Dangerous Depths (The Sea Monster Memoirs)

by Karen Amanda Hooper

  The Violets had given us a whole jar of the stuff, but I only brought a tiny portion in a small tube because it was easier to carry. As the ointment soothed the burning, I wished I had packed more.

  “Are you still in pain?” Treygan asked.

  “A little, but mostly just lightheaded.”

  “There’s no blood coming out, but you must have lost a lot.” He handed me a bottle of water. “Drink this.”

  I took the bottle from him but dropped it when I saw what was inside. “I take it you didn’t put the bugs in there?”

  “What?” Treygan leaned down and picked up the bottle. Centipedes swam inside, their hundreds of legs stirring up tiny bubbles.

  “How is that even possible?” He pulled out his remaining bottle and then dug through my pack to check mine. All of them were contaminated. “These bottles were sealed.”

  “How is any of this possible?” I kicked a bottle near my feet and it rolled away. “I don’t need water. I’ll be okay.”

  “Our time window just got shorter,” Rownan said. “With no water, we’ll dehydrate. And I doubt any water sources in this world are safe to drink from.”

  “He’s right. Do you think you can walk?” Treygan asked me.

  “We’ll take turns carrying her,” Rownan said. I glared at him and he put his hands up. “Just until you’re feeling better.”

  “I’m fine,” I grumbled, attempting to stand. My limbs felt like cotton and the ground swayed. Sage curled around my neck, trying to steady me.

  Treygan lifted me into his arms. “Forget your pride. For now, I’m carrying you.”

  I nodded, resting my head on his shoulder.

  “Logically,” Rownan said, “if those demon bitches led us here then we’re probably as far away from Vienna as possible. Let’s head back the way we came.”

  Treygan followed Rownan out of the temple. The warmth of his body kept me from shivering at the memory of the attack as we passed by the area where we had fought the imposters. We exited through the same arched trees we had entered through.

  “I’ll follow you,” Treygan told Rownan.

  Rownan glanced left and right then marched straight ahead. I wrapped my arms more securely around Treygan’s neck as he followed him.

  After only a minute of walking, Rownan stopped. “Are we trapped here?” He spun on his heel to face me and Treygan again. He spoke faster than normal. “We dove off that floating island and down here into the trenches. How will we get back up to the gate we came through if you can’t fly?”

  I glanced at Treygan, hoping he had a reassuring answer, but worry lines pinched the corners of his mouth. The consequences of losing my wings hadn’t occurred to me yet, but now that Rownan pointed it out, panic catapulted through me.

  “There has to be another way to the gate.” Treygan tried sounding calm. “We’ll worry about that after we find Vienna.”

  I nodded, not wanting to dwell on how much more impossible this mission had just become with the loss of my wings. Rownan wiped his hand over his face then continued forward.

  Eventually, the solid ground transitioned into sand. A wide strip of maroon powder lay rolled out in front of us like a blood-red carpet. We had reached what resembled a beach except there was no water. One side dropped off into a deep canyon of what looked like cracked concrete, like maybe an ocean had existed at some point but it had dried up. On the other side was a gray mist so thick we couldn’t see past it. I almost suggested we enter the mist, but Sage encouraged me to stay quiet and let Rownan lead.

  “I’m feeling better,” I told Treygan. “I think I can walk.”

  “You sure? I’m not tired. I’m fine carrying you.”

  Noble as always. “Really, I’m good.”

  He set me down and held my hand. I still felt somewhat unbalanced, but I managed. Rownan was already marching ahead onto the beach, so Treygan and I followed.

  We had almost closed the distance to Rownan when I stopped short and cocked my head. “Do you hear that?”

  “Hear what?” Treygan asked.

  “It sounds like rain.”

  Rownan paused, pointing out over the barren canyon. “Looks like rain too. Sort of.”

  We all watched a pink, glistening curtain creep across the spanning horizon of concrete.

  “It’s heading this way,” Treygan said.

  Sage nudged my chin. “Maybe we should find somewhere to take cover.”

  “Good idea.”

  We turned to enter the gray mist behind us, except it had cleared and the landscape was covered with black plants and trees.

