The Sea Devil's Eye - Mel Odom [150]
Iakhovas stepped back in surprise, but a crafty smile lit his scarred and tattooed features.
"You haven't seen all there is to me, boy," Iakhovas said.
He turned and sprinted for the stern railing, leaping over it in a long, flat dive.
Jherek followed the movement, but stopped at the rail, amazed at what he saw.
By the time Iakhovas hit the water, he was no longer anything human. A manlike form went down, but a ninety-foot great white shark surfaced. Scars and tattooing showed around a golden eye. It sped out to sea and gradually went down, leaving only the triangular dorsal fin-as big as a house-sticking out of the water.
Sahuagin swarmed up the stern, and Jherek spent a few moments riposting their attacks and killing them. As he kicked the corpses back into the water, he noticed the triangular fin streaking for Azure Dagger.
"Hold on!" he roared in warning.
In the next instant, the huge shark slammed into the caravel. Timbers cracked and gave way as the predator hammered through the hull.
"Abandon ship, damn it!"
Jherek turned and saw Azla up and about. Wounds still covered her, but evidently Glawinn had healed the worst of it. She was mobile, but hurting greatly.
"Get the boats over the side and get into them!" she shouted. "We're taking on water like a sieve!"
Glancing back out to sea, Jherek watched the massive predator come around for another pass.
* * * * *
Laaqueel watched Iakhovas in awe as he transformed into the great shark.
Not a shark, Eldath corrected. Iakhovas is a megalodon, a prehistoric creature and perhaps the first such of his kind.
"But he once walked with gods," Laaqueel said, watching as Iakhovas sped toward the ship.
With Umberlee, yes, and possibly even with Sekolah.
"He was never one of Sekolah's chosen?"
No. He's an aberration, a thing whose time is well gone.
Iakhovas turned from attacking the ship and fixed her with his real eye. Little malenti, his voice sounded in her head, vow arc slow to come when I command.
You must make a choice, Eldath said, here and now. Will you stay as an outcast with the sahuagin and keep Iakhovas as your master, or will you take what I offer?
* * * * *
"Brace yourselves!" Jherek yelled as he grabbed the storm railing.
Iakhovas rammed Azure Dagger again, splitting the hull even more. As the huge predator pulled away this time, the young paladin felt the caravel listing, taking on water. He glanced over his shoulder as the vessel sank to its midsection. The crew routed the attacking sahuagin. The sea wyrm raised its golden finned head from the sea and returned Jherek's gaze.
"I need you," Jherek said.
The sea wyrm dived without hesitation and swam to the stern section. Out in the distance, Iakhovas came around for another pass. Jherek was certain this attack would leave the stricken vessel in tatters and the crew vulnerable to that great mouth filled with serrated teeth.
"Jherek!" Sabyna called from behind him.
"Lady," the young paladin said. "You need to get in one of the boats and row for shore." He pointed toward the low, green-forested hill that could be seen in the distance.
"What are you going to do?"
Jherek gave her a smile and answered, "All that I may, lady. I can do naught else."
Sabyna took her kerchief from her hair and quickly tied it around his arm. "I would not stop you from doing as Lathander has directed, but you heed my words well." Her voice cracked with emotion and a sheen was in her eyes. "You finish what you have been given to do, and you come back to me in one piece."
Jherek's heart soared, pushing aside even the fear and insecurity that thrummed inside him. He took her face in his hands and kissed her deeply.
"As you wish, lady," he said, then threw himself from the stern castle in a dive that took him straight at the approaching shark.
Curving up toward the surface, watching the huge predator bearing down on him and suddenly realizing how vulnerable he was when the shark