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“Kraken aren’t like Dorian,” Kappler says.
I grip my knee. Marina is my family now. If they hurt her, I don’t care how many fronts we’re at war with, I’ll make sure Atlas puts me back in as a commander.
Eros taps my shoulder, pushing me out of the way. “What do you mean?” Eros scowls at the Tinom.
“I mean it’s true that Marina was taken. But she’s been sending letters to someone there for a year. She made promises. She gave her word she would come.”
“And when she didn’t... they fucking took her,” Eros states, crouching next to the communicator.
“Yes,” Kappler says.
“They will give her back.” I lean over Eros’s shoulder.
“You’ve met a full-blood Kraken, right? They don’t do anything they don’t want to do. I’m thinking you have some Kraken blood in you, Portsmouth,” Kappler growls.
Holter laughs. “Rumor has it you’re friends with the Kraken king. Have a talk with him? Every Kraken I’ve known loves a good bribe... except you.”
“A year,” Eros whispers. He scrubs his hand over his face.
“I’ve met Gerrard Legend, the Kraken king, but I would hardly call us friends. I’m sorry I can’t help you. Me contacting him directly would only hurt your chances of getting her back. I’ll see you soon enough. We’ll have to get a drink, Holter. Weird coming back home again so soon. Not like the old days where we were out for years at a time. Fighting Vikings, exploring...” Kappler sighs. “Gotta go. We were each given five minutes to reach out to our family.” The signal goes dark.
“That’s not much time left to contact his kin.” Eros clenches his eyes tightly shut. “You were on with him for at least four minutes.”
“He’s never liked his family, anyway.” Holter tightens his towel around his waist.
Eros sinks down to the floor, his back pressed against the wall. He shakes his head, then runs his fingers through his hair and leaves them there, holding his head up. “We should talk to Atlas,” Eros says, his head still bent to the floor. “But...” He raises his eyes to Holter and me. “He’s the last person I want to talk to with Michio missing. Granted, I’m no stranger to lying to officials, parents, siblings... fuck, anyone.”
Holter steps up. “You don’t have to. We can do it for you.”
“Yes,” I say. “Atlas and I had a friendship in the past. He’s gone a bit rogue over the last few years, but then again?—”
“So have you,” Holter interrupts.
“I’d call it ‘decisive leadership.’ Others have called it different, yes.” I’m not sure if Atlas will be much help, but we should try.
“Atlas is your friend,” says Holter. “He came straight to see you when he came back to the city. Ophelia had to kick him out.”
I nod and reach for my block, but like Holter’s and Eros’s, it’s locked in the rubble of the Maelstrom. “What if the lobby explosion wasn’t terrorism?” I back away toward the door.
Eros flinches and stands. “It’s never just about one thing.”
“Correct. But taking down a major symbol of our people? It’s a pretty clear ‘fuck you’ if I’ve ever heard one.”
Holter glances behind me, and I sense her before I turn around. Her eyes hold mine before they flick to Eros and Holter. Castor’s behind her.
“Belle, you need more sleep.”
“I’m not tired.” She’s clearly lying. Her shoulders slump, and there are dark circles under her beautiful blue eyes. In them there’s a fire burning. She’s not happy.
“You need to go back to bed,” I say.
“You need to come with me.” She smiles and I almost cave, but she’s done.
“No, you need to sleep. Now.” I resist the urge to point to the other wing of the apartment.
“Sunshine? You know we’d fill you in once you’d gotten enough rest.”
Her lips purse, and I can see her thinking it over. Would they, wouldn’t they? Her eyes land on me; I’m clearly in the “wouldn’t” camp. We both know it. Now that Eros has said we’d fill her in, I suppose there’s no stopping telling her.
