The Last Emprex (10 page)

CHAPTER 14

GRAY CAME TO HIS SENSES AND KNEW HE
was moving—but he wasn't swimming. He looked around and saw he was jammed in with the injured mariners and being
pushed
. The cold current slapped him across the face and everything came rushing back. The clash between their armada and the jurassic horde, the death, Grimkahn's invulnerability to shar-kata, the memory of swimming away . . .

And then Gray had passed out!

Takiza, behind them and helping a group of injured mariners with his shar-kata power, saw he was awake. “You totally drained yourself. You may have even tapped into your life force again.” The betta shook his head. “Haven't I told you never to overexert yourself?”

“No,” Gray said as he freed himself from the bubble Takiza had created, which enclosed the wounded sharks so they could be pushed. Gray ached from the tip of his snout to the end of his tail. “You always tell me I don't put
enough
effort into your lessons.”

“I will allow you the rudeness of disagreeing with me because you did passably well in the fight,” the betta said.

“Oh, thank Tyro you're all right!” exclaimed Leilani when she saw Gray next to Takiza. The spinner shark brushed against his flank. “We were so worried.”

Barkley broke off from swimming with the other ghostfins. “Good to see you up and around,” his dogfish friend said in an easy manner.

But Barkley also seemed
very
relieved.

Just how close was I to swimming the Sparkle Blue? Gray wondered.

“Hey, Gray!” yelled Striiker from his diamondhead position in the middle of the massive formation, which also included Tydal's Indi mariners. He gave Gray a quick fins up. “I knew you were only taking a nap! Now get back to work ordering us around!” The great white gave him a toothy grin.

Gray snorted. It was pretty funny.

“Where's Shear?” Gray asked. “Is he—”

“I'm here,” the tiger finja said. The guardian commander and his finja were in their positions with Shear above his dorsal fin. Gray was really out of it and hadn't even noticed.

“You were guarding me while I was being pushed like a lumpfish by Takiza?”

“Yes,” Shear answered. “For once you didn't complain. It was bliss.”

Barkley snorted and then everyone laughed.

“If you are done amusing yourselves, perhaps you should formulate a plan of action,” Takiza said. Gray noticed that there was a rip in one of his gauzy fins when he shook it back and forth in the annoyed way he often did. “We are being followed.”

Gray threw off his weariness and the cloudy thinking that came with it. “Please tell me we're headed toward Fathomir.”

Striiker joined them. “Sure thing. You kept saying it over and over before you took your nap.” The great white looked deep into Gray's eyes. “You're not gonna do that again, right?”

“I'm all rested, Striiker,” Gray said. “No need to worry.”

“Please,” the great white snorted, giving him a cracking slap to the belly. “Like I'd worry about you.” But then he became serious. “Everyone else does, though. The mariners mope if you're not a hundred percent. It's super annoying.”

“Shear!” Gray said, poking the tiger in the belly. “How close is Grimkahn? Are they all following?”

“Yes, he and the entire horde,” Shear answered.

“What's our lead time?” Gray asked

“They would catch us in fifteen minutes if we stop dead in the water.”

That wasn't enough time for Gray's taste. Not at all.

“I need to get a message to Fathomir,” Gray said. “I'll be back.”

“You will not!” Takiza exclaimed. “You must not exhaust yourself again so soon after losing consciousness. You could easily do it again on a shar-kata aided swim and kill yourself by smashing into something.”

Shear, Barkley, Striiker, and even Leilani all volunteered to go. Shear reminded Gray that he was a prehistore finja with tremendous endurance. Barkley said he could fast-swim with his ghostfins. Leilani wanted to do it because she was a spinner and they were naturally fast. Striiker couldn't leave the armada but he had a few scouts that were race champions.

But Gray knew that none of them was the fastest.

He or Takiza were.

And he couldn't do it.

Gray looked to Takiza and noticed the betta was laboring. When he looked closer he saw that Takiza had more than one tear in his fins. When the betta moved to the side it revealed an ugly wound in his flank.

“What are you looking at?” Takiza asked crossly. “Now is not the time to stare with loving respect at your master. Actually, in your case, it is
never
that time.”

“You're hurt,” Gray said in wonder. He had seen Takiza do incredibly dangerous things and come away without a scratch. He also remained uninjured when Hokuu—who had trained him—tried to kill him again and again. But now . . . “You're injured because of me.”

“Nonsense!” Takiza huffed. “Do not blame yourself. It was not you who attacked me, was it?”

“No,” Gray said, his eyes welling up. The thought of Takiza hurt made his heart heavy. “But I did hover there like a chowderhead so you had to shove me out of the way.”

“Stop being ridiculous and deal with the problems we face!” Takiza commanded. “I believe the mariners that can swim faster should increase their pace.”

Striiker nodded. “That's a great idea. We won't be bumping flanks getting into the Fathomir caverns like we would if we got there the same time.” The great white swam off, yelling orders.

