Crystal Doors #2: Ocean Realm (No. 2) by Kevin J. Anderson, Rebecca Moesta

cooperate. Better yet, send Orpheon to do it.”
    “Do not forget, King Barak, that we now have two seal-breakers,” Azric pointed to Vic and Gwen. “They can give us access to my armies — a stronger weapon than any other we possess.”
    “We’re not giving you access to anything,” Vic said.
    Azric’s eyes shone with a look Vic could not interpret. “We shall see. You will change your minds soon enough.”

11
     
    WHEN THE DEBRIS FROM the joust was cleaned up, the merlon king left his open throne hall and retired to his chambers.
    Now that Barak would no longer scold him, Orpheon returned to the hall, swimming in like one of the small fish that darted around the arches. Azric, who had summoned him, looked at their intimidated captives. “It’s time for us to get to work, Orpheon. I am only interested in the two seal-breakers.” He gave Vic and Gwen an avid smile that Vic did not find at all comforting. “You can take the other three and do whatever you wish — so long as you remember they may still be useful to me.”
    Orpheon ran an assessing gaze over them with a smug expression that held an edge of cruelty. “I cannot tell you how long I have anticipated this.” He leveled an index finger at Sharif, Tiaret, and Lyssandra. “You — come with me. Now.”
    Vic gulped. He wasn’t sure what would be worse, being stuck with Azric, or with his traitorous assistant. As his three friends reluctantly moved to join Orpheon, prodded by merlon guards, Vic noticed that Tiaret’s amber eyes glinted with defiant challenge, Lyssandra looked wrung-out, and Sharif shielded himself with a look of haughty disdain. Orpheon knew that he had the upper hand. “Forget all thoughts of that weakling Rubicas. I will show you what a real sage can do. I am your master now.”
    Merlon warriors accompanied by electric eels administered brief shocks of “encouragement,” driving the three out to where guardian sharks circled them. Orpheon ordered each human to hold on to the dorsal fin of a shark, which pulled them along at great speeds through the water. As they were whisked away, Lyssandra, Tiaret, and Sharif turned to exchange anxious looks with the cousins. None of them could stop what was happening.
    After their companions were gone from the hall of the merlon king, Vic swallowed again. “He wouldn’t kill them, would he?”
    “I don’t think so,” Gwen said. “He’s too in love with the idea of being their master. On the other hand, I doubt he’d hesitate to hurt them.”
    “Perhaps you should be more concerned for yourselves.” Azric now floated before the cousins, fixing them with the discomfiting green-and-blue stare of his mismatched eyes. “We have so much to learn together. No one else can teach you the skills that I offer.”
    “What do you want with us?” Gwen asked.
    Azric wore a look of wide-eyed innocence. “Right now, all I want is your cooperation.”
    Vic snorted, water swirls streaming from his nose. “Now why does ‘cooperation’ sound like such a bad word coming from you?”
    Azric made a burbling, tsking sound. “Such harsh judgment coming from someone I barely know.”
    “First of all, we’ve heard enough stories about you to have an opinion,” Gwen said. “Second, you killed my parents. That’s all I need to know.”
    Azric spread his hands as if to say it was only natural. “I never intended to harm them. I merely needed your mother’s assistance in a matter of great importance to me. She would have come to no harm had she merely complied with my request. But they resisted me, she and your father. They chose to sacrifice themselves battling against forces they couldn’t possibly defeat, rather than just do me a very small favor.” The dark sage gave what appeared to be a sincerely helpless shrug. “So I had no alternative, you see. I didn’t really have anything against them.”
    Though her neck gills still drew in water, Gwen found herself breathless and speechless at this