Deadly Games

CHAPTER 18

Cold water streamed past Basilard. Hefollowed Sicarius toward the surface, kicking and stroking with hisgood arm. For the moment, he carried his dagger clenched betweenhis teeth. Clear water surrounded him, but, without a mask, imageswere blurry and indistinct, though he had little trouble making outthe kraken’s massive form.

Someone-was that Maldynado? — was swimmingtoward its underbelly. He stopped ten or fifteen feet below thekraken and lined up a shot. He ignored the tentacles-though he wascareful not to swim too close to them-and fired at the creature’sgiant mantle.

The harpoon streamed toward it and sank intothe purple flesh. Though it appeared small next to thecreature-like a toothpick protruding from a bear’s hide-the krakenmust have noticed it, for it whipped a tentacle up and batted atthe intrusion. The harpoon fell out and sank, disappearing into thelake depths.

Another tentacle dropped away from the bottomof the ship and snaked toward Maldynado. On land, he could havedodged the attack, but Sicarius was right. The water and suits madepeople slow. Despite Maldynado’s quick kicks and strokes to theside, the tentacle clipped him on the shoulder. He spun backward ina clumsy somersault.

Basilard grabbed his dagger, thinking to goin and help, but Amaranthe and Books were kicking towardMaldynado’s position. Sicarius tapped Basilard and pointed to thesurface.

Basilard grimaced. His lungs were starting tohunger for air, but he hated to leave if his teammates neededhelp.

Sicarius saw his hesitation and stroked forthe surface himself. Thinking he had some plan to share, Basilardwent after him. They were deeper than he realized, and he gasped ina great lungful of air as soon as they broke the surface.

A cannon boomed, the sound pummeling hiseardrums. They had come up less than ten feet from the bow of theship. A broken wooden rail floated by, scraping Basilard’s injuredshoulder. Fresh pain flared, and he gasped, almost dropping hisdagger.

Fortunately, the marines were too busy tonotice him. To their credit, the men shouting to load guns andbring the ship about sounded calm and competent rather thanterrified.

“I’m going in,” Sicarius said. “Watch myback.”

That was all he said before taking a deepbreath and submerging again.

Basilard inhaled, tipped his legs up into theair, and dove.

Below the kraken, Maldynado had recovered andwas loading a new harpoon. Amaranthe, Akstyr, and Books fired theirown launchers, timing it so the weapons releasedsimultaneously.

Akstyr’s harpoon skimmed a tentacle and didno damage. Books’s projectile flew wide, but Amaranthe’s sank intoone of the creature’s eyes.

The body reared back, and the tentaclesreleased the Saberfist and stiffened. Ink clouded the water,obscuring the ship and the creature.

Basilard watched, hoping Amaranthe’s shotmight prove the killing blow.

The kraken dropped below the ship, tentaclesstreaming out behind it as it dove.

Sicarius was already swimming toward it. Thiswas their chance.

Basilard hurried to catch up. What he coulddo with his insignificant dagger, he didn’t know, but he had to tryto help.

The mantle flexed, and the kraken shotforward on a stream of water. Sicarius stroked after it, but thepowerful creature outpaced him. It swam straight for Amaranthe.

Basilard cut across. He couldn’t catch upwith the body of the thing, but maybe he could slice into atentacle and distract it.

Suction-cup-covered flesh streamed past. Hetried to grab the tentacle, but the slick rubbery flesh offered apoor handhold. Nonetheless he managed to thrust his dagger into itnear the tip.

The tentacle moved past so quickly, it nearlytore the weapon from his grip. As it was, his blade ripped afoot-long gouge into the flesh.

The tentacle flicked, an annoyed gesture thatcaught Basilard in the chest. Despite the off-hand nature of theattack, it thumped him hard, and precious air escaped his lips.Bubbles streamed upward before his eyes. At least he had kept thedagger.

Basilard debated on going up for air again,but the kraken slowed as it neared the laboratory vessel. He didnot see Amaranthe. Sicarius was weaving through the tentacles,avoiding them instead of attacking them. He approached the holewater shot from, and Basilard could see the current pushing againsthim, making the swim difficult.

Forgoing air, Basilard swam downward.

The kraken wouldn’t cooperate and hold still.Apparently incensed by the eye wound, it whipped about thefortress, seeking the one who had struck the blow.

When the beast switched from blowing outwater to sucking it in, Sicarius dove in, aided by the current.Basilard swirled through the tentacles, trying to swim closerwithout letting the kraken know he was there, and could easily becaptured-or killed.

Sicarius reached the interior of the mantleand thrust the keg into the dark orifice. Basilard thought that wasit, that they had accomplished the mission, but the keg gushedright out again on the kraken’s next burst of forward motion. Itbounced off a tentacle and dropped, unharmed.

