Page 25 of Caged By the Ruthless Thief

I watch as the dot grows, a lump in my throat. I’m battling the urge to jump out of this worthless vehicle and go after him. But he’s made it this far. I can’t help him. Damn it. He’s drifting to one side, holding something huge. It’s wider than his shoulders, and he’s using both hands. I’ve got my block in my hand. I want to call Castor. Actually, I want to call Annabelle, but that can’t happen.

He gets closer and closer. He pauses in front of the governmentomada. The trident in his hand is covered in jewels. It’s gold and silver and it must weigh a ton, even with the displacement of the water. He charges at the shield, and it lets him through. He’s close to having his freedom. But damn, he doesn’t look good. There’s a trail of blood coming from his fluke, and he’s wearing his shirt diagonally across his chest with something in it. He pauses in front of Castor’ssolo. He raises his head at me, and all I can do is hold my hand up in a silent wave.

I’m in shock. But the next minute I’m grinning. Grinning so hard it hurts my face. It’s a long swim back to the government buildings, but he can make it. I know he can.

I start thesoloand follow along behind theomada. I’m not going to let them stop him. At the last minute, I turn my short-range sensors on record. The image isn’t the best, but I have proof he made it back into the city by himself. Shrimp shells, he’s... I’m at a loss. He’s Nico.

Nico dodges another bigomadaand rounds a dome. He winds through small corridor-like streets. This way it’s small enough theomadahas to break off and go around. But it’s just the right size for the Gorsca. I catch a glimpse of Nico’s face. Fuck me, he’s not doing well. The line ofsolosalong this route are sparse, and so far only one has turned around to stop and follow along behind me. Nico is leading a parade of two. The damn trident is hanging from his side, drooping lower and lower with every kick of his legs.

Every cell in my body is on fire. I want to ditch thesoloand swim next to him. But if I do that, it will be even harder to not help him. Even harder to not lighten his load. Damn. Another two blocks, and he crosses a main intersection. The governmentomadais waiting to follow him too. I’m far back enough that it’s obvious I haven’t reached out and helped him at all. It’s killing me, though. The trail of blood has attracted a line of smaller predators, following along behind him. We don’t allow many in under the main shield, but we have to keep some to keep the circle of life going. But if they come any closer to Nico’s fluke, I’m going to jump out of the Gorsca and circle of life their finned little asses to the seabed.

I manage to position myself right behind theomada, pushing myself into the small gap between it and thesolofollowing it. The word is out. There are shifted males gathering along the route to the government building.

He’s going to make it. I zip around the next corner, leaving Nico’s parade to take a detour to reach his destination first.

There is an open airlock where I can dock thesolo, but if there hadn’t been, I would have just dumped the vehicle and shifted.

“Hurry up,” I scream at the water as it drains from around mysolo, leaving me floating as the interior glass opens. He’ll be coming in from the side. The portico is filled with males and a few mermaids. The crowd is bustling.

“Is it true?”

“It can’t be true.”

Both are being touted over and over again.

“Holter!” It’s Bass from theCentauri. “Is it true?”

“It is.” And when I say it, somehow it’s more real than when I saw it with my own eyes.

The airlock opens. Nico limps out.

13

CASTOR

Ishouldn’t have left Athens. There’s so much I need to do. But I couldn’t focus. And after about an hour of angrily signing papers, Katarina, my assistant, told me to leave and come back when I was more human again. Oh, she realized what she was saying, but she was right. So I left. I even used a propulsion device. I never use one. It’s a long way, and I can swim it. But I wanted to get back faster, and Milo needed to sleep. He’d just brought Holter back to the city. Constantine said he was still asleep when I pinged him as I was coming back to the city. Either way, I was going to find Holter and talk to him about going and getting Annabelle.

She clearly didn’t want to leave him. I’ll let Holter make his own decisions, but I know I didn’t want to leave her. I can’t even close my eyes without seeing her. Even with all the protections we put in place for her in Boston. There’s no way she can be as safe there as here. Where we can monitor her.

I’m almost to the edge of the city, and theomadasare trailing in through the shield, back from the public exile of Nico. I didn’t think about my timing, though. My stomach twists. There’s a line of soldiers swimming next to the finalomada. It makes me sick. If Nole had been here instead of on theOmicron, on the wild goose chase after the Skyrothasian princess, maybe something different could have happened. He got a vote, even in his absence, but being here, he could have given a better oration than over the comms.

The line of soldiers turns and glares at me. The one at the end breaks into a smile. He’s Glyden. I recognize his face and his golden fluke.

What are you smiling about? Hell, this is a somber day.

Nico Portsmouth, bringing back the trident. And not some puny little trident, either. It’s fucking massive. Just like him.

My stomach flips.Don’t joke around like that.

I’m not joking. Am I, Bacchus?

He’s not joking. He swam past us just thirty minutes ago.

Shit. I kick harder.

He was looking pretty bad, but I’m sure he’ll make it to the government building.

He will.I close him out. He’d better, or I’ll kill him.

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