I would appreciate that, Zoe. But I cannot leave my calf. And even if I were to ascend at this moment, the Water Lana collected for the t.i.the is gone. I"d never be able to get it back before the equinox tomorrow. A lilt of hopelessness tainted her words.
Zoe wouldn"t have any of that. There had to be a way to get the Water back. Then we get more. We find some Wyldlings who can help. Go to the Dreaming like the Fyres did...
How would the Waeters get in? Lily said softly.
Good point. Zoe closed her eyes, searching for an alternative. Everything led to Lily. She was the only answer. The Dreaming had told Zoe so by calling her in the first place. Please, Lily. We have to try.
I"m sorry, Zoe. Lily blew, and Araluen"s weak exhalation rose beside her. The mother and her baby fluked up and headed for open ocean.
Pressing her lips together so tightly they hurt, Zoe clasped her hands to her hips and watched after the whales. Several more blows steamed the air. Lightning slit open the sky. Water against Fire. And the Fire was winning.
No. Not if she had anything to say about it. She"d been brought into this mess to help the Waeters, and by G.o.d, that"s what she would do.
Zoe climbed aboard the Zodiac. She called Adriene, who was waiting in the parking lot, and told her she"d catch a ride home later. Then she turned her phone to vibrate. Gavin didn"t need to know where she was going or what she was about to do. It killed her not to be able to trust him after all they"d been through, but this wasn"t about them. It was about saving the world.
She started the engine, signaled the harbormaster on the radio, and left Urangan Harbour alone.
On the way to the bay, she sent out S.O.S. calls to the whales. I need help, she sang. I"m looking for a surrogate mother to feed a sick calf. Meet me at Moon Point. Even if you can"t nurse a baby, there"s something else you can do. I"m desperate, and time is running out. I have until this evening to make an action plan.
More tears filled her eyes. She didn"t try to stop them. She needed all the Water she could get, and tears seemed like a pretty good source. The droplets flew off her cheeks into the pa.s.sing winds.
Poor Lily. Poor Araluen.
She felt so helpless.
I can help, a whale called from far away.
Me, too!
We"re coming.
The voices merged and swelled like the sea around her into a mighty stew of sound. Chills climbed Zoe"s back. Goose b.u.mps p.r.i.c.kled her skin.
A dark-haired human head popped up beside her, and Zoe nearly choked on her own spit. Instinct shot her hand to the throttle and dropped it into neutral. The boat slowed, its momentum pitching her forward. She heaved in a few breaths.
Two more heads surfaced.
The Tongans.
And here she was, in the middle of nowhere with no Sentinel to protect her should they get cranky.
Screw it. She had nothing to lose. If the Tongans wanted to kill her, let them try. She leaned over the side b.u.mper. "Uh, any chance you could give me some help?"
The trio of big boys circled the boat like sharks, their brilliant blue eyes eerie against the dark backdrops of sky and skin.
"I guess you heard about Lana?" she said.
They stopped in unison, triangulated around the Zodiac, and stared. None of them appeared to be treading water, yet they bobbed with the currents as if floating.
Though the seas were calm, the Water welling inside her raged. A swell of emotion rushed through her veins-most of it deep, sad pain. The death of Lana, who"d been an innocent in this b.l.o.o.d.y war. Lily"s refusal to take the job she was destined for. The possibility of losing people she cared about, like the father she"d reconnected with after thirty years apart. And Gavin, the man she"d fallen stupid-crazy in love with, who"d betrayed her.
Zoe pushed the emotions aside as best she could, but the thickness of the intense feelings congealed her blood. She put on her game face and prayed her words would have the desired effect. "I don"t know where your allegiance lies, but I pegged you as Lily"s followers. If you want to see her take her rightful place as the head of the Waeters, you"ll do as I ask."
"We support Lily," one said, his voice as melodious as a lullaby.
