He dropped the rope he’d been fiddling with and strode toward Macy, quickening to a run as he drew closer, until finally he took her by the waist and drew her close. Her stomach lurched, and her heart leapt into her throat.
“I missed you,” he said, either not noticing or unaware of the desperate way she clutched his shoulders, and lowered his mouth to claim hers.
He’d kissed her before, but never like this. This was more than a brief brush of lips, more than a stolen peck. This was intimate, eager…sealing.
Macy stood still, willing it to end. Longing for solid ground beneath her feet.
“That’s enough, you two,” said a familiar voice behind her.
Camrin paused and lifted his head, grin returning. His blue eyes were bright as they shifted to look past her.
“I expect you to take care of her,” Breckett said, placing a big hand on Macy’s shoulder to give it a gentle squeeze. “You look beautiful, Macy.”
“Thanks, dad.” She turned, slipping out of Camrin’s hold, and hugged her father. She shut her eyes as his big arms encircled her. One of his hands cupped the back of her head, smoothing down her hair.
“You’ll be fine, Macy girl.”
She nodded, wishing she believed him. Needing to believe him.
“You know…you can tell him to forget it,” he whispered to her, voice gruff. “Your heart isn’t with the sea, anymore, and that’s no fault of yours.”
She strengthened her hold on him as tears pricked her eyes. She’d loved the water when she was young. Loved the sea. The rhythm of the tides, the light sparkling atop the water, the boundless possibilities; it had spoken to her. Her parents could barely keep her away from it…and that had been the problem.
“I’ll be okay, dad.” She hoped her words didn’t sound as hollow to him as they did to her.
Breckett sighed, long and slow, turned his head, and kissed her cheek. “All right.” He released her, tugging his fingers through his thick beard.
She stepped back. “Tell mom I love her, and I’ll see her when I get back.”
“I will. You two enjoy yourselves.”
“We will,” Camrin said, taking Macy’s hand and twining their fingers.
Just before Breckett turned to leave, Macy caught the shimmer of tears in his eyes. Fighting back tears of her own, she allowed Camrin to lead her to his boat.
At six meters long, it was one of the smaller boats, but it was Camrin’s pride. He’d dreamt of having his own boat since they were children. Its sleek, wooden hull rode the surface with a shallow draft. He was as familiar with the coastal waters as any of the more experienced fishermen and handled his boat as naturally as most people walked.
He helped her over the railing, and her heart nearly stopped as the boat swayed beneath her.
“There you go, Mace.” He followed behind her.
Macy sat on the bench and clenched the rail as his weight rocked the boat. Leaning over the side, he untied the rope anchoring them to the dock, coiled it up, and turned to raise the sails. The wind filled them as Camrin adjusted the boom and sat down at the rudder.
When she was seven or eight, Macy would’ve given anything to have a boat of her own. She’d dreamt of sailing whether awake or asleep, and when she wasn’t out with her father, had spent her time watching all the holos about ships and the sea she could find — not easy, when only a few buildings had fully functioning electricity, and most of the projectors were worn with age.
That had been before she learned how dangerous and unforgiving the sea could be.
The wind swept the boat away from The Watch and toward the horizon. It flowed through her hair, ruffled her dress, and caressed her skin. It had been so long…
Gradually, her grip on the rail loosed. She shifted her eyes to gently rolling water.
“Nervous?” Camrin asked.
She glanced at him; he watched her with a smile and swept his tousled red hair back from his forehead.
“Yes.”
He tied off the boom, slid closer, and gently pried her hands from the railing. Massaging her stiff fingers, he lifted them to his mouth and kissed her knuckles before lowering their hands into her lap.
“I know you’re scared, Mace. I honestly didn’t think you’d come…but seeing you on the dock…” He squeezed her hands, and his smile widened. “It meant the world to me. You’re facing your biggest fear…for me.”
Her eyes watered, but she didn’t look away.
