Ch. 45
I break the surface of the water with a gasp, the cool night air hitting my face like a slap as I clutch the edge of the Marble’s viewing platform. The rebreather hangs heavy around my neck, my body shivering from the cold and the adrenaline still coursing through my veins. The saltwater drips from my skin, pooling beneath me, and for a moment, I just try to catch my breath, my heart pounding against my ribs like it’s trying to break free.
Before I can even attempt to heave myself out, Peter is there, his hands gripping my arms, hauling me onto the platform with more force than finesse. My limbs are trembling, more from the effort and fear than from the cold, and as soon as I’m on solid ground, he pulls me into a tight hug, crushing me against his chest.
“Jeeze, Phoebe, you were down there for ages!” His voice is breathless, panicked, as he holds me like he’s afraid I’ll slip away again. “When that shark went after you and you disappeared into that cave… I wasn’t fast enough. I’m so sorry.”
His words tumble out in a frantic rush, and I can feel the tension in his body, his heart hammering against mine. I feel the warmth of his embrace, and for a moment, I just let myself be held. I need this—need the reminder that there’s still someone here who cares about me, someone who isn’t trying to use me for their own ends.
“It’s okay,” I murmur, pulling back just enough to look him in the eyes. “You did the right thing, Peter. You saved yourself.”
He gives me a haunted look, his eyes searching mine, trying to find reassurance in them. “But where did you go?” he asks, his voice filled with a mix of confusion and fear.
I open my mouth to answer, but before I can get a word out, a low series of clicks and chuffs come from the water behind us, cutting through the tension like a knife. We both turn in unison, just in time to see Wake’s dark form hovering just below the surface, his black and red scales glistening in the dim light.
Peter’s face drains of color, and I feel him stiffen beside me. He takes a big step back, putting distance between himself and the water where Wake lingers. The air between us thickens, charged with an undercurrent of fear and something else I can’t quite place. Satisfied, Wake gives a flick of his massive tail and disappears into the depths, leaving ripples on the water’s surface where he once was.
We stand there for a moment, staring at the spot where Wake had been, the silence between us heavy and loaded with unspoken words.
“There are going to be questions,” Peter finally says, his voice barely above a whisper, as if speaking too loudly might somehow summon Wake back.
I sigh, running a hand through my wet hair, pushing the salty strands away from my face. “I know,” I admit, my mind already racing with the implications of what just happened. “I just need a little time to come up with the answers.”
Before Peter can respond, a voice cuts through the air, sharp and unyielding. “Will the time it takes to walk to my office be enough time?”
My heart drops into my stomach, and both Peter and I stiffen, turning slowly to find Dr. Lily St. Cloud standing behind us, arms crossed over her chest. Her eyes are narrowed, her expression hard, and I know immediately that whatever excuse I try to come up with isn’t going to fly.
“My office. Now.” Her voice leaves no room for argument, and I feel a sinking dread settle over me as she turns on her heel and strides toward the exit, her heels clicking against the metal grating with each determined step.
I exchange a quick, panicked glance with Peter before following her, my mind scrambling to come up with some kind of defense, some way to justify what I’ve done. But by the time we reach her office, I know there’s no use in trying to hide anything. She’s already figured it out.
The door closes behind us with a soft click, the sound of it sealing my fate.
“Don’t bother with excuses,” Lily snaps, not even giving me a chance to speak. Her eyes are cold, calculating, as they bore into mine. “I know you were with Wake. What I want to know is why you’re sneaking around and lying about it. I need to monitor him, Phoebe, and you’re making that impossible.”
I swallow hard, trying to keep my voice steady, even as my nerves threaten to get the best of me. “He is being monitored,” I insist, though I know it’s a weak argument. “Wake hates being watched all the time. He hates the cameras, he hates feeling trapped—”
“I don’t care what he does and doesn’t like!” Lily’s voice rises, sharp and commanding, like a whip crack in the silence. “He’s the focal point of a multibillion-dollar global initiative. He’s not about to so much as shit without me knowing.”
My heart pounds in my chest, fear and frustration warring inside me. “What do you want me to do?” I ask, my voice trembling, but I force myself to meet her gaze. “Make him fall in line? Or else what?”
Lily’s eyes narrow, and there’s a dangerous glint in them that makes my blood run cold. “Or else,” she says slowly, her voice dripping with menace, “the people who really make the decisions will decide to cut their losses.”
Her words hang in the air like a death sentence, and I feel my stomach twist with dread. “What are you saying?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper, the fear lacing my words betraying my growing panic.
“If we don’t materialize a siren infant in the next year or so,” Lily says, her tone matter-of-fact, “Wake and Marina will both be neutralized.”
The world seems to tilt beneath my feet, and I have to grip the edge of her desk to keep from collapsing, my mind spinning with the weight of her words. “You can’t…you can’t do that,” I stammer, my voice filled with horror. “Wake’s the only male siren we have. There are no others.”
Lily’s gaze is unyielding, and I can see that she’s not moved by my pleading. “No, there aren’t,” she agrees, her tone devoid of sympathy. “But at some point, they’ll decide he’s not worth the trouble.”
I feel the tears prick at the corners of my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall. “This is insane,” I whisper, my voice choked with emotion. “You’re talking about losing our last link to this species.”
Lily’s expression doesn’t waver. “I’m talking about spearheading the betterment of our species. If Wake can’t give us what we need, then he’s a liability.”
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