Of Neptune (The Syrena Legacy)

by Anna Banks

  “I was here first. You almost stepped on my foot. Not very observant, minnow.”

  “Have you found Emma yet?”

  Toraf shakes his head. “She’s not at city hall. I already checked.”

  “How did you know where city hall was?”

  Toraf shrugs. “I asked someone. They’re pretty friendly here.”

  Galen massages his temples with his fingers. “And have you already gotten yourself a hostage?”

  “Nope. That’s what I was in the process of doing before you almost head-butted me, trying not to get noticed.”

  “You can’t just take someone out in the open in the middle of town.”

  “I was going to call a cab and get them to take me to the picnic area where everyone else is. Boom. Hostage taken. What’s with your face? I hope the other guy looks worse.”

  “This town is too small to need cabs.” He wonders where Toraf learned about calling for cabs but decides to put the question off for later. Now is not the time to go off on a tangent especially where Toraf is involved. Still, his friend’s plan was rather impressive.

  “Um, minnow? Not to interrupt your expert strategizing, but…” Toraf points to the street behind them. “Isn’t that Emma?”

  Galen whips around. Sure enough, Emma is in the passenger seat of a car stopped at the only stoplight in town. And Tyrden is driving.

  41

  I WANT to scream at the people around me. To beat on the window and yell for help. But Tyrden is pointing the gun at my stomach, and I know he’ll shoot before anyone can come to my aid. Before anyone will realize what happened.

  So my choice is getting shot now or later. It’s just that I think I have a better chance for escape later. Now, if I even move, I’m dead. Later, when we stop wherever we’re going, he’ll have to get out of the car at some point. There will be that brief second when the gun isn’t pointed at me. At least, that’s what I’m hoping. That’s when I’ll make my move.

  Rachel taught me that when someone has a gun, the best chance you’ve got is to run away in a zigzag pattern, that it’s harder to hit a moving target. She says that way, even if they do shoot and hit, it lowers the odds of them striking a vital organ—and increases your chances of getting away.

  I’m startled from my thoughts when one of the pedestrians knocks on my window. I’m too terrified to look up at whoever it is. “What should I do?” I ask Tyrden quietly.

  “See what he wants,” he says. “And remember what I’ve got in my hand.” Tyrden lowers the gun to rest it on the seat between us, hiding it in a shadow cast by a streetlamp.

  I roll down the window. And come face to face with Toraf. My eyes feel like they’ve doubled in size. Toraf is here. Toraf is here. Toraf is here.

  “Hi,” he says, poking his head in. I want to push him out, to tell him to run, to tell him to help me, to tell him there’s a gun. My mouth is hung on the hinges, unwilling to make the words. “Can I get a ride to city hall?” he says.

  There’s no way Toraf doesn’t see the gun. What is he doing?

  “Sorry, we’re not going that way,” Tyrden says, his voice all friendly and cheerful. He presses the gun into my hip. “And we’re late getting to where we’re going.”

  “Oh, sorry. Could you just give me some quick directions then?”

  “Sure.” A bit of his impatience shines through. “Turn right at this light and—”

  The sound of shattering glass hits me from the driver’s side before the actual shards do. Toraf flings the passenger door open, and I spill out of the car on top of him as I hear the gun go off behind me. It makes contact with the door panel inches from my head.

  “Get up, get up,” Toraf says, pulling me to my feet. He wraps his arm around my waist and hauls me to the curb.

  There are screams all around us. The car bounces up and down, squeaking the suspension, which is made more horrifying by a succession of male grunts resounding from the front seat. After a few seconds, another shot rings out and with a clink, the gun falls onto the pavement beside the car.

  “I’ll be right back,” Toraf says, kicking it away. Then he all but dives into the passenger seat.

  In a matter of milliseconds, Galen appears from the driver’s side, and my stomach does cartwheels. He drags an unconscious Tyrden out of the car by his armpits and unceremoniously throws him in the backseat. He seems oblivious to the crowd that has gathered around him. He spots me on the sidewalk, doing nothing at all to save myself or him. Galen appears relieved that I’m not being useful.

