“I can’t just tell you. You’ll eat me.”
“Tell us now, Mainlander.” Marinda puts her palms on the rock. “Now!” she screams, the sound like an arrow straight through my brain.
I cover my ears. “No! I won’t say shit until I’m safe on the shore.”
“Marinda.” Quenith pulls her back, and they whisper their sweet melody to each other again.
I try not to hold my breath, try to keep from pissing myself, try to just keep it together.
They finally stop, and Marinda turns to me. “If you tell us where you saw Queen Ari, we’ll let you swim to shore.”
“Unharmed?” I ask. I’m not falling for some loophole. “And I’ll only tell youafterI’m safe on the sand.”
“Fine.” Marinda looks up at the moon that’s perched almost overhead now. “If you start now, you can make it. Maybe.”
“Maybe?” I glance at the shore again. It seems farther away than ever.
“When the moon hits its peak, we can’t control ourselves.” Marinda’s eyes turn to slits. “And we’re hungry.”
“Just swim me over there. You’re fast.” I regret my words the moment Marinda reaches for me, her claws already curling around my wrist, her mouthful of shark teeth bared. “Wait! Never mind! I’ll swim for it.” I wrench my hand away from her.
“Best go now, Moira.” Quenith’s eyes have changed, too. “Fast.”
I don’t need any more urging. Bending my knees, I spring off the rock and into the cool water. My dive verges on a belly flop, but it doesn’t matter. I’m swimming for my life. My legs pump as hard as they can, my arms slapping down into the water and pulling me forward.
Each push drains my energy and brings my headache roaring back. I force myself to keep going. No stopping to catch my breath, no treading water. I have to make it to the shore that seems impossibly far away.
My muscles burn, and the ocean keeps trying to drag me down. My sweatshirt is an extra weight, but I don’t want to stop and strip it off. That’d just waste more precious time.
I don’t look back. I can’t. Because if I do and I see the mermaids close behind me, I might falter. I might give up.No. I keep pushing even as every part of me screams for me to take a rest. It’s a trick. If I stop, I’m done. My mind yells at me to take a break, but it’s just like everything else on this island—untrustworthy. So, I keep going, keep fighting as the moon climbs to its zenith and the wild things in the forest begin to howl and screech.
The waves begin to crest around me, promising the shore is near. My nose burns as saltwater splashes into it. When my footgrazes the ocean floor, I lunge forward, trying desperately to find purchase. But I sink, my head going under as I push, still trying to force the water to part for me.
But with my next stroke, my foot hits the sand.
Relief wells in me as I fight against the pull of the undertow and throw myself forward, my feet digging into the sand and scraping over shells and sharp bits as I scramble toward safety.
The sea foam swirls around me, water in my ears, my eyes burning, my muscles ready to give up. When I stagger up the last underwater berm, I fall forward, hands and knees in the surf.
That’s when pain rips through my calf. I scream and crash into the sand. Rolling over, I find Marinda, blood running down her chin as she chases me onto shore.
“No!” I kick at her with my other foot, but she swipes it with her claws, drawing more blood. Then she grabs my knee and starts struggling backwards, her tail slapping against the surf as she tries to drag me back into the water. “Let go!” I kick hard, slamming the bottom of my foot into her nose.
She shrieks, the sound like an ice pick in my ear, but she doesn’t let go.
“Peter!” I yell for him, my throat aching from the raw scream as I keep fighting to stay on the shore.
Marinda’s grip is sure as she pulls me deeper, her body submerging and giving her more strength. She drags me easily now, leaving my claw marks in the sand as I try desperately to pull away from her.
When another wave comes and lifts me from the sand, she yanks me away and back into the water. My head goes under, and eventhough I thrash, her grip only strengthens. That’s when I know it’s over. When I realize I’m going to die right here, right now.
I want to scream, to fight, to do everything I can to save myself. But it’s done. I’m drowning, bleeding. I can’t stop this.
Something bumps into my side, and then I feel Marinda’s grip disappear. With all the strength I have left, I put my uninjured leg down and stand. An arm goes around my waist, lifting me from the water, and I find the pirate from earlier with an oar in his hand.
“Filthy pirate!” Marinda screams, her voice shattering the last of my nerves. “That’s mine!”
I cry, a sob bursting out of me as the pirate brandishes the oar. “If you want another whack, then come for it.” His voice is a salty growl.
