Page 59 of Jewel of the Sea

She glanced toward the entry tunnel frequently, seeking signs of Arkon’s light in the dark water. Eventually, the hunger gnawing at her stomach grew unbearable, and she finally drew the canister closer. She relinquished her white-knuckled grip on the carved stone and placed it in the container for safe keeping. After eating the apple Arkon had handed her, she devoured one of the muffins her mother had baked for Macy — after everything, shestillfelt a pang of guilt at doing so — and drank from the water he’d collected.

Aymee wasn’t keen on wandering this dank, dangerous place; with little to do but wait, she read her letter from Macy, angling the paper toward the grayish light spilling in with the rain.

Aside from her concern about the rangers, Macy’s words were happy. She’d written about Sarina’s rapid development — she could already swim on her own! — and life in the Facility. Though she hadn’t fully recovered from giving birth, Macy was up and moving without trouble.

Smiling to herself, Aymee read through the letter again and again; she wasn’t so desperate as to open the letters sent along by Macy’s parents. After a time, she returned the letter to the canister, replaced the lid, and lay on the cold, hard floor with an arm curled beneath her head. She watched the run-off pouring through the ceiling gap and listened to the seawater thrashing against the concrete below.

Her eyelids soon grew heavy, and she lapsed into a fitful sleep.

A loud splash woke her. The sound echoed through the dark chamber. Her eyes went immediately to the hole; the sky had dimmed, and night was fast approaching.

Another splash.

Gasping, Aymee jerked upright. Something thumped against the metal ladder leading down into the water.

A figure squatted at the edge of the platform, leaning over it.

Arkon.

“Just pass them up,” he whispered. “That’s why I handed you mine to begin with.”

“I can manage,” replied a deeper voice from below him.

“But you do notneedto.”

“Who is that, Arkon?” Aymee asked, easing closer.

Arkon lifted his torso and glanced at her, offering a smile. “My goal was to notwake you, Aymee. Dracchus is helping.” He turned toward the water. “Helping,” he repeated.

A grunt of assent came from below. Arkon swayed back as he caught the large chest Dracchus tossed up. He hurriedly set it aside to catch the second chest just before it struck him.

“That was juvenile, Dracchus.”

Arkon moved toward Aymee.

Her lips twitched with amusement before Dracchus hauled himself up the ladder, drawing her attention. Only his head had been above the surface of the water the one time she’d seen him — the night Macy left The Watch. Between the sea’s motion, the poor lighting, and his dark coloring, she hadn’t been able to make out much detail.

When he reached the platform and stood on his tentacles, Aymee’s eyes widened. Jax and Arkon were both big — at least two meters tall without stretching — but Dracchus washuge. His shoulders were at least half again as wide as Arkon’s, and his body was thick with muscle. Even in the relative gloom, his eyes were stunning amber that stood in stark contrast to his black skin and gray stripes.

“Thank you for helping,” Aymee said.

Dracchus studied her in silence for a time before finally nodding. “You have helped my people. It is only right that I help you.”

Aymee frowned and folded her hands in her lap. “I feel like I’ve made a mess of things.”

As Arkon moved the containers closer to Aymee, Dracchus shook his head. “Not you. Him. But he was persuasive enough to convince me to help, anyway.”

Aymee glanced between Arkon and Dracchus. “What did he say?”

“He said you were—”

“I was simply honest and forthright about the situation.” Arkon pushed the first chest before Aymee and opened the lid. “Macy helped us gather what would be useful for you.”

Her heart warmed when she saw the items within — clothes, bedding, a hairbrush, soaps, and more. A letter rested atop it all, Aymee’s name scrawled on the paper in familiar handwriting. She picked it up and opened it.

Aymee,

I wish more than anything you could be here with me. Know that we will do whatever we can to make it happen, but for now, it’s not safe. I trust Arkon, and I know you do, too. We’ll figure something out soon. Until then, I hope all of this helps.

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