Page 75 of Treasure of the Abyss

“They will demand an explanation from you, Jax,” Arkonsaid.

“They will demand justice.” The intensity in Dracchus’s eyes was unwavering. “Whether she is a threat on her own or not, her people have always been a danger to us. Our people deserve toknow.”

“I willnotbring her before them. They have no say in my choice, no say in her life!” Jaxsnarled.

“I’ll go,” Macy said, despite her fear. Jax and Arkon hadn’t hurt her, and while Dracchus hadn’t necessarily been gentle, he’d not meant her true harm. If he’d wanted her dead, she wouldn’t have survived her sudden trip into the water. She had to believe the other kraken would act thesame.

The chamber was silent, and the gazes of all three kraken weighed heavily uponher.

“You’re not going,” Jax finallysaid.

“There is enough strain between you and your people. You don’t need this. You don’t…don’t need to keep mesecret.”

“I do not know what they will do, Macy. I cannot protect you against all ofthem.”

“It…doesn’t matter. What would happen if you didn’t bring me? Would you be hunted, banished, imprisoned? I need to go to them, Jax, and…we’ll figure out what to do fromthere.”

“No. I do not need that place. Do not need them. I will face the consequences, but I will not bring you directly intodanger.”

Macy stepped closer and cupped Jax’s cheeks. “I’mgoing.”

“Do not dishonor her courage, Wanderer,” Dracchus said. “I cannot work against the will of our people, but I give you my word that I will help protect her from unjustharm.”

Jax clenched his jaw, teeth bared, and searched Macy’s face. A faint tremor ran through his limbs. With a grunt, he releasedDracchus.

“Whatever may come, Jax, I am beside you,” Arkonsaid.

Dracchus pushed away from the wall and rolled his neck andshoulders.

Jax turned to face Macy, settling his hands on her upper arms; his grip was just a bit too tight. “You are certain ofthis?”

Macy nodded, flattened her palms against his chest, and leaned forward to kiss his lips. “Iam.”

His frown didn’t fade. He drew her into his arms, holding her head against his shoulder, and wrapped a pair of tentacles around her waist. Macy returned hisembrace.

“We are not beholden to them,” herasped.

“But they are your people, and they are all youhave.”

“You gave up yourpeople.”

Macy glanced at Arkon and Dracchus; the two stood silently, watching. Lifting her head, she looked up at Jax. “I haveyou.”

Tortured emotions played across his face; pain, sorrow, confusion, guilt. “I will do everything to keep yousafe.”

Chapter 16

The kraken surroundedMacy as they swam, with Dracchus — seemingly on high alert — in the lead. Their eyes moved ceaselessly, undoubtedly scanning the water for signs of razorbacks and other predators. Macy’s attention was torn between the scenery, the sea life, and the krakenthemselves.

Dracchus looked back only rarely, but Arkon and Jax seemed to glance at one another often; each time, they made strange gestures with their hands and tentacles, and a variety of colors flashed over their skin. They had an entire language without words! Dracchus took part, too, though he seemed to have comparatively little tosay.

They continued away from shore. Jax had never taken Macy in this direction, and never quite so far. Gradually, they descended, and the sunlight shining through the surface grew more distorted andfaint.

The seafloor around them became relatively flat and open, broken only by a few clusters of rock. Despite her kraken escort, Macy couldn’t help but feel exposed; would three be enough to fight off arazorback?

Her eyes shifted to something ahead. Light. It was diffused by the haze of distance, but there was no mistaking it — there was light on the bottom of thesea.

It grew more distinct as they neared, and the dark shape behind it slowly took form. Macy’s jaw hung agape. She’d thought the place they’d just been was a lost wonder; this surpassed anything she could haveimagined.

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