Dolphin's Grace

by Maggie Marks

  Whack, whack, whack! Mason swung so hard, his shoulders shook.

  Someone was squeezing his arm now—probably Luna, telling him to slow down and pace himself. But Mason didn’t want to.

  Thwack, thwack, thwack!

  Another block fell out of the wall, nearly landing on his toes. He leaped backward, right into Luna. This time she grabbed his arm and didn’t let go. Mason swung his head around to find out why.

  Her mouth was set in a firm line. She pointed.

  He followed her gaze down the hall and saw the guardian lurking in the shadows, its spiky thorns extended and its single eye staring—directly at Mason.

  Any moment now, the fish-like beast would charge.

  Then, with a thrash of its barbed tail, it did.

  CHAPTER 6

  A shot of energy ran from Mason’s head to his toes. As the guardian lunged toward him, Mason swung his pickaxe. There was no time to grab his trident. No time to dodge the mob or swim away. Only time to fight.

  As Mason’s axe struck, the beast released an angry growl. It tumbled sideways and sank. Then, glowing red with rage, it righted itself and charged again.

  Something streaked through the water beside Mason—something shiny. Luna’s trident struck the scaly beast in the side, knocking it back. The mob grunted and thrashed, trying to free itself of the weapon.

  When Luna held out her hand, her trident shot back through the water, straight into her fist.

  The Loyalty enchantment! Mason remembered.

  Then he remembered his own weapon, enchanted with Riptide. He dropped the pickaxe and grabbed the trident strapped to his waist. Before the guardian could recover from Luna’s blow, Mason delivered one of his own. He swung his arm back and sent the trident through the water like a spear. Mason sailed through the water behind it.

  He was beside the guardian in a flash, ready to swing his trident again like a sword. He watched, waiting for the beast to rise, but … the guardian grunted and was gone.

  Mason searched the hall for Luna. She had swum to the far end, as if looking for more hostile mobs. When she caught Mason’s eye, she gave him a thumbs-up, the all-clear sign.

  Except it wasn’t.

  Mason saw the shadows lurking behind her. More spikes. More thorns. More guardians.

  He waved wildly to warn her, but it was too late! In a flash of purple, one of the guardians fired its laser. Luna lurched forward, struck from behind. Her eyes widened with fear, and she dropped her trident.

  Do something! Mason urged himself. But he couldn’t throw his trident—Luna was in the way! So he did the only thing he could do. He charged.

  Mason swam as if his own life depended on it, whipping through the water like a guardian itself. He pushed Luna to safety and then whirled around to face the thorned beasts.

  They were so close now, Mason could reach out and touch them. He swung his trident side to side, counting the beasts as he battled them. One, two, three … could he take them all down before one of them fired?

  With a grunt and a growl, one mob dropped. Mason didn’t wait for it to pop back up. He struck the next, plunging his trident into the mob’s fleshy side. It took all his strength to pull the weapon back out.

  The beast raged, red hot with anger. But Mason kept fighting. He swung his trident until his shoulders went numb. Until the hall darkened, and his limbs felt heavy.

  The potions are wearing off! he realized. Which meant soon, he and Luna wouldn’t be able to breathe.

  He glanced backward to make sure she was okay. Luna was pushing herself to her feet, leaning against the prismarine wall for support. She locked eyes with him and pointed toward the window, the one that led to safety—back up to the rowboat.

  Mason gave the third guardian one last blast with his trident. Then he waited, willing the beast to stay down.

  It did. In a stream of bubbles, Mason blew out the breath he’d been holding.

  The hallway was empty now, except for the guardian drops: a few prismarine shards. Asher might care about those, thought Mason, but I don’t.

  He ignored the drops and quickly swam to Luna’s side. Together they half-walked, half-swam toward the light of the window. As they passed the pile of prismarine blocks they had mined, Mason hesitated. Could they leave the blocks behind? Their hard work would be wasted!

  But one look at Luna’s pale face gave him the answer he needed. Luna needed to get to safety—fast.

  He pushed her through the window first. Then he wrapped an arm around her and used his other hand to throw his trident toward the boat. The Riptide enchantment propelled Mason through the water, taking Luna up to the surface, too.

