Sera’s fins prickled. She gathered everyone and swam off after Garstig. “Keep your weapons raised,” she ordered.
After only a few minutes, Totschl?ger picked up the trail. “They came this way,” he said, pointing to footprints in the silt.
They followed the tracks to the edge of a kelp forest and were just about to enter it when they heard voices. Sera quickly signaled the goblins to fall back. They hid behind rocks or flattened themselves in ditches, their weapons ready.
The noises grew louder. Kelp fronds cracked and snapped as whatever was in the forest moved through it. Sera held up a hand and the soldiers raised their weapons. Sera heard goblin voices coming from the kelp, and mer voices, too. Had death riders captured Garstig?
The stalks at the edge of the forest shuddered, and then Garstig burst out of them, followed by his troops.
At Sera’s command, Totschl?ger and the others lowered their weapons.
“Garstig, where were you?” she shouted, angry and relieved at the same time. She swam up to him. “We thought you’d been ambushed!”
“Garstig ambushed?” the goblin growled, insulted. “Never. Garstig did the ambushing and caught more than eels. We caught spies—three of them. Bring the sea scum here!” he bellowed.
Three mer, their hands behind their backs, were roughly pushed forward.
“Wow. This is some welcome, Sera,” said one of the spies. She was tall and blond, wearing a sealskin parka and a furious expression.
“Hey, Sera,” said the second spy, a mermaid with red hair and glasses.
“Sera? Is that you?” said the third spy, a merman with green eyes and copper-colored hair.
Sera shook her head, so overjoyed she could barely speak. She rushed to her brother and, half laughing, half crying, threw her arms around his neck.
“I hardly recognize you. Where’s the gown and the jewelry, little sister? Where are the conchs you always carried around? Where’s your hair?” Desiderio asked.
“Gone, Des. It’s gone. Everything’s gone. Cerulea. The palace. Mom and Dad—” Her voice broke.
“Shh, Sera. I know, I know,” said Des. “Astrid told me everything.”
Sera held on to her brother for a long moment, eyes closed, their sorrow too deep for words. Then she let him go.
“Astrid…Becca…” Sera said. “I’m so glad you’re safe. So glad you’re here.” She pulled both mermaids into a tight embrace.
“Me, too, Sera,” Becca said, emotion in her voice.
“Okay, that’s good. We’re good. I’m good,” Astrid said, clearly unused to public displays of affection.
Sera kissed her cheek. Astrid grimaced. When Sera kissed Becca, she realized their hands were bound. Desiderio’s, too.
“Garstig, cut them loose!” she ordered.
Garstig looked crestfallen. “They’re not spies?” he said.
“No, this is my brother, Desiderio. And these are my friends, Astrid Kolfinnsdottir and Becca Quickfin. Des, Astrid, Becca…meet Garstig, Totschl?ger, Dreck, and their fellow Meerteufel.”
A collective sigh of unhappiness moved through the goblin troops as Garstig cut the ties around his prisoners’ wrists.
“What’s the matter?” Sera asked, confused.
“Spies are very delicious stuffed with beach plums and roasted,” Garstig explained.
“Sorry to disappoint you,” Astrid said.
“Totschl?ger and Dreck caught over thirty conger eels between them,” Sera said. “The Meerteufel will feast tonight.”
Garstig’s eyes lit up. “Eels are also delicious stuffed with beach plums,” he said.
Totschl?ger snorted. “They’re better wrapped with ribbon worms and basted with squid ink.”
As the goblins argued, Sera turned back to her friends. “How did you get here?” she asked.
“Some friends gave me a lift,” Becca said, glancing around. “That part’s a long story. I’ll explain later.” Sera nodded and Becca continued. “They dropped me off a few leagues west of here. I had to swim down from the surface, and as I did, I saw two other mer swimming toward the camp. I recognized Astrid and caught up with them.”
Sera had to ask them. She had to know.
“Becca, did you…”
She didn’t finish, but she didn’t need to.
“It’s in my pocket,” Becca said, smiling.
Sera almost whooped for joy. “Becs, you’re amazing! That makes three out of six!” she whispered.
She looked at Astrid next, hoping against hope, but Astrid shook her head.
“We got to the maelstrom, Des and I, about eight centuries too late,” she said. “It’s not there anymore.”
Sera’s heart fell. Her feelings must’ve shown on her face, because Astrid brusquely said, “Sorry to let you down.”
“You didn’t let me down,” Sera said fiercely, taking her by her shoulders. “You’re here with us, Astrid. We’re the Six now, just like we were meant to be. And that means the world to me.”