He broke off abruptly, his head snapping round as if he’d heard something. Underneath Neridia, every muscle in his sister’s back went tense. Both sea dragons stared back the way they’d came.
*What is it?* Neridia turned to look back herself, but couldn’t see anything in the dim light. *What’s wrong?*
*Go!* John swirled back, every talon bared to the full extent as he stationed himself behind his sister. *Get her to Atlantis! Now!*
Neridia jolted back, nearly sliding out of her bubble of air as John’s sister surged forward. She’d thought they had been swimming quickly enough before, but now it became obvious that they had been going at the sea dragon equivalent of a leisurely walking pace. She grabbed at the dragon’s trailing mane, clinging on for dear life.
“What’s going on?” she yelled.
*One of the border guards just spoke to a comrade,* John’s sister responded, even though she’d forgotten to use mind speech. *Wondering why the Master Shark is in such a hurry to reach Atlantis.*
*What? They let him through?* Neridia’s pulse spiked with fear. *Why didn’t they challenge him?*
*Because he is the Master Shark!* The sea dragon’s head wove through the water like a snake as she increased her speed still further. *And since the Knight-Commander hasn’t seen fit to warn his knights about your existence, let alone that the Lord of Sharks is after you, they have no reason to deny him entry! And now he is here!*
Neridia twisted, straining her eyes to try to see through the deep blue sea. John wasn’t following. He’d spiraled up to hang halfway between the sea floor and the surface, facing away from them, his intricate markings blazing as bright as neon signs.
He was so huge, so fierce, that some of Neridia’s panic eased at the sight. He was a sea dragon, a sea dragon Knight, born and trained for battle. He was armored in plated scales, and armed with teeth and claws and powerful magic. Surely no shark, not even the biggest great white, could get past him.
Then sh
e looked past John’s glowing form, and saw what he faced.
The Master Shark wasn’t a great white shark. He could have swallowed a great white whole, in a single mouthful, without pausing.
In a flash, she understood the reason for the Master Shark’s oddly-proportioned face in human form, with its prominent brow ridges and heavy jaw. It was a face from prehistoric times, echoing his true form. No wonder John had been so certain he had to be commanding the plesiosaur shifter assassins. Like them, he was a primitive throwback, a relic from another age.
An age of giants.
“Megalodon,” Neridia breathed.
The biggest shark ever to swim the sea. Eighty feet of muscle and teeth and bottomless hunger.
And John hung motionless, right in his path.
Hands numb with shock, Neridia tugged at John’s sister’s mane to get her attention. *John isn’t following us! He’s planning to fight!*
*What? Of course he’s not-* The sea dragon’s mental voice cut off as she glanced over her shoulder. *What in the-BROTHER!*
Faintly, Neridia heard John sing something back in return. His sister hissed something that was very definitely a dragon swearword.
*What did he say?* Neridia asked, though she was pretty sure she knew the answer.
*That he would cover our retreat,* the sea dragon said grimly, swirling to a halt in the water.
Neridia shrieked as the sea dragon started fluking back toward her brother and the rapidly-approaching Master Shark at top speed. *What are you doing?*
*I’ll be dry-beached before I let my little brother hurl himself down the Master Shark’s gullet just to slow him down!* The sea dragon’s teeth bared in a snarl. *You’re meant to be the Empress-in-Waiting, so act like it! If anyone can stop the Master Shark, it’s you!*
*Me?* Every muscle in her body was rigid with fear. *What do you expect me to be able to do?*
John’s sister didn’t get a chance to answer. Ahead of them, John himself spun around, the luminescent lines on his body blazing with fury.
*GET BACK!* His roar knocked his sister head-over-tail backward in the water. *I told you to get her into the city!*
The Master Shark hurtled toward them, growing larger every second. He was further away than Neridia had thought. She’d been deceived into thinking that he was nearly on top of them, just from how big he already looked.
Which meant…he was actually even bigger.