Chapter 74
Blood splatters across my palm as I cough, and the sight of it stops me cold. My breath stutters, and a wave of panic crashes over me as I watch, horrified, while the gossamer webbing between my fingers begins to disintegrate.
“What… what’s happening to me?” I whisper, barely able to hear my own voice over the pounding in my ears.
Wake, beside me, goes rigid. His eyes flick from my hand to the surface of the ocean, far above us, before turning back to me with a grim expression. I’ve never seen him like this, never seen that look in his eyes—unease, maybe even fear.
“Wake,” I manage, my chest tightening, “What does this mean?”
Just as the words leave my mouth, a sharp, searing pain blossoms in my chest, like something is squeezing my lungs from the inside out. I cough again, and bubbles escape my lips. My eyes go wide as the realization slams into me like a tidal wave.
“Nononono,” I stammer, my heart racing, “I’m starting to process oxygen again. Wake, I think I’m turning back.”
His eyes widen for a split second before hardening with resolve. Without another word, he grabs me, his powerful tail kicking hard as he shoots us toward the surface. I feel the water rushing past us, but all I can focus on is the searing pain radiating through my body, the slow, terrifying realization that my transformation is reversing.
I glance down and watch in horror as my once beautiful, shimmering scales begin to flake away, floating around us like glittering confetti. The skin underneath itches like crazy, and I can see patches of human flesh emerging beneath the flakes. My tail is going stiff, numb, the muscles locking up as chunks of flesh begin to peel away, revealing smooth, tender skin underneath.
I’m becoming human again, miles under the sea.
I can’t breathe.
My lungs are burning, screaming for air as my body tries to reject the seawater, to force itself to breathe oxygen again. I clamp a hand over my mouth, fighting the urge to take a breath, but it’s too much.
I need air.
Wake’s voice cuts through my panic, low and commanding. “In through your mouth,” he says, right before he secures his mouth over mine. I feel the air from his lungs fill mine, a lifeline keeping me tethered to consciousness as we race toward the surface.
It’s working. The last of my tail sloughs off, sinking into the dark below as Wake surges through the water like a missile, faster and faster until, with one powerful burst, we break the surface.
I gasp, spluttering as fresh air fills my lungs. The sensation of it is a painful relief, like inhaling ice. I cling to Wake, trembling uncontrollably as the cool night air washes over my now human skin.
“We need to find land,” I rasp, my voice raw and shaky.
Wake’s sharp eyes scan the horizon, his arms like iron around me. All I can see is open water, nothing but the endless black sea stretching out in every direction. But he seems more focused, more certain.
“We’re not far from shore,” he says, his voice low but reassuring. “Hang tight.”
I can barely manage a nod as he starts swimming toward land, his powerful strokes cutting through the water like a hot knife through butter. I shiver violently, the cold sinking deep into my bones. My muscles ache, stiff and useless after the trauma of the transformation. Time drags on, each moment feeling like an eternity as my body struggles to adapt to its new—old—form.
It can’t take more than twenty minutes, but by the time Wake drags me onto the beach, I’m shaking so hard I can barely stand. The sand feels rough and cold beneath me, grounding me in the surreal reality of what just happened. Wake’s face is tight, tense with something I’ve never seen on him before: desperation.
He clutches me close, his eyes scanning our surroundings before settling back on me, and the frustration in his voice is palpable. “Tell me what to do, Phoebe. I do not know what you need.”
I’m freezing, the cold sinking into my bones like ice. My teeth chatter uncontrollably as I manage to stutter, “I-I-I n-need to g-get w-w-warm.”
My muscles scream as I crank my head around, desperate for any sign of shelter. It’s dark—nighttime, thank God—and the beach seems deserted. My gaze catches on the dark silhouette of a small surf shop, barely visible against the skyline. “T-t-there,” I manage, pointing. “C-clothes.”
Without hesitation, Wake scoops me up and sprints for the building. My head lolls against his shoulder, the exhaustion catching up to me, but I’m vaguely aware of him smashing through the shop’s glass door with his fist, careful not to hurt me as he steps inside. He moves with purpose, scanning the room before spotting a rack of clothes.
He sets me down gently, his hands rough but steady. “Here… what do you need?”
I point weakly to the rack of rash guards and t-shirts. “I-insulation,” I stammer, “F-for w-warmth.”
He nods once and goes. A minute later, he returns with a full-body suit, printed with cherry blossoms, and a T-shirt that’s at least three sizes too big with Hello Kitty and Friends emblazoned on the front. The words I Heart Japan are splashed across it in bright, cheerful letters.
I let out a strained laugh, my breath hitching. “It’ll do.”
He dresses me quickly, his touch gentle despite the urgency. He steps away, only to return with a bottle of water. “Drink,” he orders, holding it to my lips. I take a few small sips, the cool liquid soothing my raw throat.
“Thank you,” I whisper, my voice hoarse.
Wake moves behind me, pulling me into his lap and wrapping his body around mine. His warmth seeps into me, and slowly, slowly, the shaking starts to subside. My muscles relax, my body finally starting to calm.
“So,” Wake’s voice rumbles in my ear, “This is human civilization.”
I snort weakly, “Technically speaking, I suppose I can’t argue that.”
The moment of reprieve is nice, but doesn’t last long. I can feel Wake’s tension beneath his stoic demeanor, and I know he’s thinking the same thing.
“I’ve never seen a transformation take place unintentionally,” Wake says after a long pause.
His words hang heavy between us, and dread claws at my chest. That's exactly what I'd hoped he wouldn't say. “Never?”
“Never.” His voice is grim. “The change is automatic, triggered by an excess of oxygen or the presence of seawater. You should not have begun to regain your legs at the bottom of the sea.”
A chill runs down my spine, and not from the cold. “So that means… I can’t return to the sea until we figure out what went wrong.”
Wake stiffens, his arms tightening around me. “What happens if you shift again while on land?”
I force a weak smile. “We find the nearest bathtub?”
“Phoebe,” he growls, the concern in his voice evident.
I bite my lip, thinking hard. “The simplest answer is that something went wrong with my gene editing. Like… we got 98% of the job done, and the last bit is leaving my DNA… unstable.”
Wake’s voice is sharp, cutting through the air. “And what happens if this continues?”
I grimace. “My corrupted DNA could keep spreading, infecting everything. We’re talking cancer, organ failure… a whole list of nasty issues when your cells start to die.”
His grip tightens, as if he’s trying to hold me together. “This will not happen.”
Tears well in my eyes. “I don’t see how we can stop it. Not now that we’re cut off from Enigma.”
The crunch of glass underfoot startles us both. Wake’s up in an instant, his teeth bared, ready to fight.
“Hold your fire,” a voice calls. “I’m friendly, I swear!”
I push myself up, and my breath catches in my throat when I see the figure standing at the entrance.
The intruder smiles, “I heard you were looking for some help from Enigma? I think I can help with that.”
“Hiro?” I gasp.
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