Page 60 of Jewel of the Sea

Macy

“Oh, I could hug her right now,” Aymee said. It hurt to smile, but that didn’t stop her.

“There’s food and more fresh water in the other container. I know this is not an ideal place to stay, but I want it to be as comfortable for you as possible while we’re here.”

“Thank you, Arkon.”

He slithered closer to her and extended his arm, lightly pressing his hand over hers. “How do you feel?”

She brushed her thumb against his, tracing the claw to its tip. “I’m okay.”

Arkon lifted her hand and leaned down, pressing his lips to her knuckles. “I am sorry I was away for so long.”

“I know you would’ve returned sooner if you could have. And all of this,” she gestured toward the large containers, “is amazing.”

Dracchus approached, stopping a couple of meters away, and sank down to her eye level. “I will not ask you to betray your people, but we need to know whatever you can tell us about these hunters to protect ourselves.”

Aymee slowly withdrew her hand from Arkon’s grasp as she faced Dracchus; she immediately missed its warmth and comfort. “What do you want to know?”

Arkon slid into place beside her and slipped a tentacle around her waist, draping its tip over her thigh.

“Anything you are willing to tell me. Arkon told us what happened on the beach. These humans do not seem to be your friends, but you know more about them than we.”

“It’s...complicated. I think one of them, Cyrus, is only interested in the thrill of the hunt, but the others… Their leader, Randall, wants to protect people, but he’s confused.” She cringed as the memory of him getting shot replayed in her mind. “He knows what I told him about the kraken is true, but all the same, he’s been trained to view your existence as a threat, and he’s dedicated to eliminating such threats.”

“Will they be able to hunt for us underwater?” Dracchus asked.

“I don’t know. I haven’t seen them with anything that would allow that, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have it. They walk around with guns, but they haven’t exactly opened up their equipment and tactics for us to study. The one diving suit I know of in The Watch hasn’t worked in decades.”

Dracchus nodded, brows lowering, and looked at the floor. “How many hunters have come?”

Aymee glanced down, recalling their faces, and only then realized her fingers were absently petting Arkon’s tentacle. He curled the limb’s tip around her hand. She stilled and peered up at him.

His pupils dilated, his alien eyes bright with intensity.

She cleared her throat and looked at Dracchus. “Seven, I think.”

“We must remain alert.” Dracchus swept his gaze over their surroundings. “Do you require aid with anything else?”

“No. I think you’ve brought plenty, thank you.” She tucked her hair behind her ears and frowned. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry. I didn’t want this to happen. Never meant for it to. I tried to turn them away from this, but…” She spread her hands, palms up.

Dracchus shook his head. “I do not hold you responsible. What Arkon says about us being part human must be true. Both our peoples are prone to stupidity.”

She smiled. “They are.”

“I will tell the others of the situation with the hunters.” Turning, Dracchus made his way to the edge of the platform, where he hesitated. “The last time I was here, I pushed the matter with Macy and Jax into violence. I do not wish for any more of it between our people. But if they attack us, we will fight.”

Just as she’d told Randall. She didn’t want more bloodshed, but the kraken were well within their rights to defend themselves.

How many rangers were on Halora? Would it be a single, brutal battle, or the beginning of a prolonged war?

Aymee looked at Arkon; her heart ached at the thought of him caught in the middle of all this, and the pain only increased when she thought of Macy, Jax, and Sarina. What would Macy do if something happened to her mate, to her child? The guilt would eat her alive.

What would thehumansdo if they discovered Sarina?

“I understand,” she said. “I just hope it doesn’t come to that.”

Dracchus nodded. He lingered for a few more seconds before dropping into the water with a huge splash.

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