Page 101 of Heart of the Deep

“They’ll be here soon. I came once I knew they meant to carry through with this plot.”

“How was it you managed to leave?” Dracchus demanded, moving closer. “Did they not question your sudden departure?”

“I have been watching them without their knowledge.” Kronus frowned and ran his tongue along his teeth. “Neo would likely have them kill me if he knew I was so close.”

“I’ll go alert the others,” Larkin said.

Dracchus caught her by the arm as she moved away, and she turned to face him.

“Dracchus, you better not—”

“Tell them to gather weapons and younglings and return here,” he said. “Go as quickly as you can.”

Larkin’s features eased, and she stepped closer to place a kiss on his lips. “I will.”

He released her and watched her run down the hallway. Randall made a clicking sound with his mouth, and Ikaros took off behind Larkin, following her around a turn in the corridor.

Once she was out of sight, Dracchus felt an almost undeniable pull to call her back, to go after her, to doanythingbut let her go beyond his reach.

She is a warrior, he reminded himself.

Larkin had faced danger before, had experienced at least two brushes with near-death — one of them at the hands of the kraken who was coming to kill them all. Dracchus didn’t have to like the thought of her being in danger to acknowledge that she was a survivor.

She stands with me.

He swung his gaze back to Kronus. “Go. Before one of the others sees you.”

Kronus’s brow creased and his frown deepened. “I violated my banishment. My life is yours to take.”

“There will be enough bloodshed soon, Kronus. I have no desire to add to it without good reason.”

“I will remain.”

Dracchus stared at the ochre kraken. What should he make of this? Another lurking betrayal?

“Your suspicion is founded,” Kronus said. “I’ve no love for you, or the humans you have allowed to dwell in our home. But I owe my life to two of them, and as I said…I cannot allow the past to repeat. I cannot allow younglings and females to be harmed.”

“You are with us, then?”

“Yes. After, if I yet live, you may take whatever action you choose.”

Dracchus nodded.

“I need to let Rhea know,” Randall said, “and get something out of our room.” He hurried to his door and opened it. The lights were on inside.

Dracchus followed as far as the doorway, pausing just outside; he didn’t trust Kronus to go inside, and wouldn’t risk looking away from the ochre kraken for even a few moments.

Randall spoke to Rhea in soft tones, too low for Dracchus to make out the words. The female looked at Dracchus and frowned. She wore the expression with equal parts uncertainty and fury.

“They will not come here without facing the consequences,” she said.

“They knew that already,” Dracchus said. “We will shelter the younglings in your den.”

Randall crouched on the far side of the bed and rummaged through something Dracchus couldn’t see.

Rhea straightened, a hint of red on her skin. She looked down at Melaina, who stood as tall as Rhea’s middle. “Will they go so low as to slaughter younglings?”

Dracchus glanced at Kronus; the ochre kraken stared down the hallway, seemingly oblivious to his surroundings, but had not moved from this position. Satisfied, Dracchus turned back to meet Melaina’s wide-eyed gaze.

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