I huffed.
“Well don’t get mad about it,” she said. “When we’re farther south I’ll be able to see the moon phase.”
When I said nothing, she added, “I don’t see you offering insight over there.”
I glared. I was perfectly aware of my ineptitude as a mermaid without her reminding me.
“Why do you need the moon phase?” said Nestor.
“Shut up,” I snapped.
Would Adaro’s transition happen the moment king tide started, or would it happen at the apex of the tide’s pull? I guessed the latter, but what if I was wrong? We would have to tail him in secret as soon as we found him, to be sure we didn’t arrive too late.
I was dimly aware of Lysi and Spio talking. I caught the words “attack belugas” and “baitball” and “whale whisperer”. I ignored them, thinking through various scenarios.
We travelled across the North Pole with Nestor in tow, taking shifts when we needed sleep. He rarely spoke, and only once made a feeble escape attempt while Lysi was on watch. I woke up to find Lysi clubbing him on the head and telling him not to be such a cod. We tied his ropes tighter.
When we got to the Bering Strait, no one was there to block our passage—much to Nestor’s dismay—as the army was under orders to meet Adaro at Steller Point. We travelled beneath the ice and entered the Bering Sea. The trip south was as stormy as it had been on the way up, the waves overhead white and choppy.
I thought about what I would do first once I had control of the serpent. More enticingly, what would I do once the war was over? The possibilities were endless. With Eriana’s spirit bound to mine, I would reach a near-goddess status.
I could command her to stay near Eriana Kwai, or at least return to my first home often, to keep my people safe. I would be a true warrior of Eriana Kwai—more of a warrior than anyone else had been on any Massacre.
Then, once my time in this world was up, I could pass the honour to my children—assuming I had any. Did I want to? I hadn’t thought much about it. But if I wanted to keep the Host of Eriana alive and under the control of a descendant, I would have to pass it down my bloodline.
A goddess.The very thought sent a thrill up my spine.
Soon, I would be more powerful than Medusa. Was any woman in history more powerful than her?
This was how legends were formed. I would carry on the story of Eriana as no one else could. I would be Metlaa Gaela, descendant of Eriana, master of the leviathan.
“If you’re hoping to stay hidden, we should stop here,” said Nestor.
The water was clear of ice, the landscape reminding me more of the Gulf of Alaska. The floor sloped towards two volcanic islands that sat close together, an unfathomably deep trench some distance ahead. We must have been back in the Aleutian Islands.
I searched for the serpent’s massive presence but felt nothing. No matter. We would find her soon. I flexed my fingers, then raised and lowered my arms a little, imagining how it was going to feel to control the serpent. How had Dani done it, before she died? Was it thoughts or actions that controlled Eriana?
“Where do we go?” said Lysi.
“If you don’t mind land, there are caves along the beach,” said Nestor. “We can wait there until he comes.”
“As long as we don’t have to take out any Kodiak bears,” said Spio.
I let them discuss it. It occurred to me that I hadn’t spoken once since that morning, but I had no words to offer. The prospect of finally killing Adaro, of inheriting Eriana’s most powerful secret, drove me into a silence too precious to share.
I trailed behind the three of them as they started towards the beach.
Abruptly, Lysi’s scream cut through my thoughts like a knife.
I snapped my head up, looking for the danger, and not until a wisp of blood appeared in the water did I notice something protruding from Spio’s neck.
A bubble left his mouth. Lysi dashed forwards and grabbed his shoulders.
Coldness spread through my body. I watched blankly as everything slowed down.
Spio’s mouth opened and closed. Lysi screamed for him to keep his eyes open.
My jaw opened in dim surprise. Where had that weapon come from?
