“DO YOU FEEL anything yet?” Fathom asked. “Pain? Discomfort? The subtle shifting of your genetic code?”

Aluna felt the Ocean Seed inside her, but as far as she could tell, it was just sitting there in her gut doing nothing. Why wasn’t the seed working? The transformation was supposed to begin immediately. Back in the City of Shifting Tides, the Elders carried the young Kampii from the ritual dome to the medic dome as soon as they swallowed their seeds. It was an essential part of the ceremony, both symbolically and out of necessity.

Fathom wanted a show, and since Aluna wanted him to release Daphine, she had to give him one.

She faked a wince and dropped to one knee, trying to remember the time Anadar had walloped her in the stomach with the flat of his spearhead. “Barnacles,” she hissed. That sentiment, at least, did not require much acting.

“Excellent,” Fathom said, and tapped some buttons on the device attached to his arm. “Now, how would you rate the pain on a scale of one to ten, ten being the worst?”

“Five,” Aluna said through gritted teeth.

“Hm,” he said, twisting his mouth into a frown. “There should be more pain. I have read all the research. Perhaps this will help.”

He pulled back one of his extended metal legs and kicked her in the gut.

Aluna tumbled across the grass, over and over, and landed on her stomach.

“Now?” Fathom asked.

“Eight,” she coughed into the ground.

“Don’t lie to me,” he said. “I may decide that I prefer my other mermaid after all. She already has a tail. It won’t be difficult to remove.”

“I’m not lying,” Aluna said quickly, and she wasn’t. She stayed on the ground and crushed her cheek against the cool earth, wondering if he had cracked any of her ribs. She tried to breathe through the pain, but breathing only made it worse.

“Aluna? Are you there?” Hoku’s voice sounded in her ear like whale song in the empty ocean. A beacon. “I’m using the computer to project my signal as far as I can. I won’t be able to hear you.”

“I’m here,” she whispered into the grass. “I’m here!”

“Tides’ teeth, I hope you’re alive,” said Hoku’s voice. “If you’re out there, please listen. I’ve almost got it figured out. Zorro and I will — watch out!”

Was he talking to Dash? He had to be. They were both alive, and they were both in the dome!

“Sorry, they’re coming too fast,” Hoku said. “But we’re sending help. Hang on, Aluna. Stay alive. Wherever you are, whatever’s happening to you, you’re not alone. Do you hear me? You’re not — no! Stop!”

His voice cut off abruptly.

“Hoku!” Aluna’s heart beat wildly.

In three strides, Fathom was hovering above her. “Who are you talking to?” he asked.

Up close, she could see spikes and scales on his belly, could smell oil and burned flesh. His so-called upgrades had ceased being functional ages ago. What he had done to himself had no reasonable explanation.

“No one,” she said, trying to scramble out of his kicking range. “I’m not talking to anyone.”

Stay alive, Hoku had said. She had no idea where he was or what he was doing, but she trusted him. Deep down, she trusted him more than she trusted anyone in the world.

“Ah, it’s your aural communicators!” Fathom said, clearly pleased with himself. “I saw them in the schematics. I should have known you wouldn’t be so stupid as to come here alone.” He looked around the clearing. “Where are they? The range is only a few dozen meters, if I remember correctly.” He motioned to some of his waiting Upgraders. “You four. Fan out and search the woods. Kill every intruder you find.”

The Upgraders grunted and started to jog for the trees. Aluna used the distraction to maneuver into a crouch.

“Wait!” Fathom said. He turned to look at Aluna but spoke to his minions. “When you find the other mermaids, make sure they scream before you kill them. I want this one to hear every second of their suffering.”

“No!” Aluna yelled.

Her friends were somewhere in the dome, trying to save her because she was ridiculous and swam off without them. Her father had been right. In so many ways, she was still a child. Well, it was time to grow up and take responsibility for her bad decisions.

Aluna unclipped her talons and charged.