Rogue Wave (Waterfire Saga #2)(29)

A merman named Marco hurried them inside. “You the last ones?” he asked.

Mahdi nodded and Marco locked the door behind them. Sera found herself in another basement.

“I have a sick child here,” she said, breathing heavily. Carrying Matteo through the tunnels had exhausted her.

Another merman took the child from her and carried him off to the infirmary. Marco told Mahdi and Sera where they could find beds for the other children. As they settled them in, the boy named Franco asked, “Where’s Cira?”

Sera’s stomach knotted. She prayed that Cira was a toy.

“Who’s Cira?” Mahdi asked.

“She’s my friend. Her mama’s not well. She’s going to have a baby. They sleep upstairs.”

“I’m going back,” Sera said.

“No way. It’s suicide. The death riders are in the house by now,” Mahdi said.

“We should have checked the upstairs.”

“What if we had, and the death riders had broken in while we were up there? How would these kids have gotten out?”

“Anyone left in that house will be interrogated by Traho.”

“So will you if his soldiers capture you.”

“A child, Mahdi. A pregnant mermaid and a little child!” Sera’s voice was rising. With fear. And fury.

“If you go back and you’re taken, Traho will make you tell him where this house is and these people.”

“They’re mine, Mahdi. My people,” she shouted. “He can’t have them!”

“Sera…”

But she was already speeding back to the basement.

Let me out. I’m going back to Basalt Street. We left two behind,” she said to Marco.

“That’s a really bad idea,” said Marco.

“Let me out now!” Sera demanded.

Marco gave her a long look, then said, “This door has a peephole. If I see, hear, or smell any soldiers behind you, I’m not opening it. You’re out in the cold, merl.”

Sera nodded. She picked up a lantern lit by glowing moon jellies. Marco opened the door and she swam out of it.

Mahdi was right behind her.





SERA TENSED, ready to throw a frag or whirl a vortex.

“You good to go?” Mahdi whispered.

She nodded. They were back at Basalt Street, in the tunnel, with no idea of what awaited them on the other side of the iron door.

Mahdi pressed his ear to it. He listened for a few seconds, then slowly drew the bolt back. Taking a deep breath, he swung the door open.

The basement was empty.

Sera put her lantern down and cautiously swam inside. She crossed the basement and started for the first floor, but a noise stopped her short. It was the sound of furniture being toppled and smashed.

Mahdi caught up with her. “Death riders. Upstairs,” he said, mouthing the words.

Sera glanced at the rickety wooden door that led out of the basement. It was ajar. Mahdi had closed it when they’d fled. She was sure of it. She touched his hand then pointed at the door. He nodded. He understood what she was trying to say: Someone else is down here.

Sera turned in a slow circle, expecting to see Traho lurking in the shadows, a smile on his face, a speargun in his hand, but he wasn’t there.

Another crash from above froze her in place.

Mahdi, eyes on the door, motioned to her to follow him back inside the tunnel, but she shook her head. “They’re here. Cira and her mother. I know they are,” she whispered. “They’re the ones who left the door open.”

Mahdi held up a finger, indicating that she had one minute.

She moved through the basement like a whirlwind, looking in every corner, behind the lava furnace, around piles of old furniture. Mahdi did the same, keeping a wary eye on the doorway. After a minute had elapsed, he motioned that it was time to go.

Sera nodded, heartsick. Traho must’ve found Cira and her mother. Their risky trip back here had been for nothing. She headed back toward the tunnel.

As she did, a movement caught her eye. An old coral-frame sofa, its sea-silk cushions rotted long ago, had been pushed close—but not all the way—to a wall. The tip of a small green tail fin was sticking out from underneath it. Sera grabbed Mahdi’s arm and pointed.

They swam closer. Cowering in the gap between the sofa and the wall was a mermaid, her belly large and round, holding a trembling little merl. The mother’s eyes widened in fear when she saw Mahdi in his death rider’s uniform. She tightened her grip on her daughter and shrank against the wall.

“It’s okay,” Sera whispered. “He’s not one of them. It’s just a disguise. Come with us. We’ll get you out of here.”

The mother looked from Sera to Mahdi uncertainly. As she did, another crash was heard above their heads.

“Please,” Sera said. “We don’t have much time.”

But the mother, paralyzed by fear, wouldn’t budge.

“Search the basement!” a voice commanded.

Sera recognized that voice. She heard it in her nightmares. “Traho,” she said. “We’ve got to go.”

“Cira,” Mahdi said to the little mer, “your friends are waiting for you. Franco and Giancarlo. They told me you were here. They’re safe and they want you to be safe, too.”