I move toward him even though I know I should run the other way.
But I don’t know what that would do for me. So, I keep going.
His eyes are dark as they bore into me, and as if he has magical powers, I am drawn right to him.
“Father,” I say, my voice weak and low.
He grits his teeth, giving a slight shake of his head.
He’s a large man, bigger than me in my human form. I have so many questions about it, but I keep them to myself. He wouldn’t answer anyway.
“How dare you,” he seethes quietly.
“Everything okay over here?” Mikey, one of the security guys asks. He stops a few feet away, looking at me with a raised brow.
Somehow, I put on a smile and turn to face him. “Perfect. Just family.”
He nods, then walks off and I have to turn back to face my father.
“I can explain,” I say.
“Explain what? How you lied to us? How you have shamed us? How you have put all of us in danger?” he hisses, his voice quiet enough so it doesn’t draw attention, but I feel the hate and anger in his words.
The space we’re in is empty now, everyone having moved on to do their own thing. But I’m stuck here, unable to move, caught under the vicious gaze of my father who is somehow out of the ocean and in human form.
“You led our people to believe you were outhelpingus, while you were putting your face out there for all to see. You let these humans know that we exist, and now… now we are a show for them!”
“No, it’s not like that—”
He steps close to me, and I can smell the sea salt on his skin. I flinch back.
“You will return home. And you will tell our people how you lied to them and gave them hope for nothing. And by the Gods, you will remove yourself from this disgrace of kraken kind.” He gestures to my body. “How dare you think this is a fair representation of our people.”
I don’t tell him that I chose to do this, partially, to keep them safe. That I realized showing people this would keep our true selves safe. It wouldn’t matter. He won’t hear me.
I don’t ask how he found me, either.
It doesn’t matter.
Because I have to go with him.
The moon is hardly visible tonight, just a sliver of it reflecting on the wide expanse of ocean before us.
I caught a glimpse of the ring on his finger as we made our way here, but I didn’t ask questions about it. There is no point. He won’t tell me.
“Go,” he demands, nothing in his tone telling me I can argue.
I do as he says, stepping forward. I go and go until the water is up to my neck. Then I go some more, until I am swimming out into the ocean. I remove the jewelry from my body, fearing for it. Will he take it? Will he destroy it? Will I never get to come back? I hold it tightly in my tentacle, hoping he says nothing about it.
The shift happens quickly. My father comes up on my side, and I know… I just know that I have to follow him.
We’re a long way from home. My colony is on the west end of the United States while we’re on the east coast. It will take us days to get there, even swimming as fast as we do. But I don’t have a choice. He found me and now I must face the mistakes I have made.
Hopefully I get to keep my life.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Leif
