32When Cryssa climbed off the back of Stok's shark and stepped into the shallows close to shore, she was surprised to see what looked like the entire population of Shark Island waiting for her.
Until then, as she had ridden behind Stok with her eyes shut, she had not glimpsed the crowd on the beach. She had been so focused on getting through the ride astride the fearsome bull shark that she had not even thought to try to catch a glimpse of what lay ahead.
Now that she finally saw the dozens of Sharkites massed on the shore, she was stunned. They were all there for her, they had to be...but had they come to welcome or hurt her? She had left the island under bad circumstances, fleeing in disgrace; even before her escape, most of the Sharkites had avoided her as if she were a freak becau
