Above World - By Jenn Reese Page 0,72

“We’re mermaids.”

“Mermaids!” the dog said, his ears quivering. “Wait, no. What mermaid has legs?”

“We get our tails when we’re older,” Aluna said hastily. “You saw me come out of the water with your own eyes.”

The dog squinted at her, then bobbed its head once. “True, yeah. But no mermaids here. Not yet. You turn around and swim swim swim.” He motioned toward the pool with his snout. “Go now. Before he sees you and snatches you up.”

“No,” she said. “Fathom has my sister. I’m not leaving without her.”

The dog lowered his head and shook it sadly. “Many sorries,” he said. “My littermates all gone, too. Very sad. But Fathom is strong. Likes parts. All kinds of parts. Parts that make no sense. He takes and takes, even what he don’t need.”

“You know where he is? Can you take me to him?” Aluna asked.

The dog tilted his head again, thinking. It reminded her of Zorro.

“Sure, yeah,” said the dog, wagging his tail. His ears were perky again. “We goes now. Follow follow follow!”

HOKU DIDN’T WANT to enter HydroTek by the same route Aluna had chosen. He had no desire to confront Fathom head-on. That was Aluna’s way, not his. He and Dash and Zorro needed to find HydroTek’s nerve center, its technological core. Maybe restoring power to the Kampii’s breathing necklaces and defeating Fathom and his army would be as simple as pressing a button.

A boy could dream.

Prince Eekikee himself escorted them to the dome. A Deepfell warrior carried Dash so they could all swim faster. Hoku carried his satchel with the water safe. Zorro clung to his shoulder. The little guy didn’t need an air bubble and could swim well enough on his own, but not quickly. Besides, Hoku liked the feeling of Zorro’s small furry body clinging to his back. It made him feel less alone, and a tiny bit less scared.

Prince Eekikee hid them well in advance of patrols and killed a shark scout with only two thrusts from his spear. The Kampii hunters would do well to fear him; Hoku had never seen anyone so good with a weapon in his whole life. He was suddenly glad that Aluna wasn’t here to witness it as well, or she’d be talking about Eekikee’s prowess for the rest of their lives.

Eventually, they reached HydroTek, and Hoku’s heart soared like an Aviar. The very tip-top of the structure protruded from the water’s surface, but that glittery part didn’t interest him much. Not compared to what was happening underwater. There, HydroTek’s massive coils and artifacts pumped and hissed as if the great city itself were breathing. Intakes and outtakes moved water, creating a warm current that toyed with them as they got closer and closer to its maw.

But even as his chest swelled at the wonder, he had to ask: How could his ancestors build something so amazing when the Kampii could not? The city’s Elders knew how to maintain their artifacts, but they never made new ones. They could never build something like HydroTek, not even with all the Elders working together at once.

Unless . . . unless he found a way into the outpost and gained access to all the information Sarah Jennings had hidden. Then, maybe — if the Above World became a safer place — they could build something glorious.

“Alooooona,” Prince Eekikee said, and pointed toward the part of HydroTek above the surface. “You,” he said, pointing to the dome’s underwater innards.

Hoku grinned.

As they wove through HydroTek’s metal tendrils, Hoku touched everything within reach, marveling at how some metal was cold and some hot, how some artifacts vibrated and others seemed to hum. When they neared an intake tunnel barred with metal, Eekikee motioned everyone to stop.

The prince and the other Deepfell had little trouble bending the bars wide enough for Dash and Hoku to enter. They couldn’t get it wide enough for themselves, but that was fine. Hoku had never expected the Deepfell to enter HydroTek. Prince Eekikee had his own war to fight.

Hoku squeezed into the circular tunnel. Prince Eekikee helped Dash through the bars, careful not to break the breathing membrane over his face. Hoku nodded to Prince Eekikee and mouthed, “Thank you.” The prince smiled grimly in return. A moment later, he and the other Deepfell disappeared into the churning murk.

Without their guide, and confined in a dark metal tunnel, Dash seemed close to a panic attack.

Hoku pantomimed breathing slowly. If Dash’s breathing bubble popped, there’d be no one to make him a