trained me to be.
“Look,” said Tanuu, struggling to breathe. “This is a terrible idea.”
“I tried to tell you that,” said Blacktail.
“Not just for me. For all of us. Those sea demons … I mean, they’re …”
He glanced at the water, looking like he might be sick. The dead mermaids lay half-submerged on the shoreline, rocking in the waves. Behind his horrified expression, he was obviously working out what we’d faced on the Massacre for an entire month.
I bent double, rubbing sweat and salt from my face. “What else are we supposed to do?” I said, muffled by my hands.
“Something that doesn’t involve getting eaten by a monster while we hunt for a cave that may or may not exist.”
“You’re sure we can trust … that demon king?” said Annith, a bit too hesitantly.
I narrowed my eyes at her. “They’re not monsters. They’re predators. Just like humans.”
“Whatever they are, they’ve got a taste for human blood,” said Tanuu.
“It’s not like that. They’re attacking us because—”
“Because Adaro told them to, I know. But you’re doing what he asked. You’re looking for the Host. Shouldn’t he cool it with the attacks now?”
I huffed. “He wants us to know he’s still in control.”
They turned their gazes in unison, as though looking across to Adaro’s kingdom. I couldn’t tell if they were unconvinced, or uneasy about Adaro.
Blacktail made an abrupt movement. I reached for my crossbow as she grabbed the fire iron with one hand and flung the other across Tanuu’s chest.
A head poked out of the waves. She’d already transformed into a demon. She floated towards the shore, keeping her deep red eyes on us. I kept my grip on my crossbow but didn’t raise it.
The demon wrapped her long, webbed fingers around the first mermaid’s hair and pulled her into the water. The sound of the body dragging across the rocks rose over the wind and waves. Then she did the same with the other body.
A swell engulfed them, and they vanished.
I didn’t loosen my grip on the crossbow.
A wave smashed against the lava rock on our left. The spray hit me a moment later, clinging to my already cold face.
“Let’s climb out of here,” I said.
Annith pointed the dagger at Tanuu. “Gentlemen first.”
He opened his mouth to protest, but Blacktail gave him a shove with the fire iron. “Go.”
We clambered up the earthy slope, using Ravendust weeds as grips. The bank flattened into a field of waist-high grass, pricklebushes, and scattered boulders. Coal-black leaves poked out of the otherwise vibrant greenery, so the field appeared freckled.
We scanned our surroundings. I vaguely knew the way home. But was home where we needed to go?
I licked my dry lips, tasting salt after being on the beach for so many hours. Even this short distance from the water, the air felt thinner, less sticky. My entire body ached, now that I let myself relax. The others must have been exhausted, too. I should have let us stop sooner.
“You hit up the school library, too, right?” said Tanuu.
“We searched about a million books,” I said, my tone more waspish than intended.
“Have you talked to anyone?”
“No one supports us. And I don’t trust them.”
“Come on. Forget the Massacre Committee. Everyone else loves you.”
I snorted.
“It’s true!”
I started across the field, stepping high through the long grass and hidden stones. The others followed.
“We could try talking to elders,” said Annith carefully. “Or teachers.”
“You don’t have to tell them it’s about the Host,” said Tanuu. “Just ask about our history. You know all the good stuff’s been passed verbally.”
I watched my feet. There were probably people who had more information than we’d been able to find in our research. But could we approach any of them?
“Ask the training master,” said Tanuu.
When Annith and I let out cries of disgust, he added, “Anyo, I mean! He’s teaching at the
“Look,” said Tanuu, struggling to breathe. “This is a terrible idea.”
“I tried to tell you that,” said Blacktail.
“Not just for me. For all of us. Those sea demons … I mean, they’re …”
He glanced at the water, looking like he might be sick. The dead mermaids lay half-submerged on the shoreline, rocking in the waves. Behind his horrified expression, he was obviously working out what we’d faced on the Massacre for an entire month.
I bent double, rubbing sweat and salt from my face. “What else are we supposed to do?” I said, muffled by my hands.
“Something that doesn’t involve getting eaten by a monster while we hunt for a cave that may or may not exist.”
“You’re sure we can trust … that demon king?” said Annith, a bit too hesitantly.
I narrowed my eyes at her. “They’re not monsters. They’re predators. Just like humans.”
“Whatever they are, they’ve got a taste for human blood,” said Tanuu.
“It’s not like that. They’re attacking us because—”
“Because Adaro told them to, I know. But you’re doing what he asked. You’re looking for the Host. Shouldn’t he cool it with the attacks now?”
I huffed. “He wants us to know he’s still in control.”
They turned their gazes in unison, as though looking across to Adaro’s kingdom. I couldn’t tell if they were unconvinced, or uneasy about Adaro.
Blacktail made an abrupt movement. I reached for my crossbow as she grabbed the fire iron with one hand and flung the other across Tanuu’s chest.
A head poked out of the waves. She’d already transformed into a demon. She floated towards the shore, keeping her deep red eyes on us. I kept my grip on my crossbow but didn’t raise it.
The demon wrapped her long, webbed fingers around the first mermaid’s hair and pulled her into the water. The sound of the body dragging across the rocks rose over the wind and waves. Then she did the same with the other body.
A swell engulfed them, and they vanished.
I didn’t loosen my grip on the crossbow.
A wave smashed against the lava rock on our left. The spray hit me a moment later, clinging to my already cold face.
“Let’s climb out of here,” I said.
Annith pointed the dagger at Tanuu. “Gentlemen first.”
He opened his mouth to protest, but Blacktail gave him a shove with the fire iron. “Go.”
We clambered up the earthy slope, using Ravendust weeds as grips. The bank flattened into a field of waist-high grass, pricklebushes, and scattered boulders. Coal-black leaves poked out of the otherwise vibrant greenery, so the field appeared freckled.
We scanned our surroundings. I vaguely knew the way home. But was home where we needed to go?
I licked my dry lips, tasting salt after being on the beach for so many hours. Even this short distance from the water, the air felt thinner, less sticky. My entire body ached, now that I let myself relax. The others must have been exhausted, too. I should have let us stop sooner.
“You hit up the school library, too, right?” said Tanuu.
“We searched about a million books,” I said, my tone more waspish than intended.
“Have you talked to anyone?”
“No one supports us. And I don’t trust them.”
“Come on. Forget the Massacre Committee. Everyone else loves you.”
I snorted.
“It’s true!”
I started across the field, stepping high through the long grass and hidden stones. The others followed.
“We could try talking to elders,” said Annith carefully. “Or teachers.”
“You don’t have to tell them it’s about the Host,” said Tanuu. “Just ask about our history. You know all the good stuff’s been passed verbally.”
I watched my feet. There were probably people who had more information than we’d been able to find in our research. But could we approach any of them?
“Ask the training master,” said Tanuu.
When Annith and I let out cries of disgust, he added, “Anyo, I mean! He’s teaching at the
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