Read Online The Battle of Riptide by EJ Altbacker - Free Book Online Page A

colorful sea dragon was actually silent for once.
    â€œAre you surprised?” Sandy asked Gray.
    â€œDefinitely, Mom. Definitely.” Gray wanted to accept Quickeyes’s offer, but something nagged at him.
    It was Striiker who brought what was troubling him into focus. “I’m happy for you,” the large great white began, “but right now, with everything that’s going on, you can’t be a member of two Lines! Your loyalty has to be to just one.”
    â€œYour friend is right,” said Quickeyes. “I wish he wasn’t. But it’s your choice.”
    â€œRogue will respect whatever decision you make,” Mari added.
    Sandy swirled her tail to get everyone’s attention and announced, “Either way, Coral and Rogue should be allies. If any of you are in trouble, you can always come here.”
    â€œAre you serious?” Shell asked. “Really?”
    Onyx gave the bull shark a slap on his flank. “Any friend of Gray and Barkley’s is a friend of ours.”
    â€œWell?” asked Barkley.
    Gray wanted to say yes. He really did. But Goblin was still out there. If Gray joined Coral Shiver, the evil shark might attack his family again. Gray wouldn’t take that chance. But before he could tell everyone someone else spoke.
    â€œHe cannot!” said an oddly accented voice. “He promised himself to me.”
    Everyone started as Takiza seemingly appeared from nowhere and settled into the center of the council discussion. It was a moment before anyone could speak.
    â€œAnd who are you, exactly?” Quickeyes asked.
    The tiny fighting fish ruffled his fins with a flourish. “I am, exactly, Takiza Jaelynn Betta vam Delacrest Waveland ka Boom Boom.”
    â€œHuh. I pictured him bigger,” Onyx mused. Takiza featured prominently in the story of how Rogue Shiver had stopped Goblin and Velenka’s plan at the Tuna Run. When Gray had told the story, he could see that the members of Coral Shiver didn’t totally believe him. Now their disbelief was replaced by amazement.
    Quickeyes swam up to Takiza. “You’re really him? The same Takiza who Gray said saved a family of turtles? The Takiza who saved a whale calf from fifty makos when my father’s father was a pup? The same Takiza who stopped a tidal wave from washing away an entire reef between the AuzyAuzy and Zeeland land masses? You’re
that
Takiza?”
    The little betta bobbed his head and snapped his filmy fins straight out for a moment. “The same.”
    â€œWhy do you want my son?” Sandy asked, her nose and chin barbels vibrating.
    â€œHe is my apprentice. He must come with me for training.”
    â€œTraining for what?” Mari prodded.
    â€œWhy, to defeat Finnivus Victor,” Takiza said matter-of-factly. “After Finnivus declares himself emperor, of course.”



VELENKA TRIED TO CONVINCE GOBLIN THREE times that they couldn’t hope to survive an Indi Shiver assault fighting snout to snout. A scouting party had confirmed the armada was camped at Razor Shiver’s old homewaters. Of course they were. Ever since the Tuna Run, it seemed as if Goblin Shiver had been caught in a whirlpool of misfortune. First, their plan to get rid of Razor was blocked by Gray and Rogue Shiver. After the Tuna Run, Razor Shiver had launched a series of successful attacks against them. And now that Razor and his bulls were gone, a new and much more powerful force—the Indi armada led by King Finnivus—had taken their place and threatened to annihilate Goblin Shiver. Indi continued to send out large patrols from their new homewaters, but they were content to stay close to that area. For now.
    â€œHa!” Goblin had snorted. “They’re scared to come out!”
    Velenka knew why Indi Shiver wasn’t interested in probing their defenses. Indi could crush them anytime. When Goblin had ordered an ill-advised ambush, the outnumbered Indi