no whites. As Gretchen stalked toward them, the seekrieger holding Will shrieked, released her grip, and raced back into the water.
“Calypso!” Gretchen shouted in a voice that was not her own. It was deep and booming-like thunder. She strode into the water.
Calypso released her hold on Asia and smiled a snarling grin at Gretchen. She said something in her strange language.
“You’re too late, Calypso,” the Gretchen-creature said.
Asia’s face registered terror. “The Fury has awoken,” she said, and closed her eyes.
The seekriegers screeched and wailed. The water churned as they plunged below the surface. Gretchen strode into the water.
“No!” Will shouted. “Don’t go to them!” He reached for Gretchen, but she grabbed his hand in a searing grip. He cried out in pain. She blinked with those strange red eyes, the color of blood, and seemed to recognize him.
Gretchen released him. “Get out of the water,” she told him.
Will stumbled back as she spread her arms and plunged them into the sea. Fire spread from her hands, racing across the surface of the bay.
The seekriegers’ screams rose like steam, sounding an alarm across the bay. Will clapped his hands over his ears and sank to his knees. The screams were like knives or a bed of nails pressing against him, slicing through his skin, peeling it back…
Will stared at Gretchen-the Burning One, Asia had called her. Suddenly he realized what must have happened the night the seekriegers came for Tim. Gretchen had been there. She must have been. Somehow she fought them off and set the sail on fire to frighten them away. Then she dragged Will to shore…
The seekriegers thrashed wildly, their figures dark against the fire. As it touched them, the flames turned purple, then red, and still the screams went on.
Slowly, slowly, they died away.
The red flames returned to yellow and orange. They burned on across the surface of the dark water as Will stood watching. He stood until he heard someone shouting his name and the faraway wail of police sirens.
Will stood watching, but the waters of the bay remained still.
Gretchen turned to face him. Her eyes were back to normal. She took a step toward him. Then another.
Then she fainted, dropping into the bay with a pale splash.
Gretchen’s eyes fluttered open. “Will?”
“Hey,” he said quietly, leaning forward in his chair. “You’re back with us.”
“Where-”
“Walfang General,” Will told her.
Gretchen looked around the light beige room. “Is that why the wallpaper’s so tasteful?”
“Pretty much.”
She struggled to sit up, then instantly regretted it. Her muscles screamed, and she sat back against her pillow. “Take it easy,” Will suggested.
“Could you have told me that ninety seconds ago?” Gretchen shot back.
“Aren’t you supposed to be making a speech about how grateful you are to be alive?”
Gretchen sighed. “I am grateful.” Something warm brushed her hand. Will’s fingers had intertwined with hers. The beeping heart monitor speeded up, broadcasting her feelings across the room. She felt her face flush. Will was watching the monitor as if a new idea was just dawning on him.
“Oh, great, you’re awake!” Angus said from the hallway. “Now you can make a statement for the paper.”
Angus was right behind Gretchen’s father, who had stopped short in the doorway, his dark eyes wide with relief. He had a white paper coffee cup in each hand.
“Hi, Dad,” she said.
“Hi.” Johnny fumbled with the coffee a moment, and handed a cup to Will. Then he set the other one down on the table beside Gretchen’s bed and leaned over her. He touched her hair gently, then gave her a tender kiss on the forehead. Gretchen felt the familiar stubble on his cheek brush against her temple. “Hi,” he said again. He looked at her with bright dark eyes, and she realized that he’d lost the faraway look he’d been wearing for days. It was as if they had both broken out of a dream.
“I’m okay,” Gretchen told him.
He looked at her, his eyes filling with tears. “Good,” he said.
As a speech, it lacked eloquence, but the way the tense, haggard lines of his face had softened said everything.
Angus flopped into the chair on the other side of Gretchen’s bed. “So are you going to be my big story, or what?”
“Forget it, Angus. I don’t even remember what happened.” Gretchen sneaked a look at Will, who nodded.
“Is this friendship?” Angus demanded.
“What are you even doing here?” Gretchen asked.
“Angus called 911,” Will told her. “He was the first one on the scene.”
Gretchen looked at Angus, who shrugged. “Police scanner. Someone called in about some smoke.”
“It was a pretty bad fire on the bay.” Johnny took Gretchen’s hand. “It’s lucky Will pulled you from the water.”
“Dude, that place is torched,” Angus said. “They’re closing the surrounding beaches until everything can get cleaned up.”
“The town isn’t happy,” Will explained. “But it’s almost the end of the season, so it could be worse.”
“I’ll say. Now maybe those shark things will move on.” Angus shook his head and took a swig from Will’s coffee. “Ugh. Dude, don’t you use sugar? This is vile.”
“Sharks?” Johnny asked, his face a blend of confusion and amusement.
“Angus is convinced the waters are swimming with them,” Will said quickly. “And that the town is hiding it.” He tried to make the idea sound ridiculous, but Johnny didn’t laugh.
“There are a lot of stories,” Gretchen’s dad said. “If you live out here long enough, you hear a few.” He looked down at Gretchen, and everyone was silent for a while.
Gretchen let out an involuntary yawn.
“I’m sorry, sweetie,” Johnny said. “We should let you rest.”
“I’m not tired,” Gretchen said.
“Right. Okay, well, how about if you just close your eyes and meditate a while? Or just read,” Johnny suggested.
“I brought you the paper.” Angus pointed to it on the bedside table.
“I’ll go talk to the doctor about when you can get out of here.” Johnny flashed Angus and Will a
“Will?” Gretchen called. “Hang on a minute, would you?”
“I’ll catch up with you guys,” Will told Johnny and Angus.
Gretchen scooted over, and he sat on the edge of her bed. Her eyes darted to the clock on the far wall.
“It’s late,” Gretchen observed.
Will nodded. “So late it’s early.”
“Your mom will be freaking out.”
“I called my dad. I had to tell him about Guernsey…”
The memory of the valiant dog flashed across Gretchen’s mind. “Poor Guernsey.” She covered Will’s hand with her own.
Will’s chin quivered. “She was a brave old girl.”
“Yeah.”
Will cleared his throat. “Dad is taking care of burying her. He said he’d calm Mom down, too. But she’ll probably be here first thing in the morning with a basket of scones, so don’t eat any of the hospital food.”
“Your parents are so sweet,” Gretchen said.
“You think so?” Will looked surprised.
“Yeah… don’t you?” Gretchen cocked her head. “I mean, they’re always trying to take care of you. Your mom freaks out every time you leave the house because she’s so afraid. And your dad slaves away at that farm because
