Page 32 of Treasure of the Abyss

Macy felt more alone thanever.

She shifted her gaze, and her chest ached; three Halorian lobsters were pilednearby.

The fishermen back home often set traps for the bottom-dwelling creatures, but the lobsters were cautious. The traps needed to be left undisturbed for days at a time before they’d catch anything. As difficult as they were to obtain, they were one of Macy’s favoritefoods.

And Jax had caught these forher.

She looked back at the shadowed portion of thecave.

Macy had always thought of herself as practical and hardworking —one problem at a time, just like her father always said. She woke early every morning, put in long hours tending the fields and greenhouses, and helped her neighbors however she could. Weaving baskets, cooking meals, sewing clothes, repairing roofs; anything. Whatever urges to wander and explore she’d felt as a child had been quashed by Sarina’sdeath.

Everyone had a part to play in The Watch…and people rarelyleft.

There were other settlements out there, but the nearest was weeks away by land, and what would be different in any of them apart from the people’sfaces?

You have not been feeding yourself,Macy.

Jax’s words had hurt because he was right. After Sarina’s death, Macy thought she needed to make up for her sister’s absence, that she had to be the best daughter she could be. She’d done the work of two people. All to ensure the people around her were happy and wanted fornothing.

She’d tip-toed around her mother, who’d never forgiven Macy for what had happened, and performed every chore without complaint, held her tongue through every hurtful comment. Despite her misgivings, Macy would have done everything to keep Camrin content after theirjoining.

Macy hadn’t been living. The people around her had slowly drained her life, a little a time. There’d been no maliciousness in it. They kept taking because she keptgiving.

Her father and Aymee had tried, in their own, subtle ways, to steer her away from that behavior. She saw it now. But they’d been too gentle — or Macy too stubborn — to changeanything.

The choice had never been theirs to make. It had always belonged to Macy; she was the only person who could’ve altered hercourse.

Would it be so bad? To…to remain here withJax?

Could it even work? They were from different worlds. She had needs that he didn’t; he lived in water, and she on land. He was…other.

What would she be to him? A belonging, aprisoner?

Or…afriend?

Despite everything, she enjoyed her conversations with Jax. She took delight in the wonder and curiosity he exhibited. He awoke the same in her; Jax was fascinating, and she wanted to know more about him and hiskind.

Let your people think you died in thestorm.

Could she? Could she go on, knowing that her family and friends mournedher?

It was insane and selfish, but it was also…freeing. Herdeathwould allow Camrin to move on. He had friends and family to comfort him through his grief, and, in time, he’d find someone to love him as he deserved. To love him like Macycouldn’t.

Ultimately, what choice did she have? Jax refused to let her go. It angered her, but she understood. His need to protect his people superseded all else. She could continue to fight against him…or, she could accept her circumstances and work withinthem.

If she wanted to eventually get out of here, perhaps the best route was to befriend Jax. To earn his trust in the hope that, one day, her word would be enough forhim.

Though she was sore from head to toe, Macy stood up and went to work. She laid new grass and driftwood on the ashes of her last fire and covered it with the empty crate. After refilling the metal bucket with water from the pool, she hauled it back to the shelter and set it atop thecontainer.

It wasn’t until she dropped the lobsters into the bucket that she realized she had no way to start the fire. Jax hadn’t allowed her to touch thegun.

She settled down under her shelter to wait. Soon, her eyelids grew heavy, and she gave in tosleep.

A splash startled her awake. She sat up, heart thumping. It felt like she’d only closed her eyes for a moment, but the cave was dim, with no direct sunlight coming through theopening.

Macy searched the water. “Jax?”

Movement caught her attention; Jax emerged from the shadows and swam toward theisland.

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