Page 86 of Treasure of the Abyss

“The more I hear of this Aymee, the more I would love to know her.” He met Macy’s gaze, and his smile faltered. “How have you been, Macy? Though it could have gone worse, the gathering didn’t end how I’d hoped. What faith I had in my kind was, apparently,misplaced.”

“I…don’t blame them. They acted in fear, and even knowing as little as I do about the history between our peoples, I think the kraken were within their rights here.” She sat down on the edge of the pool, rolled up the legs of her pants, and dipped her feet in. It was colder than she’d expected. “I’m pretty sure humans would’ve reacted the same way if the roles werereversed.”

“There are always more extreme elements, it would seem, who make up for their lack of numbers through sheer aggression. Kronus and his group do not speak for all of us, no more than Dracchus, Jax, or Ector do.” Arkon eased himself down beside her; his position looked awkward, with his tentacles folded beneath him to hang into the water, but he made no indication of discomfort. “You didn’t answer my question, though. How areyou?”

“I’m getting by, one day at a time.” She searched his eyes; their violet hue reminded her of the sky immediately after sunset. Compared to Jax and Dracchus, Arkon was lean, his face narrower and more refined, but he seemed no less powerful. “You’ve been Jax’s friend for a long time. How often does he normally remain here between hiswanderings?”

Arkon lifted his hands, palms up, and shrugged. “Days, sometimes. This is the longest I recall him being here in many years… He’s out of sorts. Restless. Not his usualself…”

Macy’s eyes stung with tears, and she turned her face away. “I trapped himhere.”

“You cannot blame yourself for this, Macy. I know without a doubt that Jax doesnot.”

“How can you be sure?” she asked, wiping the back of her fingers across her cheeks. “He is rarelyhere.”

“I have known Jax for most of my life. And the way he looks at you… He blames the others. Dracchus, yes, but the rest even more so. For him, being caged is worse than death, and they caged his mate. He won’t easily forgive any of them for it. Kronus is lucky you managed to calm Jaxdown.”

Macy managed a small smile. “How can I helphim?”

The tips of Arkon’s tentacles flicked slowly from side to side, gently splashing. “Patience. Though I won’t deny that he could benefit from being slapped around a bit,too.”

She laughed; it felt surprisingly good. “He doesn’t like that very much. I’ve done it a coupletimes.”

He grinned. “Honestly, Macy… I think he’s so caught up in what has been lost, that he’s losing sight of what hehas.”

“Thank you, Arkon.” She settled a hand over his. It was clear why Jax considered him his closest friend; of all the kraken — Jax included — Arkon had been the kindest, the mostaccepting.

“It is no trouble.” Though his movement was subtle, she noticed his gaze drop, and he furrowed his brow. He lifted his arm to get a closer look at her hand. “The similarities are as pronounced as thedifferences…”

“They are.” Macy allowed him his inspection and lowered her hand to her lap when he was done. She kicked her feet through the water. “Jax told me you often speak with thecomputer?”

“As dull as it typically is, yes, Ido.”

“Are you able to accessit?”

“In what capacity? There are vocal commands and interactions that seem to function normally, but I know I’ve uncovered only a fraction of the information it must hold. I believe access beyond that may require use of the screens, but the kraken never learned to read, and the Computer itself hasn’t been helpful in thatregard.”

“I could teachyou.”

Arkon’s face brightened; his smile returned, and his eyes sparkled. “I will hold you to your word on that,Macy.”

She’d smiled more in this short time with him than she had in the last week. “You have my word,Arkon.”

“Was there something specific you wanted from thecomputer?”

“I guess…everything. There must be a wealth of information here. Even…even what they did to your people. How they created you, andwhy.”

“What few answers we have for those questions are unsatisfactory and incomplete, at best.” He stared down at the little ripples on the surface of the pool. “If I bring you to a room with working screens, do you think you could find thatinformation?”

“I’ll try mybest.”

Arkon nodded and pushed himself up, water sloshing with the sudden movement of his tentacles. “Let’s go,then.”

“Really?” Macy pulled her feet out of the pool and rolled down her pant legs. “You can take menow?”

“I do not think either of us has anything more pressing to attend at the moment,” he said with asmirk.

Macy chuckled as she stood up. “I’m quite tired of staring at thewalls.”

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