Page 41 of Away in a Tentacle Lair
“So you're not mafia, you're pirates?”
“Like I said…” Frank prepares to defend the family's honour, but Leo interrupts him.
“Pirates that turn into octopi?” Leo laughs so hard my whole body giggles. If I weren't stoned on the pain meds, I'd be crying right now. “Octipirates?”
Nicholas and Frank start laughing. Alice puts her fingers to the bridge of her nose and groans, but I know she finds it funny. Jonus doesn't hold back, and I can hear the rest of my cousins giggling throughout the cave.
But something else gets my attention—the big round pool of light in the sky. Leo releases me from his arms when I pull free, but I know he's right behind me as I hobble into the water. My hands grip the rocks for support; the water is only as deep as my thighs. I'm deep enough to leave the cave and stare at the moon.
“It's beautiful,” Leo mutters, wrapping his arms around me from behind.
“It's so still,” I reply.
I've only seen the moon from underwater before, and only on the nights I've not made it home and had to sleep in the bay. With the water rippling above me, the moon always seems to dance. Tonight, it is still and clear. I can see so much detail on its bright surface.
“Does this mean…?” Leo plants a kiss on the top of my head instead of daring to speak the words we were all wondering about.
“The curse is broken.” Nicholas finishes for him.
“So I just had to get shot? Why didn't it break when Mum died?”
“Because your mother did bleed all over the research centre floor. The cops found the boss holding a gun and his security officers shooting at unarmed men. The cops closed it down, and after this, there will be no more dumping their dirty water into the sea.” Leo makes it sound like a David and Goliath story,in which I took on the mighty research corporation and won. I would be surprised if destroying the filtration system stopped the tainted water from entering the sea and breaking the curse. All that matters is that we all stand up to our willies in ice-cold water.
“Leo, I need…”
He catches me as my legs give out, dragging me out of the water to sit on the sand. I feel pampered as the family brings towels, blankets and cushions, as though I did something more important than getting in the way.
I put Leo's life before my own, and I'd been prepared to die for him. That's a much more romantic way to have broken the curse than turning off a few water pipes.
Just as I find a sexy use for my tentacles, I go and lose them. Maybe that is the real curse.
“I love you, Kai,” Leo moves his face to mine, “but whatever you're thinking, stop.”
Chapter thirty
Leo
For the past twelve months, I have gone to bed each night next to Kai and woken up with him in my arms—except today. It’s the day after Boxing Day, and he isn't in our bed. This time last year was a life-changing moment for him—not because the curse was broken and he lost his tentacles. I’m certain falling asleep by my side has made that bearable.
Losing his spleen has been more life-changing for Kai than anything else. He isn’t so carefree any more. We still dive together, but he has to dress like all the other divers, with a wetsuit and breathing apparatus. He hasn’t been diving without me since that day, but I think I know where to find him now.
I dress enough to appear decent in a house full of Kai’s relatives and hurry to the basement. Beyond that is the little bay where their pirate ancestors unloaded stolen bounty.
Kai is standing in the cave, his bare feet in the sand.
“Morning, honey,” I call, announcing my presence.
“It’s been a year since everything changed,” he mutters.
“An amazing year. Peter has moved away to further his career as an environmental lawyer, and-”
“I meant with me. Us.”
“I know.” His spleen doesn’t just help him hold his breath by storing extra blood cells; it also helps fight infections. Kai has been extra careful when the family bring coughs and colds home from their day jobs. Kai has me, but unlike the rest of the family, he no longer has a purpose.
Other than cleaning the tanks in the house that now contain all the remaining creatures from the marine centre. Most of the sea creatures were rehomed when the centre closed, but there wasn’t much interest in the smaller fish being used as experimental stock, so they were relocated here. The octopus and seahorses in our room are delightful creatures, but the tank reminds him of how much life has changed.
“Do you know?” Kai turns to face me.