It’s not enough. You deserve more.
She blinked, and teardrops spilled down her cheek.
“Aw, Mace, don’t cry.” Camrin released one of her hands and brushed the moisture from her cheeks. He smiled. “I haven’t told you how beautiful you look. I’ve never seen—” He cleared his throat and touched one of her shoulder straps. “Is this for me?”
Macy nodded. “My mom made it.”
He leaned closer and cupped her chin. “I can’t wait to make you mine. I’ve waited so long.”
Camrin kissed her like he had on the dock. She curled her hands into fists on her lap, clenching the delicate fabric of her dress. His lips were soft, but demanding, and soon she felt the press of his tongue. She opened her mouth with the shock of it, and his tongue delved inside.
I can’t do this.
Macy recoiled, pressing a hand to his chest to keep him from following.
Kissing him was like kissing a brother; if that made her feel ill, what would joining with him be like?
“Where are we going?” she asked, keeping her tone pleasant to mask her discomfort.
I can’t do this.
Camrin licked his lips, chuckled, and returned to the rudder, giving no indication that he noticed her discomfort. “You’ll see. The moment I saw it, I knew you’d love it.”
They sailed in silence, and Macy’s muscles eased over time. She lifted her face to the wind, closed her eyes, and enjoyed the warm rays of the setting sun on her skin. She breathed in the brine, recalling the time she’d spent on her father’s boat. She…missed it.
The boat lurched in a sudden blast of wind. Macy grappled for the rail, eyes flashing open.
“Shit!” Camrin leapt to his feet.
She turned her head to look at him, and the breath fled her lungs.
Ominous clouds darkened the sky behind them, and — in the far distance — she could make out the flash of light from the lighthouse. The signal only meant one thing.
Get off the water.
The wind hit them again, bringing a chill.
“Camrin…”
“I know, Mace! Just…stay calm.” He unraveled the rope securing the boom, wound it around his arm, and braced his legs.
A web of lightning spread across the clouds, followed by a roll of thunder. It reverberated through the sky, rattling the rigging and mast. Swelling waves lifted the boat and water splashed over the sides.
“W-we need to go back!” she cried, but she knew there was no turning around. You didn’t sail into a storm. “Camrin, we need to get off the water!”
“I know, Macy!” His shouts were nearly lost in another blast of thunder. “We’re almost there!”
She looked toward the bow which was directed at the horizon; the last sliver of daylight vanished, leaving only a faint crimson afterglow just over the water. The darkness thickened behind them as the storm was sped closer on strengthening winds. The angry ocean thrashed around the boat, and water pooled at Macy’s feet.
Another clap of thunder; stinging rain pelted Macy.
She swept her gaze across the rolling waves, searching the shoreline for a safe place to land, but only steep, high cliffs were in sight.
“Hold on tight!” Camrin shouted. His wide eyes were full of fear, his face pale and strained in the dimming twilight.
Macy followed his gaze away from the land. Ice crystallized in her veins; the sea was cresting, forming a massive wave alongside them.
“Camrin!”
“Get down!”
She dove
to the floor and wrapped her arms around the base of the mast. Water swirled around her, and the boom groaned as Camrin battled the wind; he was trying to turn them into the wave to avoid being hit broadside.
For a fleeting instant, everything was still and silent. Macy dared not open her eyes. Then the ship dropped and rose suddenly, sickeningly, and the crash of the wave overwhelmed all her senses simultaneously. The world spun. The sea tore her away from the mast, and the current carried her into darkness. The water surrounding her muted the cacophony of the storm.
She kicked, uncertain of which way was up, lungs burning. Finally, she broke the surface. The terrible sound of the storm and the violent waves was deafening. Macy gasped, fighting to keep her head up.
“Camrin!”
It was too dark, too chaotic. The all-encompassing sea, boundless and untamable, dominated her vision.
“Camrin!”
Lightning flashed, lighting up the water, and she saw his dark shape. Too far.
