Page 33 of Treasure of the Abyss

Relief spread through her, paired with something more. She was wary, yes — what would he say, after what she’d called him? — but it didn’t explain the warmth spreading through herbelly.

He’d comeback.

He stopped at the edge of the island, eyes fixed on hers. They stared at one another insilence.

“Macy,I—”

“I’m sorry,” she blurted; she needed to get the words out, needed him to know. “I didn’t mean it. I don’t think you’re a monster. I should never have saidthat.”

Jax closed his mouth, brow furrowed. He searched her face. “You said it because of the way I’ve acted toward you. I am sorry for the way I’ve treated you, Macy. For taking away yourchoice.”

His guilt was plain on his features. He had as little choice in the matter she did. What would his people do if they knew he had her? That he’d revealed himself, revealed his existence, to a human? They clearly considered humans a threat, and there was something he’d said before heleft…

“I know. I understand.” She folded her hands in her lap and dropped her gaze to them. “What did you mean, before, about kraken being as humans madeyou?”

“You truly do notknow?”

“Know what,Jax?”

“Kraken were created by humans, longago.”

“What? I don’t…” She shook her head. “You can’t mean…madeyou,right?”

“That is exactly what I mean,” he replied, gaze unwavering. “Humans used their technology to make kraken, in the ancienttimes.”

“But…there are no reports, no stories,nothing!”

“There are, in our home. The ghosts speak of it, and the Computer. We were created by humans to do work they couldnot.”

Macy’s mind raced, but she could barely comprehend what he’d told her. If it was true, it explained how his people existed, despite the pre-colonization scans of Halora — public record to this day — indicating the planet was devoid of sapient life. But why was therenothingin The Watch aboutthem?

Why was there no record of wherever it was the krakenlived?

“How? How were you made?” sheasked.

“I do not understand the words the ghosts use when they speak of suchthings.”

Macy stood and approached Jax. She knelt on the edge of the island, just in front of him, and held out herhand.

He looked at it and raised a questioning gaze to her. Hesitantly, he took her hand, but she turned her palm to press flat against his, lining up their splayed fingers. His hand was larger, but — apart from the webbing between his fingers and his sharp claws — was just likehers.

She studied his face next. There was so muchhumanin him. Did he realize it? Could it really be a coincidence? She brushed her fingers along the ridge of his brow and trailed them down the side of hisface.

His nostrils flared, and his shoulders rose with a deep inhalation. Slowly, he lifted his free hand and touched his fingertips to her cheek, running them downward to trace the line of her jaw. Her skin tingled in the wake of his touch, and heat rippled through her, pooling in her belly. She locked eyes withhim.

“Your skin has changed again.” His voice was rougher, huskier, seeming to rumble into her through the points of contact betweenthem.

Her heart fluttered, and she felt a suddenneedfor more. Instead, she pulled back, breaking away from him. Nervously, she tucked her hair behind her ear andstood.

Jax caught her calf before she could retreat. Her breath hitched; his touch burnedsweetly.

“What are these marks,Macy?”

“What marks?” She angled her leg to see. He didn’t remove his hand, maintaining that light, fierycontact.

Her leg was a patchwork of scrapes and bruises from the top of her foot to her knee, undoubtedly the result of slamming into the cliffside during her failed climb. She lifted the hem of her dress, revealing more bruises on her thigh. Based on the way her side felt, she was sure there was bruising there, too. It was minor compared to what she might’vesuffered.

He leaned forward, and his eyes trailed fire over her skin. It was ridiculous; there was nothing sexual about it, and she didn’t understand why she was reacting in thatfashion.

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