The Vast and Brutal Sea: A Vicious Deep novel (The Vicious Deep) (17 page)

“How many does that make?” I ask, though I don’t want to know the answer.

Marty looks up at the chandelier and counts the people who’ve left on his fingers. “Twenty-one.”

“Seventeen.” Dylan corrects him. “When my kinsman learned Shelly favors you, he and his brothers decided to stay.”

Dylan sits beside Marty and accepts a slice of pizza. Even though Frederik says the entire city has been evacuated due to a massive hurricane warning, Dominick’s Pizza is still open. After our little scuffle, most of the pizza was splattered on the art deco walls. We reordered a hundred large pies—cheese, bacon, and pineapple—because it’s my way of getting the merpeople to trust me.

Brendan appraises the newcomer. “Pardon me, but what are you?”

“I am Ewin of the Vasiks clan,” he says. “I am not man nor beast. I simply am. I come from the Vasiks dimension, which is now a black hole.”

“Do all your kind have those?” Brendan touches his own chin.

“Those who are left, yes. I am indebted to Tristan Hart and his generals. They saved me from a lifetime of unhappiness.”

“Generals,” Marty says, liking the title. “I can live with that.”

There have been zero arguments over hundred-year-old grievances for half an hour. We have enough cliques to put my high-school cafeteria to shame. The court mermaids are fish out of water, touching every surface of the great room. There is not a single vase, portrait, or light switch that is left untouched. Those with children have commandeered all available bathrooms to keep the babies in water because they can’t shift yet and scream bloody murder.

The Sea Guard is more willing to mingle with the landlocked and Alliance members. The Alliance is schooling the guard on life on land, and the guard shows the landlocked new fighting techniques.

Some of the older folk stay close to Shelly. Every couple of minutes, she looks over to me, like she’s on a date she can’t escape. She’s not used to being the center of attention, but I think a secret part of her has always wanted to be as powerful as her sisters. It’s easier to be humble about the things you have when you’ve gone so long without.

Me, on the other hand, I’ve always been in the spotlight. Captain, lifeguard, and all-around stud. Now? The landlocked and the Sea Court come up to me to touch my hands, as little kids run around wielding weapons to be like me and run up just to have a look at the Scepter of Earth close up. I don’t know what to do with this kind of influence. One older mermaid with pale green hair that reminds me of pistachio ice cream smiles her wrinkled face at me and kisses the scales at my ankles.

“It’s the worship of the king,” Kai tells me as the woman walks away.

I want to say that I don’t like it, but I don’t want to hurt their feelings.

Marty edges closer to where Dylan sits with his legs crossed. “So you were in that Neverland too, huh?”

Dylan’s golden face becomes red. He has a mouth full of pizza and mumbles, “Mmm-hmm.” I can tell he’s burning his tongue but he swallows without chewing. “I found Lord Tristan when he was getting attacked by the—”

I clear my throat and give him a look that says “Shut the hell up.” Amada retreats into her seat and I put my hand on her shoulder.

She frowns. “I was not attacking him. I was trying to get him out of the mud pit.”

Dylan looks sideways, raking his fingers through his blond mane. “The growling must’ve confused me.”

“Either way, I’m glad Tristan has found a new protector,” Frederik says, leaning against the wall with a Slurpee cup. The straw fills up with a deep red liquid, which makes Dylan and Brendan gag, not being used to vampires.

“You did a brave thing, Tristan,” Kai says. “The landlocked have never had a voice in the court. Most of them—us—never think of them unless vile stories are being told. Those who’ve stayed are doing something their ancestors never would have.”

I pick a pineapple chunk off my pizza and let the sugar coat my tongue. “It would have been nice to have those numbers.”

“Numbers aren’t everything,” Rachel the Red Menace reminds me. “A true soldier is better than a dozen soldiers who don’t believe in your cause.”

“I’m not doubting my people,” I say. “What if, even despite my best intentions, half of them end up as bait?”

“Wars have their casualties,” Kai says, like she’s reading a line from one of her dad’s textbooks.

“These aren’t casualties. They’re people. Or merpeople. And vampires. And werewolves.”

“And demigods,” Rachel amends.

“And demigods,” I say. “They’re real, live creatures who are caught in something that is my family’s fault.”

