Atlantis Riptide: Lost Daughters of Atlantis Book 1 Page 12

  I fisted my hands trying to control my excitement. So many questions to ask, so many people to meet.

  “Whoa. We’re not a club.” He rolled his shoulders. “I guess you could call us a secret society. But only secret to the air-breathers.”

  “Air breathers?”

  “Humans who can only breathe air. Who don’t have a choice like us.” He sounded all-superior.

  Which I guess in a way we were.

  “Do a lot of us live on land?” Maybe that explained how I was adopted into an air-breather family.

  “Not by choice.” His voice hardened.

  “How did we get our skills?” Please don’t tell me I’m a science experiment gone wrong.

  “It’s in our genes. You inherit it.” He spoke like he was explaining science to a five-year-old.

  “I was adopted.” Another truth told. “Where do you live? Where do our people call home?” I bounced up and down unable to wait to see everyone, to meet others like me, to learn how they lived.

  “Underwater.”

  I swallowed. “All the time?” I loved the ocean, but to be under all the time, to never see the sun.

  “You’ll love Free Atlantis.” The words sounded tight coming out of his mouth.

  I ignored his mixed signals. The name, Free Atlantis, sounded like the thing I searched for—freedom. My brain clicked with all the possibilities, while the insides of my tummy swished. Everyone lived there. Meaning my parents or people who knew my parents or even some type of distant relatives lived there.

  “Would you like to visit?”

  “Yes.” The word fell out of my mouth like a hushed whisper.

  “Let’s go.” Finn stood up. His actions appeared decisive, like he’d made up his mind about me.

  “Now?” I squinted at the waning sun, at the fog rolling in over the ocean. The scent of cooking on the campground grills reached the beach.

  “Things are quiet now. A good time to visit.” He held out his hand.

  “Do you mean because there are no whirlpools or jellyfish attacks?”

  “Those weren’t natural disasters.” He angled his head and studied me as if he wanted to say more.

  I pulled back. “You saw me and you didn’t help?”

  His face whitened. “You got caught in one of those?”

  “Yes, I—” I didn’t understand. “You didn’t see me in trouble?”

  “No.” He studied the sand. “There have been a number of whirlpools in the area lately.” He seemed to pick his words with care.

  “That aren’t normal or natural.” I knew this from Cuda and now from Finn’s comment.

  “Correct.” He searched the ocean’s horizon. “If we’re going to go to Free Atlantis, we should go now.”

  I studied his face. I wanted to go, needed to go, but caution held back my impulsiveness. “How far is it?”

  I scanned the tents sticking out between the trees. If only I could tell someone I was going. Tell Chase. My back straightened and I pulled my shoulders back. I couldn’t tell Chase anything anymore.

  As if Finn sensed my hesitation, he said, “You’ll be fine. You’re one of us.”

  I liked the sound of that. Belonging. “What if I have problems?”

  “Let me know.” He held his hand out farther.

  I stripped off my shorts and left them in a pile on the hill leading to the campgrounds. Putting my bag on my back, I nodded. “How do you talk underwater? In Free Atlantis.”

  “Same as before, when we first met.”

  Walking toward the water, I tripped on the sand. “Can you hear all my thoughts?”

  His mouth dropped open and he gawked. “No one taught you?”

  “No.” I’d had no one to show me.

  “How did you learn about breathing underwater, and the other things you do?”

  “Instinct. Trial and error.” Bill and Carlita’s terror training.

  “Our communication is like talking. Your thoughts are your own but when you want someone to hear you, your brain just does it. Like flipping a switch.” He used his free hand to demonstrate. “I’ve never had to explain to anyone before. I kind of grew up talking underwater.”

  Another way I was different. “There haven’t been any others who’ve been lost?”

  Finn was silent. His expression became stern. The brown of his pupils darkened. His lips thinned. “There have been rumors…”

  * * *

  We traveled straight into the deeper waters of the Pacific and then south. Even at our super-speed, the journey took over two hours. I was too busy sightseeing to pay much attention to the time or our exact location.

