Page 31 of Heart of the Deep

“I cannot allow that to happen.”

She held his gaze, silently fuming, but worry licked at the fringes of her mind. “What do you mean?”

“You are a great danger to my people while you are with yours.” He spoke matter-of-factly, without any emotion in his voice, but there was something she couldn’t place in his eyes. “It is too great a risk to us.”

“I know nothing more than what the others already know.”

“Not what you know. What you can do.”

Larkin shoved her hands into his chest. He didn’t budge, which made her angrier. “I let you go! Why would I help them capture you again after what they did? You knew I didn’t agree with it once I realized what you are!”

“You did it because it was your duty, and that duty will be no different when you return to them.”

“To hell with them! I can damn well say no if I want to. It’s called free will.”

“Did you not possess that when you first captured us?”

“I thought you were monsters! All I’ve thought about for the past year was getting my brother back, and you were supposed to be the key. But it wasn’t until they hauled you on deck and Isawyou,conversedwith you, that I understood differently.”

Tears stung her eyes, and she hated herself for them. She refused to cry, especially in front of him. She pressed her finger and thumb to the inside corners of her eyes. “I just want my brother back safe. Now, I don’t even know if my father’s alive.”

Dracchus gently grasped her wrist and guided her hand down. His gaze moved over her slowly, appraisingly, while his front right tentacle slid restlessly over the ground.

“We have saved one another’s lives,” he said finally, “and you showed kindness to myself and my companions despite the situation. That is meaningful to me. I have learned much more about compassion from your people than I have about hate. I will answer for you now what I could not on the ship.”

The pad of his thumb brushed along her forearm, making her skin tingle. He looked into her eyes. “Your brother is alive.”

Larkin’s heart stopped. She stared up at Dracchus, waiting for a sign that this was a malicious joke or a trick to gain her compliance. “He’s…alive?”

“He has lived with my people for the last year.”

“No.” She shook her head and took a step back. “You’re only saying that so I cooperate with you. He wouldn’t… He wouldn’t just leave us.”

Wouldn’t leave me.

Dracchus maintained his grip on her wrist; it wasn’t painful, but she knew she couldn’t pull free unless he allowed her to.

“He had no choice.”

Those words filled her both with relief and anger. “Why? Because he saw you?”

“He was wounded—”

“Did you hurt him?” She yanked her arm, but he didn’t release her. “I swear if any of you—”

“One of your own shot him,” he said. “He was betrayed by his hunting party.”

The air fled her lungs. No, that couldn’t be right. Randall was loved by his men, by all the rangers. They looked up to him.

Despite the warmth of the sun, a chill crept across Larkin’s skin and worked its way into her bones.

“I-I don’t believe you. I can’t believe that.”

“He will tell you the same.” Dracchus’s frown deepened. “But I cannot allow you to return to your people.”

“Is he safe?” she asked.

“As safe as he can be.”

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