Real Mermaids 2 - Don't Hold Their Breath (15 page)

I looked out into the water, panicked. Luke was down there somewhere.

“Call my mom and let her know what's going on,” I instructed Cori.

“What are you going to do?” she asked as she pulled out her phone.

“If Luke can't come to us, I'm going to go to him.” I started unbuttoning my jean shorts and rushed out to the main deck.

“You what?” Trey called after me, hopefully with his hands over his eyes.

“Eyes on the road, captain boy!” Cori yelled.

“Not looking! I promise,” Trey called out.

“So you're really going to do this?” Cori asked. “I'm actually going to see you turn into a mermaid? Cool!”

I hopped around, trying to untangle my flip-flops from my jean shorts. “Well, it's not exactly pretty, so don't get your hopes up.”

“Go get him, fish-girl!” Cori beamed as she scratched Cedric behind his diabetic ear. I gave her a quick salute and dove into the ocean before I could change my mind.

What I wasn't counting on, though, was the other splash that followed closely behind.

The next few seconds were a flurry of exploding tails, shredded clothing, and water burning through to my lungs. By the time the water cleared, I was so mad, steam probably whistled from my ears.

Are
you
kidding
me?
I rang through the water. I spotted Serena looking around, trying to get her bearings.

Help
you?
Serena's hair swirled around her face as she turned my way.

Argh! You are NOT helping!
Now I had to figure out how to get
two
mers back to dry land. But the look on Serena's face was so ready, so willing, so…eager. Was this like what Cori had said? Did I even know how to ask for help?

Okay. Come on, then.
I swam over to grab her hand.
But
try
not
to
steal
anything.

I saw another mer swimming a couple dozen feet away.

Luke?

But it wasn't Luke. It was Reese. He swam toward us with the speed of a killer whale.

Where's Luke?
I rang.

Reese held up his hand. He had Luke's watch on his wrist.
He
gave
me
this. He told me you would come.

Trey was wrong. Luke had known about the watch the whole time.
But
why
did
he
have
to
give
the
watch
to
you?

They
have
him. Come!

Just
a
sec.
I popped my head out of the water and called out for Cori. “It's not Luke, but we're going to find him.”

“Be careful!” Cori called out as I dove back into the water and followed Reese and Serena to the bottom of the ocean.

Finally, we came to rest behind a curtain of kelp overhanging a rock outcropping on the outskirts of a deserted-looking mer village of low-lying caves.

Where
do
they
have
him? Here?
I asked, willing my heart to settle in my chest.
Where
is
everybody?

Hiding.
Reese pointed upward in the general direction of
The
Lady
Sea
Dragon
.

Hiding
from
the
boat?
Like a fire alarm? I wondered.

Reese nodded. Did they know boats couldn't detect them? Could they even understand what sonar was and that they had these awesome sonar-blocking skills the Navy would kill for? Probably not.

I'm so happy you're okay.
I thought of the last time I'd seen Reese.
I
was
so
afraid
of
what
they
would
do
when
they
took
you
and
Renata
away.

They
let
me
go
but
Renata
lost
her
privilege
to
bring
the
food,
Reese said.

I'm really sorry to hear that,
I replied.

Reese nodded, then looked past my shoulder to Serena. His face broke into a broad grin.
And
you
are
back.

I looked from Reese to Serena. If sparks could fly through water, I was sure I'd be staring at jet streams of steam.

Uh, can we get back to the subject at hand?
I asked.
Where
is
Luke?

Reese tore his eyes away long enough to focus on our conversation. He tightened his grip on his satchel.
Follow
me.

I followed Reese and Serena through the back alleys of the village. The ever-present danger of
The
Lady
Sea
Dragon
looming high overhead must have really freaked everyone out, because the place was a ghost town.

Reese motioned to an entry in the rock face.
In
here.

A current of water swept against us, like we were going in through the out door. Once inside, Reese led us through a dark, narrow tunnel. It took a few minutes for my eyes to adjust.

What
is
this
place?
I asked.

Tribunal.
Reese held up his hand for us to stop.

Tribunal? Like a courtroom?
Were they keeping Luke under lock and key? I pushed past Reese and grabbed at the dark, slippery walls to propel myself forward.
Where
is
he?

Careful.
Reese grabbed the back of my shirt and held me back. Just then, three mers crisscrossed our path, along a distant tunnel.

Once they'd gone, we swam until we entered a cavernous space as big as Bridget's Diner but deep and hollowed out, so it looked like a small auditorium. Reese's Uncle Alzear guarded the door. He shook his head slightly at Reese but waved his hand for Serena and me to swim through.

I
can't go any farther,
Reese whispered.

