by Erin Johnson
"Go, Imogen!" Iggy's voice trembled.
I sensed his magic—warm and strong. I pulled, just a little—I didn't want to put him out—and funneled that power through my veins. I sensed the ancient old ship around me and felt my chest grow warmer.
"What—what are you doing?"
Glaucus's voice came from far away, drowned by the water rising above my ears and swallowing me.
24
Saved
With my eyes closed, I grabbed hold of the entire shipwreck in my mind and pulled up. My stomach lurched as we shot upward, faster and faster. My muscles trembled, and the effort of holding that much focus and concentration caused my temples to ache. Still, I pulled us upward towards the surface.
If I could get us there, Iggy—dangling from the rafters above—and I, would survive. I held my breath, my lungs burning, and pushed us higher. I felt the golden thread of magic from Iggy to my chest growing fainter—and then suddenly stronger again, stronger than before. I frowned, even as I willed the whole shipwreck up.
We'd cleared the gate that cut off my power to outside sources of magic, but we were shooting through the water so quickly, and it took all of my energy and concentration, that if I let go of Iggy to look for another source, we'd both drown before I found one.
And yet—we were outside the gate, which meant Iggy was again connected to his other half on land. Maybe I was, too! And I was pulling from both of them. My stomach twisted. If I pulled too much, I'd extinguish Iggy—completely!
I ground my teeth together, clenched my fists, and urged the ship faster, all the while praying that Iggy had enough magic to get us there without going out. My lungs and head ached, my whole body trembled with cold and fatigue, and just as I thought I'd never make it—we surfaced!
The ship lurched, and I flew up off the table, then landed hard on my side. I lay there, soaking wet, as water drained from the roof and walls and the ship bobbed on the surface.
We'd made it. Though water was quickly pooling on the floor again from all the leaks and holes in the hull. It took me a couple of moments to get my breath back. But when I did, I scrambled to my feet, panting, and looked up. Iggy's lantern still dangled from the rafter, but no light shone from the glass.
My chest tightened and I choked on a sob. I pulled myself onto the table and stood on trembling legs. I swatted the swaying lantern till I caught the bottom, then carefully lifted it up and off the hook. Not sure if I was ready for what I'd find, I brought it down to eye height.
I gulped, and my throat tightened. No bright flame. But then—I spotted him. Tiny, weak and guttering, Iggy had shrunk to the size of a candle flame and barely clung to a soggy piece of wood.
He blinked up at me and his voice came out like a mouse's. "A little help here?"
I sobbed and looked around, panicked. I had to find him a dry piece of wood, but every part of this ship was soaked… and getting wetter again as it slowly refilled with seawater
"Use your magic."
I blinked and looked wide-eyed at Iggy. But, I didn't know a spell for that. And yet—I might as well try, right? I closed my eyes and my chest heaved as I concentrated on the broken chair leg on the ground below the table.
I sensed the wild Sansea winds blowing strong outside the walls of the hull and pulled the magic to me. I'd intended to use my magic to dry the wood and feed it to Iggy, but… some instinct changed my mind. I turned to Iggy and, instead of pulling from him, pushed my magic to him. I funneled to him more and more and suddenly, heat warmed my face.
I opened my eyes and gasped, to see Iggy big and bright again. I hugged the lantern to me, then yelped at the heat of the glass.
"Dummy," he teased, but his mouth trembled.
"Oh Iggy, I thought I'd pulled too much from you and lost you." Tears trickled down my cheeks. "Can you forgive me?"
He chuckled. "Well, you did almost put both of me out, but you saved us as well, so—sure. Why not?"
I blinked back tears. "Really?"
He grinned and blazed brighter. "I'm sure I'll think of some way you can make it up to me."
I pressed my lips together in a tight smile. "I'm sure you will." My stomach lurched as I remembered my friends, caught in the grasp of a wild octopus. "Oh no! The others." I conjured up a bubble and was about to swallow it and turn into a mermaid, when Hank's handsome face appeared in the doorway. He threw an arm over the threshold, water sloshing in as the ship bobbed in the choppy waves, and used his other arm to brush his soaked hair back from his face.