  “I’m not going in there,” Rownan said. “I’m not scared of a little bad weather.”

  As if insulted by his words, the rain reached the beach. The first drop hit my hand and I yelped and stumbled into Treygan. “It burned me!”

  Treygan and Rownan were hit with drops on their faces almost simultaneously. Both of them winced.

  The skin on my hand was bubbling. “Find shelter!”

  We took off running for the trees. A few more drops hit us as we ran. We were all shrieking or gasping from the burns.

  “There! A cave!” Rownan shouted.

  Again, too easy, but at that point it was either let the rain melt our skin or run into a cave and deal with whatever awaited us inside. The rain pounded louder behind us. I wanted to fly so badly. I could have gotten us inside so much quicker.

  A few more drops pelted us before we made it to safety. Treygan and I dashed into the cave first. Rownan ran in seconds behind us. We were all gasping and groaning from the pain. I made the mistake of wiping my face and ended up burning my fingertips. I cursed under my breath and fell against the cave wall.

  Treygan shook the burning raindrops from his hands. “Everyone okay?”

  “Rain that makes our skin boil—literally.” Rownan bent over, bracing his hands on his knees. “What next?”

  “Don’t ask,” I moaned, digging out the tube of healing salve from my pack. “I’d rather not find out.” I tossed the tube to Rownan. “That should help.” His face was already blistering worse than mine or Treygan’s. He nodded gratefully.

  I eyed the cave. The back wall was only a few yards away. Thankfully, from what I could tell, no soul-sucking creatures inhabited the space. Outside, the rain poured down. The weight of what had almost happened to us hung heavy in the air.

  Treygan stood near the opening, watching the deadly storm. He glanced down at his jacket, which looked the same as mine and Rownan’s; tiny circles of singed fiber had formed everywhere raindrops landed, but at least they hadn’t burned through.

  “Our faces would have melted off,” Rownan grunted.

  I swallowed hard, staring at the inflamed boils on my hands.

  Treygan’s frown was contagious. “We should rest.”

  “I can’t rest in this place.” Rownan handed the salve to Treygan. “We have to find Vienna.”

  “We can’t go anywhere until the rain stops.” Treygan gave me the tube without taking any for himself. “Now might be our only chance to let our bodies recharge. I have a feeling we’re going to need all the strength we can muster once we get out of this cave.”

  Treygan was right. And I was so tired. My eyelids were heavy. I dabbed the absolute least amount of ointment needed on my burns then did the same to Treygan’s. We might need the medicine for worse injuries later. I didn’t want to think about anything worse, but I was sure it was possible.

  I reached for Treygan. “I’ll rest if you rest with me.”

  Rownan removed his gear and stood at the cave’s opening. “I’m not tired. You two rest and I’ll keep watch.”

  “We’re right here if you need us,” Treygan told him.

  “I know. Merfolk don’t sleep.” Rownan looked me up and down. “Do you still sleep? I mean, you’re not pure mer.”

  “No,” I admitted. “Not since I was transformed into a mermaid.”

  He nodded. “Get some rest.”

  Treygan
and I nestled into a dark, dry spot in the back of the cave. He curled up behind me, offering me his arm as a pillow. My body went limp, but my mind wouldn’t relax. I watched Rownan pace back and forth at the cave entrance.

  Treygan’s breath made my ear tingle. “Hypothetical situation. We find out Vienna is gone, and for some reason I don’t make it back, but you and Rownan do.” He hesitated. “Rownan would take care of you. I hope you know that.”

  I rolled over to gawk at him. “Are you trying to tell me, in some sick way, that if you and Vienna end up dead, you’d want me and Rownan to be together?”

  “It’s not ideal, and I’d humbly request you have a relationship with absolutely no kissing, or touching, or any kind of physical intimacy, but yes, he’d take good care of you.”

  “You’ve lost your mind.”

  “Have I? He’s loyal and brave. He loves deeply.”

  “He loves Vienna. And I love you. And we’re all going back to Rathe. We’re going to live happily ever after, and I’m going to try really hard to forget that you ever tried to convince me to be with your brother.”

  Treygan kissed my shoulder. “I like hearing you so confident.”

