Alex looked on in alarm. “No, we can’t wait. They know we’re here. That tremor you felt wasn’t the island about to go up, it was Simber breaking through the cage glass. The eel got Octavia and, well, another creature, and we had to get them out or they’d die.” He wiped the drips from his face with his sodden shirtsleeve. “Seriously, guys—we have to go now.”

“I don’t think we should move them,” Samheed said, his stubbornness coming out.

“Sam. Listen. There’s total chaos out there,” Alex said. “Nobody will be paying attention to us. We can get out safely right now. I don’t have time to explain, but we have to go. We have to.” When Samheed hesitated and Sky didn’t say anything to help, Alex repeated in a stern voice. “Now.”

Samheed looked at Lani. She nodded and struggled to her elbows. “Alex is right. If they know we’re here,” she said weakly, “they’ll find us.”

Alex breathed a sigh of relief. He picked up Kitten and handed her to Crow. “Sam, take Lani. I’ve got Copper. Sky, you grab Henry. Let’s get out of here. Don’t stop for anything.”

The three able bodies picked up their battered friends, Alex quickly yet politely introducing himself to Copper before he picked her up, explaining to her what his plan was. They left the room and made their way down the empty hall, then crept up the spiral stairs to where the chaos was.

Samheed reached the top first and waited for the others. Lani, despite her injuries, strained over the railing at the top of the steps to look inside the glass case nearby, which had caught her eye earlier. She struggled in Samheed’s arms to see better as they waited for the others to reach them.

“Ouch. What are you doing?” Samheed whispered.

“Trying to see that drawing,” Lani said, digging a knee into his ribs. “Boost me up!”

“No!” Samheed said. “Stop wriggling or I’ll drop you.”

Lani frowned and wriggled more, finally getting a long look at what was inside the case.

Samheed looked down the stairs as Sky struggled with Henry to reach them. He shifted Lani and held out a hand to assist Sky as Alex climbed past them all to take the lead with Copper.

“Everybody,” Alex hissed, “keep your heads down and push on, no matter what. Do what you have to do to get out of here. Just stay close.” He set off, with Sky on his heels.

Lani settled back down in Samheed’s arms, spent from her efforts, and Samheed sped after Alex and Sky.

“My mother can’t swim,” Sky reminded Alex in a low voice as they dodged a wailing child who’d been separated from his parents in the confusion. “How will we get her all the way to the surface?”

Alex twisted left and right, moving through the crowd, his heart pounding. “I’m wondering the same thing about myself,” he said. After two lengthy dives already today and little recovery time, he didn’t have much energy left in him. And they couldn’t afford to rest.

“Put a helmet on Sky’s mother,” Lani said, her head resting on Samheed’s shoulder now. “I meant to tell you—there’s air inside. She’ll be able to breathe.”

“Perfect,” Alex said, relieved. So that explained how the fishermen could stay out in the water so long. Copper looked slightly relieved too, but Alex could still feel her shaking with fear. “Are you going to be okay?” he asked her.

She nodded, unable to speak because of the thornament around her neck.

“Okay. We’re almost there.”

Finally they made it to the fishing hatch. Alex spied the suits and helmets. He grabbed a helmet and placed it over Copper’s head while Sky hit the button to the sliding door. As they made their way into the box, a shout rang out above the chaotic noise around them.

“Stop! Who are you?”

Alex looked up to find two men and a woman charging toward them.

“They’re stealing my slave!” one of the men yelled.

“Get in, quick,” Alex said. They scooted inside, having to squeeze to fit all seven of them. Alex pulled Samheed back so the door would close just as the pirate reached the first button and slapped it, holding it open.

“Grab them!” the pirate yelled.

Without a thought, both Samheed and Alex pointed and shouted, “Glass!”

Instantly not one but two panes of glass stopped the pirates in their tracks and walled the Artiméans in the chamber.

“Yikes,” Alex said, sweating profusely now. “That was close.” He ignored the pirates and looked at all his companions. “It’ll take us a few minutes to reach the surface. Can everyone handle that? Copper,” he said to Sky’s mother, “Lani says your helmet has air inside.”

“Right,” Lani said. “And it’ll seal up nice and snug around your jaw so no water can get in. You will be able to breathe normally.”

Alex flashed Lani a grateful smile. “Just don’t panic and we’ll be fine, Copper. I promise I won’t let you go.”

“You can trust them, Mother,” Crow said from Henry’s side. The bandage on Henry’s head had grown crimson with blood.

“Henry,” Alex said, “can you make it?”

Henry nodded through half-closed eyes. “I got this,” he said. His voice was weak.

“Lani?”

“Yes,” she replied. “I’m fine. Really.”

“Copper?”