"Imogen—are you all right?"
I let out a sigh. "Just barely." I swallowed the bubble. "Will you spell a bubble around Iggy? We need to get back down there."
The three of us dove deeper and deeper, kicking our tails furiously. As we swam, I quickly filled Hank in on Glaucus locking me in with the gate, and then me pulling from Iggy to lift the ship. As I talked, Hank's eyes grew wider and wider.
"Imogen, what you did—that's difficult magic."
I gave Hank a tight nod. I wanted to be flattered, or proud, but worry for my friends clenched tight around my heart.
We swam into the dark depths and spotted the dead spot in the sand where the shipwreck had sat for a couple hundred years. I gulped. "Where are they?"
Hank grabbed my shoulder. "There!"
I whimpered. My friends hovered in a tight group on the other side of a large boulder, with Delphine, surrounded by a bunch of guards, and Winnie with her bright pink hair hovering in front of the giant, cowering octopus. Relief rushed through me. I darted forward, Hank right beside me. Maple looked up and spotted me zooming toward her just before I tackled her and threw my arms around her.
"Ow!" I released her a little. She pointed at her bare midsection and the blueish-purple bruise spreading across it.
"Oh no!" I bit my nails and grimaced. "I'm sorry."
She waved it off. "Get over here—just a little gentler."
I nodded and gingerly wrapped my arms around her, leaving just a little space between my arms and her. "Now this is an awkward hug."
She laughed and rested her head on my shoulder. I leaned into it. "I was so worried about you guys."
She groaned. "And I was terrified for you!"
I pulled back to look her in the face. "Everyone's okay?" I glanced around at the other bakers as Maple nodded. Wiley swam back and forth, agitated and glaring at Glaucus. Oh good—they'd caught the old murderer. The merman scowled, eyes downcast. A red squid wrapped itself tightly around his body, pinning his arms to his sides and restraining him. My nostrils flared as I thought of what he'd tried to do—kill all my friends and me. What a—I cast through my knowledge of Water Kingdom slang. What a barnacle-loving jellyfish brain. No—that was too cute-sounding.
"How'd you guys escape?"
Maple grinned and tilted her head toward Sam. "He turned into a snake, wriggled out of the octopus's tentacle, and then subdued it with magic till it let us go."
My heart swelled with pride, and I pulled a blushing Sam into a huge hug. "You're amazing, Sam!"
"Me? No." He wrapped his arms around me in a perfect hug—a human gesture he got just right.
I hugged each of my friends, then threw my arms around Hank on one side and Maple on the other. "Well, we've made it through ragers and attempted murder by octopus. I love you guys. And I think we all know what time it is." I gave an exaggerated nod and threw my arm out into the middle of our group for a team cheer.
"If you'll all stop acting like sentimental morons…." Delphine rolled her eyes at us. "We have a murderer to interrogate." She nodded her perfectly coiffed head of light gray hair toward the squid-bound merman behind her.
I pulled my hand back and muttered, "Fine. But one of these days…."
Hank lightly placed his hand on mine, then lifted it and whispered, "Go, team!" He grinned. "Did I do that correctly?"
I nodded. "Pretty good… needs a little more pep next time."
He tapped his temple. "More pep. Got it."
We swam back to Delphine and Glaucus. Several buff mermen, royal guards by the looks of their golden tridents, hovered nearby, forming a perimeter around the queens. One held his trident pointed at Glaucus's throat. Delphine waved a finger, and the guard lowered the weapon a fraction. Behind Glaucus, Winnie treaded water in front of her giant red octopus.
She shook a finger at it. "Now Oscar, we've talked about this. We don't eat or…?" She leaned in toward it, waiting for a response.
Oscar narrowed its huge eyes and curled up its legs.
Winnie nodded. "That's right. Or squeeze people with our tentacles."
The creature's skin shifted, turned purple and mottled, and suddenly it had nearly disappeared, blending in perfectly with the rock behind it. Winnie cackled and shook her head. "Oh, I can't stay mad at you—don't act so bashful. You know I love you, c’mere." The octopus turned red again and Winnie wrapped her arms around it, though she was barely able to reach halfway around its head. She squeezed and the octopus shot ink, then darted away, fleeing into the murky waters.
