Atlantis Riptide

Atlantis Riptide - Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

Distressed Damsel

Did Chase mean a battle between him and Finn?

The way they argued I wouldn’t be surprised. I was not a contest. Chase and I were together. Finn knew that. “What battle?”

Chase squeezed my hand tighter. “Finn’s talking about a war.”

“A war that doesn’t involve me.”

Chase leaned forward. “You know about their world now. They know about you.” His soft, warm voice showed his concern. “You’re bound to be affected.”

“Pearl.”

“And there’s Finn’s battle cry now.” A know-it-all-disgust filled Chase’s voice.

“Pearl.” Finn rushed toward us waving his hands. His bathing suit dripped and his hair flipped back. An expression of urgency covered his face.

Probably similar to the look I wore when I’d been holding the anchor and he’d showed up. Something was wrong.

Chase stood and placed his hands on his hips, his stance like a warrior.

I stood, too. Could Chase be right? What was Finn’s problem? And was I obliged to help?

“Pearl, you have to come with me.” Finn puffed out the words, bending at the waist as if not used to running on land.

“Come with you where?”

“The Royalists are on emergency alert.” He straightened, still huffing between breaths. “We need to find out if they’re preparing to attack the Free Atlantis base first before—”

“Before you attack them?” Chase’s smug expression changed when I glared.

“You shouldn’t know any of this.” Finn’s lips protruded from his face in an angry pout. “How much more does he know?”

“Enough to warn her not to go.” Chase took hold of my hand to show Finn we were united.

I was glad Chase was on my side, that he wanted to protect me, but I had to hear Finn out. Guilt twirled in my belly for betraying Atlantean secrets. The knowledge might put Chase in danger. Tiptoeing around Finn wouldn’t help. “What could I possibly do?”

“We need to sneak into the palace and see what’s going on. Find out what their plan is. Then, one of us can stay and lookout while the other reports back to base.” Finn kept glancing around as if afraid of being caught.

“Why do you need me to help? Surely, there’s someone else you can ask?”