Page 113 of Treasure of the Abyss

Sudden light caught his attention — the doors slid open, and a human entered the building, its form little more than a distorted silhouette from Jax’sview.

He pulled himself up, raising his head out of thewater.

“I need to talk to thatthing. Get out.” The voice was familiar, but onlyslightly.

“We’re not supposed to leave it unattended,” one of the guardssaid.

“It won’t be. I’ll behere.”

“Are you okay,Camrin?”

“Just getout!”

Shuffling footsteps clanged on the walkway. Jax watched the humans descend the ladder and head for the exit, just as another figureentered.

“Camrin!” the female called as the doors closed. “What are youdoing?”

Camrin ignored her and marched toward Jax’s tank. As he neared, the grim set of his features becameapparent.

“What did you do to her?” Camrin demanded and banged a fist against the side of thetank.

Jax’s hearts skipped. “What happened toher?”

“Nothing,” the female said as she drew up next to Camrin. “You need tostop.”

“Stop?Stop? That fuckingthing—” Camrin glared at Jax, “—that creaturetouchedher!”

“Is she alive? Is she healed?” Jax growled. Camrin’s problem didn’t matter; only Macymattered.

“You weren’t supposed to be in there, listening to what I was telling my patient,” the femalesaid.

“I had a right to know! She was supposed to bemine, and you’re myfriend!”

“That doesn’t mean you’re entitled to her private information! If she wanted you to know, she would have told you in her owntime.”

Jax slammed his fist into the glass. The tank rattled, and a thin crack appeared in the side. Camrin and the woman turned their attention towardhim.

“Is she safe?” he demanded through baredteeth.

“Macy is fine,” the woman saidcalmly.

“She’s not fine! She has a fucking monster growing insideher!”

“What is he speaking of?” Jax kept his gaze on thewoman.

“That’s enough, Camrin,” she warned, eyes narrowed. “This needs to stop, right now. Regardless of what happened, Macy is still your friend, and how would she feel to hear you talking likethis?”

Camrin clenched his jaw, gaze flickering between Jax and thewoman.

“Think. You don’t want to do anything that will hurt her. And hurting him,” the woman waved toward Jax, “will hurther.”

“It’s wrong. It’s…foul.”

“All that matters right now is that she’s alive andsafe.”

Camrin growled, hands fisted at hissides.

“Go home. Please. I know you’re hurting, but this won’thelp.”

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