by Megan Linski
Moona kept up to the best of her ability. When Adrian stopped the boat he dropped anchor over the area where he knew Stavros' lair was lurking.
Moona worriedly skimmed along the surface. By this point, the sky was dark and the moon was high.
It was then that midnight came over the earth, and Adrian was forced to change.
The agonizing pain came over him again. A fieriness came over his body, and every breath he took felt like knives piercing into his lungs. He tilted overboard, forced to return to the water. His legs were gone, and his tail was back. He could feel magic coursing through his veins strongly once more.
That was it. He lost the bargain. He’d never become human again. A hollowness entered him, consuming him from the inside.
It didn’t matter. He had to save Isa, whether they could be together or not. He wouldn’t let her die because of a mistake he’d made.
But if the spell was over… Stavros ended up with nothing, didn’t he? The deal was if Isa told Adrian she loved him, he’d remain a human forever, and Stavros would inherit the sea.
What could Stavros possibly gain by taking Isa?
Adrian didn’t have time to think about it. Far below Stavros was in his lair, and he was waiting.
Moona swam by his side. He was able to understand her again. She asked, “What are you going to do now?”
Adrian sighed. “I’m going to do what I should’ve done in the first place, and ask for help.”
He closed his eyes and spread his attention far and wide, throughout the water. He knew his father was listening. Poseidon always paid attention to the sea. Adrian called out to his father, and by the time he opened his eyes again Poseidon was there, swimming in front of them and looking drastically worried.
“Adrian,” Poseidon started. “Where have you been? Your mother and I have been worried sick about you.”
His father was no longer angry. Finally, he understood he’d crossed a line during their fight.
Adrian drew himself up. “I’m sorry, Dad. I’ve finally learned I can’t keep running away from my problems.”
He cleared his throat. “I need your help. I’m in trouble.”
“What kind of trouble?” Poseidon’s eyes narrowed.
Poseidon’s fingers tightened on his trident as Adrian explained. “I made a deal with Stavros,” he started. “I made a deal with him to become a human for three days so I could be with Isa… she was the human girl I told you about before. Stavros agreed that if she told me she loved me before the three days were up, I’d get to stay human forever.”
Adrian looked down. “But it didn’t work. She never did say she loved me, and the spell broke.”
“What did you trade for his magic?” Poseidon asked.
“I told him he could take my place as heir. I’m sorry,” Adrian said as Poseidon frowned. “I wasn’t thinking. But it doesn’t matter. The deal is void, because it never happened. She never said she loved me.”
“I see. But son, why would you go to Stavros?”
“I didn’t have a choice, Dad. You didn’t want to listen,” Adrian said.
“Your mother convinced me I was too hasty in my decision. By the next morning I was considering giving this girl a chance, but you were gone,” Poseidon said.
“I’ve really messed things up, haven’t I?” Adrian cringed, and Moona swam beneath his hand to comfort him.
“Not yet, you haven’t. If the deal is broken, why are you still in trouble?”
“Because he took her, Dad.” Adrian’s tone was desperate. “He kidnapped Isa and took her back to his lair. Before I was confident that I could beat him, but now I’m not so sure I can. Not without your help.”
“I will always be here to help my son.” Hot bubbles boiled from the tips of Poseidon’s trident. “And I am tired of my younger brother meddling in business that is not his. It is high tide I teach him a lesson.”
Poseidon opened his free hand, and Adrian’s trident appeared within. He tossed it to Adrian.
“Moona, stay here,” he told his friend. “This could get dangerous.”
Moona said nothing, only bobbed. Poseidon and Adrian turned downward, swimming toward Stavros’ lair.
“There is nothing to be afraid of, son,” Poseidon said. “We’re going to take care of this.”
Adrian hoped so. He prayed that Isa was all right and that Stavros hadn’t harmed her. But, at the same time… there was a nagging feeling inside of him that Stavros had this planned. He knew Adrian would go to Poseidon for help in the end. But why would Stavros be risky enough to tempt a god into war?