  “Emma!” he yells. “Get in the car.”

  Robotically, I scramble back to the passenger side just as Toraf’s feet fly over the bench seat and he takes his place next to Tyrden’s limp body in the back. “Go go go,” Toraf says, and Galen stomps on the gas, parting the crowd.

  The advantage of being in a small town is that you can get out of it quickly. Two minutes, and we’re speeding down the highway. I’m clutching the door panel, trying not to think about the bullet hole in it. Also, trying to absorb what just freaking happened.

  “Angelfish,” Galen says beside me. He puts a gentle hand on my leg, and I instinctively cover it with mine. “Are you okay?”

  I nod, eyes wide. “You?” It’s a valid question. He’s got bruises all over his face, a puffy eye, and both his top and bottom lips are split. Some of the bruises are yellowing already, which means they’re older than the recent scuffle with Tyrden in this car. I’ve never seen him look so rough.

  “I’m going to be,” he says with confidence. “Once I get you safe.”

  “What should I do if he wakes up?” Toraf says behind us. I glance back at Tyrden, who is folded up into an almost ball in the seat. He looks like he’s been packed in a suitcase in a hurry.

  Galen looks in the rearview. “Keep your boot in his face and get ready to use it.”

  “Will do.”

  “Galen?” I say softly. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry, but whichever I choose is going to be done in a state of hysteria.

  “Hmm?”

  “Where have you been?”

  He takes a deep breath and squeezes my knee. “You’re not going to believe everything that has happened.”

  I take in Galen’s face, the bullet holes in the car, the man we’ve kidnapped in the backseat, and the fact that he was holding me hostage not ten minutes before. “Try me.”

  42

  GALEN DUMPS Tyrden in the back of the SUV Nalia rented from the airport. With concentrated movements, he starts wrapping him in layer after layer of rope she’d gotten from a hardware store a few towns down. She really was prepared to take a hostage. With his teeth, he tears off a piece of duct tape and places it carefully over Tyrden’s mouth.

  “You should put it around his whole head,” Rayna says from behind him. “It’ll hurt more if he has to pull it out of his hair.” Then she smacks the sleeping man on the cheek. Hard. “He’s really out of it.”

  Triton’s trident, but Galen has missed his twin sister. “Hopefully he won’t get the chance to pull it off at all.”

  “He won’t.” She leans against the back of the SUV and slowly raises a hand to touch his face. “This guy did that to you?”

  “It doesn’t feel as bad as it looks.” Which isn’t a lie. His lips will tear themselves back open if he’s not careful, but other than that, everything seems to be healing well. At least, that’s what Nalia had said.

  He shuts the hatch to the SUV and turns toward the picnic tables where everyone is gathered. “You coming?” he asks Rayna.

  Slowly, she shakes her head. She walks around to the side of vehicle and opens the rear passenger door. “I’m going to keep an eye on him.”

  Galen is about to tell her that their hostage is not to be toyed with, but he sees the hard look in her eyes and thinks better of it. She knows exactly what she’s doing. “If he moves I’m going to beat the smell out of him,” she says. Then she hops in and shuts the door behind her.

  Maybe it’s
best that it is Rayna standing guard over Tyrden. Out of all of them, Rayna might be the only one who wouldn’t hesitate if the situation called for it. His sister has always been fond of asking for forgiveness rather than permission. And her temper is unmatched in all the kingdoms.

  Which is exactly the kind of vigilance Tyrden deserves.

  Galen walks to the picnic tables and takes the seat next to Emma and across from Grom and Nalia. Toraf stands against a tree behind them, watching Rayna watch Tyrden. Antonis sits at the picnic table beside them, waiting expectantly.

  Galen and Emma have much to tell about their individual experiences in Neptune. Emma starts by telling them about the town itself, how it came to be, how Reder wants peace and unity between the ocean dwellers and the land dwellers, and how Tyrden was involved in Jagen and Paca’s conspiracy to overtake the Triton territory. And a fact which shocks everyone: Jagen has a Half-Breed son. “We have to make sure he’s going to be okay,” she says.