Winnie waved her arms, gasping as the ink darkened her pink hair and smudged her cheeks. She shrieked. "It's my wedding day! Sea snakes!"
Delphine pinched the bridge of her nose. "May we proceed?"
Winnie dragged herself over, arms crossed. Valonzy swam up from around a boulder. "I heard they caught Bubbles's killer! Where are they? Let me at 'em!"
Delphine shook her head. "Thank the rumor mill for that."
Valonzy glared up. "Who was it? Who did it?"
Winnie rolled her eyes. "Obviously, the old guy bound by the squid. Der."
Valonzy turned. "Glaucus? You killed Bubbles? But you seemed like such an okay old dude."
Glaucus lifted his head.
"Explain yourself." Delphine glared, and Glaucus pressed his lips shut.
A small pain jabbed my chest, and I looked down. I pulled the note from my top and slid the silver ring set with a ruby off my finger. "Glaucus planted these on me. Do they mean anything to you?"
I handed them to Delphine. Valonzy crowded around, then gasped and held up her hand. A silver and ruby ring glinted on her middle finger. "It matches mine." She looked wide-eyed at Glaucus. "It was my grandma's promise ring."
Delphine's amber eyes blazed as she looked from Valonzy to the crestfallen Glaucus. "I knew it! I knew you looked familiar." She turned to the old merman. "She's yours, isn't she?"
Glaucus's face crumpled as he gazed at Valonzy. "I did all of this for you."
She grimaced. "Weird…."
Delphine swam right up in front of him. "Why, you old fool? You'd throw all we had away for her?"
Winnie made a face. "All you had?" She giggled. "Gross, Grandma. You make it sound like you two are lovers or something."
She burst into giggles, but Delphine just lifted her slim nose and drew herself up to her full height. "It is not your business, but so what if we were?"
"Uh!" Winnie gasped and turned wide-eyed between Glaucus and her grandma. "You two like—do stuff and—oh gross."
Delphine rolled her eyes and muttered, "Idiot."
Glaucus let out a shuddering breath. He shook his head. "Avalon, you're my… granddaughter."
Valonzy frowned. "Wha?"
Glaucus nodded. "Delphine and I have been lovers for a long time. But she was married to the king, while he was alive, and she's had other lovers come and go."
"Grandma!" Winnie looked scandalized.
"Oh please, you think your court invented getting around? We were just better at keeping things discreet."
Winnie lifted a brow and looked unconvinced.
"I grew tired of being at her beck and call, and never having a marriage, or a family, of my own. I fell in love with a young woman." He nodded at Valonzy. "Your grandmother. Her name was Marin, and she became pregnant."
Delphine's chest heaved, her face bright red. "You were not in love with her. You were jealous and acting out to hurt me."
Glaucus shrugged. "Maybe it started that way." He smiled at Valonzy. "But I truly cared about your grandma." His face darkened. "Which was why it pained me so when the queen banished her from court forever and forbade me to have anything to do with the child."
Delphine folded her arms. "Oh, like I wanted her hanging around my palace."
Valonzy nodded. "Grams always told me stories about my grandpa at court—about how you two met at the shellfish eating contest."
Glaucus smiled wistfully. "Your grandma ate twenty-one crabs in five minutes."
Delphine threw her pearl bedecked arms in the air. "And that's attractive?"
"That's part of why I wanted to come to court so badly—she'd told me stories about it all my life." Valonzy gasped. "You're the one who's been getting me all those gifts! I thought I had a secret admirer. It made Bubbles really jealous. She was hot when she was jealous."
The old merman nodded. "Little gifts, I know. But I wanted to do something to help you, to be a part of your life." He sighed. "You applied to come to court after Delphine stepped down. If you'd applied even a few months earlier, she'd have seen your lineage and denied you, but Winnie had taken over then, and she didn't know any better. I had no idea you were coming—you just showed up one day, looking just like your grandma—blue hair and all. And I knew. I couldn't just tell you I was your grandpa—if Delphine had found out, she'd have banished you. And I couldn't bear it if she did."