His uncle was either insane… or he was about to fool them all.
Chapter Sixteen
Isamaria
Isa could hardly believe this was happening. She had been kidnapped by a man who was half-man, half-squid.
“Let me go!” Isa cried. She struggled against her captor’s grip at the surface, but even if she got away there was nowhere for her to escape to. She was in the middle of the ocean, and she couldn’t swim through these waves, not miles back to shore.
“Calm yourself, mortal. My name is Stavros, and you are about to witness the transformation of a god,” he hissed into her ear.
Stavros forced some sort of concoction down Isa’s throat, then dragged her downward. The potion burned and tasted awful. Yet she found that with the help of it, she was able to breathe underwater, and she could open her eyes without the salt burning them.
At least he wanted her alive. She wasn’t sure for what reason, or for how long that would be.
Stavros took her downward, to the very bottom of the ocean. He dragged her into some sort of cave, then tied her to a long and thin rock at the center of it. Isa screamed and struggled. Stavros ignored her and began pouring potion upon potion into a large cauldron, the concoction exploding and changing colors with every ingredient he added.
“You’re the one who made the deal with Adrian, didn’t you?” Isa asked. “You changed him.”
“You’re bright, aren’t you,” Stavros said, and he rolled his eyes. “Yes, child, it was me.”
“Why did you bring me down here?” Isa asked. “I don’t understand.”
“My girl, capturing you was the crucial part of the plan,” Stavros told her sharply. “Be quiet.”
Isa’s mouth wobbled. “Well, it doesn’t matter. He wasn’t in love with me anyway. He’s not coming to my rescue. He’s just going to leave me here.” Isa’s tone had a measure of defeat to it.
“Of course he was in love with you, you stupid girl,” Stavros said. “He practically threw himself at my feet begging me to make him human so he could be with you.”
Isa’s eyes widened. “But then… why wouldn’t he tell me?”
“Because that was the condition of our agreement. You had to tell him that you loved him first for the spell to hold. If he said anything of the sort to you, the deal would be broken.” Stavros tossed a flask casually aside, and it shattered on the cave wall.
A terrible pain dug into her, and Isa hung her head. She’d been so blind. A moment of irrational thought had ruined everything. All she had to do was tell Adrian she loved him, and she could’ve lived happily ever after.
But Stavros, for whatever reason, had been relying on the hope that she wouldn’t. And she’d come through for him.
Stavros finished with what he was doing and faced the entrance of the cave. He was biding his time. Waiting.
Eventually, two figures came into view. Isa assumed one of them must be Poseidon: he was large, and powerful, a merman that was twice the size of Stavros and who carried a trident with one hand Isa was sure she couldn’t even lift with two.
The second man with him caused Isa’s heart to stop.
It was Adrian… but he was different. Gone were his legs. They were replaced by a long green tail with scales that shimmered like emeralds and that moved as powerfully as the ocean itself. He carried a golden trident, and his black hair weaved beautifully in the water.
The sight of him— Adrian as he truly was, and not who he’d became for her— made her breathless.
When Poseidon and Adrian entered the cave, Stavros smiled. “Not so fast.”
He swam behind Isa and pointed a knife of bone at her throat. “Come any closer, and I’ll kill the girl. Or perhaps I’ll just kill her anyway.”
Adrian instantly turned pale. The water around Poseidon grew darker. “Don’t dare to play games with me, brother. My patience has run out. Surrender now, and I won’t take your life.”
“This isn’t a game,” Stavros hissed. “I’m serious. Deadly serious.”
Stavros stuck the point of the knife into Isa’s neck, and she started to bleed. The knife wasn’t like any other knife-- it stung, and caused a pain like needles to spread throughout her body. Isa started to scream in agony. Stavros’ smile only widened.
“Dad, please, do something!” Adrian moaned, unable to take her cries.
“Enough of this!” Poseidon roared, and Stavros drew the knife out. “What is it you ask for?”