  The ocean grew darker the deeper we traversed. The sunlight didn’t penetrate the water. Shadows moved among us. Finn didn’t take much notice, but shivers scratched down my spine—a warning of danger or my own stupidity.

  Agreeing to go with Finn, a complete stranger, wasn’t the smartest thing to do, but I needed to know where I came from, and possibly where I’d stay. Plus, when Chase reported my story I’d need a place to hide.

  My extra-sensitive eyes showed the terrain morphing from smooth and sandy to mountainous. We swam over and around deep crags and high peaks, like my emotions swam around my excitement at finding others like me and my sadness at Chase exposing me. The water grew warmer.

  “Why is it so hot when we’re so far below?” The heat didn’t affect me, but I could tell the temperature had risen.

  Finn spared me a quick glance. “We’re nearing thermal vents.”

  “Where?” I’d read about thermal vents near the Galapagos Islands. Surely, we weren’t that far.

  “West of Acapulco, Mexico.”

  I hadn’t realized I’d crossed an international border. “Do I need a passport?”

  “No.” Guess he didn’t get my joke or he didn’t have a sense of humor. “We’re almost there.”

  The back of my neck tingled. Fear intertwined with excitement like a rope, the lines twisting back and forth and over each other.

  The harsh environment wasn’t welcoming. I couldn’t see living down here, didn’t understand why people would want to. But if my people were here, then I needed to consider it.

  White flakes floated past in a fast stream like they were being blown our way. The flakes multiplied and covered every surface. It was an underwater blizzard.

  “Finn? What’s with all the flakes?”

  “Bacteria.”

  I wondered about this bacteria. Was it germy bacteria? Poisonous bacteria? Flesh-eating bacteria?

  “Is it dangerous?”

  “No. A new vent must be forming. They grow fast where the tectonic plates are shifting.” That was the most he’d said the entire journey.

  Like he didn’t want to reveal anything to me in advance. Or not at all.

  Finn stopped near a ridge and pulled out a bandana from his swim trunk pocket. “I need to blindfold you.”

  My tummy had churned the entire trip. Now, it jolted. “Why?”

  “The location of Free Atlantis is secret. Only citizens know how to find it.”

  “I thought I was one of you?” Maybe acceptance wasn’t as easy as having the same abilities. Maybe there was a test or a pledge of allegiance.

  “The leaders need to be assured of your loyalty before divulging our location.” He sounded all official-like. He swam behind me and raised the bandana.

  My nerve endings tingled. Bubbles rose in my stomach like a shaken-up soda. I didn’t like this. “Why is it such a secret?” Most free societies didn’t keep their location hidden.

  Finn huffed bubbles of air out of his mouth. “I don’t want to give you a history lesson right now, but there are Royalists who cling to the old ways and believe in superstition and myth.”

  “What myth?” I asked only to delay my decision.

  Finn’s frown added lines around his mouth. “The myth says Atlanteans must wait for three princesses to return before confronting air-breathers about the destruction of the ocean. In
the meantime, our people suffer from famine and wasted resources.”

  I felt for their plight. “There must be something Atlanteans can do.”

  “Not with the current Royal Regent in charge. Over the years he’s taken away rights and trodden on the lower classes.”

  Sounded like the Atlanteans had issues like the rest of the world. My belly heaving, I digested the new information. “Maybe visiting Free Atlantis isn’t a good idea.”

  “Do you want to turn back? Now?” Finn’s thoughts sounded incredulous, but wary all at the same time.

  A battle of my own waged in my mind. If I turned back, I’d have traveled this far for nothing. I was almost there and nothing had happened yet. Finn had been nothing but nice and informative. A benign tour guide. Chase would disapprove.

  To prove him wrong I said, “Okay. I’ll go.”

  Finn tied the bandana around my head, covering my eyes. “Take my hand.”

  I slipped my hand into Finn’s. No tingles shot up my spine like when I touched Chase. No warmth from a special connection. No panic.

