Page 76 of Seas the Reckoning

“Malcolm, is the guy we’re looking for⁠—”

“Over here! Malcolm’s friends, yes? Welcome, welcome, welcome!” A man comes running up to us, arm waving frantically and a captain’s hat bouncing atop his head.

My mouth hangs open.

“Uh, Malcolm, I think we found him.”

Malcolm chuckles.

“Have fun. And remember, if you need us, don’t hesitate to call.”

He ends the call, and I pocket my cell phone.

“Thomas Graverly. Pleased to make your acquaintance,” the whale shifter says as he goes around the group, pumping hands enthusiastically.

He’s wearing a grin on his face that makes it look like his cheeks could split.

I enjoy Malcolm, but the leopard seal shifter has a resting expression that makes him look murderous. It’s tough to imagine him as chums with someone as overtly friendly as Thomas. Although he said Thomas owed him, so maybe the whale is just happy to be rid of a debt.

I know Starla’s relieved to be rid of hers, even if it’s done nothing but give us more complications. I’m already itching to unburden myself of the favor I owe Arloc.

“Glad to know you,” Jackal says as he’s having his hand nearly shaken off the end of his arm.

I cover my mouth to hide my laugh.

Then it’s my turn, and the whale reaches up and takes the hand over my mouth in both of his, shaking with enthusiasm.

“You must be Leena! Malcolm told me a bit about each of you so I could find you all right. Did you have a decent drive up? Not too many roadworks? Can be tricky with them constantly trying to improve the roads, eh? Much prefer the water, myself. Same for you, eh?”

He’s turning to greet Starla before I can answer.

Once he moves from her to Ji-hwan, Starla turns to me and whispers out the side of her mouth.

“He’s not what I expected.”

“I know what you mean.”

“This way, this way!” Thomas waves us toward the docks, and we follow him.

The whale shifter has springy, bouncy black curls under his weathered and greying captain’s hat. His eyes are a rainless sky blue, but the most notable feature about him might be that he’s just a smidge shorter than Starla.

Starla looks at me, and I’m betting our thoughts match.

“Never make assumptions. It just makes an ass of you and me,” she quips.

“Apparently.”

Thomas leads us to a sailboat.

“Thirty-footer. It’ll be a bit of a tight squeeze for all of us as we get out onto the water. Especially you,” he says to Exos.

The gargoyle looks at the boat and back to our host.

“I will keep my wings to myself,” he promises.

Thomas claps him on the back.

“Good lad! You might also have a tough time in the interior. Sorry about that in advance,” he tells Ji-hwan. The Were isn’t as massive as Exos but still taller than the rest of us.