Valonzy folded her arms. "If you cared so much, where were you when I was growing up?"
He shook his head. "If I'd been wise, I'd have left court and lived with your grandma. But I was a young merman. I had ambitions of greatness, so I stayed. But I always kept in touch with Marin—she wrote me every week. Told me when your mother was born, and then when you came along."
"But they both died the year I turned sixteen. The letters must have stopped then."
He nodded. "Yes. But I couldn't let you just live on the streets."
She gasped. "You're the distant relative who paid for Coral Harbors?"
Delphine gasped. "That's an expensive boarding house. Is that why you wear those shabby rags and that awful haircut? I pay you well enough for you to take care of yourself. I've always asked you where those doubloons go." She sneered at Valonzy. "To her, I see."
"I've always cared about you." Glaucus smiled sadly at his granddaughter. "I tried to look out for you at court. But when I saw you getting involved with Bubbles, I had to stop it."
Valonzy scowled. "I'm into girls, okay? That wasn't Bubbles's doing. I am who I am, and that's not gonna change."
"I know." Glaucus shook his head. "I didn't care that you were seeing each other. It was that she was a bad influence. I try to be the eyes and ears of Delphine, so I pick up a lot. I overheard Bubbles trying to talk the pirate king into a lower price for some lizard mucus drug. I worried that you'd be drawn into this smuggling ring—maybe you already had been. I weighed my options. I could forbid her from seeing you, or you from her. But why would either of you have listened to me? I could expose the smuggling, but what if you were already involved? It'd earn you disgrace at court and you'd be punished—trebly so if Delphine found out who your grandmother was." He shook his head.
"I decided to interrogate Bubbles to figure out how involved you were in this life of crime and addiction. I wore the ring to give me confidence and to remind me why I had to do this—to remind me of you. Bubbles brushed me off, so I threatened to reveal the smuggling and have her arrested if she didn't give it up completely and break up with you as well."
He gulped and lifted his dark eyes to Valonzy. "I was trying to protect you. Truly, I was. She asked me why I cared so much about ‘Valonzy,’ as she called you, and she puzzled it out. She said that you'd told her you had a secret grandfather at court. She turned it all around on me. Figured there was a reason I'd kept my identity secret, and she threatened to expose me if I exposed her. We reached a stalemate. It would've ended like that, too, if she hadn't—"
He sighed and looked up, pleading with Valonzy, who turned partially away from him. "She said to me, ‘you're the one leaving all those pathetic gifts.’" He gulped again. "I didn't think—it didn't occur to me that she might be jealous, or have felt threatened by them. I thought she was mocking me, mocking what a pathetic, ineffectual merman I am. I snapped. I was so angry. I lunged for her and put my hands on her throat and I killed her."
He shook his head. "Afterward, I panicked. It happened after she left Chuck's cabin, so I dragged her body a little ways back to the pirate ship and lodged her in the fishing net." He heaved a great sigh. "I hoped it'd be assumed that Chuck killed her after she was seen going into his cabin and found in his net. Maybe it'd even break off the engagement and get the pirates and their drugs out of this kingdom for good. But I didn't know that brandy ball she’d been eating at the time was spiked. I did all of this to end the drug smuggling and keep Avalon’s potential involvement hidden. But at the rehearsal dinner, Imogen let slip that that guppy brain choked on the dessert and pointed everything right at it."
Valonzy shook her head. "I thought they were having an affair."
Winnie coughed. "I thought haters were trying to break off our engagement."
Even I'd originally assumed it had something to do with a love triangle.
I swam a few kicks forward. "So when you got the note we planted for Delphine, you felt you'd failed. The drug smuggling was still happening, and everyone at the wedding was about to eat a spiked cake."
Glaucus nodded. "I followed you to your pathetically staged sting. I knew I had to destroy the cake and any evidence of the brandy, but saw how many of your friends were involved and knew I'd need backup. So I borrowed Oscar."
Winnie held up an ink-stained finger. "You did not have my permission to use my pet to murder people, BTW."