Zepha the Monster Squid Read Online Free Page A

idea what it looked like?
    “Are you coming or not?” Lindon’s harsh voice interrupted his thoughts.
    “I’m coming,” said Tom, pushing down his apprehension.
    Elenna grasped his hand. “Good luck,” she said. Silver added an encouraging bark and Storm whinnied.
    “Don’t worry. I’ll be back soon,” Tom promised.
    He helped Lindon push the boat back into the water and scrambled over the side. The sky was covered with thick, gray clouds. Lindon raised the sail, and soon the boat was scudding over the waves again. Tom looked back at the shore where Elenna, Silver, and Storm stood. Already they seemed very small and distant.
    As Lindon steered the boat out to sea, the wind grew even stronger. The water became choppy and the boat pitched up and down on the waves.
    Tom gripped the side and stared down into the sea. He thought he could make out the movement of some dark shape far beneath the surface. Suddenly, the water began to churn angrily and Tom gasped as he realized that the boat wasswirling around in a huge circle. A whirlpool was starting up — and he and Lindon were at the center of it!

    Memories of the deep, green water and the feeling of his chest straining for air bubbled up from Tom’s mind. He had faced Sepron in these very waters — and nearly drowned in the process.
    Lindon laughed. “Getting scared?” he taunted. “Do you want to change your mind?”
    “No!” Tom was determined not to let Lindon see he was afraid. “This is what I’ve come for.”
    Lindon grunted and deftly steered the boat out of the whirlpool. Tom could tell he was a skillful sailor. Even so, the boat rocked dangerously and water slopped over the side, soaking Tom. Lindon guided the boat to the edge of the churning water. “I’ll wait for you here,” he said. “But don’t take too long! Otherwise I’ll be heading back to collect your horse.”
    Tom climbed onto the side of the boat. The water was circling faster than ever, opening a cone-shaped passage into the depths of the sea. Tom’s heart thumped in terror, but he knew he couldn’t turn back. Another memory struggled to the surface now, stronger than the others: sunlight on the sea, air rushing into his lungs, and the tooth of a sea serpent in his hand. When Tom had dove into the sea to meet Sepron, he had emerged victorious.
    “I have to do this,” Tom muttered. “For the golden armor. And to defeat Malvel.”
    Tom took in a lungful of air and closed his mouth tightly. Then he dove off the boat’s edge.

C HAPTER S EVEN

I NTO THE W HIRLPOOL
    T HE WHIRLPOOL SUCKED T OM DOWN INTO THE depths of the ocean at once. The force of the water dragged at his clothes and wrenched his arms and legs. Tom felt as if he were being torn apart.
    Swirling water was all around him. Caught up in the powerful current, Tom spun around and around. He fought not to lose his bearings, but soon he couldn’t tell whether he was facing up toward the surface of the sea or down to the ocean bed.
    I’m going to drown!
he thought frantically. Was this the end of his new Quest already? Then pain stabbed through him as his flailingarm struck something hard. Instinctively, he grabbed at it and found he was clinging to a spur of rock that thrust upward from the ocean bed. Working his way along it, he managed to drag himself out from the force of the whirlpool and up to the surface. He took a few deep breaths to calm his panic, and dove back down once more.
    Looking around, Tom saw the spires and hollows of a coral bed stretching into the distance. Then a dull gleam of gold caught his eye. On one spike of coral rested the golden helmet.
    He had never seen a helmet like it before. It was shaped like an eagle’s head: The visor was molded in the shape of a hooked beak, and the golden surface was patterned to look like feathers.
    Tom was amazed. He couldn’t believe how easy this was! He would just collect the helmet, then swim back up to the boat.
    Kicking away from the rock, Tom swam