Page 33 of Call of the Fathoms

Her heart ached for Fortis’s son. She looked down at the floor and whispered, “No one deserves that. And I hope that he has found some peace since.”

As if those words would ever be enough. As if she could wipe away the wounds that his son had sustained.

“He’s better than he was when I found him,” Fortis replied. “Making friends with achromos as we speak. How he’s doing that, I will never know. After what your people did to him, he should hate you.”

Her head lifted at the words, shock allowing her to look him in the eyes again. “Making friends?”

He shook his head. “This is not information you get without betraying your own people, virago.”

“My name is Alexia.” And for some reason, it was important for her to hear him say it. It seemed like the nickname he had given her tore her away from that humanity she still clung to. The humanity that wasn’t here in a tiny ship with nothing but the vast, endless sea to watch her.

“I don’t like the name.”

“You don’t get to name me.”

“It looks like I do.” He paused for dramatic effect, then eyed her. “Virago.”

Her nostrils flared with anger. Yet again, she wanted to punch a hole through the ship just so she could throttle him. But she didn’t. She was good. She controlled the anger that was flaring so white hot in her stomach that it was almost impossible for her to focus on anything else. A medal was needed for the sheer force of will it took for her to grit out, “Alexia.”

“Virago,” he repeated. “You have no idea what an honor it is for me to gift you a name other than what the achromos have given you. Your name means nothing to me or my people. But virago has a purpose, a meaning.”

“And yet, it is still not my name. You’re purposefully trying to distract me from the fact that you refuse to do anything about my circumstances. I will not tell you anything about my city if you are unwilling to at least give me something to eat. Or batteries, so I don’t freeze down here anddie.”

He scoffed. “I will not have this conversation with a woman who refuses to even get into the water with me. You are so terrified I will kill you that we cannot even have this conversation without you becoming so angry you cannot see straight.”

“You want me in the water?”

“I think you’re afraid to get in the water.”

Her temper would get the better of her, it seemed. Because the moment he said that was the moment she lost all control over the situation. Her face burned with anger, something it had never done before. Her hands curled into fists, and she snapped.

“Fine!” she was shouting, and she didn’t even know why. “You want me in the water that fucking bad?”

“You can’t get in the water. You cling to the safety of your ship, because without the medicine they gave you, you are weak.”

That stupid, sarcastic smile on his face hadn’t budged. And she couldn’t let him win.

Fourteen

Fortis

Fortis couldn’t believe it had worked. Taunting her like that had thus far ended in nothing. He knew she had her emotions controlled and was capable in her abilities as a warrior. She would realize that he was being a flipper head to get a rise out of her.

But this time it worked. This time she stomped over to the exoskeleton, muttering under her breath the whole time. Every single movement was rushed and angry, a foolish choice in this situation. Surely she understood that acting in anger would always lead her in the wrong direction?

Apparently, he’d said something that had gotten her so angry she didn’t care anymore.

Or the meds had worn off entirely, and she wasn’t sure how to focus when her mind was new. He could work with that. He could use her weakness to his advantage in this hour of need. But something else bloomed in his chest and made his gills flatten against his skull.

He was taking advantage of her in this state. Peering into her memories without permission was different when they were fighting as equals. He didn’t mind as much when she’d battled and lost to him. But this? This wasn’t the woman he knew. Her frantic, angry movements weren’t right for the cold-hearted warrior he had seen in Tau.

Had he broken her?

The exoskeleton wrapped around her and she struck the button to open the door into the water. Down she went, plunging into the sea like the stones were far away from her. They weren’t. He heard the crunch of her feet hitting the ground and knew that must have been a bone jarring landing for her, especially with the exoskeleton’s added weight. All throughout, he could hear her swearing.

She wasn’t in control over anything right now; it seemed. Somehow, guilt made his fins flatten even further to his scales. He’d wanted to win her trust so that she would tell him everything. He hadn’t wanted to do… this.

The sea ruffled through his hair as though it were pleased with him. “Is that the path you wanted?” he murmured as Alexia figured out how to get out from underneath her own ship. “You are a fickle beast. She is the one who will kill me, and yet you wish for me to pity her.”

---