Page 86 of Seas the Reckoning

“Somewhat. We stopped the whale because we could feel the presence of Inktus’s descendant, I suppose. Not that we realized that’s what it was. We could just tell there was the presence of magic, and we wanted to know what was going on—and if you presented a threat.”

“Which you do.” The brown-eyed naiad has deep red scales shining up and down her arms and legs. She doesn’t sound malicious when she says it; more matter-of-fact.

Since discovering my song, I’ve worked hard to get stronger to help those I care about. Training with Never, facing Leon’s men, rescuing animals, and then squaring off with Leon himself.

But I haven’t considered myself a threat. I didn’t really spend any time thinking about how my abilities stacked up to others of my kind. It makes sense the ability would vary. Witches’ keys are of different strengths, and not all shifters are fast or strong or deadly to the same degree.

Still, realizing I’m the strongest siren they’ve ever come across still has my mind buzzing.

Starla is lagging, and Thomas helps her along, kicking until they’re both next to Jackal and me.

“Not that I’m not enjoying the underwater maze, but how much farther?” the witch questions.

“Soon,” the short-haired mermaid answers vaguely, flicking a tail covered in turquoise scales.

The tunnel curves, and we swim left at a cluster of dark rock and coral outcropping. Deep-sea coral is different from the varieties that require sunlight that I’d see closer to home. I’d be tempted to stop and look closer if this were any other situation.

“This is it,” says one of the naiads.

The last turn leads us to water that quickly grows shallow, and we are indeed in an underwater cavern with a vast ceiling of rock and a bar of sandy beach. Jackal is first onto the sand, plopping Pickles down. The basset hound looks no worse for wear as he gives himself a vigorous shake and then begins to sniff around. He sneezes a few times, and smoke comes out of his nostrils.

Starla lets the bubbles around everyone’s heads drop, and she sits on the sand, taking deep breaths. Exos crouches by her, rubbing her shoulders.

Jackal gives Ji-hwan a hand as the Were steps gracefully from the water.

“Now what?” I ask the naiads as they walk up onto the sand with us. The mermaids stay in the water, tails swishing.

“Now, you use that,” says one, pointing to the shell necklace.

“Use it? I was told it’s for holding magic.” My insides give a twist. If I was meant to put a spell or something into the shell before arrival, then we’ve missed a crucial step.

“You place it there,” says the red-scaled naiad, pointing to a rectangular box made of stone. The edges of it are too precise to exist by chance. When I walk over to it, I see my great-great-grandmother’s name carved across the top like a gravestone. Above the name is a carved shell.

“It’s a key?” I ask.

“Be careful, love. It could be booby-trapped,” Jackal warns.

I nod.

“Either way, I have to open it. Will you stay with me?”

Selfish. I should be pushing him as far from harm as possible. But after using my song, I feel more vulnerable than ever. Tears form in my eyes when he takes my hand without question. Getting through Councilman Taylor’s event without him by my side was trying, and while I’m glad I proved myself capable, I’m thankful for the hyena’s presence now.

I take off the necklace, pressing the shell into the matching indentions on the rock’s surface. There’s a faint click and then the slab of rock shifts.

When I pull it back, I don’t find bones.

Instead, there’s a piece of parchment with faded ink.

32

A LETTER FROM GRANNY

The irony that I originally received a note that led me to the shell, and now the shell is leading me to a note, is not lost on me.

I reach with shaking fingers to retrieve the parchment. Jackal’s hand hovers over mine, as though he might stop me. Instead, he waits.

When I grab the parchment, nothing happens. The lid doesn’t slam shut. Snakes don’t rain from the ceiling. Nothing like what I’d anticipate from an action film or a book.