Page 17 of Treasure of the Abyss

Jax studied Macy. Perhaps it was a trick of the light, but her skin appeared pinker than it had before. She’d said human skin didn’t change like a kraken’s. “Your color is different. Does it take a long while for you to make suchchanges?”

She furrowed her brow and glanced at her shoulder, touching a finger to it. “It’sburned.”

“Burned?How?”

She stared at him in silence. After a few moments, she sighed and reached for the cup on the ground beside her. “I told you a human’s skin doesn’t change color.Not—”

“Youlied.”

Her eyes narrowed. “I didn’tlie, and if you wouldn’t interrupt me, I’d tell youwhy.”

“You said a human’s skin does not change color. Your skin has changedcolor.”

“I said it didn’t changelikeyours.”

“Perhaps you must learn to couple your words with moreaccuracy.”

“You know what? I don’t have to talk to you,” she snapped, turning her back tohim.

Jax lowered his brow and tightened his grip on the fish. He was curious to learn about humans — about her — but he had no patience fordeceit.

“As you’ll have it.” He separated one of the fish from the trio and tossed it onto the ground before her. “You can eat insilence.”

The fish thrashed and flopped, gills flaring and mouth gaping. The glowing tendrils protruding from its head bobbed with its movement. She cast a single, fleeting glance at thecreature.

Heat flared in Jax’s gut. He’d hurried back from the Facility to see her, to speak with her, to share a meal with her, and now she was ignoring him. If all humans had the potential to be so frustrating, he understood why his ancestors had risen againstthem.

He moved closer to the water and bent down to eat his share. The meat was tender, and the fish struggled onlybriefly.

“That’s so gross,” shemuttered.

Jax twisted to look at her. She raised the cup to her lips and poured the contents into hermouth.

Placing the fish bones aside, he turned toward Macy fully. “What are youdoing?”

She twisted, too, giving himmoreof her back, and maintained hersilence.

He slithered over to her, and as he came alongside her, he leaned forward to see her tongue slip out of her mouth and wipe moisture from her lips. Without looking at him, she lifted her chin and turnedaway.

Jax reached around her with a tentacle and snatched the cup from herhand.

“Hey! Give that back!” She leapt up and reached forit.

Retreating to the shaft of sunlight, he angled the cup to look inside. Water. Was that the purpose of such objects? There was water everywhere. Why would anyone need a container to carry so small anamount?

He poured a bit of it over a suction cup. The humans called itfreshwater, but to the kraken, it was foul. A waste ofwater.

“You are putting this inside your body? Is it your wish todie?”

Macy grabbed the cup out of his hold. She remained near, posture rigid, and glared at him. “Why should I bother answering your questions? You’ll just call me aliar.”

“Speak plainly, and I won’t haveto.”

“Are all kraken rude, or is it justyou?”

“Empty that before you hurt yourself, theneat.”

Macy raised the cup and gulped down the remainder of thewater.

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