Raging Sea (Undertow, #2)

“We can also die under there. What’s this big black blob over here? Is that more Rusalka?” I ask, pointing to a mass on the maps.

A soldier enters the restaurant carrying something that looks like a huge mop. It’s as big as a golden retriever and made entirely of slimy, wet tentacles. Bex squeals with revulsion, and I gasp. It’s one of the squid creatures from Spangler’s tanks.

“Sir, we found another one of these things down on the beach.”

“Oh no,” my mother gasps. I turn and see terror all over her face. It’s mirrored by Riley’s father, John, by Arcade, and even by Fathom’s expressions.

“That’s what that blob on the map is made of,” Kita says. “Ugly things, and fast as lightning. They’ve got a spike buried in there that latches on to the back of your head—”

“How many of these have you found?” Fathom interrupts.

“Ten,” Jackson says. “We sent five to White Tower to study; the rest we left to rot.”

“Spangler had them in the tanks,” I explain.

“You need to leave this place,” Fathom says.

Everyone turns to him in surprise.

“That creature is death, and even the bravest of my people are smart enough to keep their distance. This one has led the way for many more.”

“I don’t know if you noticed that beach out there,” Kita says, “but I’ve got bigger problems to deal with than a bunch of fat squids. I’ve got monsters throwing tidal waves at the shore and eating my dead soldiers. It takes ten bullets to slow one of them down, and ten more to kill it. These ugly things go down with one shot, and they’re as dumb as dogs. They’re not a problem.”

“You need to listen to us, Major. He’s right. This thing is called an Undine, and it is the real threat. This is just a baby,” my mother says, pointing at the dead mass of arms. “It’s one of ten million born on the same day.”

“Ten million?” Bex cries.

“Three days later, its mother gives birth to another ten million.”

“That’s not possible,” Jackson says. “We would have noticed these creatures if there were that many. One of them would have washed up onshore or gotten caught in a fishing net.”

“Undine have a way of keeping their own populations under control. When one is born, its hunger is insatiable. To survive, it turns on its brothers and sisters and eats them. One Undine can devour a hundred others in a single day, and normally it’s the feeding frenzy that keeps their numbers low.”

“Understood. So why is this a problem for us?” Kita asks.

“Undine babies rarely escape the birthing cave,” John adds. “If one is here, it’s because they are all being led here.”

“By what?” my father asks.

“The mother,” my mom says. “And trust me, the mother isn’t dumb. She’s as intelligent as any one of us.”

“Well, what does she want?” Jackson begs.

“Food,” Fathom says. “The prime has told her that there is plenty to eat here.”

He turns on his heel and rushes for the door.

“Where’s he going?” Jackson shouts.

I look to Arcade, fully expecting her to chase after him, but she shakes her head and lets him go. I throw up my hands and run after him myself.

“So we’re here and now you’re leaving?” I shout after him, once I get outside.

“I have to tell them,” he says, turning back to me.

I scowl. “You’ve got some serious daddy issues. Fine, go to your father, but if I have to kill you, then don’t be surprised when I do.”

“I’m not going to warn my father. I’m going to warn the other Alpha about the Undine. My uncle Braken and cousin Flyer wait with what is left of our people. Thousands strong. Ghost and Surf are among them. They must know that you have returned and a more dire enemy approaches.”

“Me?”

He takes a step toward me, but I flinch.

“You. My people cannot defeat the Rusalka on our own. We need you.”

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about,” I say, my voice rising in anger.

“Hey, you two, if you want to stay alive, you need to get off the beach!” a soldier shouts as he runs past us. “The Rusalka are hungry today.”

Fathom ignores him.

“There has been much I wished to explain to you, Lyric Walker, but you would not listen. Are you willing to hear me now?”

“If it makes sense, yes!” I cry.

“When we parted in the water, after the first attack, I went in search of Alpha survivors,” he says. “The Great Abyss had taken many, so I asked him to give me fortune in finding the rest. He was kind, and I discovered them before they went too far out to sea, where I would never find them. It took much convincing on my part to get them to stay. My father’s shame damaged my standings, and my dismissal of my royal obligations did not help. Most refused to listen to me, but my uncle and cousin demanded I be heard. I told them that there were good humans, people on the surface who were honorable and worthy, and that I was in love with one.”

I have to catch my breath.

“That probably didn’t help,” I say.

“No, it did not, but Ghost came to your defense.”