“Takiza,” Gray said. “I need you to go ahead and make sure my mom and all the shiver sharks are inside. I'll take over here.”

The betta shook his head. “You are too tired to use shar-kata to push the injured.”

“And I won't,” Gray said. “I'll swim with them. But I'm going to be the last one inside Fathomir. No one gets left behind.”

After a moment Takiza nodded. “It will do me good to stretch my fins.” And with that the betta disappeared in a stream of bubbles.

“ALL RIGHT EVERYONE!” Gray said, amplifying his voice. Even using this much energy felt like a weight was being pressed onto his heart. He couldn't do it for long. “I KNOW YOU'RE HURTING BUT WE HAVE TO GO FASTER! LET'S SWIM!”

The group sped up. A few of the injured sharkkind began bleeding more. They would have to push through it. Everyone would. Gray let himself fall into a deep concentration. He didn't want to dwell on how tired he was, or the danger behind them, so he focused on swimming and thinking of a plan to defeat Grimkahn and Hokuu.

And just where was Hokuu?

CHAPTER 15

ONE DAY LATER GRAY WAS SWIMMING
mechanically, deep in concentration. The injured sharkkind had rallied so they were still with him. He was weary but could not rest even a moment. If Gray showed weakness, their entire effort would be wasted. He felt one of Shear's finja swim up and report to the tiger captain as they did from time to time.

“Seazarein, I would speak with you,” Shear said in a low voice.

“I hear you,” Gray answered.

“Half the frills, about five hundred, have separated from the horde and increased their pace. At their present rate they'll catch us within the hour if we do not speed up.”

More than two-thirds of their forces had gone ahead to Fathomir but Gray's insides turned to ice. If the frills caught them, hundreds of sharkkind, including the wounded mariners, would be sent to the Sparkle Blue. But to go faster? Everyone was hurting so much already.

“Leilani!” Gray shouted.

“I'm here,” she answered from behind. She had been swimming with him all this time and hadn't said a word.

“I need you to go ahead and tell Fathomir we're trailing frills,” he said. “And make sure Striiker knows the situation before you leave.” She gave him a quick bob of her snout and left. Gray hated when Leilani did that. She was his friend and it was too formal. “Shear, spread the word. Increase our speed to fifty strokes per minute. We have to win this race.”

“I assume you won't leave the wounded for any reason.”

“You assumed right,” Gray answered. “I enter Fathomir last.” The big tiger nodded. Soon Gray heard the change in the dolphins' pacing clicks. There was a groan from those swimming in the formation.

Striiker's voice boomed. “COME ON!” he roared. “YOU'RE NOT ON A LAZY REEF SWIM! MOVE YOUR TAILS!” Soon the mariners were a good quarter mile ahead. Gray didn't think this was a bad thing but did feel a twinge of regret that Striiker wouldn't be by his flank if there was a fight.

He would have to do it alone.

And Gray was tiring by the second. Exhaustion descended on him with a vengeance. As much as he usually hated sitting on the Fathomir throne, he would have given anything for five minutes there right now. But there was no way he would leave his injured mariners to be eaten.

Absolutely none.

The enemy also sped up. He could hear the low thrumming their snaky tails made as they whipped back and forth through the water.

“They are fifty yards behind us,” Shear commented.

“I know,” Gray said. “Take the guardians and go.”

Shear brushed against his dorsal. “I will not.”

Gray didn't have the strength to argue and kept swimming. After their group crossed the Fathomir homewaters boundary, they were only minutes away, but it was still too far. A frilled shark broke free from the pack at their tails and struck at Gray but Shear rammed it away. Then two more joined it.

“We're not going to make it,” Gray panted.

“You will,” Shear said. “It's been an honor.”

Gray was momentarily confused but then felt Shear's tail whip around as the tiger carved a turn and attacked the lead frills. Gray and the slowest of the wounded were given a twenty-yard lead because of this.

But Shear was gone.

Gray didn't notice Striiker sweep in with seven battle fins.

And neither did the frilled sharks locked in on their tails.

It was a destructive blow.

Striiker's force blasted the five hundred frills off to the side.

The great white hadn't left Gray. He had sped up to exchange his tired mariners for fresh ones that were already at Fathomir and turned around to fight.

Gray could have kissed the great white.

He pushed the wounded mariners into the cavern's main entrance.

Moments later Striiker and his mariners made it inside with the frilled sharks in hot pursuit. The frills could only try to force their way into the twisting main cavern entrance a few at a time though. That's what made Fathomir a strong point: a good current so sharkkind could breathe, combined with a defendable entrance to keep anything else out. The few enemy frills that breached their defense were quickly ripped apart.

Striiker hovered next to Gray when it was over, his gills flicking in and out as he caught his breath. He had surprised the frills so thoroughly with his bold attack that Riptide took no losses. “What?” he panted. “You didn't think I'd let you have all the fun, did you?” The great white flicked a fin above Gray's dorsal where Shear was usually stationed. “Where's your shadow?”

