Page 1 of Treasure of the Abyss

Chapter 1

361 YearsAfterLanding

Macy wipedthe sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand and angled the brim of her hat to block the glare of the bright afternoon sun. Every day was warm on Halora, but today was unusually hot, and there wasn’t a spot on her that didn’t feel damp withperspiration.

Her knees sank into the soft dirt as she crawled forward. Tall stalks of corn towered over her to either side, planted in neat rows, and the scent of earth and growing plants permeated the air. She stopped when she reached a mass of redvines.

She dug her fingers into the ground to grasp as much of the crimson creeper’s root as possible. When she pulled up, the plant resisted briefly before coming loose with a spray of dirt. The thin, red vines were harmless for a few days, but they quickly killed most Earth-crops when left untended. Macy shoved it into the bulging sack of weeds hanging over hershoulder.

“Ugh!” exclaimed Aymee from the next row of corn. “I should’ve stayed at the Doc’s today. If I keep volunteering to help you here on the slow days, I’ll be walking like an old crone before the year’sout.”

Macy chuckled and shook her head as she pulled up another root. “Guess we’ll be old cronestogether.”

“You better believeit.”

There was a rustle of leaves; Macy glanced up as the stalks parted and Aymee poked her grinning face through. Her dark, curly hair was pulled back and stuffed beneath a wide-brimmed straw hat, just like Macy’s, and her brown eyes danced with humor. “Wasn’t that the plan? To cause mischief together until we’re so old that nobody will believe we’d cause troubleanymore?”

“Youare the mischief maker, Aymee.” Macy tore up another cluster of roots and stuffed it into thesack.

“Yeah, and you’realwaysthe voice of reason.” Aymee rolled her eyes. “Admit it, Mace. Without me, your life would bedull.”

Macy sat on her heels, stretched her sore back, and rested her hands on herthighs.

Life in The Watch was monotonous. Each day bled into the next with little deviation; everyone had a job to perform, and the entire community’s prosperity was dependent on those duties being performed. Sure, people usually gathered for food, drink, and song after dark, but even that had become predictable androutine.

Aymee brought a hint of unpredictability. She added color to life, and that made it all a little morebearable.

Guilt filledMacy.

She should feel the same about Camrin. Where Aymee exuded vitality, Camrin was a steady presence she could always counton.

Camrin’s father, like Macy’s, was a fisherman. It had always been expected that Macy and Camrin would form a relationship and eventually join — they’d been friends since they were toddlers, and their parents had always been close. Much to the delight of their families, Camrin had begun courting Macy when she’d come of age ateighteen.

Macy was approaching twenty-five; most people had already joined their partner and started a family by her age. Camrin had always been sweet, had never pushed her, but she sensed he wasn’t going to wait muchlonger.

Her guilt morphed into anxiousness. It curled in her gut, tying her stomach into knots. As much as she cared for Camrin, she couldn’t see life with him as anything beyond the same routines. The same thing she’d been doing allalong.

“Macy? Youokay?”

“What?” Macy asked, blinking. She met her friend’sgaze.

Aymee carefully squeezed between the stalks, crawling into Macy’s row. “You had this look on your face. Like you were going to beill.”

Macy lifted her hands to rub her eyes, stopping abruptly when she noticed the dirt clinging to her gloves. She dropped her hands back to her lap. “Camrin wants to take me on his boattonight.”

“What? You hate the water! Camrin knowsthat!”

Macy turned her palms up and stared at them as she brushed away the clumps of dirt. “He said he wants to show me something. A place he found while he was sailing. And I…I need to do better, Aymee.Bebetter. For him. He deservesit.”

“Oh, Mace!” Aymee knelt before Macy and took her hands. “You don’t need to bebetterfor anyone! Why are yousettling?”

“Settling?” Macy flicked her eyes up to meet Aymee’s. “I’m notsettling.”

“Youare. Camrin’s a wonderful guy. Hardworking, patient, kind. He’ll make a great lifepartner—”

“Iknow—”

“—but not for you. I know you, Macy. I know what they expect of you. But this is your life. Just because your parents want it doesn’t mean you haveto.”

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