If he called her name, she didn’t hear — the storm, the waves, and her own thundering heart were too loud.
More water crashed over her, forcing her under. Once again, she struggled to the surface, sputtering and gasping for air. The waves carried her away from the cliffs, away from Camrin, away from home. She was alone in the darkness. Alone in the open sea.
Just like Sarina.
Macy’s limbs grew weak. She could barely take a breath without water filling her mouth.
Though it only delayed the inevitable, Macy fought.
Wave after wave battered her. Each time she went under, she surfaced a little slower. Each time, more of her strength fled. She remembered that day on the beach, so long ago. Remembered how she’d struggled against drowning.
Remembered how long Sarina had struggled.
When she was forced underwater again, Macy stopped fighting.
Her body sank deeper. Her chest was on fire.
What little air had remained in her lungs bubbled from her nose and mouth, and she closed her eyes as awareness slipped away.
The last thing she felt before blackness fell over her was a pair of arms wrapping around her torso.
Chapter 2
Macy woke with a groan. Her entire body ached, and her head was on the verge of splitting in two. She pressed a hand to her temple. She hadn’t felt this terrible since…
Camrin!
She opened her eyes. Bright sunlight blinded her; she squeezed her eyes shut again and turned away.
The ground beneath her was hard, and running water was splashing into a pool somewhere nearby. She flattened her hand on the coarse rock beneath her and slowly opened her eyes to slits. Sunlight filled her vision, poured over her, heating her skin and the stone she lay upon.
Where am I?
Lifting her head as her eyes adjusted, she glanced to the right and frowned. She was on a small island. All around her were storage containers — wooden barrels, a metal lockers and crates, and several chests — some clearly from the time of the colonization. They were brimming with an eclectic collection of items — clothing, fishing rods, hand tools, buoys, bowls, jars, torn strips of canvas from a sail, even a few children’s toys.
Beyond the island was a small waterfall, spilling from a high cliff into a nearby pool. Thick vines hung over the rock to either side of the water. She followed the run-off with her gaze to the deeper, darker water it flowed into. A few jagged rocks jutted from the depths, but it was all shadowed by the stone wall and ceiling hanging over it.
She swung her gaze around the area; the stone walls were on all sides.
She was in a cave.
Directly overhead was a large opening in the ceiling, allowing her a glimpse of the bright blue sky, but she was otherwise surrounded by rock and water.
How did I get here?
“I…I should be dead,” she rasped. Gathering tears blurred her vision and stung her eyes, and her throat was dry. She should’ve drowned. Why had she been spared — again — when Sarina was never given a chance at all?
Sitting up, Macy drew her knees to her chest and hugged her legs close. Tears spilled down her cheeks.
What of Camrin? Had the sea claimed him, too?
Her sobs, though muted by the rush of the waterfall, echoed off the walls of the cavern. Shuddering breaths shook her shoulders.
Not again.
She couldn’t have another tragedy on her shoulders. Couldn’t bear the guilt. Camrin had taken Macy out to surprise her, to win her over…to join with her.
If I had said no, if I had told him the truth, we’d still be safe in The Watch.
A splash, different from that steady sound of the waterfall, broke through her heavy thoughts. She raised her head with a start, searching the shadows as she wiped the moisture from her eyes. The sound had come from the darkest part of the cave.
The water was in constant motion, lapping against the edges of the island and making it difficult to determine where the disturbance had occurred.
The hairs on the back of her neck rose. She wasn’t alone. Whatever was there, it was watching her, and she had nowhere to go. Macy was trapped, vulnerable to whoever — or whatever — was waiting in the dark.
Was it the stranger who’d collected all these things? Was he the one who’d rescued her?
Macy sniffled and ran her hands up and down her arms to coax the chill of fear away. She scooted closer to the island’s edge.
“Hello?” she called. “Camrin? A-Are you there?”
The shadows near one of the protruding boulders shifted.
