Dangerous Depths (The Sea Monster Memoirs)

by Karen Amanda Hooper

  “It’s the way our world works. He did this to himself.”

  Crying harder, I beat my fist against Treygan’s chest. “How can you say that? How can you be so cold? He’s your father!”

  “Yara!” Treygan yelled my name, but his lips didn’t move. The way I heard him was different from when we talked through our minds underwater. I kept pounding his chest, trying to push him away from me. He shouted my name again, but the voice wasn’t the vapid, cold-hearted Treygan in front of me.

  “Yara!” Treygan repeated. “Snap out of it!”

  I looked down at Uncle Lloyd, feeling emotionally destroyed and mentally disoriented. Sea scorpions crawled out of every hole in the burned slicker. I jumped back, horrified.

  Treygan shook me hard. “What’s wrong? Yara?” His eyes were wide with panic and worry. “You spaced out for a few seconds and started pounding on my chest.”

  Rownan stood beside him, skeptically watching me.

  I turned around to reach for Uncle Lloyd, but he was gone. The cave floor where he and the scorpions had just been was empty. “Where’d your father go?”

  “What?” Treygan turned my chin so our eyes met again. “Yara, look at me. What just happened?”

  I tried fighting back my flood of sadness. I wiped at my tears, but my eyes and cheeks were completely dry. “Your dad was here. He had a heart attack. He died.”

  Treygan’s eyes narrowed and he glanced sideways at Rownan.

  “What the hell is going on?” Rownan murmured.

  Treygan studied me like I was an injured animal who shouldn’t be spooked. “You saw something that wasn’t real.”

  “No,” I said. “It was real.” My lip quivered. “He came here to help us, and it killed him.”

  Treygan slowly shook his head. “No one has come into this cave except the three of us.”

  Something about the cave was off. The lighting was different. The temperature wasn’t right. I focused on Treygan. His eyes were almost black. My Treygan’s eyes were blue.

  “This isn’t real.”

  Treygan’s grip on my arms loosened. “What isn’t real?”

  “This conversation with you.”

  His brows lifted. “No, Yara. This is real.” He held my face in his hands. “I am real right now. My father is not here. He is home in Eden’s Hammock. He’s not dead.”

  Rownan stepped closer, looking at me the same way Treygan had earlier, apprehensive but concerned—which wasn’t normal for Rownan.

  “Vienna is dead,” I said. “She died trying to get out of this place. Stheno and Euryale confirmed it.”

  Rownan and Treygan frowned at each other, but Treygan kept my face in his hands.

  “That’s what they want you to believe,” Treygan said. “It’s not reality. Don’t fall for their tricks.”

  “Vienna is alive,” Rownan retorted.

  I shook my head. “You two aren’t the real Treygan and Rownan.”

  Imposter Treygan rested his forehead against mine. “You’re stronger than this. I am real. You have to believe me. This is real.” He leaned in to kiss me. Just like the other evil creatures, he wanted to suck my soul out of me. I shoved him hard.

  Treygan stumbled backward. “Yara, please, don’t do this.”

  “Stay away from me.” I reached into my arm holster for my dagger. A line of black dust swept across my vision, but when I tried focusing on it, it moved again.

  Rownan stepped back. “She’s losing her mind. She’s pulling out weapons on us!”

  I held my dagger in front of me. I knew what was real and what wasn’t. The pain of Uncle Lloyd’s death hurt too much. I knew his touch. His words. He didn’t look or sound like an evil imposter, but these versions of Treygan and Rownan—with their black eyes and evil dust swirling around us—were definitely demons.

  Treygan held out his hands in front of him. “I won’t move or touch you again until you say it’s okay.”

  “This is crazy.” Rownan backed farther away. “She has lost it.”

  “Think about it,” Evil Treygan said to me. “If we are imposters, why haven’t we attacked you yet? It would be two against one. We would easily win. And if we aren’t real, then where are the real Treygan and Rownan?” He pointed to the entrance of the cave. “Scorching rain is still falling. It’s not like we could have left.”

