Page 37 of Rising from the Depths

Frowning, Kronus dipped his chin. He’d claimed Eva already, and she belonged to his hearts, but did she see it that way? As intelligent as many of them were, humans sometimes seemed oblivious to simple truths. Had she understood the weight of his words on the beach? Had she understood that his claim on her life had been real?

If she hadn’t yet, she would before long.

“I do,” he replied.

Sarina’s little hand settled on his shoulder. “And areyoua good protector?”

A wave of confused emotion swept through Kronus, twisting his insides and nearly stealing his breath. Younglings were precious, the future of their people, the ones most worthy and needful of protection. The knowledge that his old attitude would’ve prevented the birth of this little girl — ofboththese younglings — suddenly fell upon him with the weight of the entire world, crushing him.

He swallowed thickly. “Not as good a protector as I should be.” Kronus lifted his face to meet Macy’s gaze, making no effort to mask the guilt that had taken hold of his hearts, making no effort to mask the regret sinking like a boulder in his gut. She lowered her hand to her chest, and her smile faltered. “I came to ask your parents if they would help me learn how to do better.”

“My daddy is a very good protector,” Sarina announced.

“Your mother is, too,” Kronus said.

Warmth entered Macy’s eyes, and her smile returned — if a bit softer than before.

A chirruping call drew Kronus’s attention to the grass, where he saw Ikaros, Randall’s prixxir — a four-legged, scaled creature of land and sea — bounding toward them. As Kronus rose, he spotted Dracchus, Randall, and Jax following a few body-lengths behind the excited beast.

“Ikaros!” Eros called, wiggling in his mother’s hold. Macy chuckled and lowered him to the ground. The youngling darted off toward the prixxir, and Jace turned to join him.

Kronus clenched his jaw, his eyes shifting to the approaching males. He’d come to ask Jax for help, yes, but he’d not expected Randall and Dracchus, too. They just needed Aymee, Arkon, Rhea, and Dracchus’s mate, Larkin, to show up and nearly all the people Kronus had wronged would be gathered together. His skin heated, but he held back the instinctual color change.

He’d fought Jax and Dracchus in numerous challenges.

And he’d never once emerged the victor.

At the edge of Kronus’s vision, Eros and Jace reached Ikaros. Giggling, the little kraken pounced on the prixxir, and within moments were riding atop the beast, which had flattened the spiny fin on its back. Randall, grinning, jogged toward Ikaros and the younglings.

Sarina hurried to her father when Jax and Dracchus arrived, launching herself off the ground to wrap her arms around his middle. Jax caught her easily and spun her around; her laughter filled the air.

In direct contrast to that laughter was Dracchus’s scrutinous stare at Kronus, which broke only when Jax ceased his spin, and Sarina scrambled from her father to Dracchus. The black kraken brightened immediately as the youngling latched onto his arm.

Jax moved to Macy and took her in an embrace, settling a hand on her stomach. After kissing her, he turned his head toward Kronus, brows low. “What are you doing here?”

Macy frowned at Jax and jabbed her elbow into his side. The gray kraken grunted and gave his mate a questioning look.

“Be nice,” she said.

Jax released a heavy sigh and turned back to Kronus. His lips drew back in a forced smile that displayed his pointed teeth. “What are you doing here?” he repeated in a slightly higher pitch.

“Jax!” Macy shoved his shoulders.

Kronus battled the urge to curl his hands into fists. Each of his tentacles threatened to writhe on the ground of its own accord, and he had to still them all individually. He needed to avoid any movement that could be considered confrontational or threatening, no matter what hewantedto say or do in response to Jax’s tone.

He understood Jax’s attitude; even when unthreatened, Jax had always been very protective of his mate and younglings. Kronus understood now more than ever — now that he had Eva.

“I am here to ask for your help,” Kronus replied.

Jax and Dracchus stared at Kronus in disbelief. Their silence was total, allowing the sounds of Ikaros, Randall, Eros, and Jace at play to take prominence.

“Is something wrong?” Sarina asked, brows drawn in confusion as she looked between the males. She lifted a hand to Dracchus’s face and guided his gaze toward her. “Is Kronus okay?”

Dracchus frowned, seemingly unable to answer.

“He’s just fine, Sarina,” Macy said, smiling. She shifted in Jax’s hold to face Kronus. “What do you need?”

Kronus refused to allow guilt to overwhelm him again. He had this evening and the next day to prepare his dwelling for Eva, and he didn’t want to waste any more time. “The human who was injured by the razorback is going to share my den,” he said, “but I…I have no idea what food humans need, what items they require for comfort, or how to obtain any of it.”

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