We swam quickly back to camp, passing oysters back and forth as we went. We slowed down as we entered the rows of tents. I looked around, realizing we were attracting way too much attention.

Everyone was staring.

Not just at Starla and me.

They were staring at my familiar.

This was not good. By revealing Beazil so early, I’d put a massive target on my back. From now on, I’d be the girl with the shark.

Jellyfish!

“Katriana.”

I turned to see Dane waiting outside one of the women’s tents.

“Hi.”

“I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

“I brought dinner.” I held up my net bag. “Breakfast too.”

He shook his head at me.

“You really are resourceful, aren’t you?”

I shucked an oyster and handed it to him. He was staring at me like I was performing a miracle. He made no move to take the snack.

“Haven’t you ever had an oyster before?”

“Of course I have.”

He tilted back his head and ate it, making an appreciative sound as he smacked his lips.

“Thank you, that was—GET DOWN!”

He pushed me aside, holding up a wickedly sharp spear he pulled from his back. It was a split-second before I realized what he was doing.

He was about to kill my shark.

“Wait!”

I grabbed Dane’s arm, holding him back. Starla swam in front of Beazil, holding her arms out protectively. I smiled to myself at her bravery.

“Don’t! He’s hers!”

Dane lowered his hand slowly then turned to look at me.

“Yours?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Your familiar is a great white?”

I nodded sheepishly.

“Yeah, but he’s . . . well, actually, can we talk somewhere else?”

He nodded and pointed to the tent.

“This is the last open one. I think it’s because of the, um, location.”

I glanced over his shoulder and groaned. Yep. We were in the last tent before the drop-off into the trench. That’s what everyone called the massive cavern that ran for miles in the seabed. In fact, the tent looked like it might actually tip over and fall into it.

The cavern was full of squid. Big ones too. I’d heard that they’d once found one that was more than thirty meters long. It was a place that teenage Mers explored on a dare, but usually only if they’d been drinking fermented Sea wine. Once in a while, they didn’t come out again.

Fantastic.

I ducked my head into the tent. There were eight empty beds and two of us. But if it was just us then . . . I jerked my head at Beazil and he swam placidly into the tent. It wasn’t small, but he nearly ate up all the space.

Starla and Dane followed us inside, and I closed the flap behind us. I stared around the room, nodding to myself.

“Not bad.”

My friends all stared back at me like I’d lost my mind. Even Beazil. I shrugged.

“What?”

“You think this is nice?”

I swam to one of the cots and pushed down on it. I sank into it with a moan.

“Perfection.”

I heard a high-pitched giggle, and then a manlier chuckle. Even Beazil snorted at me. I cracked an eye.

“You guys hungry?”

Beazil nodded eagerly.

“Sit down. You guys are making me nervous.”

Starla sat on the bunk across from me. Dane sat beside her and Beazil sort of wiggled his snout between the beds. I opened my net bag and popped open an oyster, offering it to Dane first.

He shook his head.

“You eat it. I’m fine.”

I held it out stubbornly.

“These are fresh. So fresh they wiggle on the way down.”

Starla made a face and then shrugged.

“That sounds gross, but they really are good, Dane.”

He sighed and took the oyster.

“Fine, but just one more. You girls need your strength.”

I gave an oyster to Starla and another to Beazil. I ate another one myself and tried to get Dane to have another. He shook his head, and I went around in a circle until most of the oysters were gone. Then I dug a hole right beneath my bed and set the bag inside it, covering it up again with sand.

“They should keep there. We can have a few in the morning.”

Starla grinned at me and then excused herself. I looked at Dane. He looked like he was turning something over in his mind. He cleared his throat.

“I brought you something, though looking at your familiar, you might not need it.”

I stared curiously at the bag he held out to me. I fluttered my eyelashes at him.

“You shouldn’t have.”

He sighed wearily.

“Just take it. I’m serious, Tri.”

I took the bag and inspected it. It was cloth. Human-made, with metal rivets and a sturdy clasp.

“It’s beautiful. Thank you.”

He shook his head.

“No, not the bag, though that’s yours to keep. It’s not going to keep you alive though.”

I cocked an eyebrow at him.

“Well, now I’m really curious.”

He was staring hard at me as I undid the clasp and opened the bag. Inside was something I never thought to own. He’d brought me . . . armor.

A blue helmet and shoulder guards. There was even a chest plate, though it was made for a boy, not a young woman. I lifted out the helmet, staring at it curiously. It would fit me perfectly. They were well-used, but the quality was unmistakable.

“Wow. This is—” I was about to say beautiful when he cut me off.

“I know, it’s old junk. But I can’t let you go out there without protection.”

I swallowed past the sudden lump in my throat.

“They are perfect. Thank you.” I gave him a suspicious look. “Wait, you didn’t steal them, did you?”

He laughed uproariously and shook his head.

“No, Tri. It’s just my practice gear from when I was younger.”

So, he must be a rich boy. I looked at his clothes, realizing I should have noticed that before. But that meant I could actually accept the gift. I smiled suddenly.

“Good, because I am way too poor to bail you out.”

He laughed again, shaking his head. He glanced at Beazil, who was dozing peacefully across the tent, draped over all four empty beds on that side.

“So, a great white, huh? How’d you manage that?”

I shrugged.

“He found me. He isn’t exactly ferocious though.”

Dane stared at me thoughtfully.

“Maybe not. But nobody else has to know that.”

I grinned.

“I like the way your mind works, Dane.”

Starla came in then, and to my surprise, Dane had another bag. He’d brought her a helmet and a small dagger as well. I wasn’t going to lie—I was impressed.

“I’ll let you ladies sleep. See you tomorrow.”

I thanked him again and watched him leave. At the tent flap, he turned back to give me a small smile. I snickered to Starla once he had left.

“We’re ladies now. He’s so formal.”

“He’s someone important’s son, that’s for sure.”

“I always thought most of the upper class opted out.”

“They can do that?”

“Usually, they just don’t swim too fast in the opening race. But yes, there are overfed teenage Mers who never even make it to the opening ceremony. A few coins, a bag of pearls. It happens.”

“Maybe he wants to win.”

I nodded.

“Maybe he does want to win.”

I winked at her, lying back on the cot.

“But so do I.”