Poppy blinked. What?
Brodin frowned. “What do you mean, in the lake?”
“She’s hiding her base under the water,” Thadd said.
Brodin sucked in a sharp breath. “It makes sense. The water must muffle sound and drown out any scents.”
“She’s virtually undetectable to Damari senses,” Annora added.
A grim smile touched Brodin’s lips. “But not anymore. Candela’s reign of terror ends now.”
Poppy stood at the lake’s edge, staring at the pretty, blue water.
Some cleavers were too injured to swim and would wait for them here.
She turned the small device in her palm over. It looked a little like a harmonica. The others held them, as well.
Brodin explained that it was a re-breathing unit that would allow her to breathe under the water. She really wanted to pull it apart and see how it worked. Maybe she’d be able to, later.
Brodin, Annora, and Thadd were talking quietly together, their expressions tense.
The plan was to swim down and do some recon on Candela’s base.
How the hell had she hidden it in the middle of the lake? Poppy looked back at the lake. They were close to ending this, she could feel it.
The kids could be there. They were so close. She saw how edgy Annora was. The woman wanted her sister back safely.
The First Claw looked up and traded a glare with Thadd.
And it seemed the captain rubbed the First Claw the wrong way.
“All right.” Brodin faced the group. “We swim down and stay together. It will get dark in the water as we descend. We find Candela’s base and gather intel. If we spot the young ones, and we can free them safely, we will. If not, we regroup and get reinforcements.”
Annora shifted impatiently.
“Let’s go.” Brodin put the breathing unit in his mouth.
Poppy followed suit. He reached out to adjust hers a little, and stroked her jaw.
Then, they waded into the jewel-blue water.
Poppy sucked in a breath. It was colder than she’d anticipated. The water hit her knees, thighs, waist.
She watched Annora dive under, then Thadd, the other cleavers, and Brodin.
She took another breath, steeled herself, and dived.
After the first shock of cold passed, she realized it wasn’t too bad. She saw Brodin ahead, kicking strongly.
Poppy frowned. The water was a pretty color, but a little murky. As they descended, it got darker.
Suddenly, Brodin was beside her, taking her hand. His kicks were powerful enough to tow her deeper.
She spotted Annora not far ahead, swimming like a seal. Thadd’s kicks were strong and even. The other cleavers were in the shadows, close by.
The last of the light petered out, and that’s when Poppy noted a faint, blue glow from below.
Knots formed in her belly, and her pulse tripped. The light was coming from the depths of the lake.
There was definitely something down there.
They swam on. Some sleek, spotted fish swam past them, curious and quick. But as she looked straight down, she saw a large shape slowly emerge from the darkness.
Brodin’s fingers squeezed on hers.
It was a spaceship.
Poppy could see the bulk of it, but it was dominated by a large, blue dome that was clouded over and glowed blue.
Annora pointed. They swam closer, avoiding getting too close to the dome.
They moved along the side of the vessel. It was made of a dark-bronze colored metal.
They stopped, with their backs pressed to the side. Ahead, there was a large opening in the ship. As they watched, two of the cat creatures swam down from above and into the long, narrow opening.
Apparently Zhylaw cats didn’t mind the water, or whatever the Zhylaw did to them overrode any natural aversion.
Brodin squeezed her hand, and waved to the others. They floated closer.
Annora and Thadd swam in through the opening first.
Poppy waited, her heart hammering in her ears.
Then, Annora reappeared and waved them in.
They swam through the opening. The dark metal formed a rectangular tunnel. Annora reached a wall, and swam straight up.
They broke the surface of the water and came out in a pool in the middle of a large chamber.
It was like a moon pool on diving and marine vessels on Earth, that provided easy access to the water. The chamber had metal walls, with some equipment stored on racks. She suspected it was the Zhylaw’s diving gear.
There was no sign of the cats. Thadd crouched at the edge of the pool and pulled Poppy out. Brodin and the others climbed up behind her.
They were inside Candela’s ship.
“The cats went that way.” Annora pointed to a door. Wet puddles rested on the floor. “I can scent them.”
“Move silently,” Brodin murmured. “Any trouble, we head back here and swim out.”
Poppy followed him. The corridor they entered was large and sparse. There were some glowing controls on the wall, but not much else.
Howls echoed through the ship. The Damari all froze.
“Was that a Damari?” Poppy whispered.
“I can’t tell,” Brodin responded.
They followed the sound, and a hum of energy filled the air. Poppy’s heart thudded in her chest.
At the end of the tunnel lay a large doorway. They all stayed close to the wall as they jogged toward it.
When they reached the doorway, Poppy heard Annora suck in a sharp breath.
The doorway led into a huge room under the dome.
The blue dome soared above, but it was the strange machine in the center of the space that caught Poppy’s attention.
What the hell was that?
It looked like several translucent boxes, cobbled together. The structure glowed, pulsing with internal light.
Several slender scientists in black uniforms were working on the machine, monitoring it.
“Brodin, look,” Tolf murmured.
The cleaver was looking to the left and Poppy followed his gaze. She heard Brodin’s low growl.
Five young Damari, caught between youth and adulthood, hung in what looked like columns of blue light.
“Stasis fields.” Annora’s voice was tight. She was looking at the pretty, young brunette at the end.
Her sister looked like a softer, younger version of Annora.
The kids weren’t moving. Their chins were tipped to their chests and they were floating in the light.
There was no way to tell if they were hurt.
“Annora, and the rest of you, free the young ones,” Brodin ordered. “Poppy, Thadd, and I will take a close look at the machine.”
“Where’s Candela?” Thadd growled.
“I don’t see her,” Brodin replied, “but stay alert. She’s here somewhere.”
Poppy and Brodin crept forward. Thadd was one step behind them. They skirted boxes, crates, empty cages. There were several bunks—all empty—but the horrible manacles hanging off each of them warned what they were used for.
Poppy swallowed.
“Energy levels off the machine are unbelievably high,” Thadd said.
“Let’s ask our Zhylaw friends some questions,” Brodin said darkly.
They picked up speed. The scientists didn’t hear them coming.
Brodin grabbed a male Zhylaw and spun him around. The man’s eyes bugged out of his head at the sight of them, and he spluttered.
Brodin gripped the man’s neck and lifted him off his feet. He slammed him against the side of the machine.