nowhere to go.
Gailen kicked down toward the enemy warriors as if he had no fear and tucked her to his chest. “You can shift, Starr. Trust in me.”
Her eyes rolled inward. Her mouth opened and closed, and her all-too-human chest contracted.
“You have done this before. The power is within you.” He barreled toward the unit. “You can shift or you can pass out. Either way, you will shift. Make the decision, or it will be made for you.”
She tensed, fighting her own will. The sticky black substance coating her soul melted away, and her soul flared.
The eyes of enemy warriors widened.
She vibrated faintly, “Did I…shift?”
He pulled her close. “Yes.”
Her inner flame brightened. She squeezed him and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you, Gailen. Thank you.”
Her soul flared like a queen’s.
Their enemies scattered.
He swam through their formation into a deeper, easier-to-navigate current. A shout of warning rippled through the enemy units. The ones who turned to face Gailen saw her soul and zoomed out of their way.
His chest burst with the feeling he could do anything in the world, thumbs or no. He could drive off the entire All-Council, from one hypocritical, self-hating general down to the last miserable warrior.
Starr vibrated an incredulous laugh. They were connected, and she experienced the echo of his feelings.
He swam to the bright glow in the center of the All-Council army.
The bubble shielded a small contingent of the Atlantis army surrounding the visiting dignitaries and keeping them safe.
Endi saw him and Starr. He shouted, “It is Gailen. Drop the shield!”
The shield faded. Gailen darted through as the surrounding army reacted to give chase. The shields strengthened again, and the enemies bounced off, their tridents harmlessly skidding away.
The Atlantis warriors greeted him with shocked laughter, and many patted his shoulders as he swam through. Xemil and Isag waved from different positions within the shield. They both looked more tired and bloodied, and relieved to see him. Isag lofted his dagger, and Xemil had his trident.
He nodded for them to keep the weapons for now and continued to an open area where the dignitaries from the other cities gathered. Lieutenant Diras guarded them for extra protection.
Queen Elyssa and Queen Hazel floated on opposite sides of the bubble, their souls radiant and their fingertips white with energy. Their young fry floated near, closely monitored by Atlantis warriors.
King Kadir floated at the front edge. He parleyed with All-Council leaders on the opposite side of the shield.
The All-Council army stretched out to infinity, waves upon waves of enemy warriors. No General Giru or Queen Nora was visible, but a line of sight stretched through the endless army to the still-flaming remnants of the platform bubbling and boiling as chunks broke off and sank into the deep.
“And so you see, Kadir, this is the result of relying on humans,” Sirak, the All-Council leader, was vibrating with a deep bass. “The All-Council knows this. As head, I tried to save you from exactly this kind of deadly attack.”
Sirak looked younger than Gailen had expected, with bright blue eyes and yellow hair, and tattoos like blue fracture lines across his skin. What city had that marking style? Was it possible that despite his appearance, he was old enough to have come from one of the destroyed cities of the past?
“Now our greatest fear has come to pass,” Sirak intoned. “The humans have once more lured us to the surface only to wipe us out. And you still wish to reunite our races? They will study us and use this knowledge to descend and hunt us beneath the oceans. You have doomed us, Kadir. And that is why you must be stopped, no matter the cost.”
King Kadir appeared to have no arguments left.
“We have to tell him," Starr said.
Gailen kicked forward.
Lieutenant Diras swam from his position and blocked Gailen. “King Kadir confers with the All-Council. Your report can wait.”
“But he needs to know—”
“Hark, everyone.” Sirak raised his arms and rotated for his vast army. “The misinformed kings, princes, and first lieutenants tricked into this ill-conceived rebellion are dispersing. Do not attack. They return to their cities chastised, where they await our rule.” He lowered his arms and grinned with sharp teeth at the dignitaries. “Pledge your loyalty to me, and you may pass. Refuse, and we will chum the water with your entrails.”
The dignitaries kicked with stiff resignation toward the All-Council head.
King Kadir’s shoulder’s slumped, defeated.
The light from the queens’ fingertips faded to allow them to pass to the area controlled by the