Heart of the Deep

by Tiffany Roberts

  “This is mommy’s father,” Jax said gently. Removing his arm from Macy, he extended his own hand and touched a finger to Breckett’s. “He will not do you harm.”

  “This is your grandfather,” Macy said. “The one I told you about. He’s family.”

  Sarina looked between Jax and Breckett, until finally, she extended a tentacle, brushing the tip over the top of Breckett’s hand. “Family?” she asked.

  “Yes, child. Family,” Breckett said. “Sarina is a lovely name, and you are a lovely girl.”

  Sarina smiled. “Mommy said it was her sister’s name.”

  The tears flowed from Breckett’s eyes, disappearing into his beard. “It was. The sea took her from us a long time ago. But now it brought you.”

  “Are you sad?” Sarina asked, frowning. “Water comes from Mommy’s eyes when she’s sad, too.”

  Larkin glanced at Macy; surely enough, the woman was crying along with her father.

  “No, I’m not sad. I am very, very happy to finally meet you, Sarina,” Breckett said.

  Sarina looked at Jax then back to Breckett before holding her arms out to him. Breckett took her without hesitation, pulling her close. Sarina wrapped her tentacles around his arm and cupped his face with her hands. “Your face is very hairy and tickly,” she said.

  Breckett laughed; it was a deep, rich sound, and it seemed to affect everyone nearby — the expressions in the crowd had softened, and many were smiling softly as they watched.

  “And this,” Aymee said, turning her face toward Arkon as he approached with Jace in his arms, “is my mate and son.”

  Larkin watched as Aymee’s parents met Arkon and Jace, their bright smiles warming her heart.

  Dracchus settled his hand on her shoulder. She turned to look up at him as he gently guided her aside and moved forward.

  Her father looked at him, wide-eyed, and dropped a hand toward his pistol.

  Larkin’s mouth went dry, and her heart was suddenly pounding. Her mate and her father stared at one another in tense silence, only a few meters of space between them. It would take only an instant for the situation to go wrong. Faster than she could react, she could lose either one of them.

  Nicholas clenched his jaw. “You took my daughter from me. Took my son,” he said through his teeth, but his words lacked the venom of earlier.

  “You put us in cages and beat us,” Dracchus said, voice startlingly calm.

  “So, what? This is revenge? You had my son for a year, a year of me not knowing if he was alive, if I’d lost my boy. The pain we inflicted wasn’t even a fraction of what I’ve felt.”

  “Inflicting pain upon us did not ease your own,” Dracchus said, “and it did not bring your children back. They were safe under my protection. You taught them to be hunters, to be warriors, and they are both capable. They are both honorable and brave. And they have come back to you today to protect my people.

  “I have not forgotten what you did to us. I have not forgotten my days on your ship. They will remain with me for years to come, and what you did drove one of my kind to madness. He attempted to kill my mate more than once because you solidified his hatred.” Dracchus twisted his torso, extending an arm to gesture at Larkin. “She is my mate. My female. And your actions did not protect her.”

  She met Dracchus’s gaze with all the love and pride she felt for him; he’d proclaimed her his in front of all. He smiled at her.

  “I am not here to boast.” Dracchus lowered his arm and turned back to Nicholas. “I am not here for revenge. I am here because my people, and my mate’s people, have suffered enough. Larkin cares for you deeply. Her capacity for love is immense, perhaps endless, and it is something for which I admire her greatly. I forgive you for what has been done, and I am sorry for the pain that we have caused you and your people.”

  “Enough of this krullshit,” Brock growled, lunging forward to grab his rifle and aim it at Dracchus.

  Larkin drew her pistol and fired from the hip.

  The crowd gasped collectively; several people screamed, and some scattered.

  “Fuck!” Brock pulled his bleeding hand to his chest as his rifle clattered onto the dock. He bared his teeth at Larkin. “Bitch! You choose fucking monsters over—”

  Dracchus closed the distance between himself and Brock in an instant. The nearby rangers stumbled back from the big kraken, but Brock just looked up. He took Dracchus’s fist on his cheek and crumpled, crashing down in a heap.