  Truth be told, I wasn’t confident at all. We had burns on our skin, we were trapped in a cave for who knows how long, and demonic creatures had attacked us and ripped my wings off. Our odds of surviving this trip weren’t looking good.

  “I’m very confident,” I lied, relieved that I had the ability, because my words—untrue as they were—seemed to put Treygan at ease.

  “We survived the Triple Eighteen. We can survive this, right?”

  If only we could go back in time to the Triple Eighteen. That drama seemed like child’s play compared to our current situation.

  “Rest,” Treygan whispered. “You’re safe in my arms.”

  And because Treygan couldn’t lie, I took comfort in his words, and slid away into a cloud of happy memories—far away from Harte.

  ~

  We weren’t sleeping, but my body and mind had settled into rest mode.

  A wind blew hard, gusting through the cave entrance and stirring me awake. My hair flew around my head. “What was that?”

  “Storm gust,” Treygan murmured.

  A voice called my name in the distance. It was barely audible through the wind and rain, but I jumped to my feet.

  “Uncle Lloyd!” I shouted, running to the cave opening.

  Rownan reached out and stopped me.

  “Yara!” Uncle Lloyd faintly called again.

  “Oh, my gods!” I shrieked. “Your father is out there!” His skin would be melted off judging from how hard the rain was coming down. “Uncle Lloyd! We’re here! Follow my voice!”

  Rownan’s hand coiled tighter around my wrist. “It’s another imposter.”

  He appeared out of the pink mist, covered head to toe in a slicker suit and fisherman boots. I waved my arms frantically over my head. “Over here!”

  He staggered toward us. Not thinking, I stepped out of the cave to help him, but the burning rain sent me darting back, hissing in pain. Uncle Lloyd kept trudging forward until he stumbled his way inside.

  I reached for him.

  “Wait!” he gasped. “Don’t touch me. All this rain will burn you.” He attempted to undo his jacket, but stopped when his fingers sizzled. The slicker was covered in burn marks and reeked of burnt plastic.

  “Why are you here?” I studied his face, looking for signs that he was an evil demon, but it was really him. Sage was calm and so was my intuition.

  “I had to come.” He still gasped and wheezed. I glanced around as if I’d magically find a towel or drink to offer him, but of course there was nothing except a shocked Rownan and Treygan in the empty cave with us. “I have information.”

  Looking apprehensive, Treygan knelt beside him. “What kind of information?”

  Uncle Lloyd’s cloudy eyes blindly searched the rest of the cave. His failing vision was another sign that he was the real deal. “Rownan, I’m so sorry.”

  Rownan flinched. “Sorry for what?”

  Uncle Lloyd’s hands shook the way they always did when he was upset. “Vienna. She … there’s no point in searching for her.”

  Rownan’s jaw tightened. “Why?”

  Uncle Lloyd bowed his head. “Many years ago, she tried exiting Harte through the same gate you entered, but it killed her.”

  My breath caught in my throat. My heart felt heavier than stone, and my grief sent it crumbling into a billion broken pieces. “Rownan, I’m so sorry.”

  Treygan stood and placed a hand on Rownan’s shoulder.

  Rownan was frozen in place, his eyes wide. “That’s a lie.”

  Uncle Lloyd sighed. “It pains me to have to tell you, more than you can imagine, but it’s the truth.”

  Rownan lurched forward. “Who told you that?”

  “Stheno and Euryale told the sirens. Nixie told me.”

  “Why wouldn’t she have told us this before we came here?”

  Uncle Lloyd flashed a sad grimace in my direction. “Apparently, the gorgon sisters were happy to be rid of Yara.”

  I knew it. Stheno and Euryale did hate me. They wanted me to go to Harte so I wouldn’t come back. I hung my head. Treygan and Rownan were in this evil realm because of me.

  “We have to go home,” Treygan said. “The minute the rain stops, we’re out of here.”

  “I still don’t believe it,” Rownan growled.

  “Rownan,” Treygan gripped his arm. “Stheno and Euryale have no reason to lie.”

  “How would they know what happened to Vienna?”

  “They know everything,” Treygan said.