  I glanced back and forth at the two of them, processing what Treygan had said. The black smoke still weaved in front of me. “It’s an illusion. You make me see what you want me to see.”

  “No,” Rownan argued. “Obviously you experienced an illusion of our father dying, but right now, this is reality.”

  I gripped my dagger tighter. They were messing with my mind. The other attack wasn’t successful, so they were trying a different tactic.

  “Listen to Sage,” Treygan said. “She’s dancing around your head like crazy. She must be trying to tell you something.”

  Sage. I hadn’t seen or heard Sage since I woke up from resting. I felt for her, but she was missing. No tugging at my scalp, no hissing, nothing. “She’s not here. More proof that this is all a mirage.”

  A sharp pain seared the flesh on my hand. Sage appeared in front of me, her tongue darting out at me. “Sage?”

  I’m here. She mentally whispered.

  I stared at the two marks from her fangs. She hadn’t bitten me hard enough to draw blood. When I looked up again, the lighting in the cave had returned to normal. The temperature seemed right again. The line of black dust dancing across my vision had stopped. Could that have been Sage trying to communicate with me?

  “This is real?” I wasn’t sure if I intended to say it as a question or statement.

  “I swear,” Treygan said. “This is real.”

  I slowly stepped closer to him. His dark blue eyes watched me intently. I tested him. “Tell me a story.”

  Relief washed over his face. He extended his hand. “My fingers can’t reach your skin when you’re so far away, and I promised not to touch you until you say it’s okay.”

  I dropped the dagger and rushed into his open arms. He hugged me tighter than ever. His comforting scent of honey and clean ocean air wafted over me.

  “Damn, that was intense.” Rownan slumped against the wall. “I thought we lost you, Yara.”

  “I didn’t.” Treygan’s chest rose and fell against mine as he kissed me. “I knew you were stronger than that.”

  A seed of hope blossomed inside me. “Lloyd isn’t dead?”

  Treygan smiled. “He’s probably home asleep in bed at this very moment.”

  That was good enough for me. We had no idea what was happening in Earth’s realm, but as long as Uncle Lloyd hadn’t really come to Harte and died, I had an extremely precious reason to find a way home.

  “We need to get out of this cave,” Treygan said. “It’s making us stir crazy.”

  I didn’t think our hallucinations had anything to do with the cave. Harte knew how to hit where it hurt. But had some unseen force corralled us into this small space for a reason? We were trapped like animals. “What if the rain never stops?”

  Treygan walked to the cave’s opening and crossed his arms over his chest. “Eventually, every storm runs out of steam.”

  I snickered. “This one literally steams.”

  Rownan’s head fell back against the wall. “Can we please go one day without some play on words about hell or burning or anything about this messed up world?”

  “You’re a bit cranky,” I said.

  “You think? We’re trapped in a cave by skin-sizzling rain while Vienna is out there, maybe burning to death, or being tortured by who knows what, and all I can do is sit here doing nothing.”

  “I’m sorry,” I offered. “I know this is a million times harder for you than it is for me or Treygan.”

  “A million doesn’t come close.”

  “Noted.” I didn’t want to argue about who loved who more. Love was love; it couldn’t be measured or weighed to see who had les
s or more of it. “Again, I’m sorry.”

  Treygan stood beside Rownan. “It’s your turn to rest. Get some sleep. It’s not like we can do anything until this rain stops.”

  Rownan rubbed his bloodshot eyes. “I could use some sleep. You’ll wake me up the second it stops raining?”

  “Of course,” Treygan told him. “We want to get out of here too.”

  Rownan stripped off his jacket and lay down in the back of the cave, using his jacket as a pillow. It seemed like only a few minutes had passed before Rownan’s breathing deepened and he snored softly.

  I glanced at the watch Delmar had given me. He thought it might work in Harte, but sadly, he was wrong. The hands hadn’t budged since we had sailed into the Triangle. Tracking time was impossible in Harte. I took off the watch and tossed it on the ground. One less thing to weigh me down.

  “Otabia and Mariza won’t help me,” I told the sprites.