  The other rangers reached for their weapons as Dracchus eased back toward Larkin.

  “Stand down, damn it!” Nicholas growled, stepping between Dracchus and his men.

  Larkin held her pistol up, daring the rangers to even look at their weapons. Jace and Sarina were crying to the side, undoubtedly startled by the loud noise and shouting.

  Nicholas glared at his men for a time, and, seemingly satisfied, turned back to Larkin and Dracchus. “Is this all true, Elle? You’re this thing’s…mate?”

  Larkin looked at her father. “He’s not a thing. His name is Dracchus. And yes, I am his mate. We’ve joined.”

  “And this is my mate,” Randall called from nearby. Rhea stood with him, Melaina and Ikaros beside them. “My wife.”

  Rhea moved away from Randall to stand next to Dracchus. She looked at Nicholas. “You have caused our people much trouble, human. But many of our problems began in kraken hearts. It is not too late to come together.”

  Nicholas looked at Randall, and then at Larkin, his expression unreadable. “You two…you’ve been…happy, with these…people?”

  Larkin nodded. “They’ve become my family.”

  “Mine, too,” Randall said.

  Nicholas’s gaze shifted between his children before he finally lifted it to the kraken before him. He studied them in silence as Larkin’s heart thumped. “You’re keeping them safe? You swear to me, they are safe?” he asked, voice raw.

  “I would give my life to protect Larkin,” Dracchus said.

  Rhea snorted. “No one touches my mate but me.”

  Nicholas’s eyes glistened with sudden moisture. “You’re taking them again, aren’t you?”

  “With peace between our people, we all may come and go without fear,” Dracchus said.

  “Without peace,” Larkin said, “we would go and not come back. We can’t risk any more lives. As much as we love you, we just can’t.”

  “I stand for peace!” Breckett called. “There’s never been trouble between the people of The Watch and the kraken, and I don’t see any reason for it to start now.”

  “As do we,” Kent said, arms around his wife and Aymee.

  Murmurs of assent rippled through the crowd; these people’s lives had been disrupted by the rangers for over a year. They deserved peace, they deserved security, they deserved normalcy. Even if it was a new normal, at least it wouldn’t be guided by hatred or fear.

  “And me!” called another voice. A woman ran past the rangers, heading straight for Macy. Camrin followed close behind her.

  “Mom?” Macy stepped into the woman’s embrace, returning it with equal fervor.

  “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” the woman sobbed, cupping Macy’s head and pulling her closer. “I missed you so much.”

  “It’s okay. I’m here,” Macy said gently, running a hand down her mother’s back.

  “Madeline,” Breckett coaxed.

  Madeline raised her head and looked at Breckett. She stilled. She glanced between Macy and Sarina before pulling away. “Is that…? Is it her?”

  Breckett nodded. “Our granddaughter.”

  Madeline covered her mouth with her hands as tears rolled down her cheeks. But instead of going to Sarina, she turned to Jax and wrapped her arms around him. “Thank you,” she whispered. “Thank you.”

  Jax — only a bit awkwardly — hugged the woman back.

  Nicholas had turned his head to watch this unfold. He slowly returned his attention to the kraken. He had to tilt his head back to look Dracchus in the
eye, but he made no sign of being intimidated. For a few moments, he was the commander and Larkin’s father simultaneously.

  “You and I have to have a talk, kraken,” Nicholas said.

  Dracchus’s mouth tilted to one side in a smile. “Randall already spoke with me. I am aware of the consequences.”

  Nicholas nodded stiffly. “We’re still going to have that talk. I need to make it explicitly clear.”

  “What is this talk you speak of?” Rhea asked.

  “Just some lighthearted death threats, one male to another,” Randall replied.

  Taking a deep breath, Nicholas stepped past Dracchus, stopping in front of Larkin. “I…I guess I made a mess of things, Elle…”

  “We all do crazy things out of fear for the people we love,” Larkin said.

