He wasn’t trained for this kind of negotiating, but he would have to try—even if it did mean letting another nation in on the secret.
They ran back along the shore in silence. Reeves’ chest lightened with relief at having changed Miller’s mind. He looked out at the glistening sea, thinking of the gleam that had come on like a light in the man’s eyes.
Were others similarly entranced by the possibility of controlling the serpent? It was hard to believe they and the merman could be the only ones who knew about the legend.
The victory faded as quickly as it had come, shadowed by a sense of foreboding. How many would soon know about the leviathan—and how many would be racing to gain control of it?
CHAPTER SIXTEEN - Meela
Eriana’s Gift
I pointed southwards, and then back to Spio, trying to make sense of this. Though I’d never met him, I felt a wave of relief on Lysi’s behalf that he was alive and unharmed.
“What are you doing way out here?”
“The Arctic isn’t part of any kingdom, so it’s a good place to hide,” he said.
I glanced around at the barren iceberg hell that had just tried to kill me. The baitball had scattered, plunging us back into isolation.
“I guess. If you can stand it.”
“Stand it!” said Spio. “Good one.”
I raised an eyebrow.
He pointed at his tail. “Stand it?”
When I still didn’t respond, he said, “It’s not that bad, being a nomad. It’s given me the chance to think about the universe and existence and life and everything.”
We nodded wisely.
Spio motioned to my crossbow. “Is that all you have with you?”
“I’m pretty good with it.”
He jabbed a thumb at his backpack. “I got a few weapons, kelp pus, and a couple of emergency buoys in here, if you need anything.”
Kelp pus and buoys? I wondered what use those would be, but didn’t feel like betraying how little I knew, so I just said, “Thanks.”
We fell silent for a moment, looking at each other.
Spio swam past me. “So, you think she went this way?”
I followed. I supposed this meant Spio and I would stick together, now, and I was grateful for the company.
“I don’t know. This is the direction we were headed when I lost her.”
“She can’t have gone too far. What happened?”
I explained how we were separated by the breaking glacier.
“Do you think Lysi would have continued to the Pacific?” I said. “Or do you think she would have gone back the other way to look for me?”
Spio considered. “She would do whatever she thinks you would do.”
I groaned. “I’m trying to do whatever she would do!”
“I believe that is what’s called Capelin’s Conundrum.”