  Every last one of them had gathered around the bayou. It was past their bedtime, but they all made an exception and attended the emergency meeting. Their loyalty was touching, but they had no idea what I was about to ask. I wouldn’t be surprised if all of them said no. I couldn’t blame them. I would have said no too.

  “We’ll help you!” Jenna shouted.

  Many yesses and cheers erupted around me.

  Tucker was the voice of reason. He was the least shy of all the guys. Not that any of them were as outgoing as the girls, but Tucker took the lead while a group of boys hovered behind him. “First, we should probably know what you need help with.”

  “Well,” I began, fiddling with my hands, “You’ve all heard the legend of the gorgon sisters’ all-seeing mirror.” Nods and acknowledgments buzzed all around me. “I found out it still exists.”

  The sprites oohed and ahhed. I glanced at Jenna and Keeley, who watched me with innocent, unknowing smiles.

  “And … well …” I stood and took a deep breath. “I’m stealing it from the grotto.”

  Silence. The only sounds were random single music notes coming from the lightsing bugs each time they lit up. But even their lights were dim, and their low tones sounded ominous.

  Keeley’s teensy hands covered her mouth.

  Jenna leaned forward. “Did you say steal it from the grotto?”

  I nodded. Tucker flew backward and huddled with a group of sprites who looked as shocked as him.

  “I know it’s dangerous,” I added. “I realize none of you have ever been in the grotto, and it frightens you—”

  “Venus Flytraps frighten us,” Tucker said. “Stheno and Euryale terrify us!”

  I hung my head. “It was an absurd idea. I shouldn’t have asked.”

  “You still haven’t actually asked us to do anything,” Keeley pointed out. “What would you want us to help with?”

  “You’re small enough that you could fly through the tunnel into the grotto with me. I’ll distract Stheno and Euryale while some of you fly in and search all the caverns for the mirror.”

  Their twinkling eyes were wide with fear.

  Tucker spoke in a hushed voice. “Surely, they’d burn off our wings or worse if they found out we had violated their sacred and forbidden home.”

  Many sprites wrapped their wings around themselves protectively. Tucker was right.

  “I’m sorry I asked.” My shoulders slumped. I knew I would never find the mirror by myself.

  “We’ll do it.” Jenna and Keeley stood holding hands. “We’ll help you.”

  “Jenna, no!” Tucker argued, flying to their side. “Keeley, it’s too dangerous.”

  Keeley grinned. “But think of the adventure! Imagine the feeling of helping save someone so important.”

  “It’s the chance of a lifetime,” Jenna cooed.

  Tucker’s eyes lit up as if he was star struck. He muttered something I couldn’t hear.

  “What?” I asked him.

  Tucker turned to face me. “The adventure of a lifetime.” He threw his hands above his head like a true champion. “I’m in!”

  ~

  They were the only three sprites who volunteered to help me, but three were enough.

  I was upset with myself for putting my three favorite family members in danger, but I couldn’t do this on my own, and I had to get the mirror so I could check on Yara.

  Otabia and Mariza stooped atop one of the cliffs of the grotto. Otabia shook her head, giving me a final warning not to proceed. Mariza stared down at us with her eyes gleaming. She would love to see us get caught and be subjected to the wrath of Stheno and Euryale. That was probably her intention in telling me about the mirror in the first place.

  It didn’t matter. They couldn’t stop me. If my plan worked the way it was supposed to, then we would be in and out of the grotto before Stheno and Euryale woke up. I would have the mirror, and I would never set foot in there again. It wasn’t like Yara would ever be trapped inside the way they were. The grotto could implode—with Stheno and Euryale in it—for all I cared.

  The sprites and I landed on a boulder outside the entrance. “Remember, only follow me halfway through the tunnel,” I warned. “Wait until you hear my siren song, then you can come in.”

  “What if your trick doesn’t work?” Keeley asked.

  “It will work,” I told her. “Stheno and Euryale salivate for any memories, but they’ll be excited by a change of source. I’m sure they’ve grown bored of Mariza and Otabia after all this time.”

  Jenna nervously stroked one of the leaves on her head. “And you’re sure the poison will work on them?”