“That’s true,” Brendan says, eliciting a head slap from Kai. “What? I only meant that each of the three trident pieces has gone to members of the Triton line. Nieve, the first daughter of King Elanos. King Karanos’s son and grandson. Except me. He said I’d have my own role.”

“And what’s that?” I ask.

“To remember my family.”

“A shiny weapon would have also been nice,” Marty whispers to Dylan.

“And to never let you forget that I’m more handsome than you,” Brendan says, reaching for another slice, but I have a feeling there’s more to what our grandfather said to him. “Are we finished already? By the seas, you must keep better stock if you want to feed an army, Cousin Tristan.”

“Marty,” Frederik said “Call Dominick’s—”

Then it hits me. “How is Nieve feeding her massive army of flesh-eating merrows?”

“She’s not going to do it here.” Frederik throws out his drink cup. “We’ve got our patrols up. I’ve called our allies in Staten Island and on the Jersey Shore and warned them to post guards.”

“I’m going to double ours, to be safe.” Rachel conjures her crossbow from smoke. She turns to a group of the landlocked. Points at the green sumo wrestler and the guy wearing the Hurricane Gym tank. “You two. Names?”

“Monty,” says the sumo.

“Alligash,” say Hurricane Gym.

“Come, you’re with me.”

The room shakes as they follow the Red Menace out onto the boardwalk.

I rub my itchy eyes. Other than my concussed naps, I can’t remember the last time I had solid sleep. I’m too wired. Too crazed. In my mind, I can picture Nieve waiting for me. She’s got Layla. She’s got the nautilus maid. The full moon is tomorrow, and I’m running out of time. She’s got the upper hand, and she’s not going to give it up. The next move is on me.

“Guys, I think I should go to Nieve alone.”

A dozen eyes fall on me instantly. Swords clink in practice, and there’s even some hushed laughter and the buzz of conversation. Then in seconds, my friends are up in arms around me.

That’s suicide, Cousin.

That’s why we’ve joined forces!

Yeah, you said yourself that we’re stronger together.

What
good
can
come
of
you
dead
before
you
reach
her?

“Hold up,” I say, making a T with my hands. “Just because I’m going to go into Toliss alone doesn’t mean that I’m going to stay that way. I’m going to raise the Sleeping Giants. Then I’ll have my power boost. I’ll signal you guys, while you wait ready for the attack. If we march up to Toliss together, it’ll be ten times harder to get into those tunnels.”

Ewin rubs the tusk on his chin. I wonder if it’s lucky, like a Buddha belly. “Your proposed plan is sound.”

“Still—” Kai starts, but when all eyes turn to her, she stops.

“Still what?”

“It would be useful to see what Nieve and Kurt are up to. The barrier was to block them from seeing you, not the other way around.”

“The two-way mirror,” I say. “I have to be asleep.”

“Then, by all means, Sleeping Beauty,” Marty says.

Ewin rubs his hands together. “I can facilitate this with a single blow.”

I push myself back. “We are not turning me into a punching bag.”

Frederik kneels in front of me. He’s usually looking down so I never see him this close up. His eyes are so black. A thick fringe of lashes bats at me, like someone hit slow motion on his face.

“Tristan,” he says, “now it’s your turn to trust me.”

I’ve never been hypnotized by a vampire. My eyesight is blurred at the edges. I’m inside Toliss Island, in the king’s chamber. Nieve is swimming in her pool again. She takes a silver fish and gnaws the flesh down to the bone. When she’s finished, she throws it onto a rotting pile.

Then my heart beats faster as Gwen walks in with Layla.

I feel like I’m stuck in a glass case where no one can hear me as I shout her name.
Layla!

She is free and her hands are untied—after all, where is she going to run?

She stands with her back to the polished white wall, looking back and forth from one of her captors to the other. Then she surveys the room for anything she can use as a weapon.

“Layla, was it?” Nieve says playfully.

Layla stays silent. She balls her hands at her sides. Her knees are scraped and bruised. Her arms have tons of tiny cuts that are fresh and red. Her browns curls are wild, and her amber eyes are defiant.

I wish I could burst out of this dream and save her.

“Let’s try a new game, shall we?” Gwen combs her fingers through Layla’s hair, and Layla tells Gwen to do something incestuous to Nieve.

“Now,” Nieve says, “is that the kind of mouth the heart of the Sea Prince should have?”