Isa hung limply in her binds. This was the moment he’d been waiting for. “My request is simple. Your crown for the girl. If you pass the sea onto me, your son’s mate will be spared.”
Poseidon didn’t make a move, neither did his expression change. Isa looked between him, certain she was a goner.
The god of the sea had told Adrian no before. He’d told him to find another. This was different. It was one thing for Poseidon to tell Adrian to move on from a fanciful crush. It was another to break his son’s heart.
“Dad…” Adrian whimpered.
Yet Poseidon’s mind was already made up. He slowly floated toward his brother and offered his trident before him.
“I will do anything to spare my son pain,” he said. Poseidon handed off his trident to his brother, then bowed.
And Poseidon gave the ocean to Stavros.
“At last,” Stavros breathed in one, long breath. He snatched the trident from Poseidon and clutched it tightly. “The sea is mine.”
Stavros grabbed a flask and scooped up the potion that was brewing within the cauldron. He drank it in one gulp, then tossed the glass aside. He laughed and laughed as his form began to change, growing and morphing throughout the cave.
“Now all the ocean shall know of my power!” Stavros called triumphantly. Poseidon’s trident shattered into dust as his tentacles grew larger and larger.
Adrian had the good sense to start forward and cut Isa loose. He grabbed her, and the three of them swam away as quickly as they could out of the cave and into the open ocean.
There was a shrieking sound, and the three of them turned around. A harsh, horrified scream emitted from Isa’s throat at the monster she saw. The squid was gigantic, as large as a ship, with tentacles that trailed behind him a mile long. The tentacles weaved throughout the water, and a singular brown eye fixated on them as the squid’s gargantuan beak snapped and clicked.
Stavros had become the kraken.
Adrian’s arms were still around her. He swam Isa to the surface. Above, the ocean had turned into a deadly squall. The waves were rough and hard, slamming Adrian and Isa back and forth. They were larger than even the wave she’d tried to surf, and angrier. Rain was pouring down from the sky in buckets, and thunder echoed and crackled, mixing with the lightning that was coursing across the sky. Swirling grayclouds were above them, forming an eye with an open circle at the center.
Adrian threw her up on the boat. The waves were so rocky that Isa had to hold onto the railing to avoid being tossed off.
“Take the boat and go back to shore before the storm destroys it,” Adrian told her quickly. “I’ll do what I can to stop him before it becomes a hurricane.”
“I love you, Adrian.” She fell to her knees and leaned out the boat to be closer to him, reaching out her hand.
“I know. I know you love me. I love you, too,” Adrian said. “But I have to fix this.”
“Don’t leave.” Tears dripped down her face, along with the rain.
“I’m sorry, Izzy,” he whispered. “I have to fix the mess I’ve made.”
He kissed her hand in farewell, then dove back down. Isa’s eyes frantically searched the water for him, but she didn’t find him.
“Dammit!” Isa clung to the railing and looked around. She couldn’t head back. She wouldn’t. Not while knowing Adrian was down there, risking her life for her. A few tentacles of the kraken rose out of the water in the distance, and Isa’s heart skipped a beat.
She knew the systems of squids. She’d studied them at the aquarium, in school. Giant squids had to have similar anatomy.
Squids had several central nervous systems, but there was only one that truly controlled everything. Isa knew the anatomy. If Stavros was to be taken down, there was only one way.
Her uncle’s harpoon was still hanging on the wall. Looking at the harpoon, Isa summoned her courage.
Isa pulled up the anchor. She then took down the harpoon, grabbed the wheel of the boat, and turned toward the kraken. She wouldn’t let Adrian face this alone.
Chapter Seventeen
Adrian
Poseidon was helpless. He had neither his trident, nor his powers. Adrian was on his own.
Moona was nowhere to be seen. Adrian was glad; he wanted her to get out of here. This was no place for a manatee.
“Dad, stay back,” Adrian told Poseidon. “I can handle this.”
