Page 73 of Treasure of the Abyss

The water darkened with a huge, fresh cloud of blood, and Macy’s heartseized.

“Jax!” shecried.

Before she could dive in, Arkon wrapped his arms around her waist. She latched onto the edge and pulled against his hold; he grunted with exertion, but she couldn’t breakfree.

“There’s nothing you can do for him right now,Macy!”

Macy turned her tear-filled eyes upon him. “So why aren’t you helping him? He’s yourfriend!”

His brow furrowed, and he shifted his head back. “What is wrong with your—” He shook his head. “Do you promise to remainhere?”

“Yes! Yes! Please, just helphim!”

Arkon’s eyes lingered on her for another second, and then he released her and dove off theedge.

The water was still now, save for the slowly dispersingblood.

Macy blinked away her tears as they blurred her vision, praying for some sign of Jax. She bit her lips to hold in a cry ofdistress.

The water stirred. She clutched the stone hard enough to hurt herfingers.

Arkon surfaced first, facing away from her. Dracchus’s black head came up next. Fresh cuts glistened on the side of his face in the weak light streaming through the broken ceiling. Macy’s breath caught in herthroat.

As more of Dracchus emerged, she realized there was a gray arm wrapped around his neck. Jax surfaced behind Dracchus, his other arm looped beneath one of the larger kraken’s armpits, and he’d grasped his own wrist to lock thehold.

He wasn’tdead.

Relief urged moisture down Macy’s cheeks. Her heart slowed to its normal pace, and the fear that had gripped it eased. It took everything in her to remain still; she’d given her word toArkon.

Jax swam backward, dragging his captive toward the ladder. Somehow, between himself and Arkon, they managed to drag the large kraken up onto the walkway, though Dracchus seemed to put up noresistance.

Without releasing his hold, Jax turned towardMacy.

Arkon hurried to her side and offered her a hand. She took it and pulled herself up onto shaky legs. Arkon imposed himself partially in front ofher.

“You have truly betrayed us, Wanderer,” Dracchus said. His voice was deeper than Jax’s,rougher.

“I have done no such thing,” Jax replied. “But you have attacked someone I care for. Should I kill you now, after you almost killedher?”

“I was not going to kill her.” Dracchus’s amber eyes were fixed on Macy. His expression was hard, betraying none of the pain he must have felt, given his numerous openwounds.

Macy ran her eyes over him. He was bigger than Jax, broader, perhaps slightly taller. Blood oozed from cuts and punctures all over his body, and one of his tentacles lay limp on the floor, sporting a gash so large and deep that it had nearly beensevered.

What wounds had Jax taken? There were slash marks on his cheek, scratches on his arms and tentacles, but the rest of his body was hidden behind hiscaptive.

“You dragged her into the water,” Jaxsaid.

“And? She came here bysea.”

She couldn’t tell if it was just the last shred of pride playing on Dracchus’s features or his hatred forher.

“Humans cannot breathe underwater.” Jax’s tentacles coiledtighter.

“Then they should stay away from the water.” Dracchus’s jaw muscles bulged, but he didn’t look away fromMacy.

Arkon shifted, breaking her eye contact with Dracchus, and frowned over hisshoulder.

“She has as much right to it as any of us,” Jax said, “butyouhave no right to touchher.”

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