Page 90 of Taming the Kraken

Ken looked closer at Mikah, and he was right. The wound was completely healed. Even with fairy magic … a wound that deep wouldn’t have healed that quickly. Mikah rose to his feet and looked at Ken expectantly.

“Stay here, Mikah. If she runs again, I’ll be able to chase her faster this way.”

“I wasn’t going to ask to come. I know you’re just dying to put your arms around me again, so I’m not giving a lecher like you the chance.” Mikah smiled and watched as a grin spread on Ken’s face. “It seems like part of her still recognizes you. She no longer sees Erebus when she looks at you. But maybe it’s because she doesn’t fear him. She doesn’t see anything different. So her heart may not desire you or she doesn’t have any fears. My point to this is, be mindful of it when you bring Alexa back.”

Ken nodded his head. “Thank you, Mikah. Thank you for staying by her side.”

“Ken, I—” Levi started to say, but Ken winked at him with a slight smirk and vanished. A low chuckle left Levi’s throat as he shook his head. “He’s lucky he’s Alexa’s mate …”

Alexa was just focused on escaping Ken and those feelings that she wasn’t sure where she was now. Ken was trying to manipulate her by using the mate pull. She wasn’t going to be tricked.

She looked around her, hearing the sound of water hitting the shore as the wind swirled, bringing a salty smell with it.

She was standing in a valley of dark ferns that traveled up both sides of the hills. Behind her was the ocean playing with the shoreline, and in front of her, a trail led to a dark, cavernous area.

Alexa looked down at her hands and closed her eyes. She wasn’t dumb. She knew there was something wrong with her. Her memories weren’t clear. Things she should remember were suddenly fuzzy. But what wasn’t fuzzy was the stomach-turning pain she felt when she thought about Mikah and Ken. Her heart hurt as she thought about the injuries she’d inflicted on them. And she was angry with herself for hurting them, which confused her more. She raised her hand to hold her throbbing head.

“Well, aren’t you a peculiar one?”

Alexa heard an old woman’s raspy voice beside her. She turned to see someone staring at her through the thick ferns. The woman had long, gray, straggly hair with dull, lifeless skin. Her eyes were completely soulless. A strange power came from her, but it wasn’t one Alexa recognized.

“Ahh, you have the new nembrant glass. I can see the glow in your eye.”

Nembrant glass … why did that sound familiar but also foreign?

“I have glass in my eye?” Alexa watched as a crooked grin formed on the old woman’s face.

“Wow. You don’t remember it? Interesting … good to know. What about your master’s voice? Do you hear their commands?”

“Master’s voice?” Alexa scoffed. “I don’t have a master, nor do I hear any voice.”

The old woman clicked her tongue and furrowed her brows. “It’s because you’re too strong. I’m sure if it was in any other creature’s eye, it would have worked. Maybe if we use more dark power next time,” the old woman rambled to herself as she stared into space.

“Who are you?” Alexa turned to face the old woman fully. The old woman stopped talking and turned to Alexa.

“That is a loaded question.” The old woman shrugged. “You can call me Meryl. And what is your name?”

“Xi.”

“Alexa.”

She heard a deep voice coming from the sea. Alexa spun around to see a man with white hair that was pulled back neatly. His eyes were glued to her, almost as if he was expecting something from her. Her body tightened in anger as she looked at Erebus with a deep-rooted hatred that she couldn’t quite explain. She launched a barrage of black ice daggers at him. He flashed out of the way, looking at her curiously.

“Why are you angry with me? I’ve come to claim you. Don’t you feel the need to submit to me?” Erebus asked, glancing over at Meryl.

Alexa continued to unleash her fury of icy spikes at Erebus. Her head throbbed as liquid iron flowed in her brain. She felt like she was being tortured and had to stop to hold her head from the agony.

“WITCH! What is the meaning of this? Why is she attacking me?” Erebus snarled furiously.

Meryl’s lips curled up in a sinister smile and she shrugged. “I don’t know. Xi, why do you attack him?”

“Quit playing games, witch! Or I will⁠—”

“You’ll what? You won’t do anything to me. Because you need something from me. And you have something I want. I’m only helping you for a mutual exchange. I’ll get you what you want, and in exchange, you will release my granddaughter’s soul!”

Erebus pointed at Alexa, who was clutching her head and stumbling backward. “Why isn’t it working like it’s supposed to?!”

“You put the glass in a demigod, you idiot. You just gave her a demonic power boost. But curiously, it has affected her memories. She feels no devotion or loyalty to you. It looks like she has a deep-rooted hatred for you instead.”