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“We need to get back in the boat,” Aspen said. She pushed her hair out of her face, her teeth chattering. “We need to figure out a plan, but boat first. We’re nothing but fish food out here.”

“I can’t believe this is happening,” Travis muttered.

“Shut up, Devlin, you big old bitcher,” Malakai snapped.

“Soon as we get on land,” Travis snarled, “I’m coming for your throat.” It was his turn to point.

“Guys, seriously, smarten up!” Jewels fumed. “We need to work together, or we could die out h—” Her last word tapered off as her gaze snagged on something behind Malakai.

Travis saw it, too—barely. The spiked backs of not one, not two, butthreewater serpents twining above the surface. It was the eyes—six of them glowing red— that gave away how many there were, the splotches of color barely penetrating the dark water.

Finally, something was coming to end this prick.

End them all, probably. But at least Travis wouldn’t have to put up with Malakai anymore. Getting eaten didn’t sound as bad as it had a moment ago.

“Oh gods.” Jewels paled, her eyes flaring. “Malakai, there are three serpents behind you.” She paddled her arms backward. “Oh hell, they’re coming this way?—”

“I don’tCARE!”Malakai bellowed, his furious outburst echoing far and wide. His eyes were a gleaming jet-black, his soaked hair flattened to his head. “You want to knowWHY?”Every word got louder. Angrier. “Because I’m so fucking mad,no one,not even the sharks and the silly little sea worms, is going toFUCK WITH ME RIGHT NOW!”He whipped his right hand out of the water, fingers curling like claws as he directed his shadowy power to the overturned boat.

The water serpents did not come any closer.

In fact, they turned tail and fled, the curves of their wending backs vanishing into the foggy distance.

The boat flipped right-side up, water spraying.

Malakai twisted around, arm still outstretched, and used his power to lift Jewels into the boat. Then Aspen. He handled both of the women carefully.

He flung Travis.

Travis hit the far side of the boat, nearly tipping right over the edge and falling back into the water. He thumped against the handrail with a grunt, narrowly avoiding banging his teeth on the metal as he grabbed onto it, then pulled himself off the deck and onto a water-slick seat, suit and hair dripping.

Well, he could’ve done without the aggression, but this was better than being left behind.

Malakai swam up and hauled himself in.

Travis emptied his pockets of soaked snacks. Checked his phone?—

He frantically pressed all the buttons, but the screen stayed dark.

The device was wrecked. Completely wrecked.

He hung his head in his hands.

He couldn’t even call Roman. Tell him he was sorry.

“Plan?” Aspen panted, dragging herself onto the front passenger seat. Merely voicing that single word seemed to cost her all her strength, her body limp and shaking from the icy cold.

“Shore,” was all Malakai said before he restarted the boat and steered it through the waves.

50

I-5

STATE OF KER

The humof the tires on the road lulled Loren to sleep.

How much time had passed, she didn’t know. But when she opened her eyes, it was still dark out, so she figured she had been asleep for maybe a few hours, maximum.