  Finn was an okay guy. I wasn’t attracted to him. He was taking me to meet others like me. I had to take this risk and trust him.

  Kicking off, I let Finn lead me to who knows where.

  Chapter Twelve

  Captain Charisma

  When Finn slipped the blindfold off, I felt like Dorothy entering Oz. Except my Oz wasn’t nearly as colorful.

  I blinked a few times before adjusting to the red eerie light in the darkness of the water. It had been inky dark by the underwater mountains, now a strange, orange-red glow emitted from the ground in a series of caverns. Small, round vents shot black smoke into the water. Dark coral clung to the bottom, while tube-leafed plants swayed in the current.

  The view wasn’t what I expected. Nothing like the beautiful ocean I played in. It looked like something out of a post-apocalyptic movie. Steam poured into the water, a sulphur smell fouled the area, silent people trudged by like automatons.

  Now I understood why my parents left.

  Finn puffed out his chest. “Welcome to Free Atlantis.”

  “Is there an Un-Free Atlantis?” I hoped that didn’t sound sarcastic.

  “Unfortunately, there is.” A man with a military-precise bearing approached us.” He studied me. “Is this her?”

  “Yes, Captain Fisher.” Finn saluted. “This is Pearl, the girl my father told you about.”

  My startled gaze settled on Finn. I hadn’t realized I’d met his father. Definitely not underwater. So where? “Nice to meet you.”

  He continued to scrutinize me. His military cut blonde hair turned up at the edges like he tried to control the curls. He held his body stiff and rigid, which was hard to do underwater.

  I wiggled in place, playing with the rope straps of the bag hanging around my shoulders. Something about his bearing and the way he examined me left me feeling icky.

  “No one’s seen her before now?”

  “No, sir.” Finn straightened his shoulders like he was in an army.

  I guess that would be Navy seeing that we were under the ocean.

  “I didn’t know there were others like me.”

  “Show her around.” The captain dismissed us, but his glare followed.

  “Who is he?” I tried to keep the dislike out of my thought.

  “One of the most courageous leaders of Free Atlantis. He risked everything, even his family, for our cause.” Finn sounded over-impressed with the guy. “He’s the leader of the Free Atlanteans and will steer us to victory.”

  “Victory over these supposed-princesses?” Finn might not want to give a history lesson, but I needed to know what I was getting involved in, especially since Finn’s zealousness bordered on devotion.

  “Lost princesses.”

  “Lost how?”

  “When the continent of Atlantis was destroyed—”

  I sucked in a breath? Or water? “I thought Atlantis was a myth.”

  “No. It was real.” Finn shook his head. “Out of anger, Poseidon destroyed the continent. When he realized what he’d done he saved some of the inhabitants.”

  “The princesses?”

  “The princesses were placed in special pods and whisked away for their own protection. Loyal regents watched over the pods and were supposed to bring them back as toddlers so they could train for their royal duties. Only one of the regents returned with a princess.”

  My heart rattled. The story was similar to my own. But no way was I a princess. If all Atlanteans thought of air-breathers like Finn did, they’d never allow a grandchild of Poseidon’s to live above the ocean, especially with people like Bill and Carlita. “And the others?”

  “No one knows.” Finn’s eyes narrowed, watching my reaction to the story. “Unless the Royalists are keeping their existence a secret.”

  “Does Captain Fisher think I’m a spy for the Royalists?” That would explain the blindfold.

  “Of course not.” Finn flashed an insincere smile. “I wouldn’t have brought you here if he did.”

  “I’m good at keeping secrets.” Mostly, anyhow. My thoughts veered to Chase. To stop thinking about him I asked another question. “What happened to the other people of Atlantis?”

  “The inhabitants started a new colony.”

  “Here?” I scanned the area.

  Strange white crabs crawled on the ground. Pencil-sized worms wiggled through the mud. Darkened plumes swayed like a dim field of poppies.

  The idea of living here creeped me out, and yet I needed to seriously think about it. If I wanted to live among my people I’d need to live in Free Atlantis.

