Rogue Wave (Waterfire Saga #2)(34)

“Yes, Traho took them. I don’t know why.”

“I do, but I can’t tell you without putting you at even more risk. Are there any other conchs here on the same topic?”

“On what topic?” Coco asked.

She had just returned from her rounds carrying a sack full of sea cucumbers. A gray sand shark, small and quick with sparkling copper eyes, followed her.

“Where did you get those? I told you not leave the Ostrokon, young lady! It’s far too dangerous!” Fossegrim scolded.

Coco ignored him. “What information are you looking for, Principessa?” she asked.

“Conchs on Merrow’s Progress,” Serafina replied, to be polite. She doubted very much that the merl had even heard of the Progress. Sera had studied post-fall Atlantean history extensively and she knew that ten years after Atlantis was destroyed, Merrow, Miromara’s first regina, had made a long journey through the waters of the world. The official story was that she was seeking safe new places for her people to live, as they were thriving and needed space. Sera was certain, however, that there was an unofficial reason for the trip—to hide the six talismans.

“Try Baltazaar, first minister of finance from the start of Merrow’s reign to the year 62,” Coco said matter-of-factly. “He’s a great source, but hardly anyone knows about him. I think it’s because his conchs aren’t shelved on Five in Early Merrovingian History. They’re on Three, with Governmental Records. In the expenditures section for 10 anno Merrow, the year Merrow made her Progress.”

Serafina’s jaw dropped. “What?” she said.

“Bal-ta-zaar,” Coco slowly repeated, as if speaking to an idiot. “First minister—”

“Yes, I heard you. How do you know that?”

“I’ve listened to lots of conchs since I came here. We can’t go out during the daytime, and there’s not much else to do. I like listening to conchs. I like the Ostrokon, too. A lot better than I liked the court. Sorry.”

Serafina smiled. “Don’t be. I do, too,” she said.

“So as I was saying,” Coco continued. “Baltazaar was, like, Merrow’s accountant. He went on the Progress and conched everything. It took me two days to get through just five of those conchs. He is so boring. He talked about everything they packed. Everything they used. Everything they wore. Everything they said. Everything they did. Everything they saw. Everywhere they stopped—”

“Everywhere they stopped?” Serafina cut in.

“Yes.”

“Can you show me where those conchs are?” Serafina asked, trying to hide her excitement.

“Sure,” Coco said. “Come on.”

“One moment, please,” said Fossegrim. “The death riders sweep the Ostrokon regularly. Coco, you must act as lookout while the principessa studies the conchs. We can take no chances. You’re both to be back here by midnight.”

Coco saluted.

But Serafina protested. “I can’t do that, Magistro. I have to get through these conchs as fast as I can. I’m going to work through the night, the day, and the next night too, if I have to.”

Fossegrim shook his head. “Too dangerous,” he said. “For you and us.”

“I have no choice. I need to find some very important information before Traho does.”

Fossegrim thought about this, then said, “Take two baskets with you. Put as many conchs as you can carry in them and bring them back here. It won’t be as quiet, but it will be safer.”

Coco grabbed a couple of baskets that were on the floor, then swam up to the trapdoor. Serafina picked up two lava torches and followed her, desperately hoping that First Minister Baltazaar could tell her what she needed to know.





“HE SUFFERS. A LOT,” Coco said as she and Serafina swam to Level Three. Both mermaids carried a basket in one hand and a lava torch in the other.

“Who?”

“Fossegrim. He hardly sleeps. Barely eats. He blames himself for everything that’s happened. For the destruction of the Ostrokon. For the theft of the conchs. Niccolo tells him there was nothing he could have done, but Fossegrim doesn’t listen.”

“Poor Fossegrim,” Serafina said. “My grandmother once told me how protective he was of the Ostrokon and its collections, even as a young ostroko. She said it was always clear that he would become a liber magus.”

Fossegrim had described Traho’s attack on the Ostrokon to Sera after he’d led her to the bunker. Several ostroki had been killed trying to fight him off.

“I bet Fossegrim didn’t tell you how hard he fought. Or what they did to him,” Coco said. “Traho’s soldiers beat him so badly, he lost consciousness. Then they left him for dead. Luckily, Niccolo and the others were hiding in the stacks. They waited until Traho left, then they dragged Fossegrim to the sub-basement. They saved his life. We’ve all been down there ever since. Teaching ourselves how to fight back. We named ourselves Black Fins in honor of Fossegrim. We enchanted our fins to match his. Outside, of course. You know how he is about casting in the Ostrokon.” She held up her tail fins. They were a deep, glossy black. “We’re doing pretty well,” she added, smiling proudly. “Cutting off the lava supply really screwed things up at the palace. Finding enough food is the hardest thing for us. I’m better than anyone else at it. I find a lot of stuff in the wrecked houses.” Her smile faded. “I find the owners sometimes too. But I’m getting used to dead people.”