Page 117 of Treasure of the Abyss

His frown deepened. “You two,out.”

Without a word, Aymee and Camrindeparted.

Breckett stared at Macy for a long while after the door was closed, nostrils flaring with his heavy exhalations. “Just when I get you back, you’re going to leave again?” His eyesglistened.

Unable to hold back her tears, Macy stumbled forward and threw her arms around her father. He stepped forward and caught her, drawing her into the shelter of hisembrace.

“Tell me you know what you’re doing, Macy girl,” he rasped. “Tell me you’re going to beokay.”

“I will be. Jax loves me, dad, and I love him. I know he’s different, that he’s not…not human, but if you could only spend time withhim…”

“Damn it, I have. And all he did was ask after you. Wouldn’t tell me anything else…he just wanted to know if you were okay, if he could see you.” He sniffed and tilted his head down, kissing her atop her head and tickling her face with his beard. “I just want you to be safe and happy. I’ll still break his neck if he hurts you, doesn’t matter where yougo.”

Macy laughed and squeezed him tighter; her laughter quickly faded. “What aboutmom?”

He pulled back and took hold of her upper arms with his big, rough hands. “She’ll…she’ll come to terms with it, in time. I need you to know, Macy girl, that she never really blamed you for your sister. Your mom…she broke that day, and she’s never been quite right since. But I’ll take care of her while you’regone.”

Macy nodded. “You’ll tell her I loveher?”

“Course I will. Now, what do you need my helpwith?”

“We’re leaving tonight, but there’s no way I can get down to the water on my own. Even if I use crutches…I don’t need anyone asking why I’m out there on my own in the middle of the night. If you’re with me,though…”

“I’ll take you,Macy.”

“Youwill?”

“I will. But how’re you going to get him out of the tank? The town council put a lock on it until they decide what to do about all this, and we don’t have thekey.”

“We’ll…figure it out. Aymee is going to speak with him soon. But afterward… We need to make sure everyone understands this ismychoice. That I left with him willingly. I don’t want anyone to hunt him — to huntus. He’s not a danger toanyone.”

“I’ll tell them, but there’re fools in this town who’ll run their mouths regardless. What about theguards?”

“Camrin is going to lure them away. We don’t want anyone to gethurt.”

“If those men aren’t far enough away when that tank is broken, they’re going to hear it, Macy. They’llcome.”

Macy frowned. “Jax will just have to be faster than them. He doesn’t want to hurt anyone. He never hurt me, either, even when I gave him cause to, but all of this… It’s put his people at risk, and now he’sexposed.”

“And you can’t much blame a man — or whatever he is — for fighting for his life when his back’s in the corner.” He lifted a hand and tugged his fingers through his beard. “All right. When do I need to behere?”

“Come at sunset. It’ll…it’ll give us a little more time totalk.”

He wrapped her in a strong, secure embrace. “Love you, Macygirl.”

“I love you too,dad.”

Jax watchedthe guard leaning against the next tank over; the man’s head bobbed as he drifted toward sleep. The other guard sat on the floor near the entrance, back against the wall, and was using the tip of a knife to pick at a chunk of wood. Their conversation had died off long before, and idleness was taking a toll onthem.

For five days, Jax had been trapped inside this damned tank, with no idea of where Macy was, or what she was doing. The guards changed twice each day and once every night. Most of them couldn’t help but walk up to the tank and ogle Jax with wonder at some point during their vigil; their faces were becoming familiar to him. A few had even attempted to talk with him; Jax wasn’tinterested.

He trusted Aymee, but he wasn’t happy about thesituation.

His muscles bristled with tension, with the need to move, to stretch, toswim. They gave him fresh fish several times a day, and though they tasted fine, there was no satisfaction in eating them. Not without the preceding hunt. He missed the open water. Missed exploring. Missedfreedom.

More than all that, he missed Macy — the smile on her face, the sound of her laughter, sharing meals with her and lying beside her in the open air, admiring thestars.

Just as the sleepy guard began to tip forward, the door opened. The light was bright enough that Jax was momentarily blinded. After his eyes had adjusted, he watched as a newcomer — clearly Aymee, once she drew nearer — spoke with the guards, who had both moved to meether.

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