Free Kingdom of the Deep by EJ Altbacker Page B

dipped his snout in respect—and he wasn’t making fun!
    Gray’s heart swelled. “Obviously, get to Riptide Shiver, wherever they are. Remember, Striiker leads—”
    The dogfish nodded. “I know, I know. Be less grating if I disagree.”
    â€œI mean it, Bark,” Gray said, giving the dogfish a tap to the flank. “If he’s making a bad call, you have to
convince
him, not argue him to death. He’s not stupid.”
    â€œNever said he was stupid,” Barkley answered. “And he’s gotten much better at listening to advice from what I heard from the ghostfins. A real leader.”
    Gray nodded. “Bring them here.”
    Barkley fidgeted. “Kaleth was pretty clear . . . .”
    Gray cut his friend off, keeping his voice low. “And in this case I don’t care. Either she provides protection for them, or I’m gone. Even if they send me to the Sparkle Blue, I won’t . . . I won’t be a part of leaving Riptide out there undefended. I can’t make mistakes like I did before.”
    Gray had once left his best friends in the world in Rogue Shiver and joined Goblin Shiver instead. Goblin had spoken stirring words about the need to band together, to protect each other, but it was all an act. He only wanted power. Gray shook his head at the memory. Though things had worked out since then, he’d never fully forgiven himself.
    â€œDo you think we’re creating another Finnivus in Kaleth?” Barkley asked.
    Gray never considered this. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “I hope not. But does a good shark turn away those in need?”
    Takiza’s familiar voice joined the conversation as he drifted between them. “She does when the fate of the entire Big Blue is at stake.”
    â€œWe just
saved
the darn thing from Finnivus!” Barkley said.
    The betta looked at Barkley and the greenie attached to him. “Not what I meant. And Finnivus only had power enough to be a great tyrant. Hokuu has the potential to bring a mega-armada of prehistores into this world and destroy everything.”
    â€œPrehistores,” whispered Barkley, his eyes widening. “I was hoping Kaleth was stretching the truth to get Gray to stay.”
    â€œShe did not. Imagine five or ten thousand mariners as large as Gray and some much larger,” Takiza explained. Both Barkley and Gray went silent. “So you can see the Seazarein’s concern.”
    â€œBut how do we know she’s on our side?” Barkley asked. “I mean,
Kaleth
is a prehistore.”
    Takiza shook his head. “She follows her good king, Bollagan, who was sent to the Sparkle Blue by Drinnok. Drinnok will stop at nothing to be freed from the smaller ocean underneath this one. Thankfully, a seaquake sealed the rift.”
    Barkley looked over at Gray. “That must have been how you got here!”
    â€œI guess,” Gray said. “I don’t remember.”
    â€œI have told you too much already,” Takiza added. “Do not mention any of this to Kaleth. Her mind should not be cluttered by the past.” The betta flicked a fin at Barkley. “Go to your friends. I have stunned the guardians and you should be able to slip away.” Takiza showed the way with his tail.
    â€œYou’ll be okay without me?” Barkley asked Gray.
    â€œI’ll muddle through,” he told his friend. “Go. Bring them here. We’re not following her command on this. No way.”
    Takiza shook his head but didn’t disagree. “If you must. But that is sure to put Kaleth in a terrible mood.”
    â€œThen we’re even,” Barkley said. “Because I’m in a terrible mood.”
    And with that the dogfish left them.



CHAPTER 12
    EVEN WITH THE MAREDSOO THAT TAKIZA HAD given him, Barkley’s muscles ached from snout to tail. He doubted he could have made it at all without the healing and