The Hunter's Pursuit

29. Gifts and Warnings

Bubbles tickled Viviane's arms as she stooped to grab a shell from the seabed. She took a quick peek inside, ensuring the shell was empty before dropping it into the satchel slung over her scaled shoulder. Viviane swam in a slow circle, eyeing her surroundings for any shells she might've missed. She winced as something pinched her scalp. Viviane unhooked a length of hair from beneath a few of her scales, relieving the pain.

When she was certain there were no more shells to be had in this area, she swam on to the next. For a brief moment, Viviane closed her eyes and flexed her webbed fingers, relishing the water that swished against her body. Bubbles filled her wake and clung to the gossamer membrane of her side and tail fins. She giggled softly as she twirled, then straightened out once more.

Viviane reached the next section of the plains and brought her attention back to hunting shells. They wouldn't be hard to find in this particular region. Despite the dim light breaking through the water, Viviane could still make out different hues of color within her surroundings. That would come in handy, as the shells she was looking for were opalescent and would reflect prismatic light if placed at the right angle.

Her lips curled sideways as she hovered over the onyx sand, waiting for the first flash of color. She ignored a crab that scuttled past to burrow beneath a rock. A few schools of fish also passed her by, but they took a wider berth than the crab. Viviane grabbed a small white object, then tossed it aside, seeing it was nothing more than a rock. She swam a few feet forward and hummed to herself impatiently.

She only had a limited window of time to complete her search before she had to be back on the ship. Emilia was covering for her, but she knew that wouldn't last for long. The medic was trying to help prepare for Kitty's birthday party that evening and Viviane needed time to finish her gift for the child before then.

She'd kicked herself repeatedly when Coralyn came to her for gift ideas that morning and she realized she hadn't even thought of one herself. She'd been too distracted by...everything else.

There was a flicker of movement in the corner of her eye. Viviane turned as the leafy plant wavered again. Rainbow light flashed across the sand before the plant hid the teardrop-shaped shell from view.

Viviane grinned and plucked the shell. There were several more strewn through the tangle of plants, and Viviane set to work gathering up the ones she could. By the time she finished, her satchel hung heavy and she was certain she had enough shells for her gift.

Viviane gave a thrust of her tail and swam towards the darker blob disrupting the brighter waters overhead, which was the Leviathan's hull. The ship floated alone now, as the Lucre had set out earlier that morning. Viviane hadn't gone far when a familiar tingle crept along her spine. She paused.

It came again and spread to her arms. An odd pressure swelled within her chest like an internal call, though she knew something else had projected it towards her. The slice of a tail through water reached her pointed ears and Viviane rounded on the eel. Its sleek body crept over her shoulders until its head brushed against her cheek.

"You again?" Viviane asked. "What do you want?" She narrowed her eyes accusingly. "If this is about my sisters, you can leave."

That is not why I have come, the eel's voice hissed in her mind. I bring news and a warning. Her brows dipped and she nodded for the eel to continue. A storm brews around Ryujin. The great beast has been angered. A ship bearing a green flag marked by crossed arrows now lies at the bottom of the sea.

Viviane's lips parted but no sound emerged. She replied to the eel mentally instead. You mean the Venatrix, Mallory Archer's flagship? Ryujin sank it?