  She moved more easily now. She gripped the edge of the boat and pulled while Mason pushed. Together, they made their way into the boat. Then Luna flopped into the hull like a fish in a bucket.

  Mason sucked cool air into his lungs and sat back, staring at the blue sky above.

  “Thanks,” Luna finally whispered. “I’m sorry about the prismarine.”

  Mason shrugged. “No worries.” He glanced back into the water, wondering if there was time to go back for some of the blocks. But he would have to go alone.

  Alone like Asher, he suddenly realized. What if Asher runs into guardians? Who will pull him to safety?

  Mason shivered as he reached for the oars.

  * * *

  Back home, Mason paced.

  Luna had been wrong. Asher wasn’t home when they returned from the ocean monument.

  He wasn’t home at dinnertime, when Mason cooked extra kelp and fish in the furnace, just in case. And as the sky darkened high above the ocean floor, even the light of the conduit couldn’t keep Mason’s fear at bay.

  Finally, when he couldn’t stand it anymore, he left the glass walls of his underground home and swam toward Luna’s. Sea lanterns lit the path along the rocky ridge, and there—in the sea grass near the entrance—Edward the Squid lay resting. But Mason barely stopped to say hello.

  He brushed the squid’s smooth head with his hand and swam overhead, straight into the tunnel bored into the rock. The tunnel was so tight! Months ago, Mason had been scared to swim through it. Now he knew that if he pushed his way toward the light at the end, he would be there in no time. He burst into the lantern-lit room and dried off with the sea sponge before knocking on Luna’s inner door.

  “Asher isn’t back yet!” The words burst out of Mason’s mouth before Luna could even greet him.

  She waved him inside. But why was she smiling?

  “Don’t worry,” she said brightly. “Look!” She pointed through the glass wall of her living room.

  Mason saw nothing. He crossed the room in a flash and looked through the window. “What?”

  “There!” she insisted, pointing again.

  Something swam near the conduit. Mason squinted to see. It was a dolphin. A dolphin! “They’re back!” he cried.

  One by one, the pod swam into view. But Simon wasn’t in the lead. Was that Happy? Mason couldn’t tell. The dolphin’s rounded snout didn’t look particularly smiley tonight.

  Gray Slugger swam close behind, right past the fish bucket resting on the frame of the conduit. The dolphin didn’t bother to nudge the bucket with his nose. Why not? Mason wondered.

  Turquoise-colored Squeaky brought up the rear. But … where were the other two dolphins? Where were Simon and Hungry?

  And where is Asher? Mason pressed closer to the glass, craning his neck to search the ocean behind Squeaky. Clear blue water stretched out for yards.

  Mason watched and waited, until his palms began to sweat. “Where’s my brother?” he cried. “Where’s Asher?”

  Luna searched, too. She ran to the other pane of glass, as if Asher might have circled around toward the front door. Mason held his breath, hoping she would have good news, but Luna just shook her head sadly.

  When something bumped the glass, Mason whirled around and came face to face with a dolphin. Squeaky nudged the glass again with its
snout and began chattering excitedly.

  “What does it want?” Mason asked.

  Luna crossed the floor and studied the dolphin. It squeaked and squealed, swimming away from the glass and then back.

  “Squeaky is trying to tell us something,” Luna murmured under her breath. “Something’s wrong.”

  Mason’s stomach dropped. But he’d known it already—he knew it the second the dolphins came back without their leader, and without Asher.

  Asher was in trouble.

  CHAPTER 7

  “They want us to follow them!” said Luna, her face pressed against the glass.

  All three dolphins were chattering now, swimming near the glass wall and then flipping around and swimming away.

  Mason was already pulling on his boots. He reached for his helmet and trident. “Let’s go!”

  “Wait!” Luna said. “We need to pack potions. We don’t know how far away we’ll have to swim.”

  She sounds like me, Mason realized. The way I sounded when Asher wanted to follow the dolphins to buried treasure. But that was before—before Asher was in trouble. Now all Mason wanted to do was fly out the front door and follow the pod, wherever they might lead.

