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I don’t want to go back there again. It doesn’t feel safe. I don’t feel safe anywhere anymore. And why should I? A little voice pokes at me. I’ve never felt safe. First, living with my exploding volcano of an uncle. And when I left the farm for the east coast, that changed to the constant fear of flunking out and losing my scholarship at any time. Really, it’s like I’ve lived my whole life waiting to be kidnapped.
“I’ll make sure things are safe around here, Annabelle. Unless you want to move upstairs.” Castor clears his throat. He hasn’t come past the kitchen island, and he’s looking at everything in the apartment—other than me.
I’m sure Ophelia will say I can’t stay in an apartment with only an unmatedviromale. It wouldn’t go well for either of us. Dorian society is different from human society, but it still has its odd social constraints. They’re both sexually enlightened and Victorian at the same time, somehow.
“No.” I turn away from him. “I like it here. The way the light hits the coral is really interesting. And I like watching the small fish dart around.” It’s true, I do.
He moves right behind me, and his warmth sinks into me. “If that’s what you want. I’ll get another layer of security.”
“Good.” Constantine’s voice rings from the other side of the room, his shadow Milo a pace behind. “I have some new sharks I’ve been training too. I’ll need a piece of your clothing, Annabelle.”
“You’ll need what?” Holter’s gruff tone has us all turn our heads to him. He leans against the far wall.
“For her scent. I’ll train them to know her scent, and they will leave her alone.”
“Sharks?” Holter drops his fists to his hips.
“Yes, sharks. They’re modified. State of the art.” Constantine nods at the window like they are already swimming outside.
“Baba is doing some great things with them. The ones we have upstairs are prototypes, but I’ve seen the ones he’s working with in the lab. It’s really amazing.” Milo glows at Constantine.
“Are you sure they’re safe?” I’m more asking Castor than Constantine.
“They will be for you, and those who you want around here,” Constantine answers for Castor.
“You’re sure?” Castor asks. I’m feeling the same trepidation. The last shark—no, the only shark—I’ve had a close encounter with, tried to eat me first and then took a bite out of Nico’s shoulder. But then that’s like saying I was attacked by a bear in the woods, so I’m scared of a well-fed bear at a zoo. The thing is, I don’t want to be attacked by a bear, a shark, or a lonely merman.
“As sure as the jet stream flows.” Constantine smiles at me.
“I... I didn’t bring anything down. Ophelia said she would have my things packed for me.” I twist my neck around the empty apartment. I didn’t bring anything down because nothing in Kai’s old bedroom is mine. Even the things I bought at the shop aren’t mine, or at least, they don’t feel like it.
“Well then, I will ask my mate for the item. If that’s okay with you?”
“Yes.” I nod. But I’m looking at Holter. I can’t help but wonder if trained sharks have something to do with the attack on Holter and Nico’s dad. But I’ll ask him later, when all of the Drakoses have left.
“Come, Milo, it’s almost time for dinner.” Constantine puts his hand out.
“I’m hardly a podlet anymore, Baba.”
“I know. It’s hard for me.” Constantine stops at the door. “If there is anything you need, know that we will help.” The door swooshes shut behind him and Milo.
“I should be going soon. But I’ll have guards put on the doors tonight, and tomorrow there will be a security system in place.” Castor comes at me, his hands outstretched. And I don’t know what I expect, but him kissing me on my cheek isn’t it. It’s fast and light. His barely-there touch sends goosebumps down my arm. And it makes me ache. My brow furrows and my stomach churns. “Have a good night, Annabelle. Augustine will be bringing dinner down from my mother’s apartment.”
“Yes, your mother already mentioned to me that he would. Thank you.”
“Right.” Castor steps back, and the void between us is unfathomable.
25
Holter
It’s our third night here, and I’m staring out the window. Castor doesn’t live here, but you would never know it by the circus going on outside our airlock. Shadows fly over the floor as massive sharks swim back and forth. I’m not sure how I feel about them, myself. Granted, we don’t know what almost killed Alder, not yet. Every day that passes, the doctors say any day now they could wake him up. But that the longer he’s asleep, the more he’ll heal.
It’s been five days now since they took Nico. I tried to talk to Castor, to see if we couldn’t help Nico’s plight. Brave the chasm with him. Or stage some tridents. But no, they’ve got security guards on us, on anyone they think might help Nico. Coming back from the chasm is something you have to do on your own. It’s why it’s only been done once by the one they called the reincarnation of Poseidon himself. No, while I want to believe there is hope, and while I stay strong for Belle, there’s little hope, little chance that any of us will see Nico again.
And then there’s the tampering with our airlock. I can’t leave Belle alone—not that I want to. Ophelia has offered me chests of gold to stay with Belle and protect her. Like I need anything from any Drakos. I’ll find another way to support myself.
It’s odd living this close to the ocean floor. But I understand how Belle likes watching the fish swim around the dome’s coral. I hear her footsteps before she rounds the corner.
