Some of the shoreline near the base was off-limits, but there was a public part too. Despite it being early evening, the weather was perfect and balmy, and the water was blissfully warm. The beach wasn’t crowded, but there were people swimming and collecting shells. I was starting to see Fang’s point about just finding a tropical isle and letting the rest of the world go crazy without us.

“Keep your Windbreaker on,” I told Angel, who was shimmying out of her tiny uniform. “Bird kids weren’t exactly designed for bathing suits.”

She made a face but nodded. “I think there’s like dolphins or something out there. I can hear things thinking, but they’re not human.”

Concern shot through me. “Not human? Do they feel evil? They’re not, like, Erasers with fins or something, right?”

Angel giggled. “No. They’re not Erasers. And they feel totally not evil. Okay, bye!” She ran across the sand and threw herself into the water. I watched as her golden curls submerged and disappeared. I sighed and sank down on the sand next to Akila and Total.

Fang sat next to me, still looking out of character in nonblack clothes.

“Whoa. Khaki much?” I couldn’t resist saying.

He looked at me. “Uh-huh. And I dig your military hair.”

“Touché.” Self-consciously, I touched the tight French braid I was required to wear here at the navy fun house.

Gazzy and Iggy were already in swimming trunks, racing toward the ocean. They yelled when they hit the waves, plunging in far enough to bodysurf.

Fang’s dark eyes scanned the water. He was counting heads, the way I was. I hadn’t gotten over the feeling that something was wrong because Nudge wasn’t here.

“How long’s she been under?” Fang asked.

“About five minutes. She said there were dolphins. Or something.”

We sat together silently for a while. Gazzy and Iggy were shouting and splashing in the water. Angel still hadn’t come up for air, and I tried to let go of the normal expectation that she needed to. After all, what are a few gills among friends?

Suddenly Angel did pop up, smiling and waving, heading toward us. “It’s totally awesome, clear and blue,” she announced, shaking off water.

“Were there dolphins?” I asked.

She nodded. “Yeah. They’re really mad. Hey, Total. Come out with me. Practice breathing under water.”

Total wrinkled his nose. “No gills,” he said. “And I’m still getting used to the wings.”

I was stuck on the angry dolphins, but Angel frowned at Total, then at me and Fang. “You guys all really need to practice breathing under water,” she said urgently. “It’s really important. I want you to practice right now.”

“Sweetie, I don’t think any of us can breathe under water except you,” I said. “Remember when Gazzy tried? He barfed up half the ocean. And what do you mean, the dolphins are mad?”