“You really want to talk about mouths, Snaggle Tooth?”

Layla, don’t, I think. Please, please don’t. I’m going to come for you. Just hold on.

But there’s no stopping her. Nieve points a finger at Layla and she flies back against the wall. Her head makes a hard cracking noise that coils my insides.

“This isn’t a new game,” Layla murmurs, though she’s probably seeing stars.

Nieve motions for Gwen to pick her up. She does and has to hold on to her for a few minutes before Layla shakes the dizziness.

“I already told you,” Layla says. “I don’t know where Tristan is. You took me, remember? If you’re supposed to be this all-seeing
bruja
, why don’t you just see him?”

“I lost him for quite a while,” Nieve says calmly. “But it’s okay. My Gwenivere found him, didn’t she?”

Gwen says, “Yes, Mother Queen.”

At that Layla’s head snaps up.

“I see that has gotten your attention,” Nieve says. “Now, you’re going to tell me what Tristan wants with the nautilus maid, or you will know the true meaning of pain.”

“Do you think I’m afraid to feel pain?” Layla asks.

As long as I’ve known her, Layla has been fearless. She stands up to cops, to teachers, even to her dad when he’s being unreasonable. Most of all, she stood up to me, always calling me out when I did something wrong. But this is just stupid.

“I’ve already told you,” Layla shouts. “I haven’t seen him! I’ve been with you!”

“I don’t think she’s being honest,” Nieve says. Something flickers in her eye—a signal.

Gwen holds her hand up and sends a shock right through Layla’s body. I can see Layla tremble with it. She grimaces when it’s over and spits blood at Gwen.

“I always knew Tristan was an idiot to trust you.”

Gwen seems to like that. She runs her hands all over her body and says, “Can you blame him?” She bats her eyelashes and giggles. “He does have the softest lips.”

That’s a lie. I’ve never kissed Gwen.

“But as long as you’ve known him, he has been that way, hasn’t he? Always chasing girl after girl while you wondered why he never looked at you. I mean, really looked at you and said, ‘You are everything I need.’”

Don’t listen to her!
I shout, though she can’t hear me.

Layla doesn’t say anything. She stares at Nieve’s cold, white-blue eyes.

“Tell me, dear girl,” Nieve says, changing her tone. “And I’ll make sure he is spared. I’ll make sure you two can be together forever.”

“And how do you guarantee that?” Layla asks.

“I’ll make you into one of us.”

Gwen looks almost as startled as Layla. As me. Is that even possible? It can’t be.

“Really?” Layla looks hopeful for a moment. “You can do that?”

“With the power of the full trident to magnify my own magic, I can do anything.” Nieve lifts herself out of her pool and sits on the ledge, showing off her scales. “It is a wonderful life, being part of the sea. My Gwenivere tells me you are a fantastic swimmer.”

Layla lets herself smile. “I’m okay.”

“Mother—”

Nieve sends Gwen a death glare.

Gwen turns around and faces the wall to compose herself.

“But first, you must tell me what he wants with the nautilus maid.”

Layla comes closer to them. “My head hurts. I’m a little hungry.”

Nieve lifts her chin at Gwen, whose gray eyes are angry little storms.

“How do I know you’re telling the truth?” Layla asks. And I know exactly what she’s doing. She’s stalling. But for what? Oh gods, Layla, what do you think you’re going to do?

“When I was young, I was still learning my powers.” Nieve likes telling stories. She relaxes her pose, taking comfort in knowing that if Layla were to run, she could fry her. “I was married to the rebel Southern King. He liked to test my magic. He’d heard that my father, the true king, could take human form with the blood and ink of the ancient cephalopod. That everyone in our courts was branded with it, with the symbol of the trident. It gave us the ability to shift out of our beautiful tails and into those terrible things you call legs. But not I.”

“It didn’t work on you?” Layla asks.

Nieve leans her face, her red lips curling into a smile. “I didn’t need it. I could do it on my own. It was painful. I hated it. But my husband king loved watching me do it. And so he wanted me to give him the legs my father denied him.”

Layla’s eyes go wide. She leans her face in to the silver witch. “Did he get his legs?”

“Yes. But he died trying.”

Layla stands back, afraid once again. Nieve realizes the mistake she’s made and starts backpedaling. “But with the trident, you won’t feel a thing. After all, dear, you can’t hide your heart’s desire from me.”

