Page 66 of Rising from the Depths

“That’s how Jenny makes me feel,” said Camrin.

Only a sliver of the red-orange sun remained visible over the horizon, leaving the boats in a steadily shrinking column of fire-kissed seawater. Camrin sat with his eyes narrowed and his pupils enlarged. Though Kronus knew humans could not see well in the dark, he also knew that the fishermen of The Watch were so familiar with these coastal waters that they could navigate them despite the limited visibility.

Kronus regarded Dracchus, whose form grew increasingly indistinct in the failing light. “Why are you not riding with your Larkin?”

Dracchus turned his head; Kronus followed his gaze to the adjacent boat, where the glow of the computer displays in Larkin’s facemask stood out clearly against the black water.

“She is using the suit to keep watch while helping to navigate,” Dracchus said. “I want nothing more than to go to her, but I do not wish to be a hindrance to her duties. My instinct is to remain at her side without fail…but I know she is capable. I know she is fine. I trust her.”

Dracchus’s answer touched something deep within Kronus; he understood those conflicting drives all too well. Leaving Eva to join in this hunt had been amongst the hardest things he’d ever done — a fact made ridiculous if he paused to consider the many difficult and dangerous tasks he’d undertaken in his lifetime.

They sailed onward, steered by Camrin’s steady hand, and easy conversations flowed between the periods of companionable silence. It was a strange journey for Kronus, but he welcomed the company. They were all on the water for the same goal, regardless of their species or their past relations. That was something in which to take pride; they’d come a long, long way over the last few years.

Old electric lights were illuminating the dock when the boats finally sailed into the bay. The gently bobbing structure glowed like a beacon on the dark water, a heartwarming sight after a long day of hunting.

After the boats were tied off, the kraken dove into the water and quickly saw to the razorback, removing the harpoons and spear before hooking it to the crane tethers. The fishermen on the dock hauled the body out of the water and into the air once it was secured.

Humans and kraken worked together to butcher the creature, cutting slabs of meat from its massive body to be stored for later use. Kronus remained until that work was done; the final task was to lift the bundled meat up to the warehouse using a larger crane situated atop the cliff, but the humans were more than adept enough to accomplish the task on their own.

The dual moons had risen above the town by the time Kronus and the other kraken — minus Dracchus, who chose to travel by land with Larkin and Randall — dived back into the water. They swam around the cape and along the coastline, keeping near to the surface and in formation in case of any lurking razorbacks. The journey proved uneventful.

Kronus lifted his gaze as he moved out of the water, sweeping it over the pale, silvery sand and shadowed cliffs to the dwellings atop the ridge. Lights — all produced by flames, as there was no electric power out here — burned in some of the windows, welcoming their males home.

Turning his head, he looked at the last house in the row, the house he shared with Eva. His brow furrowed; the place was shrouded in darkness, reduced to a lump of shadow atop the night-shrouded cliff.

Unease coiled its tentacles through his gut, slithering and cold. Eva should have been home already. He hurried his pace across the sand, offering distracted answers to queries from his companions that he didn’t really hear in his suddenly frantic state.

This was her first day of work in weeks. She is tired and went to sleep. I cannot fault her for that, especially as I am always telling her to rest.

That was the simplest, most likely explanation.

Yet his hearts beat faster than usual, and his eyes continually drifted toward his home, even when he drew too near the cliff, and it was blocked from his view by the rock face.

Or she is visiting with one of the other females. I cannot keep her all to myself, however much I long to. Humans are a social people.

His mind leapt back to the day she’d taken herself to the beach in her wheelchair and attempted to crawl into the sea. That had been her lowest point, but she’d come back from it, hadn’t she? Kronus shoved the possibility aside; she would not have done that again, not after all her progress. Not with how close they’d grown and all they’d shared. She was happy.

He waved to the others after scrambling up the rocks and onto the ridge, wasting no time in darting home. Rocks and vegetation bit into the undersides of his tentacles, but he ignored the stinging pain. Though part of him knew he was overreacting, it was just as he and Dracchus had discussed — it was instinct.

He would open the door and rush inside to find her sleeping peacefully in their bed. The noise of his entry would likely disturb her slumber, and he would quickly rinse the brine from his skin in the shower before joining her in bed, feeling like a fool for all his worry.

When he reached his dwelling, he forced himself to stop and release a long, slow breath. He opened the door quietly and slipped inside. The moonlight flowing through the windows created long patches of light across the floor. The bedding was rumpled, but Eva was not in bed. A strange smell hung in the air, mingling with so many familiar scents that he could not place it. Perhaps she’d brought home a plant to eat that he’d not yet encountered.

“Eva?” he called. His voice seemed thunderous in the small, relatively quiet space.

When she didn’t answer, he moved to the bathroom and pushed the door open. He was greeted by more silver moonlight and black shadows. Within the light rested Eva’s prosthetic leg. Kronus spun about, panic flaring in his chest like a fire splashed with fresh oil. His gaze darted to the bed again; it was only from this angle that he noticed her crutches on the floor, one laid atop the other.

Heat prickled across the surface of his skin.

“Eva!” he shouted.

Kronus rushed to the bed, grasped the blankets, and tossed them off — as though she might somehow have hidden herself among them. The fabric fell to the floor over and around his tentacles. It was only then that he identified the odd smell; it was on the blankets, brushing directly against his suction cups.

Alcohol.

It was a drink many humans seemed to enjoy, but it made their minds…muddled. Eva had not partaken in such beverages while she’d been with him…

Dread solidified low in his belly as he coiled his tentacles around the bedding, seeking every smell, every taste, that clung to it. Most were known to him, familiar reminders of his life with Eva. But there was more — not just that bitter whiff of alcohol, but a masculine scent, stale sweat mixed with something pungent and foul.

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