Page 58 of Rising from the Depths

Dropping his hand from her throat, he pressed his palm over her heart — her solitary, human heart. It thumped rapidly. Her head lolled back, coming to rest on his shoulder, and he tightened his hold on her, inhaling deeply to draw in her scent. When she smiled, his eyes dipped to her lips.

Withdrawing from Eva, Kronus guided her body to turn and face him. He swiftly peeled off her remaining clothing, leaving her naked; her skin glowed with pleasure, softly pinkened and beaded with sweat. Then he lifted her again and lowered her onto his cock. He laid her on her back and propped himself over her, catching her lips with his.

He made love to her slowly this time, savoring her softness, relishing the taste of her sweetness on his lips, and thrilling in the subtle tremors that coursed through her limbs. Eva’s hands roamed over his body, trailing fire in their wake, as his tentacles rose to caress her skin in response.

He was driven by an overwhelming need to possess every bit of her, to sear each moment they shared, each touch, forever into their memories, and to give himself over to her wholly.

Her throaty sighs filled the room, rising in pitch as she reached another peak. Kronus followed, baring his teeth in a growl as pleasure ripped through him and spilled into her.

Breath ragged, Kronus looked down at his mate, his beautiful Eva. His hearts constricted with emotion — withlove. Her hair was a dark golden halo, her cheeks rosy, and her lips red from his kisses. She exhaled heavily and met his gaze, eyes sparkling with unmasked love.

Eva reached up and cupped his cheek. He turned his face into her touch, kissing her palm.

Everything he’d done had brought him, ultimately, toher— no matter the nature of his decisions, each had played a part in leading him along this path. Despite the hardships, despite the suffering, he would not have changed any of it. He didn’t care if it was selfish; so long as they led to her, he would swim those waters again and again.

Chapter 17

Eva tore an ear of corn from the towering stalk and dropped it into the basket in front of her, repeating the process for the next stalk, and the next. She’d fallen into a steady rhythm as she made her way along the row. Tabitha, the woman who was carrying the basket, walked backward silently, hurrying off to empty the corn into the wagon nearby whenever the basket was full.

The field was blanketed with the sounds of rustling leaves, snapping stalks, and friendly conversation as at least two dozen townsfolk assisted the harvest. Eva kept her focus on her work.

She relished the burn in her limbs, the sweat rolling down her skin to dampen her hair and clothing, relished the sunlight and the scents of vegetation and rich earth. Her left knee and stump ached and throbbed, but she appreciated even that. After four weeks spent indoors apart from the few outings she went on with Kronus, this was a welcome change.

But it was bittersweet.

She’d no longer hear Addison’s delighted squeal when Samuel snuck up behind her and kissed her neck or pinched her backside. Samuel would never make another silly joke, and Hailey could never utter another snarky remark. But they were all safeguarded in Eva’s memories, and she would always carry them with her.

A shrill whistle snapped Eva out of her thoughts.

“Time for break,” Tabitha said, offering Eva a smile as she set the basket down. “Great work.”

“Thanks. You too,” Eva said, returning the smile.

As the two women walked toward the edge of the field, another group passed them, heading to pick up where the workers going on break had left off. It was a constant rotation that kept people in the fields all day without wearing anyone out.

Traversing the soft, lumpy soil presented difficulties for Eva, especially after a full morning of work, but she grew stronger and more confident each day. That was all because of Kronus. He’d pushed her to challenge herself from the start, refusing to acceptI can’tas an answer. He’d known what she was capable of long before she realized it.

Eva’s heart quickened at the thought of her mate — herhusband. Though they’d only been apart since the first rays of dawn touched the sea, she missed him and knew it would be a long day for them both. She drew comfort from the knowledge that she’d be in his arms again that night.

Once she emerged from the tall corn stalks, Eva made her way to the water table. She smiled and thanked the elderly woman who filled a cup of water for her. The woman chuckled when Eva guzzled it down and asked for more.

There was another table nearby set with food — sandwiches, fruits, vegetables, and small muffins — where several of the workers were already lined up to fill their bellies before their next rotation.

Eva stepped into line and pulled her braid over her shoulder, letting the breeze cool the back of her neck. When she reached the table, she plucked up her share of food and stepped away to find a place to sit and rest until her next shift.

She chose a spot beneath a winefruit tree. It was about twenty meters from where the other workers were gathered, but she couldn’t resist its shade.

Though walking over the solid ground was easy, sitting on it was not. Holding her arm against her chest, she piled the food atop it and used her other hand to hold the trunk for support, slowly easing herself down. She released a slow exhalation once she was fully seated. She’d taken Kronus’s presence for granted; he was usually there, lending her a hand or simply picking her up and setting her down somewhere comfortable. It was nice to be independent, but she had to admit, she took delight in his thoughtfulness and pampering.

Her stomach growled as she set the food on her lap. She unwrapped the sandwich, took a big bite, and closed her eyes, breathing slowly as she chewed. Before she knew it, she’d devoured both the sandwich and the muffin. She was peeling a violet-skinned winefruit when a pair of legs entered her peripheral vision.

“Hi, Eva,” a familiar voice said.

Eva looked up to see Macy standing nearby. The blonde woman smiled. She bore her own armful of food.

How many times had Eva seen Macy as they’d worked in the fields since coming to The Watch? Likely more times that she could count. She had knownofher then but hadn’tknownher — many townsfolk still talked about Macy and the events surrounding her even years after they’d occurred.

After hearing Kronus’s tale, Eva wanted more than anything to get to know this woman, the one who’d brought the humans and kraken together.

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