  He dropped his gaze to the dock. “It’s just…after your mother died, and you were hurt… I…”

  Larkin holstered her pistol and stepped forward, wrapping her arms around her father. He clutched her against him. “I know, Dad. I know.”

  “You’re so much like her, Elle. I didn’t want to lose you, too. I couldn’t.”

  “You didn’t lose me. And it’s not too late for all of this. Please. Please just give this time. Make peace. He makes me happy, Dad.” Larkin looked at Dracchus, meeting his gaze. “I love him.”

  With deep concentration on his face, Dracchus moved his hands slowly through a series of human signs.

  I love you, too.

  “Gone for a month and a half, and you fall in love?” Nicholas asked.

  Larkin chuckled. “What are you going to do with me?”

  Nicholas drew in a shaky breath. “I guess…the first step is to accept that you’re not my problem anymore.” He laughed, more a relieved sound than an amused one, and held her tighter still, leaning his cheek against her hair. “Come here, Randall.”

  A few seconds later, her brother wrapped an arm around her. Larkin’s chest ached with emotion. She’d missed this so much. Her father, her brother, her family.

  Nicholas pressed a kiss to her head and Randall’s before he released them and stepped back. He turned toward the crowd. “The kraken are not a threat in the eyes of the rangers,” he called, voice echoing over the water. “We will gather our belongings, repair any damage we might have caused, and return to Fort Culver.”

  He lowered his gaze to the rangers in front of him. “You men have served bravely, and you deserve time with your families. Once the lingering matters concerning this excursion are settled, I will appoint a successor to take my place as Commander. I have failed all of you.”

  “Commander,” Jason Dane stepped forward, “please. This was just a short lapse, sir. You did your best, based on the information you possessed.”

  A few of them spoke up in agreement.

  Nicholas raised his hands, and they fell silent. “It has been my honor to lead you, but I’m not fit for it any longer. Maybe I haven’t been for years. Either way, my children are here, so this is where I need to be.”

  A small hand reached up and touched Nicholas’s back. Nicholas turned and to see Melaina looking up at him. Brow creased, he knelt to get closer to her eye level.

  “Randall became my father when he fell in love with my mom,” Melaina said, glancing between Randall, Rhea, and Nicholas. “Does that mean you are my grandfather?”

  Nicholas’s features softened. “I guess it does.”

  “So you have to let your face get really hairy too, right?”

  Breckett barked laughter.

  Nicholas smiled; it was the most genuine smile Larkin had seen from him in a long, long time. “Maybe. I don’t think grandfathers have to have big beards, but…I’ve never been one before. You’ll…have to help me figure it out.”

  Melaina smiled. “I would like a grandfather. I never had a father before Randall, and that’s been really fun. A grandfather should be even more fun, right?”

  Nicholas looked at Randall, making no attempt to hide the pride in his expression. “I’ll try, but I have a feeling that your father’s already better than I can ever be.”

  Slowly, the kraken and human groups moved closer to one another; their interaction began with awed, awkward stares, but soon, tentative conversation began between the bravest on both sides.

  Dracchus pulled Larkin into his arms. He raised a hand to her cheek, claws lightly sliding into her hair. The nearby water reflected in his amber eyes, increasing their depth, giving them a sense of motion. “You have created a future for our people to share.”

  “It’s up to everyone to make it a good one, but it’s a start.” She cupped his face, brushing her thumbs over his cheekbones. “Thank you for trusting us. For trusting in me.”

  One of his tentacles coiled around her waist, its tip gently stroking her lower back. The rest of the world faded away — the crowd, the voices, the swaying dock beneath her feet. In Dracchus’s eyes, she was all there was, she was everything.

  “You stand with me,” he said, voice rumbling in his chest, “and I will forever stand with you. I will be your strength when you do not feel strong. I will be your comfort. I will be your heart.” He lowered his head and caressed her lips with his. “Just as you are mine.”

  Epilogue

  363 Years After Landing

  “Hurry up! There’s something I want to show you!” Larkin tugged on Dracchus’s hands.

