Page 22 of Heart of the Deep

“You need your strength, why would you refuse to eat?” Furrowing her brow, she looked at the others. “I brought plenty.”

“I will eat,” the gray one said.

Larkin looked at the brown kraken. His eyes bore into her own, and the corners of his lips curved up into a grin comprised of pointed teeth and maliciousness.

She would deal with him when the time came.

Larkin returned her attention to Dracchus. “Eat. I will help them after.”

He shook his head again. “They must eat first.”

She opened her mouth to explain again that there was enough food, but she released a long, slow sigh instead. He was putting his companions before himself. She could respect that.

Larkin rewrapped the fish and moved her bag into the walkway. She made quick work of the lock on the gray kraken’s cell and brought her supplies inside.

She’d just finished applying the salve when he spoke.

“My name is Vasil.”

Larkin sat back on her heels as Vasil lifted his head to meet her gaze. His eyes were gray, like his skin, and bore a weary gleam. Guilt constricted her chest.

“Thank you for telling me,” she said.

He nodded. “Thank you for the reprieve.”

She wished she could do more.

They lapsed into silence as she fed him one of the fillets she’d taken from the galley. When it was gone, she folded the paper, stood, and exited his cell, closing the door quietly behind her.

She moved to the brown kraken’s cell and stared down at him. Dark eyes burned.

“Are you not coming in?” he asked.

Refusing to be intimidated, she picked his lock, opened his cell door wide, and entered.

“May I approach?” she asked.

“Come,” he said, too eagerly.

Larkin had taken two steps into the small cell before her feet were suddenly swept out from beneath her. She hit the floor hard, taking the impact on her shoulder and hip. Pain pulsed through her body. Gritting her teeth, she lifted her head, and the brown kraken struck her across the face with his bound tentacles. Though his restraints prevented him from producing much force, the sheer weight of his limbs was enough to daze her briefly.

She tasted blood; the inside of her lip had been smashed against her teeth.

He drew his tentacles back for another blow, but this time Larkin was ready.

Growling, Dracchus clenched his fists, straining fruitlessly against his bonds.

This female was his enemy, part of a group that had caged and beaten Dracchus and two of his kind. Seeing her brought low should’ve brought him some satisfaction. Instead, the fires of rage erupted in his gut, their heat an intensity growing with each passing moment. The target for his fury was not Larkin.

He understood why Neo had attacked her. If there’d been no legitimate reason for his hatred of humans before, Neo had one now. That did not lessen Dracchus’s anger toward him.

Helplessness tensed every muscle in Dracchus’s body as Neo swung his bundled tentacles at Larkin again.

She rolled onto her back and spun around, bending her knees so they nearly touched her chest. Her boots caught Neo’s tentacles. She slid a handspan backward, braced herself against the side of the cage, and then heaved, extending her legs fully. Neo’s tentacles were forced into the bars on the opposite side, twisting his midsection awkwardly against his stationary upper body. The kraken hissed, wincing.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Larkin swept up her bag and the bundle of food and rolled through the doorway. Grasping a crossbar with one hand, she pulled herself to her feet and gently closed the door.

Hair a tangled mess, cheeks red, and hands white-knuckled, she stood in the walkway. Her shoulders rose and fell with three deep breaths. Finally, she walked back to Dracchus’s cell.

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