“Adrian, no!” Poseidon cried, but Adrian didn’t listen to him. He swam forward, trident in hand, toward the raging kraken.
Stavros was still cackling. His laughter echoed and sent vibrations through the ocean as he floundered his giant tentacles about, utterly pleased with himself.
He saw Adrian approaching, and chuckled. “What’s this? You think you can still defeat me, boy?”
Adrian didn’t answer him, only started jabbing his trident in the direction of the kraken’s tentacles. Stavros laughed harder, easily avoiding each stab. A tentacle latched onto Adrian’s trident, ripping it out of his hands and tossing it to the ocean floor. The tentacle wrapped itself around Adrian’s form, suction cups latching on. Adrian squirmed but found himself unable to move.
Stavros squeezed. Adrian slowly felt the life being crushed from him as the tentacle wrapped tighter and tighter, preventing him from breathing, mashing his organs…
Then, in the distance, he saw a gray dot. Moona had returned— and she’d brought Celer, along with an entire army of merpeople, armed to the fins with tridents and spears.
At the sight of his rider being crushed, Celer charged. Celer smashed himself against the tentacle that was holding Adrian and bit down, hard. As a reaction the tentacle let go and Adrian pried himself off of the suction cups. He climbed onto Celer’s back, who swam downward. He reached for his trident on the ocean floor and rushed away before the tentacle could grab him again.
With the help of Celer, Adrian was faster. He outwitted the tentacles and used his trident to stab into one, yanking it free from its host. He swung again, and another tentacle was injured, dangling on by a thread and causing blood to seep throughout the ocean.
“Agh!” Stavros squealed in pain at his severed tentacles. The army distracted the kraken enough so that Adrian was able to swoop in and damage. Adrian cheered, feeling like they were making progress.
But as Adrian looked behind him through the red water, his heart thudded in his chest. The tentacles he’d just injured were healing as if nothing had happened. Within moments, the damage Adrian had done was forgotten.
Now Stavros was angry. He reached out and grabbed multiple members of the army, opening his beak to consume them whole. Adrian was able to jab through the tentacle at the last minute, and everyone was able to swim free and escape, but like the others the tentacle merely healed.
Even with all of them fighting against Stavros, he was still too powerful. No one could get close enough.
Adrian directed Celer around Stavros. He jabbed
at the squid’s body and Poseidon directed the army to keep going for the tentacles, but no matter what injuries they dealt him Stavros’ wounds only healed quicker. He simply became stronger. The water was so red with blood it was turning a ruby color, but Stavros wasn’t weakened. He wasn’t even harmed in the slightest.
Adrian looked above him and saw the tell-tale shadow of a boat far above. Panicking, he directed Celer upward, where the two of them crashed out of the water and onto the surface.
“Isa, I told you to go back!” Adrian roared over the sound of the storm.
“I’m not leaving you! We can beat this together!” she cried back.
“I can’t let you stick around and be killed!”
“You have to trust me!” Isa screamed. “I have a plan!”
Adrian didn’t want to put Isa in any more danger than she was already in. But if she had a plan, she was leagues ahead of the rest of them. “What do you want me to do?”
“Get him to the surface,” Isa shouted. “I need him as close to the boat as possible.”
“Are you crazy!?” Adrian bellowed.
“Just do it!”
Necessity left them no time to argue. Adrian dove Celer downward, and he circled the kraken trying to find an in.
The most obvious weakness Adrian could observe was Stavros’ eyes, which were clearly exposed. Celer rushed forward and Adrian raised his trident, jabbing it into the left eyeball.
“Ah!” Stavros cried, more out of shock than pain. The trident had failed to puncture or wound the eyeball, but it turned red, so whatever Adrian had done had hurt. A tentacle swiped by to knock him away, but Celer quickly spun around and Adrian jabbed his trident into the eye again.
“Enough! Leave it alone!” Stavros wailed. He swum higher to get away from Adrian’s pokes.
