Page 55 of Call of the Fathoms

“A...” Alexia’s nose scrunched as she thought. “Holy figure. Someone who talks to god and then relays what god says.”

He mimicked her scrunched nose before nodding. “I suppose. It is not the sea telling people their future, though. It’s just a depthstrider who has earned that ability by the goddess after years of training.”

He could see she still didn’t believe him, and that was beyond frustrating. No one had ever questioned his abilities before. He was capable of seeing the future, and that was just how it had always been. Yes, it was frustrating for him sometimes. He would see a future that didn’t match up with what he wanted. And sometimes, he would see a terrible future that he could not change. It was just there. For good. No matter how much he wanted to change it, there wasn’t a way to save the person.

“I find myself upset that you do not believe me,” he muttered.

“I think that’s a silly reason to be upset.”

Well, now he was offended. “You are questioning something I have been able to do my entire life, and something I have based my entire existence upon.”

“You based your entire existence on seeing other people’s futures? That sounds voyeuristic.”

The amusement on her face warned him that she was teasing, but he was so far beyond that. She antagonized him. “I have based my entire life upon a vision my wife saw of my death. I know how I am going to die, virago, and I never question that truth.”

Her eyes widened. “You have a wife?”

That wasn’t the way to say it. Clearing his throat, he shook his head. “I had a wife. She died many years ago.”

“Ah.” For some reason, that seemed to make Alexia uncomfortable. “Well. That might have been nice to know.”

Why? Was she thinking about their kiss? As far as he was concerned, his wife had given him permission. Astrum wanted him to live for as long as he could before he joined her in the after life and then... Even if he indulged himself with the womanwho would kill him, he had decided that he was going to make use of his last days. Right until the bitter end.

“She prophesied that I would lead our people into a new future. That it would be me who changed the current of time and brought both of our peoples into a new world.” He made sure that Alexia was listening to him, dragging his claws on the floor with a sharp screech that had her staring at him. “And then I would die. I have seen the future through her vision, Alexia. I know who kills me. I know when that person kills me, and how. And because of that, I can take risks that others cannot.”

“The future is uncertain,” she replied. “You said that yourself.”

“I did. But some futures cannot be changed.”

“You’ve dedicated your life to something someone told you that you believe will happen. The future can be manipulated, that much I do believe. She made you believe that you would die, and you have fought your entire life to see that come true. No one can see the future, Fortis.” Her cheeks turned bright red during the rant, and her chest heaved up and down with anger.

He patted the floor next to him. “Come here, virago.”

“Why?”

“Because I can tell you are upset and I would like to talk with you about that.”

Her brows furrowed, as though she was suspicious about what he was asking from her. “Since when have you cared how I’m feeling? Historically, you’ve thrown me in a prison or tormented me. Why are you being so nice?”

Because something was growing in his chest and he didn’t know what else to do about it. A voice in his head screamed that he needed to take care of her. He needed her to be safe and happy and no matter what that ended up costing, he would see it through.

She was going to kill him, anyway. The least he could do was make it easier on this achromo, who he knew would carry that guilt for the rest of her days.

“Sit,” he said. “I don’t have to justify myself to you.”

Grumbling under her breath, she at least joined him on the floor. She was quite a distance away, and for some reason, that bothered him. After all the time they had spent together, he’d thought she wouldn’t mind being at least a little closer.

She was the one who had kissed him, after all.

Had he done something wrong? Achromos were confusing at the best of times, but he also knew that he hadn’t donethisin a very long time. His wife had been the one to chase him, as was the depthstrider way.

Achromos were not like that. They were wooed strangely. At least, that’s what he had seen with the other three of his people who now had mates. But maybe she would be different. Just like he was different.

Breathing in through his nose, he bumped his head against the glass and stared up at the stone ceiling. “Would you like to hear about my family?”

“Are they all dead?”

His lips twisted into a wry grin. “Not all of them.”

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