Rogue Wave (Waterfire Saga #2)(53)

“Our fight is not with you, Ceto Rorqual,” Hagarla hissed. “We want the mer. Give them to us and we will leave your kin in peace.”

“Be on your way. You have no business here. Not with my kind or the mer.”

“The mer stole from me! They invaded my home! Upset my children!”

“And gave you a good feed,” Ceto said. “You are very partial to sea whips. It is known throughout the seas. Go. I will not give you the mer. You must fight me for them and you will lose. Go, Hagarla.”

Hagarla’s eyes narrowed. “You will pay for this, Askari!” she growled. “One day soon, when Ceto Rorqual isn’t here to fight your battles!”

She let out an ear-splitting roar, then swam away. One of the other dragons made a rush at the whales, but was stopped by the force field. He joined the others in their retreat.

Shortly after their encounter with the dragons, Ceto and his charges arrived safely in Nzuri Bonde. Rescue workers had set up tents, canteens, and hospitals to feed and shelter the stolen mer. Kora moved among the former prisoners, talking to them, listening to them, embracing them. When they were all settled, she turned to Ceto. Bowing to him, she thanked him and his kin for rescuing her people.

“Your thanks are not required, Malkia,” Ceto said. “The Clan Rorqual remembers the harpoons your people have pulled out of us, the fishing nets cut from our children, the cruel hooks you have taken from our flesh. The Rorqual never forget.”

Kora swam up over the massive creature and touched her forehead to his. Ceto closed his eyes as she did, then took his leave. As he prepared to go, he glanced at Khaali and Leylo, who’d been hanging around him ever since they’d arrived back at Nzuri Bonde. They looked as if they wanted something, but couldn’t bring themselves to ask.

Ceto looked at them knowingly with his wise whale eyes. “All right,” he said. “But only once. I’m getting too old for these exertions.”

“Yes!” Khaali and Leylo shouted, tail-slapping each other.

Kora shook her head. “Those two never grow up,” she said. “Come on, let’s watch.”

“Watch what?” Neela asked. “Where are we going?”

“Topside,” Kora replied.

Khaali and Leylo each grabbed one of Ceto’s massive flippers. Ceto turned himself, and headed upward. He swam faster and faster. Kora, Neela, and the others had to swim hard to keep up. A few yards from the surface, Ceto gave a thrust of his enormous tail and all three were suddenly airborne in a spectacular breach. Khaali and Leylo launched themselves off his flippers and flung themselves up even higher, doing backflips into the air. Ceto crashed down, and Khaali and Leylo cannonballed after him, hooting and yelling and laughing themselves silly.

Ceto laughed too, a sound that was as ancient and deep as the sea itself, then he and his clan bade the mermaids farewell. Kora, Neela, and the Askari returned to the arena. Kora, noticing Neela’s bandaged back, took her directly to a hospital tent. A healer unwrapped the wounds. Kora let out a low whistle as the dressings fell away.

“Impressive,” she said. “What happened?”

As Neela explained, Kora listened intently, eyeing the armband Basra had given her.

When the healer finished, Neela bade Kora good night. She was aching and exhausted.

“I’m going to my room,” she said. “I’ll see you all in the morning.”

“No,” Kora said.

“No? Why not? Do you have another death-defying rescue planned for the evening?”

“You will sleep in a room in the ngome ya jeshi. It’s only fitting.”

Neela didn’t understand. “The ngome ya jeshi? But isn’t that—”

“Yes.”

“But, Kora, I’m not…”

Kora smiled. She touched her forehead to Neela’s. “You are now. Welcome home, Askara.”





NEELA WAS HUNGRY. She was starving. But not for a bing-bang.

She’d left Kandina four days ago, after a huge send-off. Kora had swum with her to the outskirts of Nzuri Bonde.

“Dark days are ahead, I fear,” she had said on the way.

Neela had nodded. “We liberated your people, but the death riders may strike again. And Abbadon will be freed if we can’t find a way to stop it.”

“We will build up fortifications against any further raids,” Kora had said, “and you and the others must call on us if you need help. We are always here for you.”

They said their good-byes, and then, as Neela swam away, she had heard Kora call out, “Kuweka mwanga, dada yangu.” Keep the light, my sister.

“Come on, Ooda,” Neela said now. “Let’s see if we can find some jellies. A bit of algae. Anything.”

It was evening, and the sea’s creatures were all rising to the warmer waters of the surface to feed. Neela joined them, scooping up handfuls of comb jellies and gulping them down.

She was hungry much of the time now. She had taxed her body greatly and it had changed over the last few weeks. The long swim to the River Olt, her journey through Vadus to Matali, and then the swim to Kandina had made her tail strong, her arms sinewy, her ample curves firm. She found herself craving leafy blues, slimy vegetables, and crunchy proteins—preferably with their heads still on—instead of sweets.