Fathom L. Standage (books for 8th graders .TXT) 📖

“How much did he see?” asked Seidon.

“I’m not sure,” Eamon replied. “Just the Prayer, Olivia?”

“Umm…I think.”

Cordelia’s frown deepened. “Doran Linnaeus should have been drowned in the fetid mud hole he spawned from,” she said. She took a sip of her water. Her and Seidon’s glasses were nearly empty, and they had just been refilled. They must have been thirsty.

“What do you think he wants?” asked Calder from across the table.

“He’s wanted proof of our existence for years,” said Cordelia with a toss of her head. “A vessel’s contents would have done the job.”

“I don’t know,” said Walter. “We think it goes further than that this time.”

I watched the conversation like a tennis match. What was I doing here? Sam and I were nothing but weird spectators gawking at the mythical creatures. Was there a purpose of having us here other than because Linnaeus—and kind of the merpeople—wanted us dead?

“He’s done things like this before, hasn’t he?” Natasha asked.

“Aye,” said Eamon. “He’s contacted me in the past, wanting to meet a merperson, even offering to help them. He’s a manipulator. He’ll say or do anything to get what he wants.”

“Ever since he caught a glimpse of one of our more…careless citizens, he’s been trying to make contact,” said Cordelia. I wanted to ask about the details, but Walter spoke up next.

“Olivia, you said there was a file in Linnaeus’s desk with information about the merpeople in it.”

“Yeah,” I replied. “There was stuff about Delfina and”—I thought back a moment—“someone else. I forgot his name. I think it begins with an M? Marius, Maris… something like that. There was more too, but I didn’t get a chance to see it all.”

“Marinus,” said Eamon. “Yes, I remember you mentioning him.”

“Marinus?” said Natasha, her face becoming arched and angry.

“You know him?” I asked.

She frowned and snatched a breadstick. “We’ve met.”

“Marinus,” Cordelia spat as though the name were a swearword. “Why we let that traitor near the Zydrunas temple, I have no idea.”

“I guess he doesn’t want his finger back,” said Seidon. This brought on a cacophony of questions, but the waiter arrived with our food. As he lowered Uther’s plate of shrimp scampi, the merpeople cringed.

“You know those things are the bottom feeders of the ocean, don’t you?” said Seidon despite the waiter nearby handing out plates. I laughed. He was right, and it was common knowledge—at least to anyone who knew anything about the ocean.

Uther scooped a shrimp, saluted Seidon with it, put it in his mouth, and chewed with slow enjoyment. Seidon shuddered. Cordelia shut her eyes for a moment. Uther smiled. As soon as the waiter left, Calder leaned forward.

“What’s our next move now you have your vessel back?” He really did have a nice accent. I ground my teeth and speared at my lettuce.

“We have to find out what Linnaeus is up to,” said Cordelia. She seemed quite accustomed to giving orders. “We need to know why he has information about us. Most of all, we need the information itself, in its entirety.” She looked at me. “You’ve seen the inside of his office. You can find the file. You and Mr. Brydon”—she glanced at him—“will go and retrieve it for us.”

Calder choked on his lasagna. I sat back in surprise, realizing Cordelia had spoken directly to me for the first time.

Calder wiped his mouth with a napkin. “Why me?” he asked.

“Because you are the most accomplished in stealth and reconnaissance,” Cordelia replied. “I would have had Delfina do it, but…” She paused, and for the first time, a tiny glint of vulnerability flickered in her eyes. She tightened her jaw and continued. “The girl knows where to find it, and you know how to keep her from getting caught.”

Calder kept his face indifferent as he shoveled another forkful of lasagna into his mouth. I watched him in disbelief. Cordelia had to be joking. I couldn’t go back there. Linnaeus would murder me!

“Can’t I just tell him where to go?” I said.

“Consider it a favor,” Cordelia said, but her tone made it sound more like a direct order from the commander-of-everything. “Delfina went alone and her mission failed. With the two of you and your experience, perhaps we can succeed this time.”

Experience? What experience? Breaking into someone’s office hardly counted. She didn’t care. She only wanted me to go because I was disposable. Her beady gaze beat down on me, waiting for my answer.

“O-okay,” I said. After I said it, of course, I felt like hitting myself on the forehead while shouting stupid, stupid, stupid!

Seidon smiled. Samantha gawked at me.

“Are…are you sure?” she asked. Honestly, no, I wasn’t. But I couldn’t back down now.

“She’ll be fine, Miss Samantha,” said Seidon. “Your friend will not go unprotected.” He gave her a reassuring smile. I watched as her eyes lifted to meet his. Was I the only person at the table who noticed the sudden rise in pheromones? I kicked Sam under the table. She looked away from Seidon but gave me another one of her classic faces while trying hard not to smile—the but he’s so hot! face.

Uh oh. This was a recipe for disaster. I returned her look with my own: the you’re not even the same species look. I’m not sure she caught on. I’ve never had to warn her about cross-species dating before.

But as Cordelia started talking about logistics, Seidon and Samantha went back to normal and I decided to forget it. Sam would do what she wanted. Seidon was good-looking, but he was also a novelty—brand new and fascinating. Like Cooper, Samantha would get tired of him in a few days. All I had to do was put up with a little bit of shameless flirting for the next little while.

“…and we’ll have to do something to cover up her hair,” said Cordelia. “She’s much too easy to spot.”

“Hope you’ve had enough to eat, Captain, Your Highness,” said Eamon after the meal.

“Adequate.”

“Why don’t you and Prince Seidon