Layla frowns.

“Let me show you,” Nieve says. She shudders as a wave of magic passes through her. For the first time since I’ve known her, her silver tail parts into two slender legs. She’s unbalanced and holds out her arms unsteadily to stand. “It only hurts the first time.”

Someone at the entrance gasps. Instead of Gwen, a servant girl returns. She’s stitched up the same as Archer, from her clavicle to her belly button. Her skin is a soft gray, like a shark. Her hair is pleated into a long braid and she’s got a curved dagger on her hip. The hilt is made of ivory and encrusted with jewels. When she opens her mouth, she’s got the teeth of a piranha.

“Avana,” Nieve says, “where is my daughter?”

“She went to see about the catch for tonight’s meal. Our brothers are taking too long.” She places a metal tray at Layla’s feet. Layla picks it up and starts eating the raw pieces of fish.

Nieve looks concerned. “The Alliance will be patrolling. Tell them to try one of the shores further south.”

Avana nods. “Yes, Mother Queen.”

It happens fast.

The second Avana bends over to bow, Layla slams the tray on Avana’s face. Layla grabs the dagger at the merrow girl’s hip and makes a break for it. Nieve screams a terrible wail, sending shocks in Layla’s direction. But she holds up the metal tray as a shield, blocking most of the hit. She runs across the chamber, and when Nieve tries to chase after her, her unsteady legs buckle beneath her and she falls on her face.

Avana rushes to Nieve’s side but the sea witch screams, “Don’t touch me! Go after her!”

Nieve pushes herself up in time to see Layla jump feet first into one of the pools.

Gwen runs back in. “Mother Queen?” She’s startled at seeing Nieve on the ground with two weak legs. She screams as they form a single silver tail once again. Blood trickles from the sea witch’s scales.

“Bring her back here!” Nieve shrieks. “No one makes a fool of me. I want to feel her heart stop in my hands. I want to—”

Avana runs out of the room, perhaps to get out of the way of Nieve’s wrath. Perhaps to fetch Layla.

“Mother Queen,” Gwen says. “If she went down the pool channels, she’s either drowning or will be eaten by the shark guard.”

Nieve stops, collects herself. She presses her hands on her temples. I wonder if she can hear me screaming Layla’s name because the next word she says is “Layla.”

She shakes it off. “You’re right.”

“I don’t think she knew anything.”

“You told me Tristan would come for her.” The sea witch nods. I’m still in her head and she can’t figure out what it is, like a mosquito she can hear and not see. “Where is he? I’ve lost sight of him.”

“He doesn’t know she’s gone,” Gwen says slowly. “He doesn’t have to.”

“Send someone to make sure the sharks have finished her off.” When Nieve tries to move, her face contorts in pain.

“Are you well enough to move?”

Nieve groans when she bends her knees. She’s not. The shift took a large toll.

“I’ll be fine. What is it?”

“We can’t get a fresh catch ’til the morning. Not with the Alliance patrolling in such numbers.”

“Is that all?”

Gwen shakes her head. “You have visitors in the council chambers.”

The way she says “visitors” strikes a chord. Nieve’s mood cheers up considerably.

“In the morning, you and your brothers will go fishing. We’re so close, my dear. We’re so close to having what was denied us.”

Gwen doesn’t look happy at all. She knew Layla was playing her, but she wouldn’t dare speak out to her mother. Still, she bows.

Nieve dives into her pool and swims down the tunnel that leads to the council chambers. She sniffs the water for a scent of the girl, but the water is clean. When she resurfaces, she’s in another pool and she’s not alone. The light is a flicker of only two sconces, but it is enough to see her visitor’s copper hair, her emerald eyes. They embrace like old friends.

“Lucine,” says the silver mermaid. “Where is—?”

“I’m here,” Kurt says, stepping forth from the shadow of the wall. His violet eyes are glossy and unfocused.

“Good,” Nieve says, sizing him up. Her fingers reach for the trident, but one look at Lucine and she stops. I can feel her thoughts.
Handsome, like my brother. With her eyes.
If
Tristan
won’t join me, this will do.
“Are you ready to help me rule the seas?”

And Kurt, my friend, my blood, holds his trident up, the prongs igniting with lightning, and says, “I am.”