  Luna forced him to wait, just long enough to drink a few potions. And then they were stepping out into the cool water, searching for the dolphins.

  Squeaky showed up first. With a squeal and an excited flip of its tail, the dolphin swam near. But when Mason reached out his hand in greeting, the dolphin quickly swam away.

  They still don’t trust me! Mason realized sadly. I’m still scaring the dolphins away.

  Luna was prepared for that. She pulled wrapped fish from her pack and offered Mason a slippery hunk of raw cod. He grabbed hold of it and held it out.

  Squeaky circled Mason, chattering all the while, but the dolphin wouldn’t eat the fish. Happy and Slugger didn’t even come near. They hovered in the distance, watching warily.

  Take it! Mason wanted to cry. He waved the fish in the water. Take it and lead me to my brother!

  Finally, he tossed the fish back to Luna. Maybe they would trust her. Maybe she could work her magic, and they’d start swimming already.

  Sure enough, as soon as Luna held the fish, the dolphins darted in, ready for a bite. She fed them all, and even stroked Happy’s snout, before the pod turned and began to swim.

  Mason swallowed his disappointment. It doesn’t matter if they trust me, he told himself. What matters is that they take me to Asher. Now!

  The pod of dolphins—and Luna—took off like a shot. Dolphin’s Grace had struck again. But not for me, Mason realized. He stroked his way through the water, desperate to catch up. Even with potion of swiftness, he passed the conduit, the sandstone castle, and the bubble column way behind the others.

  Leaving the safety of the underwater village, he trailed Luna, keeping an eye on her red shirt and the flash of her trident. Without Simon, their leader, the dolphins swam in a scattered formation. Who was leading the pack? Slugger tried, but Happy and Squeaky passed by, each taking a turn. Every few minutes, the dolphins rose to the water’s surface, where Luna was swimming.

  She’s avoiding the drowned, Mason realized. Here, away from the conduit, they would soon encounter hostile mobs. But if they stayed near the surface, where sunlight filtered in from the sky above, the drowned might leave them alone. The hostile mobs would hover along the ocean floor, where the light couldn’t reach. At least, I hope they will, thought Mason with a quick glance over his shoulder.

  Now they were nearing the ocean monument, its prismarine pillars rising all around. Mason’s heart pounded in his ears as he remembered the guardian attack he and Luna had survived just a few hours ago. The dolphins gave the monument a wide berth, as if they feared the guardians too. They picked up their speed, which meant Mason had to work twice as hard to keep up.

  He set his sights on Luna’s shirt, blocking out everything else, and just swam. Stroke, kick, stroke, kick, stroke, kick …

  Finally, they’d passed the monument, and the pod slowed their pace. They drifted downward toward a coral reef, toward the safety of a kelp forest and some crumbling underwater ruins. Mason glanced ahead, wondering if Luna would leave the water’s surface and follow the pod. What if Asher were down there, trapped in the ruins of an underwater castle?

  Luna must have had the same thought, because she dove low, surprising a school of tiny purple fish. Mason followed, feeling the tickle of sea grass against his arms and legs. His heart began to slow, and for just a moment, he gave his limbs a rest. He stroked the water instead of furiously carving through it.

  Then he thought of Asher. He’s in trouble! There’s no time to rest! Mason kicked forward to see where the dolphins were leading him, hoping they knew where Asher was—and could get to him in time.

  Mason swam past Luna, who had paused to take another swig of potion. He swam past Slugger, who seemed way too interested in a nautilus shell on the ocean floor. Happy and Squeaky were leading the pod, side by side—until Squeaky made a dramatic turn to the left.

  With a squeal of warning, the dolphin darted back past Mason toward Luna. Happy followed.

  Wait! Mason wanted to cry out. Why are you going backward? Asher needs us!

  Then he saw.

  Along the coral reef ahead, a tall clump of sea grass shivered and shook. Something stepped out—a staggering green mob with tattered brown clothing. It growled, its eerie blue eyes glowing in the murky waters.