  “This is our temporary base.”

  “Whew.”

  Finn glared at me. “We’re revolutionaries fighting for our cause, for the right cause. A little discomfort is worth it. There are people unhappy and dying. Un-Free Atlanteans struggling to survive under an evil Royalist government. Soon we will return to our real home.”

  “Where is your real home? What’s it like?” It must be better than this place.

  “The continent of Atlantis is gone forever but those who survived the destruction founded a new underwater home under an island. A beautiful place where sunlight and fish are plentiful.”

  My unease lightened. This is temporary. When they defeat the Royalists then everyone would return home. Maybe I’d be ready to go with them. “Do the Un-Free Atlanteans know a group of brave revolutionaries are fighting for their freedom?”

  A sneer crossed Finn’s face. “Oh, they know. Princess Cordelia and her gang of thugs try to keep them in the dark, try to keep them clinging to a myth that Poseidon’s progeny will return, but we’re much wiser.”

  So, Poseidon was real too. Surprise puffed out of my mouth in bubbles. Nodding, although not sure I believed, I continued to peer around. People swam by at a slow pace, ducking the blasts from the vents. I pointed. “More thermal vents?”

  “Our power source since we have no access to the sun.”

  I shivered. Even temporarily living without the sun would be difficult.

  Finn swam forward and I followed. “The caverns are safe and deep. We can fit a few families or living groups in each one.” He nodded toward an entrance and then swam into the dark opening.

  Minimal light showcased the interior of the cavern. I followed. Not that there was much to see. A few rocks acting as chairs. Holes in the sand where people appeared to sleep. Cut-outs in the wall holding shells and clams. It reminded me of cave shelters used by early man.

  I might live in a tent, but I think I had more creature comforts than these people.

  Swimming behind him, a group of children rushed up and hugged me. Their words of love and welcome reached inside and touched my heart. They seemed painfully-thin but they appeared happy and healthy.

  Finn high-fived each of the kids with a brilliant smile, enjoying their playfulness. I liked the happy-go-lucky Finn better than the serious-out-for-war Finn.

  N
ot like-like him. I’d given my heart, and my trust, to Chase and he’d crushed it.

  My crushed heart contracted. Pain radiated outwards like my heart wanted the rest of my body to suffer. Holding my unhappiness inside, I forced a serene, pleasant expression on my face.

  Finn led me out of the cavern and a woman approached us, bowing her head. She handed me a closed clam the size of a large hand.

  “For you.” She tapped the shell and the clam opened revealing a ball-sized pearl.

  These people didn’t have much, but they welcomed me with hugs and gifts. Their kindness warmed my soul. “Thank you.” I put the shell in my bag.

  Finn pointed at a long, slimy fish. “Surprisingly, food down here is plentiful.”

  The rib cages showing through the children’s skin didn’t live up to Finn’s statement.

  “Air-breather scientists haven’t discovered chemosynthesis yet, which replaces photosynthesis.”

  Definitely didn’t want a science lesson. It was time to ask the question I’d been holding back, the reason I’d agreed to visit Free Atlantis. “So, if I wanted to find someone here, where would I look?”

  “Who are you looking for?”

  “My biological parents.”

  * * *

  Finn showed me into a large cave that twisted and turned deep under the ocean floor. It reminded me of a bomb shelter.

  “This is where the captain’s office is located and where whatever records we have are kept.” Finn swam ahead of me. “There’s probably not much. Most of the historical records are kept at Princess Cordelia’s castle.”

  The workers in the cave ignored us. In fact, after the initial burst of greetings—almost like a planned welcoming—most of the people had gone about their business.

  Finn stopped in front of a wall of shelves filled with large clams. “Why the urge to find your parents?”

  “I only found out when I turned sixteen that I was adopted. And I just found out from you that there are others like me.”

  “What can you tell me about your background?” Finn opened up one of the clams that had hundreds of paper-like seaweed sheaves inside. “You said you’re sixteen, right?”