Page 77 of The Dark Sea Calls

Rainn shook his head. “I’m not leaving you.”

“Rainn, I need you to be safe,” I hated how vulnerable I sounded. “Please.”

Tor grabbed his arm and urged him backward, and the remaining Mer began to swim as fast as they could as the abyss formed a giant mouth.

My uncle let out a laugh, like a child winning a game. “Did you finally reach majority, child?” He called out. “I have fed this abyss for years. It answers only to me!” he flung his arms forward, and like a sheet of darkness, the abyss began to eat up the distance between us.

I closed my eyes, sinking down into the water. Becoming.

The abyss waswrong.

The lake hated its presence. The absence of life, of light.

Everything hurt.

I couldn’t breathe.

Belisama, guide me.

“Come back to Cruinn, Maeve,” King Irvine called out. “Don’t throw your life away for the Merfolk.”

I ignored him, feeling darkness cloud the edges of my vision. I wasn’t sure if it was because of the abyss or the pain throbbing through my skull. I tasted blood at the back of my teeth.

I couldn’t hold it back.

It was going to eat them all.

Tor.

Rainn.

Liam.

Every single Mer in the coral field, scrambling away from the monster, made flesh, darkness incarnate.

My body dropped to the lakebed, but I was no longer inside. I was the water surging through. I was the lake. Its heartbeat and current. Rainn let out a strangled cry, sliding across the sand to grab my body as it fell, cupping my head and holding me to his chest.

Chapter 15

Rainn POV

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Rainn wrapped his arms around Maeve’s cold body as that cursed wall of darkness rose, threatening to devour every Fae on the coral field.

The Undine King, in all of his smarmy glory, couldn’t contain his glee. His eyes shone with excitement and lust. He looked down at Maeve with a pitying look. “Such a delicate constitution.” He crooned, like a proud relative. “She never wanted to bleed for the throne. She would cry and beg when she was called forward for herlessons. Maeve had the same sickness as her mother.”

Rainn felt his lips pull back from his teeth. He wanted to rip out the Undine King’s throat. Maeve’s stricken face flashed past his eyes, the memories of her terror of sitting on the High Throne.

Maeve’s body grew colder, and Rainn shook her, but she did not rouse.

What had the Undine Kingdoneto her?

Whatever it was, King Irvine would wish he had never been born.

Tor stepped up, shadowing Rainn and Maeve, his sword hung unsheathed by his side. Tor stared up at the Undine King; his dark eyes promised murder.

“She’s in the water,” Tor stated plainly. “Watch.”

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