Then, reacting on instinct, I shoved Meela aside.
The spear shot between us and embedded itself in the coral.
“Lysi!”
It was too late. A net had been attached to the spear. The merman had hold of the other end and jerked it across me with one flick of his wrist. I was trapped beneath it, beating my tail against the rocks in blind panic, sand and plants whirling around me.
“Go, Meela!”
She lunged for the merman and sank her teeth into his arm.
My scream was drowned out by his roar of pain. He swung a fist but Meela propelled herself backwards just in time.
I struggled against the net. The sight of the merman trying to attack Meela sent hot anger through me, a tight pressure building in my chest.
I found an opening and ripped myself free. My tail got caught and I spun to untangle it, hands trembling from the panic of being stuck. I wriggled loose and shot towards Meela, only to slam straight into another mermaid. She grinned, revealing a missing front tooth.
“What do you want?” I shouted, trying to yank free from her grasp. Had Adaro promised a reward for our capture?
In answer, the mermaid swung a mace at my head.
“Coral, Meela!” I said, dodging the weapon.
She would be no match for a merman in a battle of strength, but agility was another matter—even for a new mermaid like Meela. She could lose him in the maze below.
“You’ll follow?” she said.
“Yes!”
She dove, and at once the merman gave chase.
The mermaid with the missing tooth swung at me again. I grabbed the mace handle, stopping it before its jagged end could strike. I was a nose away from her snarling lips. She was so beaten and grimy, I wondered what had happened to her. Then I slammed my tail into her gut and knocked the air from her lungs.
I spun and took off after Meela.
They had vanished from sight, but faint ripples hit me as the merman crashed into walls of coral. I followed their wake, dipping and weaving between the rocks.
How could I have let this happen? I should have kept Meela safe instead of exposing her to this emptiness where anyone could sense us. She was still too inexperienced in her new body.
I slowed for a moment, casting my senses. My every fibre vibrated. I’d lost them.
Then a terrible scream echoed through the coral—not from ahead, but behind.
I whirled around and shot upwards, rising above the coral to scan the area. It was empty and silent, save for the crackling reef. Her scream dissipated on the current.
Suddenly Meela burst from the coral, panic on her face. When she saw me, her mouth opened in surprise. She was alone.
There was a laugh like grinding stone. “Aw, they did think it was each other. That’s so cute.”
The toothless mermaid rose behind her.
“Look out!” I shouted.
