Page 42 of Heart of the Deep

“Why are you bringing her here? The kraken are more divided now than ever, and Kronus’s group will want to harm her even more than they do the rest of us.”

“She released us while the ship was burning. The other humans would have left us in those cages to die.”

“Why not let her return home? People already know about the kraken, but none of them know how to find this place. Once you bring her here…that’s it, isn’t it? She can’t leave.”

“She wants to see her brother again.”

Macy frowned. “And you trust her?”

“With my life,” he replied without hesitation.

Macy’s eyes widened, and even Dracchus was surprised by what he’d said.

He’d only known Larkin for a short while, but he’d come to trust her unquestioningly.

“She will be mine,” he said.

Macy’s mouth gaped. She shook her head and laughed, prompting laughter from Sarina. “Leave it to you to choose the greatest challenge.”

Jax returned with Arkon a few moments later.

“You have returned!” Arkon said, and the lingering grogginess in his eyes cleared rapidly. “You will have to tell me everything you can about these goggles the hunters used, and—” He fell silent when he noticed Macy’s incredulous expression. “What is it?”

“You’re not going to believe this,” she replied, shifting her gaze back to Dracchus. “Dracchus picked a mate.”

“You were correct. I do not believe it,” Arkon replied.

Dracchus turned to face Arkon and Jax, producing another chuckle from Sarina, who clung to his head like he was a wild sea creature attempting to buck her off.

“Come on, you,” Macy said, pulling Sarina down from Dracchus’s shoulders. The youngling put up a bit of resistance before finally relinquishing her hold.

“What is this all about, Dracchus?” Arkon asked. “I hope you do not mind my saying, but you don’t look particularly happy to be back.”

“It is a complicated situation, Arkon. The sort you enjoy puzzling out,” Dracchus replied.

He told them everything, starting with the human boats. Fortunately, Arkon seemed to sense Dracchus’s urgency and refrained from asking a torrent of questions. When he was done, everyone stood in silence save Sarina; she had returned to the table, where she was moving the game pieces around, stacking them atop one another and making strange little sounds as she played.

“What do you need?” Macy asked. “Anything we can do to help. Jax and Arkon can escort you, and—”

“No, Macy,” Dracchus said gently. “Jax and Arkon will remain here. We cannot leave any of you vulnerable.”

“But that’s such a long way to travel alone, Dracchus.”

Larkin’s words rose to the forefront of his mind.We make do with what we have.

“We will make do,” he said. “Given the current situation, none of you will go unprotected.”

“We should tell Randall, at least. He will accompany you,” Arkon said.

“Randall must not know until I bring her here.”

“Do you not trust him?” Jax asked.

“I trust them both. But I do not want to give Randall the chance to do something stupid. He is better off here, helping to defend all of you.”

“I won’t speak a word, then,” Macy said. “But there has to be something we can do to help you, Dracchus.”

He tilted his head back and turned it slowly, running his gaze over the walls and ceiling. “Prepare a den for us, here in the Cabins, with anything she might need to be comfortable.” He paused for a moment. “One beside Randall’s.”

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