Into the Abyss by EJ Altbacker

Author:EJ Altbacker [Altbacker, Ej]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 9781101580356
Publisher: Penguin Group US
Published: 2012-04-17T04:00:00+00:00

“WHY DOES MY STOMACH HURT SO MUCH?” whined Finnivus. He lolled sideways against the Speakers Rock atop the blue whale that carried him. The royal court rode behind the Indi armada, which led the way, its many mariners seeming to combine into a mega-predator. Drafting in the armada’s wake, the royal court had an easy time of it and didn’t even slow down for eating. The current was leading them inexorably to Velenka’s old home at Riptide. She couldn’t wait to see the death and destruction that the armada would inflict on Gray and his friends.

But I want to be the one who gives the order, she thought.

Finnivus groaned again. “Oh, I—we—hate this!”

“Perhaps you’d like a little something to settle your stomach, My Magnificence?” Velenka asked. Finnivus got himself to a more regal posture. He always liked it when she called him My Magnificence.

Finnivus smiled, clicking his perfectly aligned, notched teeth dramatically. “Perhaps we should keep our strength up! Tydal!”

“Yes, Emperor!” Quicker than a sea snake, Tydal the First Court Shark was there. “What is your wish?” The finja had nothing on Tydal in terms of sneaking around invisibly. And he was stuck with an epaulette shark’s bright yellow and brown pattern all over his body! These were in addition to the two prominent black dots, one on each flank, which should have made him even more noticeable. But somehow, Tydal did abide.

“Have the royal seasoners prepare something.” Finnivus gave it some thought and then added, “Sunfish, I think. Yes, sunfish. Let’s make it hot and sweet, just like me.” Finnivus led the court in a group laugh, until it ended with a deep, rattling cough.

Velenka smiled to herself. The emperor looked so pale and frail. His skin had turned a grayish color, quite unlike its former robust sheen. She had recently fed the prisoners a large amount of the poisonous revulent greenie. Just one more good dose should be enough to carry Finnivus to the Sparkle Blue.

“Why not a prisoner, Emperor Finnivus?” she asked.

Finnivus turned. “What?”

“Shouldn’t we eat a prisoner to whet your appetite for when you’ll devour Gray?” Velenka put an adoring fervor into her eyes when she asked this.

Finnivus considered and called out to his court. “See why I, umm, we, plucked this mako from the muck and transformed her into a member of my royal court!”

Velenka felt herself actually preening. Apparently, she had grown fond of receiving attention from this fool! The sooner he was dead, the better.

Tydal zipped off but returned in a matter of moments.

“Your Majesty! The prisoners are all dead!”

Finnivus was in a good mood, though. Instead of flying into a rage at the epaulette, he smirked. “That’s impossible! We did not order them that way!”

Tydal bobbed his head to the sandy seabed they were moving over. This was hard to do and maintain your distance from the royal blue whale, but the epaulette didn’t put a fin out of place. “Forgiveness, Emperor Finnivus, I misspoke.”

“Well, speak without doing that! You are beginning to opud.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.