  He pulled himself up a few more steps along the narrow, spiraling staircase. He’d always felt heavier on land, but he’d never imagined how much worse it would while climbing stairs. No matter how many times he’d seen it from the water and the town below, Dracchus had never realized just how tall the lighthouse was.

  “You will be late,” he replied. “Your father does not appreciate when you are late for his hunts.”

  “He can wait. This is important.”

  They continued upward, moving around the enclosed central shaft — Larkin had said it was an elevator that used to carry people to the top, but it had ceased functioning long ago.

  Perhaps she should have had Arkon tinker with it beforehand to see if he could repair the device.

  By the time they reached the door at the top, Dracchus’s muscles were ablaze. Even when he’d swam for a day and a half without rest, he hadn’t felt as drained as he did now.

  “Close your eyes,” Larkin said, one hand on the door button, the other holding his.

  He closed his eyes without hesitation.

  The door opened with a soft sound, similar to the sound of the doors in the Facility. It provided him a bit of comfort.

  “Duck down a little,” she said. “A little more. And turn your shoulders.”

  His tentacles brushed the doorframe as she led him through. The air in the chamber was different; it bore a faint, metallic scent, and he could almost sense sound attempting to intrude upon the quiet from some unseen outside. Larkin’s boots echoed gently on the floor as she led him forward.

  Another door swished open, and wind hit him immediately. It was cooler than the wind he’d felt as they approached the lighthouse from below, faster, louder. Larkin tugged his hand again. He knew the instant he was in open air.

  “A little farther, Dracchus.”

  Larkin guided his hands to something — a railing — and he closed his fingers around it.

  “Okay. Open your eyes.”

  Dracchus obeyed. He saw the sky first, stained with the vibrant reds and oranges of the sunrise, which were broken only by violet clouds on the horizon. The sea was next as he lowered his gaze, shimmering in the strengthening morning light. Lower still, and he saw the land — and became immediately aware of just how far away it was.

  His head spun for a moment, and his stomach churned. He swayed back, away from the railing, but Larkin pressed her hands to his back to steady him.

  “It’ll pass,” she said. “No matter how it feels, you’re not going to fall.”

  He closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath. When he opened them again, th
e sensation renewed itself — his insides lurched as though he were falling — but he tightened his grip on the railing and let the sensation fade.

  Larkin moved to his side, slipping an arm around his waist, and pointed out over the edge. “Look over there.”

  Following her gesture, Dracchus swept his gaze over the fields filled with strange, four-legged animals, over the jungle with its impenetrable plant-life, and to the beach visible beyond. Pale sand ran up to a stretch of rocks, and higher still was a ridge covered in swaying grasses and clumps of vegetation. Along that higher ground, buildings were being constructed — he could just hear the human workers, their shouts and hammering little more than whispers on the wind from this distance.

  Ten structures in total, all standing along the coast, looking out over the beach and the sea beyond it.

  “What are those buildings?” he asked.

  “Homes. For the kraken who want to try living on land but aren’t comfortable in town yet. That first one,” her hand shifted into his field of view, indicating the house on the left, closest to the cliffs that flanked the beach, “is going to be Randall and Rhea’s. It’ll give them a lot more space for Ikaros and Melaina to play.”

  Dracchus smiled. Ikaros and Melaina often hurried through the corridors back home, and with the prixxir having filled out to full size, things sometimes felt cramped.

  She moved her hand over. “And that one will be Jax and Macy’s. She said she loves being near her parents, but they need a little more space, especially with Sarina and Eros getting so big.”

  “How long have these been hidden from me?” he asked, looking at her.

  “It wouldn’t have been a surprise if we told you too early,” she said, grinning. “Arkon was designing them for months before we started. He wanted to make them more comfortable for kraken. He’s got some sort of system for pumping sea water into tubs in each one, but it only works about half the time.”

  Dracchus chuckled and shook his head. Leave it to Arkon to come up with such a plan, when the sea was so close to the homes. “Is that why he has been so irritable lately?”

  “You know he won’t stop until he has everything perfect.”