IT WAS a perfect afternoon to go out on the water. Sunlight glinted off the waves, and there was a light breeze taking away the heat if not the scent of smoke and ash. Jordan loved living near the water. He’d grown up so far inland that he’d never even seen the ocean until he came here. He couldn’t imagine living inland again. The sky was cloudless, but hazy from the smoke, and next week promised only more heat and wind—not what the firefighters wanted. Jordan put his hands in his pockets and waited for Edra to show.
The cops who were taking them out were not pleased about heading toward Alcatraz. Well, one had been eager, until he was chewed out. Jordan kept his own apprehension and excitement locked up tight. He was going to get up close to mermaids. On some level that was super cool.
On the other hand, he’d read a stack of intel about mermaids, and he took Edra’s warning quite seriously, even though he’d read a mermaid’s song was only dangerous underwater. Scientists had recorded their song underwater and had found it had hypnotic qualities even when played in the lab.
He checked the headphones were still in his pocket, though he didn’t know what good they’d do if he ended up in the water.
Edra strolled down their pier, looking more like a tourist than a cop or even a mytho cop. He had on shorts, the ones he’d been given when naked in the Presidio, and a T-shirt and a pair of old runners.
He gave Jordan a once-over and lifted his eyebrows. “You aren’t dressed for a swim.”
“And you are.” What was going on?
“If I have to shift in a hurry, I’d rather be wearing cheap clothes.”
“You’re expecting this to go badly.”
He gave a sharp nod. “It’s mermaids. Of course it’s going to go badly.”
They stepped onto the boat, and Edra shuddered and clamped his teeth together. Then he sucked in a breath, stepped farther aboard, and found a seat. Jordan let the officers know they were ready to go.
“Don’t get too close, and don’t go too fast,” Edra said, his face pale.
Jordan leaned on the railing next to him so he could watch the water. “Do you not like boats?”
Edra looked up. “I fly. This… this is….” The boat pulled away from the pier, and Edra swallowed.
“They sell seasick tablets.”
“Mmm.” Edra closed his eyes.
“Did you want to fly?”
“I can’t talk to them if I’m a dragon. Shut up and let me not think about this.”
Jordan smiled. Dragons had weaknesses. He breathed in the salt water spray as the boat skipped over the waves. Several tourist boats were out—twin-hulled catamarans and speedboats. All were avoiding the area marked off with warning buoys, but the police boat slowed and then crossed the line.
Edra straightened and opened his eyes. “Keep your gaze on the water. They won’t let us get much closer.” He stood and gripped the railing so tight his knuckles whitened. He jerked his head at the island, where mermaids had been sunning themselves. “Look. They’re sliding into the water.”
Like so many bony gray seals, they wiggled off the rocks and into the water. Their hair streamed out like seaweed as they made their way toward the boat. While six remained on the surface, the rest vanished. Jordan had never felt more like prey, and mermaids were smarter than sharks.
The boat didn’t feel big enough. He glanced at Edra. Coming here was a bad idea, and Jordan couldn’t fly away if they got into trouble.
A knock sounded beneath the boat. Then another.
“Kill the engine,” Edra said.
The driver ignored him. Something scraped along the bottom of the boat, and the hull screamed as though it were being cut open.
“Do what he says,” Jordan said. The sound echoed in his bones.
The boat stopped and was silent, rocking dead on the waves. Up until that point, it had seemed like a routine outing. Now, as one mermaid approached the boat, her eyes wide and pale like pearls, Jordan wished that he hadn’t been so insistent. But he was the cop responsible for mytho crimes, so he had to do this.
The boat tipped to the side, and Edra swore. He shot Jordan a glare that was almost as terrifying as the mermaid now staring up at them. Jordan gripped the railing a little tighter because he didn’t want to fall in.
“What do you want, knight?” There was no respect in her use of the title.
“I need to speak with the water dragon.”
She squealed like worn-through brakes. “There is no water dragon. Why did you bring humans here?”
“This is Inspector Kells. We’re investigating some stolen elf armor. I spoke to the water dragon only a few days ago.”
“Are you good to eat, Kells?”
The boat lurched as it tipped further, and a wave sloshed over the side. Jordan gripped the railing with both hands and wished he’d worn a life vest. “They’re going to toss us out.”
“Yeah, probably. Then they’ll torture us to death and eat us. Happy?” Edra muttered. “Where is Mistress Selena?”
“Not here.”
The knocks on the hull continued, interspersed with scrapes, as though they were peeling the boat like a metal orange and he was the juicy flesh inside.
“Who are you?” Edra asked.
She laughed, and Jordan had to fight the urge not to shudder.
“What about the dragon eggs? Where are they?” Jordan said. They weren’t going to get anything of use out of the mermaids. Edra had said they were difficult, but it wasn’t as though they could haul them into the station for questioning. Or could they? Jordan lowered his voice. “Can we bring her in?”
“Are you—”
The boat pitched and Jordan slipped, smashing his elbow on something metal. He swore and tried to get his footing. The mermaid grabbed a handful of Edra’s shirt and pulled him over. Jordan reached for Edra’s leg, but his fingers only brushed his skin. Then he was gone beneath the water.
“Edra! Fuck.” He toed off his shoes. The banging and rocking had stopped. It was safe.
A hand on his arm stopped him. “I wouldn’t,” said the officer in charge of the boat.
Jordan shrugged off his hand. He needed to get Edra. But as he looked at the water, his courage faltered. Mermaids surfaced all around the boat, all of their pale eyes on them like so many hungry sharks waiting for dinner to drop overboard. Jordan stared back. They were barely inside mermaid territory, but it didn’t matter. They would never reach the border if they started the boat or tried to swim. They were being detained.