Page 109 of Oceansong
Angie nodded, mute.
“Makes me sick.” Mia clenched her fists at her side. “Let’s make this fast. Are we getting the others out too?”
“I don’t think we can,” Angie whispered. “We won’t have enough time to come back before Nick and those guys come looking for us. The others, I hope they won’t suffer much longer. I’m sorry.” She directed her apology to Aurora and the other mer, before approaching Cyrus’ tank and grabbing the stepstool. “Can you lie the bag on the floor? We can pull him out and into the bag. Then slide him into the bin and roll him out.”
After laying the bag flat, Mia grabbed a second stepstool to stand next to her at Cyrus’ tail end. “Ready? One, two…” Angie reached over the tank to grab Cyrus under the shoulders, and Mia grabbed the end of his tail.
He was dead weight, too much for both of them to lift from their angles, and he slipped back into the tank. This wasn’t going to work, and Angie raked her mind for what to do next. Mia looked equally at a loss for ideas.
More shouts came from outside, and Angie opened the outhouse door to see what the clamor was about.
The whirlpool grew in its diameter, its edges dangerously close to the gangway, and she sucked in a sharp breath. Nick and the workers were gone.
The mer had come for her.
Trying to contain her panic, Angie’s gaze drifted to the spiderweb crack on the back of Cyrus’ tank. She put a finger on the site of the impact, and gave a gentle push. It felt thinner than the rest of the tank.
“Did you find something?” Mia asked.
“I think so.” Angie turned the worktable around with Mia’s help. She eyed the crack, and then at her stepstool.
Bracing herself, and picked up the stool and with all the strength she could summon, swung it at the crack. It gave, more thin lines spreadingfrom its center.
Two smashes later from her and Mia, and the glass shattered. The force of the water rushing forth nearly knocked Angie off her feet, and she threw her hands over her head, widening her stance.
Cyrus rolled out like a ragdoll, landing atop the garbage bag they laid on the floor earlier. Avoiding the glass shards that had been sprayed around them, Angie and Mia used their collective strength to turn the forty-pound garbage bin over on its side. They grabbed the bag on each end, holding him like he was a hammock and they were trees. He felt lighter, looked smaller.
“Angie? You came,” Cyrus murmured, his eyes batting open for a brief moment. “And Mia. Thank you.” His head fell back, eyes closing again. After exchanging a knowing glance with Mia, they used the bag to slide Cyrus into the bin.
“What are we doing with him now? Throwing him back in the water?” Urgency spiked Mia’s voice. “Is he even going to live?”
“At least whatever happens, he’ll be home. Not trapped here.” Angie shook her head in disdain. With Cyrus secured and hidden, she peeked out the back entrance and motioned to Mia. She pulled and Mia scrambled to the other side and pushed, grunting and wincing. “Sorry. You don’t have to push so much. I’ll take more of the weight.” Angie tightened her core and used both hands to pull the bin and they scurried to the shore.
They inched closer to the coast. Fifty feet, give or take, and they would be close enough to toss Cyrus in.
Adrielle appeared at the shoreline, tail flicking with anxiety, sunlight bouncing off her sepia skin. Angie came to a dead stop, but Mia lagged, nearly rolling the bin into Angie. Inside, the mer-prince didn’t stir.
Almost there. Ten feet more.
The whirlpool had become a raging maelstrom, just feet away from where Adrielle was. The angry sea swirled, the sound of loud rushing water pounding into Angie’s ears.
Was Adrielle doing this as revenge for Cyrus? Angie didn’t think Adrielle would hurt her or Mia, but the other dockworkers could be fair game.
They stepped onto the sand, and Angie braced herself to maintain her balance. Mia grunted. “I’m going to have a chat with them later. About them firing you.” When they were inches from the sealine, Angie and Mia overturned the bin once more.
Two armed sentinels floated next to Adrielle, keeping watch on her. Her eyes, the color of burnished leather, went first to Angie and Mia, and then to the bin. Hope brightened her exquisite features. “Cyrus?”
“Yes.” Mia reached inside for Cyrus, and Adrielle helped to pull himout.
“Here, he’s yours.” Mia motioned to him.
“Oh, my love.” Adrielle’s voice was hushed as she cradled him in her arms. She leaned in to kiss him and brush the hair out of his shut eyes, and then kissed one of the lacerations on his arms. “He lives, but needs attention. He has lost a lot of blood, and does not have much life left in him.” She pressed her forehead to Cyrus, stroking his cheek. “I will do everything in my power to ensure you live and meet your baby.”
“Congratulations, Adrielle. I’m expecting, too.” Mia put a hand on her stomach.
“Oh Goddess, that is wonderful.” Radiance glowed on Adrielle’s features, her gaze aimed at Mia’s midsection. “Thank you both so much. I hope I can repay you someday.”
“You don’t have to, but maybe when our babies are born, they can play with each other? So, they can learn to respect the land and sea,” Mia said.