Relieved, but unwilling to let down her guard, Zoe straightened and laid her hands on her hips. "She"s not interested in ascending, but I"m working on her. In the meantime, I need you to gather every Waeter you can find in Australia. Tell them to Waterwalk-or whatever it is you Elementals do-here. The Fyres will attack tomorrow, and I need an army to defend the Dreaming. You and the Sentinels will have to work together. You"re the only hope for the Dreaming. If Wyldlings die, you won"t be able to feed."
"The Dreaming is closed to Elementals." Number Two"s voice was a carbon copy of the first guy"s.
She squared her shoulders and adjusted her cap. "Not for long."
The trio looked at each other, back and forth. Some kind of triplet communication, maybe?
The third Tongan"s dark, intimidating gaze lightened by half a shade. Hooked. "We will bring you Elementals."
Yes! She stuffed her trembling hands into her shorts pockets. "Several others will meet on this side of the Veil tomorrow near Platypus Bay. When the door opens, you can lay waste to every blasted Fyre in the place."
"You"ll take care of Lily." No question in the first guy"s voice. Only command.
She nodded. "I will." G.o.d, she hoped she would. "But the Water Lana had collected is gone, so you Elementals will have to work overtime to restock."
The Tongans faced her and offered a collective, brutal smile. Those knowing grins on such hard, menacing faces raced chills up and down her arms.
"You know something I don"t?" It was hard to sound tough, surrounded by guys who could capsize her boat with the flick of a finger.
"We found Lana-"
"Shortly after her attack-"
"Before she died."
A subtle blue glow shimmered off their bodies, rippling the water between them. It grew brighter, merged. A surge of bubbles surfaced and winked like sparkling eyes.
Zoe gasped. "She gave you the Water she"d collected?"
"For safe keeping-"
"Until Lily ascends-"
"Our secret." The Tongans touched index fingers to their lips, and the glowing ceased as suddenly as it had started.
A grin eased across her mouth and morphed into laughter. That would explain why Lana"s body hadn"t disintegrated like the Fyres she"d seen killed before. If the Tongans siphoned all of her Water before she expired, maybe Lana"s body had reverted to its pure human form.
"As my crazy Aunt Renee used to say, I"ll be dipped in s.h.i.t."
"Do not celebrate yet."
"There is still not enough Water-"
"-between us to ensure the Balance."
"But it"s a lot more than the Fyres will expect. The humans are prepared to help. Make your t.i.thes to Lily tomorrow, and the Waeters can channel Water from the Wyldlings to fuel your defense in the Dreaming. It might not be enough, but at least we"ll have a fighting chance."
"We will quench the Fyres."
"Or die trying."
"Until tomorrow, Translator."
With the grace of sea lions, the Tongans dove into the depths. Three straight lines of bubbles formed a white triangle on the blue surface, the fleeting, solitary sign of anyone having been there.
Well, that was one huge item marked off Zoe"s list. Now all she had to do was locate a lactating mother whale, drum up some antibiotics, convince Lily to ascend, and find a way to let the Waeters into the Dreaming.
Drawing a deep breath, Zoe fixed her gaze on the vast ocean ahead. A lone captain in a sea of hopelessness, she sang to anyone who would listen.
Chapter Thirty-eight.
Why are so many Elementals after us, Mum? Araluen asked as Lily led him to the depths of the bay where Fyres were least likely to venture. He probably wouldn"t be able to hold his breath more than a few minutes. He was weaker today than yesterday.
Lily"s gaze fell on his useless blue eye. Its beauty masked his disability well. They want me to do something I can"t.
Like what?
She caressed his back. They want me to give you up, Araluen. I could never do that. Especially not after losing her last calf.
But whales are getting hurt. Humans, too. Why can"t you do what they want? I have many protectors who can take care of me. He stretched out a pec flipper as if testing the compressions left in the water from the pumping flukes surrounding them. Most other calves aren"t so lucky.
You need milk. And you"re injured.