Gray shook his head sadly and Striiker understood that Shear wouldn't be joining them.

The great white's tail drooped. “Oh,” he said.

“Am I interrupting?” asked a familiar voice. It was Tydal, the epaulette leader of Indi Shiver.

“Not at all,” Striiker said. “I've got stuff to do.” With that he bellowed at his exhausted mariners to get them in order. There was some grumbling but they did it. The great white had turned their fighting sharkkind into something special.

Tydal hovered in front of Gray, who remained on the rock floor. It wasn't the throne, but who cared? He was
tired
. Tydal avoided looking as if this embarrassed him. Then Gray saw that other sharkkind were watching with curious or even worried looks on their faces. Judijoan motioned for him to get up with her tail, staring death at him.

Gray heaved his bulk into hover. Apparently the Seazarein couldn't be
tired
either. “Sorry, had to scratch my belly and the lava rock is great for that,” he said loudly for all to hear. This satisfied everyone and they went on with their business. Gray signaled to Judijoan that he wanted to speak with Tydal alone, and the oarfish nodded.

“I'm sorry I wasn't able to swim with you during the retreat to Fathomir,” Tydal said. The epaulette looked at him sheepishly. “I'm not fast and it took everything I had to keep up with you and the wounded.”

“The important thing is that you made it,” Gray said. “Although we aren't in the clear by any means.”

Tydal lowered his voice so no one else would hear. “So, it's as I feared. You don't have a brilliant plan to turn the current in our favor . . . as of yet.”

“As of yet,” Gray repeated. “I want you to attend my council meetings and help me figure one out.” The Indi leader bobbed his head, accepting the offer. Gray lowered his voice so only the epaulette could hear. “Tydal, what am I going to do? I've trapped us here.”

“As far as any mariner or shiver shark is concerned, I don't believe that's what happened today,” the epaulette said.

“Really? Because I had a pretty good view.”

Tydal smiled. “I saw a strategically brilliant maneuver that allowed us to escape a superior force. I saw a controlled retreat that got everyone to safety and frustrated Grimkahn and his horde yet again.”

“Oh, come on—” Gray began, but Tydal cut him off with a tail slash.

“I, and everyone inside here, have confidence in you,” the Indi leader continued. “And though we are confined for the moment, we are safe. That's the most important thing. The only thing.” Tydal nodded and left, conferring with Xander about his mariners.

Gray felt better.

It was true. They were trapped.

But for now, it really was the best option available.

Barkley panted in a corner of the throne cavern. He and the ghostfins had managed to fast-swim one behind the other and beat the frilled sharks inside.

But it was close.

Velenka had also made it.

Barkley was unsure how he felt about that. She had performed well in the fight against Hokuu. But the evil frill wanted her dead and it was natural to take the chance and attack him. Once again Barkley questioned whether Velenka's new personality was real.

Was everything the mako did some sort of plot within a plot? He couldn't be sure.

Somehow Velenka knew what he was thinking and frowned. “You're worried that a traitor made it inside this cavern, aren't you? You're worried it's me.”

“Don't be a crazyfish,” Barkley said, keeping his face neutral at her amazingly accurate statement. “I'm enjoying not having to swim full bore.”

But she wasn't about to let him off that easy. “If you think I'm a traitor then you should send me to the Sparkle Blue. It's the only logical current. You shouldn't take the chance you might be right. So what are you waiting for?”

Velenka bumped Barkley, who bumped her back. “We don't execute fins because of a
suspicion
,” he said. “But I'd be stupid not to keep my guard up given your past, wouldn't I?”

Velenka's black eyes blazed. But it wasn't with the evil intensity that Barkley had seen in the past. This was something different. It was as if she really cared what he thought of her.

And she seemed . . .
hurt
.

That couldn't be. Could it?

“I'm trying to change!” she said. “And I've done nothing to make you doubt me since I asked to join the ghostfins.”

“Maybe you're waiting for the right moment to strike!” Barkley shouted. He lowered his voice. “I won't leave my tail unguarded with you. No way.”

Velenka's own tail vibrated with emotion but then drooped. “I understand. Let me ask you one question, though. If I were anyone else, would you give me a chance to earn your trust?”

Barkley was struck by the question with an almost physical force. He realized she was right. When Ripper had come over to their side from Goblin's, Barkley was okay with it. He had even gone on a dangerous mission with the battle-scarred hammerhead. A few months earlier Ripper might have sent him to the Sparkle Blue for no reason at all.

The dejected mako turned to go but Barkley stopped her. “I'll tell you what Velenka. You make it through the next few days without betraying or killing anyone and I'll see what I can do about trusting you. Deal?”

“Deal.” Velenka smiled a little before joining the defenders at the cavern entrance and making herself useful.

For now Barkley would hope for the best.

But he'd keep an eye on her, too.