  “We’ll do the best we can,” Grom says. “I would say that right now he’s safe, since Tyrden is tied up in the back of a vehicle.”

  Galen tells them of his captivity with Tyrden, then with Kennedy. He nods toward the SUV. “We’ve got other problems besides him,” he tells Grom. “Dr. Milligan is on his way here to help us deal with the Kennedy situation.”

  “What exactly is the situation?” Nalia folds her hands in front of her. “You escaped.”

  Galen tells them about Kennedy shooting Reed and his intention to run experiments on him. “I have to go back for him,” he says with finality. “He helped me escape and I owe him that. We can’t leave him there.”

  “And we can’t let Kennedy run experiments on him,” Nalia interjects. “All of us are at stake. Though I’m not sure I understand how Dr. Milligan can help us.”

  “Maybe he can talk some sense into Kennedy,” Galen says. “Maybe we can buy him off.” But Galen knows the unlikelihood of that. Still, he believes Dr. Milligan can help. He’s just not sure how.

  “But the whole town has been looking for him,” Emma says. “If they can’t find him, how can we?”

  “He told me he purposely threw them off his trail,” Galen says. “I need to get to the river. Then I’ll be able to find my way back to the embankment where I escaped. From there, we’ll find the cabin.” And hopefully Reed.

  “Then what?” Grom says. “Then we have two captives from Neptune, and a human scientist and no plan. I think that’s a little more than we can handle.”

  “Tyrden isn’t just a captive,” Nalia corrects. “He’s coming back with us to the ocean for his own tribunal. His crimes against the kingdoms are too great to ignore.”

  “Neptune won’t like that,” Grom says. “He’s their citizen, after all.”

  “Ask me if I care,” Nalia says. “And why do you care? Neptune shouldn’t exist. We don’t have to recognize their authority over anything. He screwed with my family. He’s not getting away with it.”

  “But Neptune does exist,” Antonis says gently. “And Grom is right—a little diplomacy goes a long way. I’ll go back to the kingdoms and recruit some backup for us.” He hops up from his seat and places a hand on Grom’s shoulder. “The town of Neptune can no longer be ignored by the kingdoms. We must begin talks with them.”

  Grom shakes his head. “You put us in this position. You and your secrets.”

  “It’s a secret that has been kept for thousands of years. It would be unfair to call it my secret.” Antonis crosses his arms. “And they want peace. They always have. I think now might be the time to pursue it. The Archives accepted Emma, after all.”

  “Emma is one exception. One,” Grom says. “This is asking too much too soon.”

  “Then maybe we shouldn’t ask the council just yet,” Antonis says. “Maybe we should limit the discussion to those present. Allow the Archives to ease into the idea over time.”

  “You’ve been thinking much about this,” Grom says irritably. “You have this all worked out in your mind, haven’t you?”

  “Of course not,” Antonis says. “Well, maybe a little. That being said, maybe recruiting backup isn’t a good idea. We don’t want to involve more than is necessary for—”

  Nalia buries her face in her hands. “Unbelievable. All this time—”

  “Look,” Galen says. “I know this is an important discussion to have, but we’re wasting time where Reed is concerned. I don’t want to give Kennedy the chance to move him somewhere else.” Everyone nods in silent agreement. “I think Grom and Toraf and I should go.”

  “I’m not leaving Rayna here with that lunatic,” Toraf says.

  “You would trade one lunatic for another?” Galen says, though he knows Toraf’s mind is made up. Toraf is overprotective of his sister, which can be good and bad.

  “Nalia, Emma, and Antonis can handle Tyrden. He’s bound and gagged. There’s no reason Rayna can’t go with us.”

  Galen doesn’t like the idea of leaving Emma behind with Tyrden either—especially since he just got her back. But the fact is, Tyrden is tied up, and Nalia is practically an expert at shooting a gun—three of which she happens to be in possession of right now. And since Emma can’t shape a fin, she’ll be slowing the group down in the river.

  He and Emma exchange looks of understanding. She nods slightly, giving him her acceptance of what can’t be helped.

  “Okay,” Galen says. “We’ll take Rayna. Let’s go. We can’t wait for daylight. And watch for traps.”