Sicarius dove for it. Another tentacleclipped Basilard in the back, stirring pain again, and he swam awayfrom the writhing limbs. He worried the kraken would turn on them,but it was still intent on its prey-Amaranthe.

With quick efficient strokes, Sicariusretrieved the keg before it disappeared into the depths below.

Basilard paddled down to join him. Even here,underwater, Sicarius maintained his neutral facade with no hint ofdisappointment stamping his face. He had to be surprised or annoyedat the least. Hadn’t the keg been designed to implode?

Above them, the kraken swooped beneath thelaboratory. Amaranthe was swimming there, hiding beneath thecorridors and rooms of the vessel. The rest of the team appeared tobe out of harpoons. Maldynado was chasing after the kraken with hissword. Basilard’s gut clenched. They had to stop the creature soon,or it was bound to catch Amaranthe.

Basilard’s lungs called out for air again,but he swam closer to Sicarius and waved his knife. He pointed atthe keg and made a hammer motion. If they pierced a hole in it, thepoison might flow out when the kraken sucked it in next time.Enough of the poison to affect something.

Sicarius nodded and held out the keg.Basilard rammed his dagger through the wood. He started to pull itout again, but Sicarius stopped him.

He mouthed something but swam away beforeBasilard realized what. The dagger hilt stuck out of the wood, andhe left it there. Ah, cork. Yes, he could pull it out at the lastmoment.

Basilard wanted to stay and help, but heneeded air. Maldynado and Akstyr swam past as he headed upward. Hehoped they would survive without him.

Amaranthe circled the vessel and swam beneathits belly, following one of the corridors. Its ascent had slowed toa crawl, and she wondered if it would ever break the surface. Alltoo aware of the kraken weaving after her, she stayed in thecraft’s shadow. She was out of harpoons and had dropped thelauncher. She still had her sword, and, though it made swimminghard, kept it in hand.

She hoped she was giving Sicarius andBasilard the time they needed.

Something batted her ankle. One of thetentacles. It moved in to get a grip, but she bent double and sankher short sword into it.

It jerked away and bumped against the hull ofthe laboratory. Streaks of lighting ran up its length, dancingbetween the clear cups on the underside of the tentacle.

The kraken jerked that limb away, but anothersnaked in from the opposite side. Amaranthe pulled her legs up,barely evading the grasping tentacle. She tried to spot Maldynadoand the others, but couldn’t see anyone. Ink and blood-all thekraken’s, she hoped-muddled the water. With the creature soobviously targeting her, she dared not swim out from beneath thevessel. Besides, with the electrified hull so close, the craftoffered more than a hiding spot.

A tentacle swooped in five feet ahead, andshe reversed her strokes to halt herself. The two sinuous limbs hadher trapped; she could not evade them without swimming into theopen.

Amaranthe gripped her sword, a notion ofmaking a stand in her head. She stroked forward, eyes focused onthe tentacle blocking her route. It swept back and forth like acat’s tail, though it was careful not to touch the hull this time.She timed the movements and stabbed the rubbery purple flesh. Toobad she did not have poison on the tip. The tentacle did not seemto notice her attack.

She tugged her sword free, intending tosearch for a more vulnerable target.

Something wrapped around her leg. The othertentacle. She’d taken her eye off of it for too long.

Amaranthe tried to yank her leg free, but thegrip tightened, applying bone-crushing force that smothered herfrom calf to thigh. Her knee creaked, and she hissed in pain.

An image flashed through her mind of ashattered knee with her unable to walk for the rest of her life. Ifshe had a rest of her life. Where was the rest of herteam?

She twisted and slammed her sword into thetentacle. Though her blade sank in a few inches, the krakentightened its grip instead of releasing her.

Maldynado swam into view, but he carried onlythat thin rapier, not a harpoon launcher. What would thatdo?

He stabbed gamely at the creature, but thetentacle ignored him. The kraken pulled her from beneath thevessel, its movements slow, almost leisurely.

Amaranthe hacked at the appendage, no graceto her movements. She was like a logger hewing at a tree. A treethat wanted to kill her.

Something snapped in her knee, and shescreamed, the noise half pain, half rage. She tore into thetentacle with even more vigor.

Her breaths came in short gasps. She couldnot get enough air.

Under her rain of blows, the tentaclestiffened, then loosened. Had the creature finally had enough? Ormaybe it was only shifting its grip.

Amaranthe looked up, trying to spot thekraken’s eyes, hoping she would find defeat there.

It hovered, ten feet below theSaberfist. Her harpoon still protruded from the right orb,and the tentacles on that side of its body floated limply. Basilardand Sicarius were weaving between them, approaching the undersideof the creature. The keg was still in Sicarius’s arms.

Hurry, she urged.

