Page 106 of Treasure of the Abyss

“Antibiotics. Medicine. That’s the only way to besure.”

“Medicine,” he repeated, glancing past her. “There are countless bottles in the cabinets. Some of thatmustbemedicine.”

“But I don’t know which to use, or how much to take, or if any of it is still good.” She covered his hands with hers, drawing his attention back. “If I get worse…I need to go back to TheWatch.”

His jaw muscles bulged, and he nodded. “Anything it takes to keep yousafe.”

“I loveyou.”

“And I, you.” He leaned down and kissed her forehead. “What do you need? What can I do,now?”

“Water.”

His touch lingered, and their eyes held. So much passed between them in that moment — love, fear, desperation, and determination. Macy watched silently as he went to retrieve herwater.

All those times she’d asked to be taken back to The Watch, all those times he’d denied her, and only now — when she didn’twantto return — would he bring her without hesitation. Because her life was on the line, and that was more important to him than anythingelse.

Jax woketo Macy’s moaning. He pushed himself upright — he’d fallen asleep leaning on the side of the bed — and shook away his grogginess. He hadn’t intended to sleep. Hadn’t wanted to take his eyes off her, for even amoment.

Her face glistened with a sheen of sweat, and the sheet Arkon had laid atop her was damp and bunched around her legs. Though her eyes were shut, and she appeared to be sleeping, she shifted from side to side, her expressiondrawn.

He pressed his palm to her forehead and frowned. She was hotter thanbefore.

By the dimness of the overhead lights, it was night — many rooms in the Facility darkened automatically after sunset — and morning could be hours away. Her words lingered at the forefront of hismind.

If I get worse…I need to go back to TheWatch.

Jax turned his attention to her leg; she’d kicked it from beneath the sheet, leaving her calf exposed. The faint, pale scars where Arkon had sealed her wounds were barely visible in the low light, but the thin, red veins snaking outward from them were unmistakable. Though he knew little about the way humans healed, this was clearly notnormal.

This wasworse.

He spread the sheet out over her and pressed a kiss to her cheek. “I will return as quickly as I can,” hewhispered.

If Macy heard, she made noindication.

He hurried out of the infirmary and down the corridor. He checked the computer room first; Arkon was not there. Gritting his teeth, he swallowed his rising panic. It would do him no good. He went to the pool next, where he gathered a diving suit and a mask. There was still no sign of hisfriend.

That left only two other likely places — Arkon’s den, or the Mess. Jax moved toward thelatter.

The voices from inside the Mess carried to him from down the corridor. He’d had little contact with his people since returning with Macy; he’d not sought them out, and no one had spoken to him about what had happened. There was no doubt word had alreadyspread.

But he couldn’t know how any of them would take thestory.

He ignored the quickening of his hearts and entered the Mess withouthesitation.

“We can’t let this happen again. We need to keep a closer eye on our younglings, especially the females,” one of the krakensaid.

The group was smaller than when Jax had brought Macy to the Facility, but a similar tension thickened the air. They were clustered together near the far wall; Arkon, Dracchus, Kronus, and Ector were visible in thecrowd.

“This does not often happen. Melaina is restless. She isn’t the first, and she won’t be the last,” Ector said. His eyes shifted at that moment, falling onJax.

The others responded to Ector’s change in attention. Their conversation ended, and all eyes turned to Jax; he couldn’t read their expressions, couldn’t gauge their moods, save for Arkon’s. There was an expectancy in the set of his brow, in the tight line of his lips, in his flattenedpupils.

“I need your assistance, Arkon. We need to bring Macy back to her people,” Jaxsaid.

Without hesitation, Arkon moved to Jax’sside.

“What?” Kronus moved forward, scowling. “She’s already broken our terms once, Wanderer. We cannot allow itagain.”

---