Page 27 of Jewel of the Sea

“Aymee,” he said, stepping toward her, “I’m not trying to bring—”

She took a step back. “I want to be left alone now, too.”

Randall halted, clenching his jaw. His hands curled into fists at his sides. “I’m not your enemy, Aymee. I’ve never lied about that.”

“Then don’t make yourself one.”

She left him, her heart pounding, body trembling, and hoped he wouldn’t follow. There was too much on the line, far too much. Macy, Jax, Sarina.

Arkon.

As angry as she was, Aymee believed Randall. She believed he was doing what he thought right, that he only wanted to protect people from the unknown.

But at what cost? If the rangers found the kraken’s home, what would they do?

The hard glint in Cyrus’s eyes offered no comforting answer to that question.

So we are the ones who go out and kill it first.

Despite those words, she trusted Randall — at least his openness and honesty. But she didn’t trust him with the kraken’s lives. She couldn’t.

Please let Arkon be right. Don’t let the hunters find them.

Chapter 6

The surface of the pool rippled to the gentle hum of unseen filtration systems, like the surface of the ocean in miniature. Arkon studied the stones laid on the bottom. Their shapes were distorted by the reflection of the overhead lights on the water, but their patterns were clear — flowing, swirling lines and curves, like eddies in the water. There were thousands of stones, each placed with thought and purpose to contribute to the whole.

The display represented weeks of work. Weeks of locating suitable stones and transporting them to The Facility, laying them out and arranging them by color, shape, and size, and then placing them, one by one, on the floor of the pool; weeks before his vision had taken shape. Arkon hadn’t been without his doubts throughout. Would it come out as he’d imagined? Would anyone care?

And now, after all that time and effort, after persevering through his doubts, he had toforcehimself to come and see it. Not because he didn’t feel a sense of accomplishment — he was proud despite his self-criticisms — but because his mind had moved on.

The acrid chemical fumes — how he’d ever grown used to them, he couldn’t understand — assaulted his nostrils. He moved around the edge of the pool and stopped near a metal ladder built directly into its wall, examining his work from a new angle. It felt like he’d made it a lifetime ago. So much had changed over the past few months.

What else could he do for Aymee? What else could he create for her? Countless possibilities tumbled through his mind, but how many were truly worthy of her attention?

Arkon frowned; several of the stones below were misaligned. Adjusting them would provide a temporary distraction from his thoughts of Aymee —today,I will see her again later today! — but he found himself strangely hesitant to do so.

Perhaps it was better as it was. If it wasn’t worth looking at, flaws and all, how good could it really be?

The Pool Room door slid open. Arkon lifted his gaze to see Jax enter.

“Still staring at it?” Jax asked. “Do you see something different each time?”

Arkon smiled and glanced back at the water. “In a way...yes. Imakemyself see something new.”

Jax stopped beside Arkon and stared down at the water. “You found your centerpiece.”

At the heart of the circular pattern lay a shard of halorium, casting a gentle blue glow on the surrounding stones. Though rare, it was easily visible on the seafloor because of its inherent luminescence.

“The supply exchanges have granted me more time to search.”

They remained silent for a time. Jax’s unspoken questions thickened the surrounding air.

“You have spoken to her, then?” Jax finally asked.

Arkon’s skin heated. Whether Jax had been told by Macy or finally discerned it himself, Arkon had kept his interest in Aymee a secret, and he took no pride in hiding it from his friend.

“I have,” he replied, flaring his siphons. “I should not have delayed so long before doing so.”

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