“Go under. Now,” Jiro says, and as one, we duck beneath the surface and find our reeds. I curl up beneath my raft, tuck myself in as tight as possible, and press my lips to the nearest thin reed, pulling in a stunted breath that barely eases my lungs and mostly just burns. I force my eyes open despite the salt water, wanting to see. At first, it’s only darkness. I can’t see anything except for the slight dance of the moonlight above me, the light barely penetrating where I’m at. Some part of me hoped the patrol boat wouldn’t even notice our rafts but that’s foolish hope. We’re in the middle of the canal. Of course they’re going to check the large things floating in the water.

The sound of the motor growing louder and then dying as they get close and stop to check out the floating objects frazzles my nerves. The burning in my eyes eases just a little as I grow accustomed to the salt water.

That’s when the spotlights on the patrol boat hit the water around us, providing more light than I’m prepared for.

I draw in slow long breaths through the reed, desperate not to make any noise. My lungs are already pinching from the too small amount of air getting into them. A slow, dull ache starts in my temple a few seconds later, my body’s warning that I need more oxygen, but this is all it’s going to get right now. I can’t take deeper breaths through what’s practically a straw. I can’t make the air whistle as I breathe without giving my hiding place away.

The beam of light moves around us, focusing on the rafts, and then as it moves, it pierces deeper, and like an idiot, I glance down, following the beam. I shouldn’t have looked. With the beam slicing through the water, broken up just slightly because of the waves, I can make out the others curled tightly beneath their rafts and their careful positions. Everyone is making sure they’re not seen from the top, just like we practiced. I can also see the tiny trail of red coming from Row’s leg as it leaks through the bandage and tints the water. None of that is the terrifying part.

The sharks are.

Beneath us, the sheer number of small and medium sharks swimming around in circles makes me dizzy with fear. They swim closer and away, curious and hunting, but not sure what to think with the boat and the light. If the patrol guards are smart, they’ll question why there are so many sharks surrounding the rafts. I’ve never hoped for someone to be stupid so much in my life.