Page 90 of Heart of the Deep

Ceres moved to Macy and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. She smiled at her. “The human who saved a youngling by slaying a razorback on her own. She nearly lost her life in the act.”

The next elder, Faro, approached Aymee. “The human who defied her own people to protect ours, and saved the lives oftwokraken—” he paused to look meaningfully at Kronus “—with her healing. She has worked selflessly to ease our injuries and ailments over the last year.”

Parus, the final elder, moved to stand before Randall. “The human who fought his own kind in defense of our people and has worked as hard as any of our hunters to provide us with food and security.”

Ector’s movements weren’t as powerful or smooth as Dracchus remembered as he moved to Larkin; the years — and the last few days — were taking a toll upon him. “And this huntress. She was the one who captured Dracchus, Vasil, and Neo, but she was also the one who brought them food and water. The one who risked fire and the fury of a storm to set them free when she realized that our peoples should not be enemies.”

Ceres motioned to the children in Macy and Aymee’s arms. “Two younglings have come, and a third grows inside Macy. Kraken younglings.”

The elders returned to their original places, with Ector at their front.

“These are our people,” Ector said. “We have declared it many times, and they have earned their places. They have brought laughter and joy to these corridors and have shown us new ways.”

“They violate everything we are!” Neo growled.

“How?” Dracchus demanded. His hearts thundered, and his throat was tight, but somehow, he kept his voice steady. “These are not the humans who were enemies to the kraken, and we are not our ancestors.”

“Two of them hunted us!” Garon said, moving forward. “She was the reason you were put in a cage and beaten!”

Neo’s skin pulsed red at the reminder, but he didn’t look away from Dracchus. “What does this have to do with us, elder?”

“You know,” Dracchus said.

“We have made no secret of our dislike for humans, just as Kronus voiced when the first of them were brought here.” Neo’s gaze flicked briefly toward Macy. “Is our stance no longer valid? Have we no right to wish for the preservation of the ways of our people?”

“You are a coward who cares nothing for the ways of our people,” Dracchus replied.

Brow falling low, Neo shifted to crimson.

“And so we come to the reason for this gathering,” Ector called. He looked at Dracchus and nodded.

“Six days ago, the meat we store in the kitchen, the meat eaten by our humans, their mates, and their younglings, was poisoned.” Dracchus kept his gaze locked on Neo, who wore the same smug smirk he’d displayed while the last hunt was being organized. “Aymee and Larkin fell ill. Jax and Rhea fell ill. Melaina, Jace, and Sarina fell ill.”

A shocked murmur rippled through the crowd. Though most had heard the news beforehand, how many had believed it? How many kraken could imagine that one of their kind would do such a thing?

“Despite her suffering, Aymee was able to guide Arkon and Macy through treatment. Had they not acted so quickly, we would have lost the younglings.” Dracchus lifted an arm and pointed toward Macy. “Had she eaten the tainted food, we would have lost a youngling-to-be.”

The muscles of Neo’s jaw ticked.

“All the food, wasted,” Dracchus continued. “Eight lives nearly taken.” He swung his arm forward, pointing directly at Neo. “And it was his doing.”

“You have no proof of this!” Neo shouted, tentacles writhing around him. “I led the hunt that day, I could not have—”

“The hunt you insisted Jax and Arkon partake in. The hunt during which you ordered us to wait, rather than utilize methods that would increase our chances of a fast, productive encounter. The hunt during which you abandoned your fellow kraken to save yourself.”

Several kraken turned their heads toward Neo, anger in their eyes.

“I did all I could,” Neo growled.

“Randall is the one who saved Kronus after you fled. One of the humans who has been a target of your hatred. Arkon repaired Kronus’s wounds using Aymee’s teachings, and she would have done it herself, were she not poisoned. If not for humans, Kronus would have died.”

“Dracchus commanded us to the deep,” Vasil said. “To safety, without needlessly confronting the humans. Even Kronus agreed. But Neo insisted upon attack.” Vasil’s gray eyes fixed on Neo. “I suffered at the hunter’s hands as much as you, Neo. I was held in the cell beside yours.” He glanced fleetingly at Larkin. “But I have seen great kindness from humans, far more than I have seen cruelty.”

“They are ourenemies, and I was leading the hunt! It was a betrayal that you all defied me.” Something gleamed in Neo’s eyes; was it a spark of desperation?

“You placed our people in danger,” Dracchus said.

“I wanted to face our foes, to fight! But all of you are honorless cowards who wanted to flee.”

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