Page 28 of Treasure of the Abyss

“You are not responsible for what he does with himself,Macy.”

“Iwillbe responsible for his guilt, though. If I’d told him sooner, told himno, we would never have gotten on that boat. If I had told him years ago, he’d probably already have a family of his own by now. But I didn’t. I was too scared, and he’d always been so kind, and after all this time, I felt like…I owed him. And now…now he’ll blame himself for mydeath.

“If you’d just take meho—”

He raised a hand, and she snapped her mouthshut.

“There is a rule my people follow; hunters eat first. Do you knowwhy?”

She swallowed and brushed the moisture off her cheeks. “Because without the hunters, there would be nofood.”

“Yes.” Something new flared within him — pride. There were fully grown kraken who still didn’t seem to understand the rule. “You have not been feeding yourself,Macy.”

Her brow lowered. “I-I don’tunderstand.”

Jax brought his fists to his chest and swept them outward, throwing his fingers open. “You give of yourself. To your people, to your parents, to Camrin. You worry for them; you concern yourself with how they will feel. You speak as though you only worked to accomplish what theyexpected.”

She turned her faceaway.

He pulled himself up onto the island and approached her. “Look at me,Macy.”

Swallowing again, she obeyed, her lips pressed into a tightline.

“What have you done for yourself? If you do notfeedyourself, you will not have anything to give to the others. Do youunderstand?”

“Yes.” Her response soundedforced.

“If I followed the wishes of some of the kraken, my every moment would be spent obtaining food for them. Even some who are capable of hunting for themselves. I would never be able to explore, would never enjoy new places, because there would be nothing left for me. That is like dyinginside.

“Let your people think you died in the storm. You already let them kill youwithin.”

A crease appeared between her brows, and she stood in silence for atime.

“And you?” Macy finally asked, looking athim.

“What ofme?”

“How much do you intend to take? I’m your damned prisoner here; it’s not like I have a choice in…feeding myself, or whatever you want to call it. I can’t explore and enjoy new places. I’mtrappedhere.”

Jax’s nostrils flared; there was still sorrow in her tone, but it was reinforced by an undercurrent of anger. She was right. How could he speak to her of such things whenhewas the obstacle preventing her from controlling her ownlife?

I’mtrappedhere.

Those words echoed in his mind, resonated to his core. He understood her pain — he’d felt it himself, time after time. Since he’d come of age and claimed his den, he had spent his time running from that feeling, seeking his own life, his ownplaces.

He’d told her many times that he’d not risk his people’s safety by letting her return to her home, and he nearly said it again. He clenched his jaw to keep the words from escaping; they’d begun to sound hollow, even tohim.

Chapter 7

They spokelittle through the rest of the day and into the next morning. Thick, palpable tension filled the air between them. Macy knew Jax wanted to talk, but he’d kept his distance. He’d meant well in his attempts to comfort her; there’d been truth in his words, but hers held truth, too. Guilt was clear in his eyes when he looked at her, and she hardened herself against it. Even if she knew his reasons, even if she understood them, keeping her here wasn’tright.

Still…he’d saved her. He’d saved a human he knew nothing about when he could easily have let herdrown.

Despite the words they’d exchanged, Jax had only left Macy when she said she was hungry. With little to occupy her apart from her own thoughts while he was gone, Macy found her eyes wandering to the vegetation on the cliffsiderepeatedly.

Camrin isalive.

Her heart had soared at the news. He’d be frantic, heartbroken, desperate, but he wasalive, and she could findhim.

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