  Rownan’s jaw clenched so tight it looked like it might break. I had to get everyone out of here. If anything happened to any of them, Uncle Lloyd, Treygan, or Rownan, I would never be able to live with myself. “How do we get home?”

  “We go back to the gate,” Uncle Lloyd said. “Yara will have to fly us out one at a time.”

  I froze. I could feel Treygan’s and Rownan’s eyes on me.

  After a few silent moments, Treygan asked, “What’s the alternative plan? Yara no longer has her wings.”

  “What?” Uncle Lloyd squinted.

  With a tremor in my voice, I explained, “Evil creatures ripped them off as soon as we arrived.”

  “Dear gods.” Uncle Lloyd rubbed the back of his neck. “I know of no other way.”

  Treygan and I exchanged defeated frowns. The inevitable truth escaped my lips in a whisper. “We’re never going home.”

  “Don’t say that,” Treygan said. “There has to be another way.”

  “Not for us.” Uncle Lloyd sighed. “We all have human blood in our veins. That was the only gateway we could cross through. And it’s hidden high in the sky.”

  “This is all my fault.” Rownan leaned against the cave, his head in his hands. His shoulders bounced like he was silently crying.

  “Actually,” Uncle Lloyd mumbled, “it’s mine. It all started with me. I never should’ve fallen in love with Liora. Never wed outside of my species. And I most certainly never should’ve made a deal to be turned human. My greed led us to this. I’ll never forgive myself for how badly my sons have suffered because of my choices. And Yara too. I’m a monster in the truest sense of the word.”

  “No.” I rubbed his hand. “You’ve always tried to do what’s best for everyone. This isn’t your fault. And it isn’t Rownan’s, either.”

  “He’s right,” Rownan snarled. “All this trouble started with him.” He turned and pointed at me. “Then your parents broke the rules and fell in love because they saw him and Liora together and thought they could get away with it too. The curse was a chain of events that started with him.”

  I stood, balling my fists at my sides. “How can you say such a thing? He’s your father!”

  Rownan raised his chin, his eyes smoldered with rage. “It’s the truth.”

  I glanced at Treygan, expecting h
im to stick up for Lloyd, but Treygan said nothing. Worse, he nodded as if he agreed with Rownan.

  Uncle Lloyd clutched his chest, groaning loud and long.

  “What’s wrong?” I hurried to his side again. “What’s happening? What hurts?”

  He clawed at his chest and shoulder. His eyes were bulging and drool dripped from his mouth. I turned to Treygan. “Do something!” He just stood there, watching but not moving.

  Uncle Lloyd squeezed my hand so hard I whimpered. “I’m here,” I told him. “I’m right here. It’s going to be okay.”

  He shook violently then went rigid. His eyes were wide open, unblinking.

  “Uncle Lloyd?” I squeezed his hand, but he didn’t squeeze back. “Please, say something.”

  A rock formed in my throat. He wasn’t breathing. He wasn’t moving. “No,” I pleaded. “No, no, no.”

  I began doing CPR. He had taught it to me years ago. I tilted his neck, breathed into his mouth, pumped hard on his chest, and then repeated the process. Nothing happened.

  I went through the steps again, desperately blowing as much air into his mouth as I could, pressing down on his chest with all my might. Tears streamed from my cheeks, splashing onto his unblinking eyes.

  Treygan’s hands rested on my shoulders. “You have to let him go, Yara. He’s gone.”

  “No!” I choked.

  He grabbed my hands. “We knew it was coming. At least he didn’t die alone.”

  There was a cold resolve in Treygan’s voice. How could he not be upset?

  “No!” I pulled my hands free of his and leaned forward, laying my head against Uncle Lloyd’s chest. “Please don’t leave me. I need you. You can’t die!”

  There was no heartbeat. No breath. I was helpless to save the man who had always taken care of me. My sunshine was fading from my life.

  I cried out. “This can’t be happening!”

  Treygan pulled me into his arms. “He’s gone.” I struggled to pull out of his grip and hug my uncle again, but Treygan held me too tight. “He meddled for the last time. They killed him.”

  “They can’t.” My words were strangled by my sobs. “It’s not fair.”