Page 28 of Wayfinder
“How exactly are we supposed to butcher that thing? It’s bigger than the boat?”
Good question, and thankfully, one easily answered.
The remnants of broken spears littered the bottom of the boat. I selected one with the spearhead intact. Removing the small metal anchor from its line, I attached the spear piece with a strong knot, then heaved it at the floating carcass. The spearhead hit home just below the dorsal fin.
“We tow it to shore,” I grinned at her.
Pearl rolled her eyes but smiled. “Smartass.”
I started the engine and turned the boat toward shore.
We didn’t talk on the return trip.
The gentle hum of the engine and the rhythmic sloshing of the waves created an atmosphere of tranquility much needed after recent events.
Pearl sat close to me, her body trembling occasionally, still affected by the adrenaline rush from the battle. I, too, couldn’t help but feel shaken by the events, my mind reeling with what could have happened to Pearl if I hadn’t been able to defeat the creature.
Without thinking, I wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her against my side. A deep sigh of relief escaped her lips as she melted into my embrace. I felt my heart swell with the rightness of the moment and how perfect she felt in my arms.
I directed our boat not to the dock, but to a small inlet just up the coast.
The teal water gradually grew shallower, hinting at the glistening white sands that shimmered beneath the surface. Itwas the perfect spot to bring in our massive catch. As the boat gently touched bottom, I lifted Pearl into my arms and carried her to shore before returning to tackle the catch of a lifetime. The sand was soft and cool beneath my feet as I dragged the immense creature onto land, its scales glinting in the sunlight like jewels.
“I can’t believe how much it looks like a shark.” Pearl knelt by the ajkula, examining it as I retrieved our butchering knives. “Except for the weird fin fingers and the janky tale.”
Janky?
Her words drew my attention to the creature. The video we’d watched showed the ajkula’s tail to be a thick, forked shape, as solidly muscled as the rest of its body. Something had serrated this creature’s tail, so water easily passed through the appendage. No wonder the fish wasn’t swimming strongly.
“The tail is notjanky,” I said, despite having no reference for the word. “The tail is shredded.”
“What?” Pearl frowned at me as I knelt down beside her. “You mean somebody tampered with this big-ass fish, too?”
“Yes.”
Pearl gave an aggravated snort. “The Baron really wants to win the wager, doesn’t he?”
I grunted, more in thought than agreement.
“You don’t think it’s the Baron?” she guessed.
“I don’t. The Baron has tasted your cooking. He would know you needed no such subterfuge to win.”
Pearl smiled, swatting my arm playfully. “Sweet.” Then, her humor faded to worry in the time it took me to blink. “You really think whoever is trying to hurt humans is behind this, don’t you?”
I nodded, feeling the rage rise inside me at the thought that anyone would want to hurt Pearl.
“Are my friends safe?” Her lower lip trembled, and it was all I could do not to rub my thumb over it.
“They are well protected aboard the Bardaga,” I promised. Probably more so because they’d become mates of my brethren, although I could not bring myself to mention it. Not because I didn’t believe in the validity of the mating... this time envy of my brothers churned in my soul.
“So, if not the Baron, why is someone so desperate for me to win?” Pearl took the small, curved knife in her palm, considering it as she thought. Perhaps deciding if the blade would be as good as a weapon as it was for butchering.
“Because the winner of this wager has the honor of preparing the birthday feast for one of the most powerful men in the galaxy—Duke Ako,” I admitted to the theory I’d been pondering for days. “Everything else we’ve discovered is tied to the Duke’s son, Nansar, in some way. I don’t think this is a coincidence.”
“What do we do?” Pearl looked so worried I couldn’t stop reaching out and cupping her cheek in my palm. She sighed and leaned into the touch, blue eyes sparkling.
“Now, we butcher this fish, and you cook something utterly delicious and win the competition.”
