Chapter 18

Nimbus and Grum, Lucent Deep

The New Huntbounds

            Thalarae added, “and if you’re not up for being eaten alive, there’s this other way in.” A few of the Tidesworn in the crowd turned pale.

            “So how do we begin?” Lorin asked, Anu clinging to his side.

            “That’s the easy part.” Grum shuffled toward the water. The Manta Mover’s nose rested against the island shore. Mounting the ray, Grum shouted back, “Just hold still! Stay in one spot!” and rode along the ocean surface, skimming the peaks of small waves. The Tidesworn clustered together, mourning their losses—twelve elders, five grown, and two children gone. Captain Trapbeard would not be forgiven for a long time.

            “Chomp!” Slobber Maw took a lower section of the city first, allowing another part of the island to lift a little higher. Grum circled on his Manta, guiding the beast to consume heavier chambers first. “Chomp! Gurgle.” More chambers vanished. The island tilted, rising unevenly; some Tidesworn lost their footing. Nimbus formed two groups—he stood with one, Thalarae with the other. The kelp island shrank quickly as it was eaten; Cornelius glued himself to Thalarae’s group, thinking it safer.

            It was not. In one slobbery gulp, Thalarae’s group descended the sea‑monster’s throat. Darkness closed around them like a blanket, dropping them into a new universe. Then something shone in the abyss, the Lumispar crystal, intact. Its singular glow illuminated the belly—the eaten city parts and some wreckage from the Scuttleback. Another wave swept in, carrying more of the city; a garden floated by.

            The lake filled with debris—nearly all the city was swallowed. One final “Chomp,” and the remaining group filtered in, swimming to the belly lake’s shores.

            “Is everyone here?” Kalen shouted.

            “Here!” many voices answered.

            Grabbing kelp ropes that once bound the city, the Grown pulled floating chambers to the lagoon’s edges, water spilling from them like wrung pouches. Grum returned on his Manta with a special bucket full of Brineweld.

            “This,” he said, holding the bucket to Kalen, “is how we rebuild your city.” Grum smeared Brineweld along a crumpled chamber and propped it with a splintered plank. “Splash, hiss.” The Brineweld set into Slimeshell as Grum poured seawater over it.

            “Of course!” Lorin gasped. “That is how our ancestors made the relics. We’ve never seen it done like this, but we know Brineweld’s power.” He looked over their new lodging. Anu rubbed her tummy. “But how do we grow food?” she asked.

            “Well…” Nimbus began.

            Grum steered the conversation, “For now, salvage what you can. Gather supplies. We need to build a submarine.” Work began at once—the Tidesworn were efficient. Much of the city was repaired and retrofitted for belly life in less than a day. The new submarine differed from the Gutfang but bore a familiar resemblance. The survivors built a small memorial for the lost and for the city they had known. Slobber Maw rocked more gently now, old kelp city pieces tangled behind his back, trailing in the waves.