  * * *

  They wade from the river onto shore in the moonlight. The trees and bushes around them are black and blue shapes, barely discernible in places where the canopy of the forest blocks the night sky. Barefoot, Toraf, Rayna, Galen, and Grom make their way to the tree line.

  “How far is it from here?” Rayna whispers.

  “Not far,” Galen says, taking the lead into the woods.

  “How are we going to overtake him if he has a gun?” Grom says.

  “We outnumber him,” Galen says. “And there are trees to hide behind. Plus, he’s not a great shot.”

  “Perfect,” Toraf grumbles.

  “You’re the one who wanted to bring Rayna,” Galen says.

  “Can I change my mind?”

  “No,” the twins say in unison.

  “All of you, quiet,” Grom says. “Galen, stay focused.”

  Galen squints into the distance. The outline of a cabin shapes itself against the trees behind it. “We’re here,” he whispers, pointing ahead of them. He motions for them to come closer to him. “We’re going to surround him and go from there.”

  “What if he won’t come out?” Rayna says.

  “He will once he knows we’re armed.”

  “We’re not armed,” Toraf says.

  Galen picks up a stick from the ground and breaks off a few twigs. He points the end of it at Toraf. “In the dark, we are armed.”

  Toraf nods and finds his own stick, then for effect, he makes a shooting sound. Galen rolls his eyes.

  As a group, they creep toward the cabin, sticks at the ready. Every time they break a sprig or crunch leaves under their feet, Galen cringes. There is no way Kennedy doesn’t know we’re coming. He takes off into a light jog, motioning for the others to circle the rest of the cabin. Galen claims a tree directly in front of the door.

  When everyone is in place, Galen yells. “Kennedy, we’ve got you surrounded. Come out and we won’t hurt you.”

  But Kennedy doesn’t answer. In fact, there don’t seem to be any sounds or movements coming from inside. Galen finds a rock and throws it at the lone window in the front, smashing out the bottom corner of it.

  Still nothing.

  There are no lights on within. Slowly Galen eases toward the steps, feeling a bit childish as he raises his stick like a gun. In the patch of moonlight, he can make out the padlock hanging from the door, locking it shut. Kennedy is not here.

  “Reed?” Galen calls. “Reed, are you in there?” He peers in thr
ough the busted window. Reed’s shackles lay sprawled out on the floor under the window on the other side. Kennedy has already moved him.

  Toraf and Grom meet him around front, and Rayna is not far behind. “They could still be close,” Galen tells them. “If he’s smart, he’ll be moving farther south. We should start—”

  “Shhhh!” Rayna hisses. “Do you hear that sound?”

  They all hold still. For a moment, the only noise that can be heard is the rustle of the windblown canopy above. Then a very distinct buzzing hits them from the direction of the river.

  “A boat,” Galen says. “It has to be them.”

  They sprint back to the embankment, not caring about the low-hanging limbs and branches whipping at their faces. In the distance, they see a small yellow light skitting across the river—heading south.

  “They’re moving fast,” Grom says.

  “Maybe I can catch them,” Galen says, wading in. Rayna grabs his arm. “We all saw your fin, Galen. You need to rest it. Let me handle this.”

  “You’ll never catch them,” Galen says as Toraf huffs. “Absolutely not.”

  Without so much as a word of warning, Rayna opens her mouth. And the Gift of Triton moves down the river in a giant wave.

  43

  GRANDFATHER TAKES the seat next to me at the picnic table. He clears his throat and makes a show of smoothing out the wrinkles in his T-shirt. Finally he says, “Well?”

  “Um. Well, what?” It sounds a tad disrespectful, so I make up for it with, “I mean, I’m not sure what you’re asking me, Grandfather.”

  “Are you upset with me that I sent you to Neptune?”

  “You could have told me what I’d find there.”

  “But you know why I didn’t.”

  “Galen.”

  Grandfather sighs. “I find that Galen and Grom are of similar disposition, though neither would care to admit it. They both seek safety first, pleasure later. Sometimes this can be a good thing. Most times, in fact. But other times, this can be an inhibition to experiencing a full life.”