The Mermaids Madness

deck carrying a small powder barrel in her arms. She winked at Danielle as she hoisted the barrel overhead. “We don’t have much, but we should be able to put up a decent fight.”
    “Talia, get Varisto. The undine might still listen to him.” Danielle looked to see Beatrice still at the helm. “Then get to Beatrice and keep her safe.”
    Captain Varisto was already staggering up from below. He was barefoot, his shirt unbuttoned, but he had taken the time to don both his war hammer and a thick-bladed knife as long as Danielle’s forearm. He stumbled and swore, stopping to rip a splinter from his foot.
    “Hephyra, stop tormenting him,” Danielle snapped. “We need his help.”
    Varisto cursed when he saw the survivors being brought on board. “That was one of our ships!”
    “We’re going to join them if you can’t turn the undine away,” Danielle said.
    He cupped his hands to his mouth and bellowed, “I am Varisto, friend of Queen Lirea.”
    Undine dropped from the kelpies like rain, diving into the sea. Danielle silently summoned the sharks closer. She could see nothing beneath the surface, and only the occasional dorsal fin hinted at the sharks’ presence.
    A single undine surfaced, spear in hand.“Lirea named you traitor, human.”
    Varisto swore and twisted aside as the undine threw his spear. It slammed into the cutter behind them.
    “How much longer do you mean to talk?” asked Hephyra. “This barrel isn’t as light as it looks, you know.”
    “There are so many,” said Lannadae.
    Danielle spun. Lannadae sat behind her, staring through the railing. “I don’t recognize them all. How did Lirea bring so many undine into our tribe?”
    “You shouldn’t be here.” The words came from Varisto, to Danielle’s surprise. He moved to stand in front of Lannadae, shielding her with his body. “They’ll rip the ship apart to get to you if they learn you’re with us. Get to shelter and stay there.”
    The Phillipa shuddered as one of the kelpies rammed her hull. That kelpie reared from the water moments later, and Danielle saw two sharks tearing at its flesh. Waves marked the passage of another kelpie who veered away from the ship.
    “Give me to them in exchange for passage,” Lannadae said.
    “No!” Varisto and Danielle spoke as one. Danielle knelt beside her. “I will not turn you over to be killed.”
    “Beatrice almost died trying to protect me. I’m the one who told you to free Morveren from her exile. You’ve risked so much, and I’ve done nothing but hide behind you.” Lannadae crawled toward the rail.
    Shouts and splashing from below showed where the undine had begun their attack. The sharks fought back, but they were outnumbered. Captain Hephyra hurled her barrel into the water, and the undine scattered. Word of this tactic had obviously spread. Hephyra held out a hand and shouted, “Spear!”
    One of the crew slapped a fishing spear into her hand. The point had been covered in pitch. Hephyra leaned over the rail and thrust the spear into one of the lamps, breaking the glass. The pitch burst into flames.
    “You’re a royal,” Danielle said. “Does that give you any power over the undine?”
    “Not much.” Lannadae bowed her head. “I’m still young. My scent is weak. Lirea is . . . her scent is stronger than any mermaid I’ve ever known. Her power blossomed after Morveren transformed her. Even away from her, they’ll still obey her commands.”
    “Good.” Danielle ran toward Hephyra. “Captain, wait!”
    Varisto followed. “Perhaps I don’t know your language as well as I thought. How exactly is this ‘good’?”
    “Because it means the tribe will attack Morveren, too. All we have to do is lead them to her.” To Hephyra, she said, “We outpaced Lannadae when we left Lorindar. Can this ship outrun kelpies?”
    “I doubt it.”
    Danielle searched the water, but if any others had survived the shipwreck, the undine had dragged them down. “Then you’ll want to bring up the rest of the powder. Beatrice, show them how fast this ship can fly!”
    The Phillipa surged ahead. The kelpies started to follow, but Hephyra threw her spear. It disappeared into the water without even a splash.
    “Rotting hell!” Hephyra grabbed another spear, lit it, and tried again. This time, the spear slammed into the barrel. The resulting explosion scattered kelpies and undine alike, not to mention most of Danielle’s sharks.
    We have more barrels , Danielle warned the