Page 52 of Of Song and Darkness

The creatures that attacked me earlier swam close to me, their claws and fins brushing against my skin as they circled close by. Something about their demeanor had changed. They no longer looked like they wanted to rip the flesh from my bones. Instead, they created a barrier around me as if protecting me. Just how powerful was Kai? I trembled. I couldn’t deny that he was Poseidon’s son, given the remarkable power I witnessed from him in such a short time.

My emotions pulled me in all directions until I was physically exhausted. How could he conceal from the world the fact that he was Poseidon’s son and had the potential to stop the Dark Hydra all along? He was the true ruler of the Seven Seas. Why hadn’t he claimed that role? People don’t normally own up to what they are most ashamed of. His words from earlier rang in my ears, putting a slight notch of sympathy in my heart. I didn’t know what he had been through, but I was sure his circumstances weren’t enough to justify sitting by and doing nothing while countless sea dwellers lost their lives.

After what I witnessed with the leviathan, he would probably be elated if all the creatures of the sea perished. As I glided through the currents, a throbbing ache stirred within me, like the relentless pull of the tides against the shore. How could someone who was a part of the sea hate and massacre the creatures he was meant to rule?

Kai quickly caught up with me, bypassing me without a word. His determined expression sent shivers down my already cold skin, causing goosebumps to form. He had that same expression on his face the night he killed Flynt. I would never forget that look in his eyes. With a flick of my tail, I kept up with him as we dove deeper into the never-ending nothingness. I couldn’t see Kai any longer. Something touched me. Was it Kai, one of the creatures, or something much worse? The mere thought had me imagining the worst and about to panic.

A gasp of surprise exploded from my lungs when something wrapped around my waist. It pulled me flush against a warm body. I relaxed the moment I realized I was in Kai’s arms.

“Easy, sea demon.” His wicked laughter echoed through the water as his lips brushed the shell of my ear. “I’m not going to let anything happen to you.”

“Don’t make promises you can’t keep,” I hissed back.

His body stiffened at my words. “You need to relax.”

My hand brushed up his amply muscled chest as I looped it around his neck, anchoring myself to him. “I would do much better if I could see what we were swimming toward.”

“Let’s see what kind of creatures are below,” he whispered.

My blood ran cold. “What?

His power seeped through the water. I latched on tighter to him, fearful of what kind of creature he was about to call upon.

Light danced before my eyes, and I had to blink a few times to adjust to the oncoming glow. A scream lodged itself in my throat as several large, bony fish rose from the depths. My focus snared on the massive rows of razor-sharp teeth that protruded from their mouths. Their lower jaws stuck out further than the top, making them all the more terrifying, but nothing compared to the tiny glowing light that hung in front of their faces. It was a strange sort of beauty, glowing a vibrant blue. Something about it made me want to reach out and touch it, but I shoved that thought right back down where it belonged.

“Better?” Kai asked with a smug smirk, tilting his lips.

“No…not really,” I answered honestly as I pressed in closer to him. My gaze hopelessly hung on the disturbing creatures that floated nearby.

Kai’s arm tightened around my waist. The monstrous-looking fish was nothing compared to the man who held me in his arms. “That’s funny,” he said. “They seem to have had the desired effect I was hoping for.”

I tilted my head up to meet his stare. “What effect?” My brow wrinkled with confusion.

“Getting you closer.” His sensual baritone voice caressed my ears, creating a cascading effect that ran down the length of my body.

“Be serious. We’re knocking on death’s door. How can you possibly think of holding me at a time like this?” I tried to push out of his embrace, but that only made him tighten his hold.

Kai brushed his lips across my forehead. “I couldn’t think of a better way to go.”

My resolve cracked a little at his words, and I couldn’t help but smile. He reached up, gripping my chin between his thumb and pointer finger. “Feel better now?”

A blush heated my cheeks when I realized he was only trying to keep me from having a panic attack, and his ploy worked like a charm.

My smile lingered as he released my chin. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet, not until we get through this in one piece,” he said as we continued deeper into the abyss.

The strange fish with the lamp heads and the other creatures flanked our sides as we swam down. I was happy I could see what was in front of me, but the elation was short-lived as we reached the bottom of the trench.

I paused, letting my eyes sweep over the desolate wasteland. Nothing met my gaze but sand and scattered rocks below. Not a single creature stirred except those who had ventured down with us, and they appeared fearful. Dark Water seemed thicker down here, reminding me more of sludge than tainted water. I took a deep breath, struggling to inhale amidst the overwhelming filth and pollution.

I ventured a little further out, my reflexes on high alert. “Where is it?”

The muscles in Kai’s back seemed to be wound so tight they might snap at any second.

“It’s here. I can feel it,” Kai cautioned.

I was beyond grateful that I couldn’t feel it or see it.

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