Page 68 of Song of the Abyss

“I’m sorry to hear that.” A shiver went down her spine, and she couldn’t pinpoint why. Her father had always been ruthless. But that? That was more than he’d ever been before.

“It’s over.”

The words played in front of her eyes and she had to read them six times before she blurted, “Over? What do you mean, over?”

“No one will work with us. I’ve been trying to get someone else, but no one wants to take the risk. Too many people have died, and everyone knows. We’re dead in the water with your father’s blade in our back.”

“It can’t be over. I’m so close, Ace. I found other people who are willing to help us. You can’t give up on me now. Do you hear me?” She almost wanted to hit something. She wanted to throw the bowl in her hands and watch it shatter on the floor. “I need you to stay in this. With me.”

Silence. So much silence from the other end that her tinnitus started acting up. Or maybe that was because no one else was in the room with her, and she was alone yet again.

Always alone. Now Ace was going to leave her too, and no one would ever do anything about her father. No one would ever do anything about... anything.

Hands shaking, she set the bowl down before she broke what was likely one of the few that Mira owned. “Ace?” she tried again. “Ace, talk to me.”

Bitsy let raindrops play down the screen, and that’s when she knew Ace had disconnected the call. She would not get any help from her friend. She was alone in this, as she had been from the start.

Swallowing hard, she tried not to cry even though she could feel the sound pressing against her throat.

Until Bitsy put an arrow in front of her face and she saw the shadow had moved much, much closer. Daios was on the other side of the glass, still slightly above her. But he had his webbed hand pressed against it. And she knew, she just knew, that he’d known she needed him with her.

Reaching up to the glass, she pressed her hand on the opposite side like she was holding onto him. Or perhaps, like he was holding her together.

25

Daios

How did he show her how he felt? That seemed like an impossible ask from a woman who should have known just from his body language. Daios wasn’t good at telling anyone anything. He’d never been a talker, even when he was just a boy. His mother used to say that he was as stoic as a stone wall, immovable, and sometimes a little cold.

He didn’t see the value in chatting with people when he could show them what he wanted. Of course, that hadn’t gotten him very far with women. And it would not get him very far with his little achromo.

After all, Anya had settled in rather nicely.

He hated how much that made him upset. Logically, Daios knew she did better with a task at hand. He looked at how she had worked in the facility, and he knew it made her feel more comfortable to be needed. He even understood it, because he was very similar.

Sighing, he fanned his fluke over the dust that had settled in this small, deep sea canyon. He was doing the same thing right now. Trying to appease his emotions and his thoughts by keeping himself busy.

This was not a task that kept his mind busy, though. All he had to do was uncover lost items on the sea floor, if there were any. And fanning the dust with his tail certainly didn’t make him feel like he had something to do. Instead, all he could think about was her.

His distance from her had created unwanted side effects. The visions were back. The memories of all those dead bodies who had floated in the currents, all because of what he’d done. All because he had no self control when it came to his own hatred. Even now, he could feel those icy fingers grabbing onto his shoulders, pulling at the hand that should have still been there.

“Daios,” they whispered. “Come, seek your retribution.”

He didn’t want to do that. He wanted to go back home, to a woman with a golden smile and a soul that eased his own. Only weeks ago he would have claimed it was a shame that the woman was an achromo. He would have told himself to sever this connection and break free from her siren call.

But now? Now he knew what it was to stand in the light of her smile and bask in the glow of her joy. He would trade the entire sea for a few moments with her.

“Why are we doing this again?” The words snapped Daios out of his fugue state. A yellow fin draped down on top of his head, only to be whisked away when he swiped at it with his claws.

“Mira thinks this was a dumping ground for the droids like Byte and Bitsy,” he grumbled. “If we can find one of their... kin, then she will be pleased.”

Maketes floated ahead of him, tail flicking to keep him lying down on the current. He had his arms behind his head, fully trusting the ocean to keep him cradled in her arms. If only the ocean were so contented with Daios.

“Ah right,” Maketes lifted one of his hands in the air as if pulling a thought out of his head. “Fabricators. That’s what she called them. Fascinating what the humans can make, isn’t it? I never thought they would be such interesting people.”

“They aren’t,” he grumbled.

“You seem to have found one in particular very fascinating. Or do you think no one has noticed how much you hang around the dome?” He spun in the water, putting a ridiculous frown on his face. “You’re very mopey lately, Daios.”

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