Page 35 of The Dark Sea Calls

There was no way.

Rainn hissed a breath. “Do you feel that?”

I nodded but quickly realized he couldn’t see my response in the darkness.

“Go on,” Rainn urged. “Touch it, quickly. Before that beast changes his mind.”

I didn’t want to.

I knew what it felt like when the stone recognized my blood and sunk its teeth into my flesh.

My scars pulsed with phantom pain.

What if touching the stone did nothing?

Surely, if the High Throne and the Kraken’s stone had the same origin, I would have had magic years before?

I felt an inch tall. So stupid to believe a children’s story. The Sirens probably had an entire ritual and process to gain their magic. Theyknewwhen a youngling needed to make the journey.

And here I was, bursting into the Kraken’s den in the early hours. The alcohol burned away from my veins, leaving a cold hard realization in its place.

I was sostupid.

But Rainn had gone along with my plans. He had cheered me on. What did that say about me that I had let him? That I had liked that he had been in my corner for once?

There was one thing for it, I had to touch the stone.

I swam forward and reached out. My fingers shook as they brushed the lichen-coated rock. I held my breath and waited, but nothing happened.

No rush of magic or holy chorus.

No booming voice from Belisama gifting me magic.

Just…silence.

I pulled my hand away and felt my finger sting. The stone had drawn blood, after all, but not a lot and not enough.

I tasted copper on the water for a moment, and it was gone.

Cradling my hand to my chest, I swam back to Rainn. The Selkie was a dark shadow in the darkness.

“Any luck?” he asked.

“I don’t think so,” I admitted. “Let’s just go home.” I felt my shoulders hunch, unable to contain my disappointment.

The Kraken’s voice bounced around my skull.

I shook my head. “No.”

The beast had all but confirmed it. The High Throne. Insatiable stone.

The Kraken let out a screech.

I didn’t need to be told twice. I kicked my legs, racing towards Rainn and grabbing his arm as we aimed for the sliver of light that would bring us out of the crack in the seabed.

My shoulder jerked, and I yelped in pain, turning back to Rainn.

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