Page 90 of Echo and the Homicidal Sea Panda

“If forced into it—yes.”

His mother’s eyes shone with light before it was gone. She glared at Echo before turning that anger back to him. “I’ve lost one son. You’d take another from me?”

“That’s not fair,” Echo barked, eyeing her, his voice even and firm. “Hasn’t he suffered enough pain from what happened? Don’t use guilt to get your way.”

Anger radiated from his mother’s eyes as she focused on his little dolphin. Mael pushed Echo behind him, but his mate refused to move.

Something seemed to snap within his mother. The anger transformed into pain. “You’re right. It wasn’t fair of me. But I’m a mother who doesn’t want to lose her son. I won’t pretend that I agree with this…relationship…of yours but—” She sighed, shaking her head. She captured Mael’s gaze. “I can’t lose another son. Stop this talk of leaving. I’ll have none of it.”

I won’t lose another son.Mael closed his eyes and wobbled a bit on his feet. When he reopened them, he nodded to his mother, unable to speak without fear of his voice breaking.

She looked between him and Echo. “If this is whoyoutrulywant…”

“He’s my mate,” Mael said, struggling to get the words out at first. “Could you have denied Father?”

Her face contorted.

“It’s not as simple as want, Mother. Ineedhim.”

His mother pursed her lips. “I cannot believe fate would pair you with a dolphin. I simply cannot.” She looked to Echo and back to Mael. “You’re simply going to have to prove it to me.”

Mael glanced at Echo, grasping his mate’s hand and squeezing it. It wasn’t approval, but it was as good as they would get. No banishment. No outright refusal. In time, they could prove their connection. Mael glanced down at Echo, who offered a small smile.

He turned his attention back to his mother. “Kaiden. Has he been found?”

“No,” his mother said. She sighed. “He was abducted in orca form by a Chinese vessel.”

“Oh no,”Echo whispered.

“Best case scenario, he’s being taken to one of their many waterparks to perform. Worst case… well, I don’t want to think about the worst case.”

“How old is he now?” Echo asked.

“Six,” Mael answered. He eyed his mother. “Where were his parents?”

“His mother was with him. The vessel shot her with a harpoon first. She was able to free herself before they winched her aboard, but while she was fighting, they netted the boy,” his mother said. “His father was out hunting when it happened and returned in time to save her from drowning. Once she was ashore and had someone to tend to her wounds, he jumped into the water with the plan to trail the boat to its final destination. He’ll likely need help freeing the child—and protecting Kaiden on the long return voyage home.”

“Couldn’t someone fly there and then fly them home?” Echo asked. “Instead of swimming? It would be quicker. Expensive, but quicker.”

“There would be too many questions,” Mael said. “We usually travel by sea so none of us have passports. Getting those could take months. In that time, we could be there and possibly get back with the boy.”

“On the flight out, the Chinese government would want to know how Kaiden and his father got there in the first place without any travel documents,” his mother added. “It could turn into an international incident and eventually turn a light on Maki Island and the residents here. We need to avoid that.”

“We also don’t know where they’re taking Kaiden,” Mael said. “Just because it was a Chinese vessel, that doesn’t mean that’s where they’re offloading him.”

“Ah,”Echo murmured.

Mael eyed Echo. “We swim in, swim out, and none’s the wiser.” He turned back to his mother. “What was a Chinese vessel doing in Alaskan waters?”

“Their fishing boats have long been coming closer and closer,” his mother said. “That and their military, too. Kekia has been worried for some time that they’d get too close. The Chinese still hunt whale—and on occasion, orca. They’ve already lost three of theirs to whaling ships. Several others have left the pod because Kekia is too stubborn to leave.”

“They should join us,” Mael said.

“I’ve asked,” his mother said. “Numerous times. Maybe now she’ll listen. She’s in poor health. Kaiden’s mother is severely injured. There are only two other adult males in that pod, and both are aging. Their other female is pregnant. The rest are children. She called us, begging for our help to get her grandson home because they have no one who can.” She sighed. “Without our help, I doubt they’ll be able to save him.”

Mael eyed his mother. If he went, she would owe him. Maybe he could use that to gain favor for Echo. Yet, the idea of being away from Echo for weeks didn’t sit well, either.

Plus—he’d be in danger in Asian waters.

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