Page 70 of Fallen from the Stars

Theo frowned. “You can’t hear him in this?”

“It projects your voice while you are in the air, but he is not projecting his.”

“Oh.”

“See. Primitive,” Kane remarked.

“Youjustspoke through the wrist piece a few minutes ago, Kane. Iknowyou can do it again if you wanted,” Theo said.

“Why go through unnecessary trouble?”

“I imagine Kane is simply being…Kane?” Vasil asked.

“You got that right,” Theo said.

A faint smile touched his lips, but it faded a moment later. He brushed a tentacle against her leg. “We will not be able to speak to one another when we are in the water. Dracchus will swim at the lead, and I will swim behind you. Watch for any signals from him.”

Theo nodded. “Okay.”

“It will be a long journey. If you tire, I will carry you so you may rest. Just signal to me.”

Theo smiled and caressed his cheek. “I got this, kraken.”

Chapter 13

“I so donotgot this,” Theo rasped as she pushed onward. Sweat trickled down her face, and every muscle in her body screamed in absolute agony. Everything was dark and distorted; all she could do was focus on the soft glow around Dracchus, who swam ahead of her, and force her arms and legs to move. She was flagging, and she knew he’d slowed his pace so she could keep up, but she couldn’t allow herself to even consider stopping.

If she stopped, she wasn’t sure she’d be able to move ever again.

“You’re in peak physical condition, Theo. You can do this. I believe in you.” Kane’s total lack of enthusiasm was not lost on Theo.

“You suck at encouragement,” she spat. “Peak physical condition? The most exercise I’ve had before this was carrying around my toolbox and crawling through access ducts.”

“But you weregreatat those things. Shouldn’t that apply to this, too?”

“Says the one who doesn’t have a body.”

“Attacking me over things I can’t control, are you? You’ve stooped to a new low, Theodora Velenti.”

“If I had the extra strength, I’d roll my eyes at you right—Ow!Ow!”

Sharp pain shot down the back of her right leg her hamstring and calf seized simultaneously. Tears stung her eyes as she reached down to grasp her thigh, halting her forward momentum.

“Oh, fuck! Oh, fuck! Fuck!” She sucked in rapid breaths as though they could alleviate the agony.

“Icouldbe wrong, but my analysis indicates you may be suffering from a leg cramp,” Kane said.

She dug her fingers into her leg. “No shit, you jerk.”

Vasil was suddenly there with her, his stripes creating an aura of light around him in the dark water. He passed the container to his tentacles and moved his hands to her thigh. His strong fingers massaged her hamstring, gradually fighting back the stiffness and pain. He worked his hands lower and lower, frowning all the while, and when he reached her ankle, his fingers trailed back up again.

The pain wasn’t completely gone, but it was far more tolerable thanks to his attention. She met his concerned gaze and thanked him; he nodded as though he’d understood, though she knew her voice hadn’t been projected out of the suit.

Shifting the container back to his hands, he wrapped two of his tentacles around her waist and guided her behind him. She looped her arms around his neck and her legs around his middle gratefully, pressing herself against his back. Even after wriggling to find a position that didn’t threaten to cause another cramp, the muscles of her left leg continued to throb and ache, refusing to relax.

Vasil removed his tentacles from her waist and dipped his chin to place a kiss on her arm before propelling himself forward. Theo tightened her hold; he was like a space ship taking off, moving with a burst of speed she hadn’t thought possible from an organic being under water. Each time his momentum faltered, he flared out his tentacles and snapped them together again, creating a fresh surge. The rhythm of it was odd but steady. That predictability gave her something to focus on besides her pain.

Theo rested her head against the back of Vasil’s neck. The journey had been exciting when it started, even pleasant. If swimming in the stream had been enjoyable, swimming in the ocean — being able to stay below indefinitely andseeeverything — was on a whole new level. She’d never imagined there could be so many different creatures in the water, or that the sea floor could be so varied and interesting.

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