She licked her dry, rough lips. It wasn’t Camrin.
“Hello? Would you…would you please come out?”
A hand emerged from the shadows and slapped against the boulder.
Macy flinched, falling onto her backside with her legs splayed in front of her, but she couldn’t look away.
In structure, it was like a human hand — four fingers and a thumb, the same number of joints and comparable proportions — but the similarities ended there. The skin was gray, paler on the webbing between the long, claw-tipped fingers. Powerful tendons stood out along the back of the hand as the creature pulled itself forward.
It emerged from the shadows slowly. Macy moved her gaze up the muscled arm, over the dark, jagged stripes on its shoulder, and onto a broad, powerful chest. Its musculature was humanlike, despite its odd skin, but the creature was larger than any man Macy had ever seen.
Its build screamed male.
His face was surprisingly human, as well, with a broad, strong jaw and full lips. There were two slits where his nose should’ve been; they flared with slow breath. More stripes ran from side-to-side over the top of his head. There was a tube-like opening behind each of his cheekbones, near where his ears should be, and his eyes…
She met his gaze; her curiosity was reflected in his. Set beneath a heavy brow, his eyes were bright green with long, horizontal pupils. She’d never seen anything like them. They were unusual, but they suited him.
As unsettling and strange as this creature was, Macy didn’t feel threatened by him; wouldn’t he have harmed her already, if that was his intent?
“Did you save me?” she asked.
He cocked his head. His down-facing, tubular ears shifted toward her. He advanced through chest-high water. Anything below the surface was lost in the darkness.
“Can you understand me?”
His brow lowered. “Why would I not understand?” The creature’s voice emanated from his chest; deep and rumbling.
Macy’s eyes widened — not solely at the sound of his voice, or that he spoke English, but because she glimpsed sharp, pointed teeth in his mouth. She wrapped her arms around her legs again. “You’re not going to hurt me, are you?”
His gaze dipped to her legs. “Not unless you give me reason.”
Dread flowed through her, but she swallowed it back. “You saved me.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because
I have never seen one of you up close.”
“One of…me?”
His eyes roamed over her again, pupils flattening further as he moved fully into the light. His muscles rippled beneath his skin, and his torso angled forward as he approached.
Was he walking along the bottom or swimming? There was an unevenness to his movement that Macy couldn’t place, an oddness to his rhythm she’d never seen.
“Human.”
“You’ve never seen…never seen a human before?” she asked, trailing her gaze over his broad shoulders and chest. His skin was a few shades darker at his shoulders, sides, and waist, naturally drawing her eyes lower.
“I said I have never seen one of you up close. Aren’t those things on the sides of your head for listening?”
Macy narrowed her eyes. “They’re called ears. How do you know English if you’ve never been around humans?”
“What is English?”
“The language we’re speaking.”
He narrowed his eyes, mimicking her expression. “It is the language my people have always spoken…in the air.”
Macy frowned. How was it this creature knew her language? The old records had reported no sapient life on Halora before the colonization; had they missed something?
“Who are your people?”
“They are of no concern to you.”
Shifting onto her knees, Macy crawled closer to the water. “Do you have a name, at least?”
His wide mouth turned down in a slight frown. “I am called Jax, human. The Wanderer.”
Somehow, she found a touch of humor in the situation and smiled. “My name isn’t human. It’s Macy. The Gardener.”
A scintillating flash of red-brown rippled over his skin. “You mock me, human?”
Macy stared at his body in stunned fascination for several seconds before forcing her eyes back to his. “N-no. Why would you think I’m mocking you?”
“Wanderer. Gardener,” he said through bared teeth. The black stripes on his head and shoulders shifted to a vibrant indigo. “You are creating words to insult me.”
She retreated from the edge of the island. He spoke the same language as she did, and many of his features were humanlike, but he wasn’t human. Clearly, a communication barrier remained between them.
Treasure of the Abyss Page 2