  “It’s not poison,” I corrected. “It’s serum to put them to sleep for a little while.”

  “Liquid lullaby,” Tucker said, trying to make all of us feel better about the crime we were about to commit. “Everyone enjoys a nice nap.”

  They were worried and scared—it showed all over their faces. I was too, but I had to be the confident one in this mission. I would never let anything happen to them. That I was sure of.

  I crouched, preparing to morph into bird form. “Ready?”

  All three of them nodded.

  I threw back the vial of Liquid Lullaby—as Tucker innocently called it—almost choking on its sickly sweet taste. I only had a few minutes to regurgitate the concoction before it put me into a deep sleep.

  My bones cracked and my skin tightened, bristling with a full coat of downy feathers as I shrank into my heron form. I sailed off the cliff with Tucker, Jenna, and Keeley flying after me. We dove into the water and I led them to the secret tunnel of the grotto’s entrance. Like true, brave soldiers they didn’t hesitate and followed close behind me. I slowed halfway through and craned my long neck—our signal for them to hold until my next command.

  Then I continued forward.

  I burst through the tidal pool, instantly changing back into siren form. The main cavern was empty and the torches on the walls burned dimly. I pulled my hair back, leaned forward, and vomited the awful memory I had recently consumed, along with the Liquid Lullaby.

  I hadn’t even finished wiping the blood and saliva from my mouth before Stheno and Euryale’s rattling tails echoed through the grotto. They slithered my way so fast it could only mean one thing: they were already frenzied. I knew I could count on Stheno and Euryale’s hunger and greed winning over rational thought about why, for the first time ever, I had regurgitate memories for them.

  They rounded the corner pushing and shoving each other in a battle to get to the puddle at my feet. Their pinwheel eyes were spinning furiously. They groaned with thirst as saliva dripped from their fangs.

  Their serpentine torsos stretched long as their black tongues dove into the puddle simultaneously. I stepped back, half-worried they might accidentally eat my feet in their ravenous consumption.

  Somewhat disgusted, I watched them lap from the puddle and throw back their heads, swallowing as much as they could as fast as they could. They had never been so out of control when feeding from Mariza or Otabia. This
meal bordered on barbaric.

  I had expected some questions, at least a trace of skepticism or questioning of my motives, but me regurgitating for them was like throwing a freshly decapitated body to a pair of starved sharks.

  True, the memories I stole were more pungent than usual, but it was by no means our best catch ever. I had been there for the pinnacles of Otabia and Mariza’s careers. Euryale and Stheno had fed on much darker and richer meals than this one. But you would never know it by the way they slurped and gulped down my recent catch.

  My prey was a recently released convict who had fled to the Bahamas. He had committed such heinous crimes, and planned to do many more. I found him strutting out of a hotel with two teenage girls slurring and stumbling at his side. He had baited them on the internet with false promises of lucrative modeling careers. Upon meeting them in person, he weakened their defenses with liquor and drugs. My sisters and I trailed them to an abandoned warehouse that served as his makeshift home and a factory of horrors.

  Seven girls were shackled and gagged inside, bleeding and broken like traumatized animals. The newest two would have made nine victims total. If only they knew how close they had come to suffering a nightmare worse than anything they could have imagined.

  I relished strutting into that dark and dingy warehouse. Not because of the bruised, naked, whimpering girls watching me and trembling with fear that I might be another torturer. What I relished was the sick hunger in the despicable man’s eyes. There I was, a fiery redhead in high-heeled boots and a form-fitting bodice, radiating such a powerful aura of seduction that he was paralyzed with lust. My sultry sisters, being centuries more experienced, oozed sexual prowess without even trying. Little did he know that as horrid as his crimes were, they were child’s play compared to what we were about to do to him.

  Otabia and Mariza flanked me on either side, purring with anticipation.

  The tent forming in his shorts made me laugh out loud. Usually, I let Mariza and Otabia battle over ripping off the pathetic proof of supposed manhood, but I needed to make sure this experience was as tantalizing as possible for Stheno and Euryale. This time I would do the honor.