  As Mason grabbed his weapon, he spotted something in the hostile mob’s hand. The drowned had spawned with a trident! And it was about to launch it. Mason darted sideways, hoping Luna wasn’t close behind. He turned to warn her. But the drowned’s trident didn’t strike Luna—not even close. It zoomed past her surprised face and struck the dolphin swimming behind her.

  Slugger! The weapon stuck in the dolphin’s side. It thrashed its tail fin, trying to dislodge it. Slugger rolled through the water while Squeaky circled round, squealing with fear.

  Mason froze, torn between helping the injured dolphin and battling the undead mob.

  The drowned made the choice for him, because the mob’s outstretched hands suddenly held another weapon. Another trident. But how?

  There was no time to wonder. Mason launched his own trident, hitting the drowned square in the chest. It staggered backward and released its weapon. That gave Mason the time he needed to swim forward—to retrieve his trident and swing it again.

  Thwack, thwack, thwack!

  Then he saw the other drowned—three or four of them, rising out of the kelp like an army.

  I’m outnumbered! Mason realized, his chest tight. He whirled around, looking for Luna. She swam near Slugger holding two tridents—her own, and the bloody one she had just pulled from the dolphin’s side.

  Mason waved her forward. There’s more! he tried to tell her. Look!

  The moment Luna saw the drowned, her eyes widened. But before she could release her trident or swim toward Mason, something else did—a pod of angry dolphins. They’re turning on the drowned just like they turned on me! Mason thought, remembering the moment when he had accidentally hit one with his paddle.

  Squeaky soared past Mason, knocking the first drowned backward with its snout. Happy knocked the second off its feet. And then Slugger came too, bleeding from his side, but charging forward with an angry squeal.

  Mason didn’t wait for another dolphin to be injured. He swam straight into the army of drowned, waving his trident wildly. The mobs snarled. One slashed at Mason with its own weapon. He ducked and darted back in, scarcely breathing, until the mob dropped with an angry grunt.

  Thwack, thwack! Mason battled another hostile mob to the ground. And then another. Rotten flesh sizzled, sending tiny bubbles upward.

  Were they gone? Mason spun around, searching for more drowned, as the dolphins circled overhead. Luna was beside him, her chest heaving. She nodded at Mason as if to say, Let’s go. Let’s not wait for more to spawn
.

  Back to the water’s surface they swam, high enough that Mason could pop his head out into the sunshine and take a gulp of air—real air. When he did, Happy burst from the water ahead of him. The dolphin soared through the air, smiling. Squeaky followed with a victory leap, too. And Slugger swam close behind, with Luna keeping a protective eye on the injured dolphin.

  Mason hoped the pod would swim close enough to give him Dolphin’s Grace. But they didn’t. After a few leaps, they dove low again, charting a course through the water that only they remembered.

  It’s okay, Mason told himself as he quickened his pace. They’ll help me find Asher—and help me and Luna fight any mobs that stand in our way!

  CHAPTER 8

  The underwater world had shifted from soft sandstone to sharp rock. Jagged edges reached out toward Mason as he swam by, threatening to catch the straps of his backpack or rip his clothing. Keep your eyes open, he told himself. Watch for danger.

  But swimming was getting tougher now, the water colder and the currents stronger. When Mason fell behind Luna and the pod of dolphins, she circled back, her face awash with worry.

  She dug into her backpack and pulled out a potion bottle, but Mason waved his hand. He had already had seconds, taking swigs of water breathing, night vision, and swiftness potions. But being able to see and breathe underwater didn’t make his limbs feel any less heavy, and even with potion of swiftness, he couldn’t keep up with Luna and the dolphins. They swam too fast!

  The dolphins, who had traveled yards ahead, circled back and chattered, as if to say, C’mon! We have to hurry!

  Mason followed, picturing his brother’s face somewhere in the rocky world ahead. Asher needed him. So he kept going.

  When the dolphins led Mason and Luna through a narrow crevice in the rock, Mason tried not to panic. I’ll make it through. I’ll pretend I’m swimming down the tunnel to Luna’s house.

  He took long slow breaths, letting the cool water fill his lungs and then blowing it back out again. Breathing like a fish, he thought. Swimming like a fish. Stroke, flutter kick, stroke, flutter kick, stroke, flutter kick …