Page 49 of Call of the Fathoms

“Alexia,” he snapped, holding her even tighter and forcing her to stop moving. “Look.”

For good measure, he also grabbed onto her jaw and made her look up. Then, he had the distinct pleasure of feeling her go limp in his arms. She stared up at the surface with awe on her features and wide eyes.

“Is that...” She couldn’t even finish the sentence.

“The sun,” he replied. “Your sun that all of you achromos are so obsessed with.”

He had never understood the love of it. The sun was just there, blinding and overly warm. But when he brought her to the surface and allowed her head to come out of the water, maybe he understood it a little better. Alexia closed her eyes and tilted her head back. Her hair spread out in the sea behind her, but the look of pure bliss was... tempting.

Frowning, Fortis closed his eyes and did the same. Maybe it was the position. The sun still burned even though his eyes were closed, but perhaps it was a little better with the darkness behindhis lids. And the warmth was satisfying after being in the sea for so long.

“I never thought I’d see it,” Alexia whispered. Her words were quiet, almost reverent. “I never thought...”

He opened his eyes and looked at her. It had been a very long time since he’d enjoyed something like she was enjoying this moment in the sun. He could admit to himself, he wasn’t sure he knew how to enjoy things like that anymore. She was so thoroughly invested in this moment. As though no other thoughts existed in her head.

When was the last time that had happened to him? She had seen the monstrosity of metal behind her, and still all her focus was on the sunlight and the feeling of it on her skin for the first time.

Had he ever been so gifted?

Alexia’s eyes finally opened again, locking with his. And all that power that existed inside of him surged to the surface so quickly that he didn’t have time to grab onto it. One moment, he was here, and the next, he was in her future.

She stepped forward into the sunlight. She wasn’t on land, but within the housing that Fortis had seen all the others build for their mates. Her building was closer to the surface than many of them, and that was fine because she wasn’t afraid of the storms. He didn’t know why he was so certain of that, but he was. Fortis could feel how at peace she was with this life and it was...

Good.

He was pleased to know that after his death, she would still be in a place where there was peace. “The path you walk leads to happiness,” he said, the words bubbling from him without control. “Though it may be a struggle to get there, this is the right choice for you.”

“Fortis, I don’t need you to tell me what to do.”

“It is your future.” With a rough gasp, he ripped his gaze from hers and shook his head. “I am sorry, virago. I should not have looked without your permission.”

“You...” He heard the click of her throat as she swallowed. “You looked? What do you mean you looked?”

“Depthstriders are unique in that we were birthed deep in the heart of the ocean. As such, we have abilities that are beyond that of our other brethren.” He’d never felt uncomfortable talking about this before. Why did he feel so now? “I can not only see your memories, but your future as well.”

There was a long pause of silence before she suddenly laughed.

He’d never heard the sound from her before. Perhaps a few chuckles of sardonic disappointment, but never a full belly laugh. He was so surprised his grip on her slipped, and she drifted out into the water away from him as she laughed so hard he swore tears were tracking down her cheeks.

“You can see the future?” she cackled.

“Yes, I can see the future.” His gills flared wide in anger. “Why are you laughing?”

“That’s hilarious that you think I’d believe that.” She dunked underneath the water she was laughing so hard, and came back up with a sputtering sound. “The undine thinks he can see the future. That’s rich.”

“I can see the future.”

“Sure.” Still laughing, she turned toward where he’d brought her. “We’ll go with that.”

“I can!” he insisted, but she obviously wasn’t listening to him now.

She swam toward the metal island while shaking her head in disbelief. Every now and then as she struggled to the landmass, he heard her mutter, “He can see the future,” and snort again.

The damned woman was going to be the death of him. She didn’t believe a word he had said, but it was all the truth. He had seen her future, and the future of many others. How did he prove that to her?

He wasn’t sure why it was even important to prove it. She had no reason to believe him, because she had never seen the power of what his kind could do. And besides, she didn’t care that he was capable of it.

Her laughter shouldn’t bother him so much, but it did.

---