Zoe"s looking for a whale that might help.
I know. But even if she finds a surrogate, and I become Archelemental, you and I won"t be together.
You said we"d only be together for a year anyway. What"s a few months less?
Lily"s great heart tripped with dark blue Water. Leaving me wouldn"t make you sad?
Maybe for a little while, but I"d be happier knowing you helped many others instead of being so overprotective of a little whale like me. He opened his mouth and flashed a baleen-laden grin.
I"m your mother. It"s my job to protect you.
Araluen slowed and faced her, his smile gone. But, because of you, Elementals are after me now. I might be safer with someone else. And the humans depend on you to keep the Fyres away. It"s wrong to refuse so many to stay with me. The other humpbacks will watch over me. Zoe will, too.
Murmurs of agreement slithered through the waves from the eavesdropping pod.
Listen to the boy, Lily. We"ll raise him as we would our own, a female said.
Not without milk, you won"t.
You have milk. Zoe"s song interrupted from the surface, echoing down the darkening layers of ocean. I found you a surrogate. Her name is Kadee.
The day"s last rays of sunlight revealed a humpback swimming alongside the little boat. A jolt of emotion tingled up Lily"s back. She refused to label it hope. She"d seen hope wither into despair far too many times.
Lily buoyed and blew near the Zodiac. Zoe grinned at her, hair a wind-blown mess, bags under her eyes, but victorious in her tall, proud pose. Her shoulders bounced with a laugh as she crouched and waved a hand through the water. Lily nuzzled it, and Araluen popped up beside her.
"I brought medicine for the little one." Zoe held up a long syringe filled with fluid. "Don"t ask where I got it. I could get in so much trouble for this."
When it came to whales, Zoe had never bothered to worry about the consequences of her actions. She followed her heart. There was much Water in that Wyldling.
Thank you for looking out for Araluen, Zoe.
The calf swam close to the boat. Is this going to hurt?
"I"m afraid it will a bit, but you"re the bravest whale I"ve ever met. A little skin p.r.i.c.k ought to be a breeze for a tough guy like you. I promise it"ll make you feel better in a day or two."
Araluen turned to Lily. You"re right. I can handle it. I don"t even need Mum to comfort me. He stretched out his back and floated beside the boat.
Lily"s clever boy might be frail, but he was stronger than he let on. How she loved him for his determination and tenacity.
Zoe leaned over the b.u.mper. "I"ll try to be quick. One...two-" She jabbed the needle through skin and blubber and depressed the plunger. "Three."
Araluen barely flinched. See, Mum? I didn"t need you at all.
You are quite brave. Lily turned to the whale Zoe had brought along. And you are most generous to offer your milk, Kadee, but we cannot accept your gift.
Araluen flicked his ragged flukes, making a great splash. Mum?
Zoe"s expression fell. "Lily, Kadee is our only hope. Please, listen to her story before you decide."
The Water rippling off Kadee was so dark and heavy, Lily could taste it. She must have lost her calf.
A big whale by humpback standards, Kadee had more white on her belly and sides than most. She faced Lily, closed her eyes, and lowered her head. Lily sensed grief but also a strong desire to help.
Please, don"t bow to me. I deserve no more reverence than anyone else. Lily touched the pleats on the underside of Kadee"s mouth and brought their heads level. Of course, I will hear your story.
Kadee cast her gaze downward. Fyres attacked my calf and me a week ago near Sydney. We were the victims of the same Elementals who shot the mother of the baby in the harbor there. My wounds were superficial. My calf"s were not.
He was one of many babies I"ve borne, but he was my first son. Very...special to me. Kadee lifted her head. I would be honored to help you and Araluen, as well as the humans and the Waeters. Since my calf died, my heart is full of holes. The Water has nowhere to go but out.
I know you understand my loss, Lily. Allow me to shoulder some of your burden. I am strong. I am a good mother who yearns for a son to love and take care of. Kadee turned to Araluen.