The Kraken’s Queen (Grym Hollow #3)

8. Allarick

Chapter 8

Allarick

O ver the next few days, I try to engage with Erin as much as she will allow. Some days are better than others. There are times when she stays in her room for most of the day reading the book I lent her and occasionally coming out to point at a section she doesn’t understand. I’m happy to go over the history of our people.

Sometimes I hear her crying, and sometimes I hear nothing at all. I don’t know if her silence or cries are worse.

I hate her cries, though. They strike a chord deep within me, but what am I to do? Comfort her? I’m not sure she will allow me to get that close. Although she seems comfortable when we take lunch together, she still remains a good distance away. When she thinks I’m too close, Erin shies away.

The person who harmed her did more than physical damage. It’s the emotional abuse that will linger with her for a long time. The thought makes me murderous on her behalf.

When I hear Erin moving around in her room this morning, I make the decision to get out of this damn house. We’ve spent the last four—or was it five?—days here, and the walls feel like they are caving in on me. I refused to leave in case she needed me. I’m used to the vastness of the ocean, and I’m missing the feeling of being surrounded by water. Erin still isn’t ready to come to Tetria, but she is ready to meet some of my people.

Erin comes out wearing another flowy dress from the Dragon King, her arms and legs bare. Her golden-brown skin is on full display, and I’m pleased to see no remains of the bruising. Even her neck is almost free of her injuries. I’m desperate to hear her speak more, but I won’t push her. Ender’s words replay in my mind. Show her kindness and patience. My wants don’t matter at the moment. Forcing Erin to speak before she’s ready might make her retreat, and that’s the last thing I want.

A mixture of fruits, hot tea, and bread sit on the table. She’s been eating more and finishing her tea, both of which I take as good signs. Today Erin helps herself to dragon fruit, one of my personal favorites. It’s not until she sits down that I tell her my idea for today.

“How would you like to get out of this house, Erin?”

She taps her slender fingers on the table, seeming to consider my request. Her eyes dart back to her room, and for a moment, I’m filled with an unspeakable amount of disappointment. If Erin doesn’t want to go, I can’t force her. Goddess knows she’s been through enough.

Erin’s slow to nod her agreement. It’s not an enthusiastic yes, but it’s still a yes. I’ll take what I can get. For now. I have a few places in mind I want to show Erin to get her comfortable with the sea and her people.

By the time Erin finishes her tea, I’m full of pent-up energy. I feel like a guppy on their birthday, waiting for the excitement to begin. I open the front door of the cabin, gesture for her to follow, and take my first step out.

We’re immediately hit by warm sunrays and the faint breeze that carries the smell of the salty ocean, making me long to be home. Even from all the way up here, I can hear the songs of the whales and excited clicks of eager dolphins as they race through the water. It’s just a taste of the ocean, but it’s enough to get me by for now.

“This way.” I step out into the gray area between my territory and Lycan territory. The wolves hopefully won’t be patrolling this far out today. I don’t need them to scare Erin. “I want to show you something.”

Erin shows little emotion as she wraps her arms around herself, almost like a form of protection. Physically, she’s next to me, but her mind is still miles away. If I were a weaker man, I might be offended by her lack of interest in me and the world around us. But I’ve never been one to step down from a challenge, even if that challenge is in the form of a deeply scarred woman who needs to come into her own power.

I lead Erin to a dock Atina frequently uses when she comes back home. The water there is clear and full of schools of fish and vibrant coral. The deck is large enough for two people to walk side by side, but I hover close. Just in case she stumbles .

When we reach the end of the dock, I crouch down and dip my hand into the water, allowing it to float across the surface. It’s the perfect temperature. Perhaps a little on the colder side, but that’s never bothered me. I send out a silent call, one that only creatures of the ocean can hear. A curious blue guppy swims to the surface under my fingers, and I reach out to stroke his side. Happy bubbles leave the guppy as he swims through my spread fingers like his own personal obstacle course.

From the corner of my eye, I see Erin kneel, looking down curiously. Her shoulder brushes mine, sending a wave of heat through my body. I do my best to ignore it and click my tongue twice, sending out a message to sea creatures nearby. It only takes a couple of minutes before I see my first visitor. A small head peeks up out of the water and makes a slow descent toward us.

Next to me, Erin gasps as the three-foot sea turtle swims to my hand. “Hello there, old friend.” I smile, rubbing my hand along his shell. I may not know this turtle personally, but he’s part of the sea I swore to defend and rule fairly under the law of the goddess.

Erin doesn’t make a move to touch the creatures, but she smiles. A real, genuine smile. Serenity colors her features, and her body relaxes. She’s not tense or rigid like normal. Her body’s natural state is fight, ready to act at a moment’s notice. When was the last time she simply got to be?

I would be a fool not to notice Erin’s beauty. Even when Ender brought her to me for the first time, I saw the beautiful woman underneath the bruises. But Erin at peace? She’s breathtaking. A goddess in her own right. The air around her is filled with strength and tranquility.

Erin must sense my eyes on her. She tilts her head to the side, warm eyes boring into mine. I expect her to shy away, or at the very least move away from me. I wonder if she even realizes our shoulders are pressed together. Visions of her in a crown, sitting atop a throne next to mine fill my mind. I see it perfectly, as if it were a memory and not some distant fantasy.

I wish she’d speak to me, more than just a couple of words. She doesn’t know I’ve listened outside her door, hearing the soft raspiness to her voice as she tests out her vocal cords. I want to know what she’s thinking and feeling. I need to know her story and ask her who she’s trying to escape from. More importantly, I need to know what makes her feel safe, so I can protect her from her nightmares.

“I’ve heard your world has creatures like these. Is that true?” I don’t know much about the human world. I was a boy when the last of our human companions passed on to our goddess. But stories of the human world still linger within Tetria.

Erin nods but offers nothing more than that. I should be satisfied with what she is giving me, but I want more. And I think I have an idea of what might get a bigger reaction out of her.

“Would you like to see merpeople?”

At that, Erin’s eyes widen. Her curiosity gets the best of her. “Yes,” she rasps.

I take it as a personal victory.

“Follow me.” It’s time she learned about the people she will rule over.