He swam the last few meters, yanked somethingout of the keg, and thrust the poison into a dark orifice.

Amaranthe hoped that was it, the death blow,but a spasm coursed through the tentacle restraining her. Ittightened about her leg, and she gasped as fresh pain erupted fromher knee. She fought back tears of frustration. What if Sicariushad delivered the killing blow, but the kraken ripped her in halfin its death throes?

She hacked at the tentacle with renewedvigor, determined to free herself or die trying. Inside her helmet,sweat dribbled down her face, stinging her eyes. Dozens ofperforations marred the tentacle, and blood clouded the water, butstill it would not release her.

Finally, the limb relaxed. Amaranthe shovedat it to pull her leg free. She stroked away from it and almostlost her sword as lightheadedness overcame her. She was breathingtoo hard, sucking in more air than the suit was designed todeliver.

But the tentacle remained limp andunmoving.

Two suited figures and one naked one weretreading water a few feet away.

Problem? Amaranthe signed, cheekswarming with sheepish chagrin, knowing Sicarius had observed herwild hacks. Mercenary leaders were supposed to remain calm andrational during a crisis, not descend into an animalisticfrenzy.

It’s dead, Maldynado signed, but ifyou want to keep at the blade practice, we can wait.

She checked Sicarius’s face, wondering howlong it had been since he had taken a breath. He appeared fine, ifmore serene than usual with those hooded eyes.

No, she signed. That wassufficient.

Amaranthe started to swim toward the men, butthe first attempt at a kick sent fire flaring from her knee.Someone gripped her upper arm. She lifted a hand to sign that shecould make it on her own, but it was Sicarius, so she stopped. Nodoubt, he wanted to go up for air, not discuss her independentstreak.

She stroked with her arms, letting herwounded leg hang limply, and he helped her toward the surface. Heangled away from the Saberfist as they rose. Good idea. Noneed to tempt any marines by popping his million-ranmya head up inthe middle of the activity.

The top of the laboratory vessel was creepingout of the water. That ought to keep the marines busy for awhile.

When she broke the surface, sun blazed intoher eyes. Morning sun. It seemed as if they had been underwater allday, yet it must have only been a couple of hours.

Amaranthe squinted and tried to lift a handto shield her face, but, with her left leg dangling uselessly, sheneeded both arms to stay afloat. Her eyes adjusted, though, and shemade out the marines scurrying about on the deck of their ship,preparing their salvage crane and dinghies for boarding. The krakenwas floating on the surface now, too.

She struggled with the fasteners for herhelmet. She wanted the thing off, so she could breathe fresh airagain.

Sicarius caught her by the armpit with onehand and unclasped her helmet with the other. He had no troublestaying afloat using just his legs, but then both of his legs wereworking. As soon as her head was free, she flung the helmet aside,not caring if it floated away. She had had enough of suits andkrakens and underwater practitioners. Though she could not complainabout the outcome, she decided not to put subaqueous activities ontheir official list of mercenary services.

“Your knee?” Sicarius asked, his gaze rovingthe deck of the ship and the surrounding activity.

“Yes. I don’t think I’ll be joining you for amorning run anytime soon.”

“Akstyr can fix it.”

“Surely, I’ll need to rest it for a couple ofweeks.”

“Days.”

Amaranthe spotted Maldynado, Akstyr, Books,and then Basilard closer toward the shore. She waved for them tohead inland. It was time for her team to disappear.

“Aren’t I entitled to a vacation now andthen?” she asked. “Look, there’s a nice beach over there. If weswim that way instead of meeting up with the men, we could enjoythe summer day.” She nodded at Sicarius’s bare shoulders. “You’redressed for it.”

“You are not.”

“True.” She plucked at the heavy suit. “ButI’ve been wanting to get out of this. Whether that’s back at thedocks or on a secluded beach doesn’t matter to me.” She smiledplayfully.

He did not answer promptly, and she thoughthe might actually be considering it. Until he said, “With Akstyr’shealing, two days should be sufficient rest for your knee. Thenyour training can commence again.”

Amaranthe sighed. “You’re an unrelentingtaskmaster.”

“Yes.”

A wave washed over them, and he wiped hisface. She eyed him, half-suspecting him of using the movement tohide the barest hint of a smile. But surely that would be toojovial for him.

“Ready to go?” she asked.

Something on the Saberfist caught hisattention, and he did not answer. Someone on the ship leanedagainst the railing, someone in civilian clothing and a hat.

Amaranthe lifted a hand toward Deret, thebest “thank you” she could manage at this distance. He started towave back, but glanced at marines jogging past behind him and kepthimself to a nod.

“Ready to go?” Amaranthe repeated.

“Yes.” Sicarius’s humor had evaporated, andhis unreadable facade returned.