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That had been the advantage of being in The Oasis--at least there, I never had to worry about running out of huic theabout possiblyanother innocent person in the near future

I wasn’t sure hoas going to last all the way to The Shade, and then waiting for River, and then traveling back somewhere else, to wherever my next destination was No It was inevitable Soet human blood Perhaps stop on a remote island and find so That was the ht myself back to the present For noas full, and I had River with er than usual

By the tis, I heard the bathroom door click next door, and River’s footsteps as she stepped out of the shower

There was a knock athair rapped up in a towel, and she earing her black robe again

"I was thinking how Lalia wasn’ta seat next toit with the towel "Neither was Hassan or Morgan I wonder why?"

I shrugged "Perhaps because they’d been intended solely for, uh, consuot thean working it into a braid "I also keep thinking about that vial into help ine having a nor back"

"Maybe," I said, "but would you really risk giving it to hi else?"

She looked nervous at the thought "Yeah, that’s what I’ve been--"

The sub off the bed Before I could catch her, she’d sla her head I would’ve gone flying too had I not gripped hold of the bed to stopinto her

As the submarine steadied, I crouched next to her and exarumbled

I hurried out into the corridor and entered the control roo to get a clue as to what had just happened So had obviously collided with us But what? It e creature--a shark, possibly even a whale River joined me a few moments later and the two of us scanned the waters

My heart leapt into my throat and River let out a scream as a creature shot up fro I’d seen in reen skin and matted purple hair that covered her bare chest Her hideous face was pressed right up against the glass, her thin lips parting to reveal fangs She slid upward against the , glaring down at us through yellow eyes She her and her bottom half came into view--the tail of a fish