I
get
it. But thank you, you've already done so much.
I squeezed his hand. Serena gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Uncle Alzear motioned for Reese to go, then blocked us from view so we could hide behind a rock on the upper level of the room. The grotto's walls sparkled with photoluminescence, like I'd seen once on a
Planet
Earth
video, lighting the space with a dim glow.

I pulled back some of the swaying moss from the craggy rock formation to get a better look. The room dipped down into a central meeting area. There, a group of about a dozen adult mers lounged around stone tables filled with seafood. Several mers ate while others talked in groups of twos and threes. Just then, a mermaid with sharp features and graying hair floated into the grotto from a passageway on the far side. The chatting stopped and mers put down their food.

Is
the
vessel
still
present
overhead?
The mermaid raised her eyes upward, even though the grotto's ceiling hid the patrolling boat.

Yes, Dame Council.
A younger merman minion with a peach fuzz beard nodded.

Then
we
must
hurry. Attention, everyone.
Dame Council floated over the group and paused to consider each of the mers' faces.
You've been gathered here to make a final decision on the boy. Do you swear to make this decision in accordance with our laws?

Yes, Dame Council,
the crowd answered in unison.

Dame Council motioned to her minion.
Bring
him
in.

A few minutes later, Peach Fuzz returned, holding Luke by the arm. The sight of him with a tail made my heart leap to my throat and filled me with guilt. He was a mer because of me. Had they hurt him? Threatened him?

I couldn't stand wondering what he'd been through since they had pulled him underwater. Luke had sacrificed so much to help me find Mom. This was my chance to return the favor. I braced my hands against the rock in front of me, ready to kick some mer butt, but Serena put her hand over mine and shook her head, putting a finger to her lips.

Luke's eyes darted from right to left, no doubt searching for a way out, but with Peach Fuzz's hand gripped on his arm and a roomful of mers, things weren't looking good. I wished I could call out to him, to tell him we were there, but what good would that do? We were just three kids against a whole Mermish Council. It was like the Butterflies vs. Boutiques rally all over again.

As
Mermish
Council, we are charged with the responsibility of Absolute Power Over the Sanctity of Mership,
Dame Council said, looking down her straight, narrow nose.
I
trust
you
will
not
make
this
decision
lightly. What say you, Framulus?

A merman with balding hair and sagging jowls swam over the group and turned to address them.
The
boy
cannot
be
left
to
come
and
go
as
he
pleases.
He
risks
revealing
the
Webbed
Ones
secret
to
the
village. Escort him back to the tidal pool.

The
tidal
pool
is
too
dirty,
Uncle Alzear said.
It
will
take
many
tides
to
clear.

What
of
his
family
to
the
north?
Another elderly mermaid adorned with many seashell necklaces asked.
No
one
will
discover
his
secret
if
we
shuttle
him
there.

His family? Had the Mermish Council figured out where Luke came from? Could he be reunited with his birth family? Luke's shoulders tensed. Was it fear? Anticipation? Was this what he wanted?

Dame Council consulted with Peach Fuzz.
How
long
before
you
can
assemble
a
team?

We
can
leave
at
nightfall, providing the vessel is gone.

Leave? For up north? Take Luke away?

Wait!
Luke called out.

A murmur swept over the crowd of mers.

Let
the
boy
speak.
Dame Council turned her sharp eyes to Luke.

Luke looked from Uncle Alzear to the other members of Council. He opened his mouth to speak, then stopped. Was he considering it? Did he even have a choice?

They couldn't send Luke north. North, where? It was hard enough finding him today. How would we stand a chance if we didn't even know where to start looking? I had to talk to Luke before that happened, at least to have him understand how I felt—how everyone felt—about him. And about his mom too! Geesh! He didn't even know his mom was back in the hospital.

Come
on, boy. Speak up,
Dame Council urged.
Though, I must warn you…should you decide on this option, you can never return here.

I'll go,
Luke said flatly.

No!
I shot out from behind the rock without thinking. I could feel Serena's hand skim my tail as I swam out from our hiding place, but she didn't follow.

Well, well.
Dame Council examined my YOU CAN'T SPELL AWESOME WITHOUT “ME” T-shirt and glanced back at Luke, who was still wearing a T-shirt of his own. She obviously put two and two together and realized she was dealing with another two-legger because she waved her hand toward me, motioning for the other mers to detain me.
This
certainly
complicates
matters.

Halt.
Uncle Alzear held back several mers from the Council. He grasped my arm lightly.
I've got her.

Bring
her
to
me,
Dame Council bellowed. Uncle Alzear turned and gave me an apologetic look, then pulled me toward the center of the dimly lit grotto.

Luke's eyes widened when he saw me.
How
did
you
get
here?
he whispered in English.

I glanced upward for a split second.
By
boat
with
Cori
and
Trey. Serena is with me,
I whispered back in English, hoping no one caught on to what we were saying.

Serena?
he asked.
I
thought…