Page 106 of Daughter of the Deep

‘You’re going after them, aren’t you? If you attack Land Institute, you’ll need somebody who knows their campus, their security, their people.’

I stare at him, trying to find the Dev I used to know. ‘You’re offering tohelpus?’

‘It’s better than staying in here forever.’ He shakes the grate. I’ve never known him to be claustrophobic, but now I’m starting to wonder. He seems panicky, lost, scared. ‘Let’s cut a deal. I help you, you let me go. You – you’ll never see me again, I swear.’

His words are crushing my heart, but I try not to show it. I shake my head. ‘No deal.’

‘Ana, please … I … What do you want? You let the others go. I can’t stay in this box forever. You’re not that cruel.’

‘Maybe not. But you’ll have to do something else if you want your freedom.’

He tilts his head, no doubt anticipating some kind of trap. ‘What?’

I wave at the security camera in the corridor. The grate slides open.

‘I have something to show you,’ I tell Dev. ‘Come on.’

He laughs incredulously. ‘You’ll just let me walk out of here?’

‘For the moment,’ I say.

‘Where are your guards?’

‘No guards,’ I say. ‘I asked everyone to stay clear. It’s just you and me.’ I raise an eyebrow. ‘If you want to try to overpower me, go ahead.’

Most animals, including humans, can sense fear. They can smell weakness. I am terrified, of course, but I guess I do a good enough job hiding it. Dev steps over the threshold cautiously, as if I might attackhim.

‘This way.’ I turn and lead him down the corridor.

My shoulder blades tingle. I can sense my brother glaring at my back, thinking about different ways he could knock me unconscious and escape. I’m not at all certain he won’t try. But this is something I have to do. It will only work if I act like I’m completely in command – even if that’s not how I feel.

We stop at the vault door that leads to the lagoon.

‘Go ahead.’ I gesture to the lock. ‘It’ll still respond to your DNA.’

His eyes glitter coldly. ‘Now Iknowthis is a trick. You’re letting me near theNautilus? What did you do, program the door to shock me? Teach me a lesson?’

I feel so heavy and sad I can barely shake my head. ‘No tricks. No shocks. We’re not Land Institute, Dev. Neither are you.’

He frowns, then places his hand on the panel. The internal mechanisms click and release. The door swings open.

Inside the cavern, green metal dragonflies swirl lazily overhead. Docked at the pier, in the multicoloured light of the phytoplankton clouds, theNautilusglimmers like an alt-tech mirage. The bristles, wiring and complex quilt-work of her hull no longer seem strange to me. She looks like home.

Dev inhales sharply. He’s only ever seen theNautilusunderwater and from a distance, or as a glowing blip on theAronnax’s readouts. Now, seeing her up close for the first time … Well, I remember how that felt.

‘She’s beautiful,’ he murmurs. His tone is a mix of envy and wonder.

Near our feet, Socrates breaks the surface of the water. He chatters furiously at Dev.

‘Hey, buddy.’ Dev’s voice turns ragged. He crouches at the edge of the pier.

Socrates continues to excoriate him.

Dev looks sheepishly at me. ‘I can guess what he’s saying.’

‘He’s not happy with you,’ I agree.

Dev nods morosely. I trust him not to hurt Socrates, at least. Even if Dev could convince himself to destroy our entire school, intentionally doing harm to someone who loves you, face-to-face … that’s much harder. We are not abstract thingsfor Dev to hate. We’re his family. I need him to see the difference, tofeelit.

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