Salt Storm: The Salted Series: Episodes #31-35 by Galvin, Aaron (top 5 books to read TXT) 📗

“I did,” Lenny admitted. “And I been paying for it ever since, Tommy . . . but I tried to help Garrett escape too. Went back for him in Crayfish Cavern when I could’ve forgotten him by swimming away and not looking back. Tried to help him as best I could afterward too.”

“Easy thing to claim with no one else around to argue otherwise or back you up,” said Tom.

“Ask Garrett yourself,” said Lenny. “Once the two of you get back together.”

“I’ll do that, sure,” said Tom. “And when I do, I’d kinda like for you to be standing there along with me, Dolan.”

Lenny fidgeted. “What do you mean?”

Tom leaned forward, reaching his meaty paw of a hand toward Lenny and clamping down on his shoulder blade. “I mean that you and me got a long road ahead together, kid. Now, I’m grateful for what you and your father did for me and all the rest in these train cars with us.” Tom squeezed Lenny’s shoulder blade, hard enough to make him wince. “But don’t you think for a second that I’ll ever forget it was you and your crew to bring my son down into this hellish world, Dolan. The way I see it, you helping me to find Garrett again and then see him safely back to shore is about the only chance you got of earning my forgiveness too.”

6

GARRETT

From the outset of Garrett’s decision to embrace the Salt and abandon the shore, the Hammer chieftain, Atsidi Darksnout, had warned it would be hard swimming to catch up with the Nomadic horde led by Cursion White Shadow.

But we will move faster than they, Atsidi had said to his warriors and Garrett before leaving the shallower waters. The other tribes will be burdened with numbers, bickering of plans, and honor to come. Even the rule of White Shadow is not immune to such greed and desires from his allies. And the White Shadow will not drive his warriors to exhaustion before their arrival at the gates of New Pearlaya to war against the Blackfin and his Merrow king.

True to his word, Atsidi Darksnout had led Garrett and the others on a relentless pace to rejoin the other tribes. Garrett swore he could count on one hand the number of hours that Atsidi had allowed them to sleep since embarking on their return journey. Yet for every time Garrett began to nod off, or even awoke from such slumbers, always he found the dark Nomad from the Indianapolis Zoo swimming around him in protecting watch.

For all the miles swum, all the times his mind told him he should be exhausted for such efforts, Garrett marveled too at his shark form’s ability to meet the tireless demands of Atsidi Darksnout. More times than not, Garrett found himself keeping pace with the dark Nomad also, the pair of them leaving the other Hammers behind and then forced to pull up, or abandon them completely.

Your body is strong, Garrett Half-Orc, Atsidi acknowledged during such a break in their swim. It seems to me you are stronger in mind now also.

Garrett had only nodded in quiet reply rather than confess otherwise to the lean-muscled, older warrior. A week later, his muscles aching, Garrett found himself wishing he had chosen to stay with his Nomad father all along, rather than choose to go ashore with thoughts of returning to an empty home and loved ones already lost.

By morning of the eighth day, Garrett’s skin began to tingle, his Nomadic mind warning that others were near. The signal strengthened for each and every tail stroke. Adrenaline sped the Hammers and Garrett onward to close the distance for good and all.

By noon, the Nomad horde lay ahead of them like a dark and distant, underwater swarm that stretched for leagues on end. Hundreds of thousands of sharks and Nomads in half-human, all teeming together, all bound in an easterly direction, all united in their cause to war against the Merrows and Orcs in New Pearlaya.

At Atsidi’s bidding, the Hammers sounded horns to announce their arrival.

Garrett tensed when near a hundred shaded outlines turned back to meet him and the Hammer party. They came bearing spears and tridents, harpoons and swords, their faces tattooed with varied tribal designs and multi-shaded colors. Others came in human form, riding on the backs of giant stingrays and mantas too, each of them seeming to fly at varying depths. For each and every one that approached, Garrett squinted to better inspect their tail types and ascertain which tribe they belonged to. He found them a motley sort - a handful of grim Merrows with their faces and forms tattooed in likewise manner to the Nomads they swam with. Most of the group halted at an invisible boundary line to await Garrett and the Hammers. A few drove their rays down. Others turned toward the surface, then broke off from the main unit to guide their mounts to patrol at various depths along the boundary line. One alone chose to ride his manta onward, speeding ahead and leaving his brethren behind.

Garrett exhaled a sigh of relief at the leader come to treat with them.

Watawa raised his left hand in sweeping acknowledgement. With his right, he slowed his ray, bringing it to a halt. Hail, Atsidi Darksnout, he said with a grin and a nod to the Hammer chieftain. His smile broadened when finding Garrett next. Hail, Garrett Half-Orc. Your father sends me to deliver his greetings and his welcome of your safe return.

Garrett’s brow furrowed. You knew I would come back?

I hoped, said Watawa. The White Shadow knew.

How? Garrett asked.

Let you ask him yourself, my young friend, said Watawa, bidding the others to swim with them also. I am to bring you and Atsidi Darksnout both to meet with White Shadow and others also for a high council of utmost urgency.

The high council meets? Atsidi asked, swimming forward to keep pace with Watawa and Garrett. For what trouble, Open