15. Allarick
Chapter 15
Allarick
E rin flails as soon as we get under water, which is expected. As a human, she’s used to not being able to breathe or speak underwater. It doesn’t come naturally for them. Her natural reaction is to try to save herself and swim to the surface. That would be necessary if it wasn’t for the drink she consumed.
While Erin desperately tries to swim to the surface, I keep my hold on her. “Erin, sweet girl, you’re fine. You can breathe and speak,” I say gently.
Erin stops struggling. Her cheeks are fat with the breath she’s holding, but she tentatively breathes out. I check her neck and am pleased to see her gills have formed, allowing her to come and go in the water as she pleases. I was assured by the pixie I got the potion from that it would work. However, it has been so long since we’ve taken in a human, I couldn’t say for certain and needed to be ready to swim her to safety if they didn’t form.
I watch as Erin’s chest begins to rise and fall in a steady rhythm as she discovers her ability to breathe. A hesitant smile crosses her lips. “How long will this work for?”
“Until death.”
“Oh.”
I touch my throat where my own gills are. “These will stay with you while you’re under the water. But when you surface, you’ll go back to breathing normally. It’s all part of the magic from the potion,” I explain.
For all the changes Erin has seen in the last few days, she takes this in stride. Any normal person would have broken long ago, but not Erin. She’s stronger than she gives herself credit for.
“Are you ready to go, sweet girl?” I try to hide my eagerness to get back to my kingdom, not wanting to sway her. My eagerness comes from checking in on my people, yes, but there’s more to it than that. Showing Erin Tetria and watching her—hopefully—fall in love with what she sees is ultimately the real prize here.
“Will you hold me while we swim there? You know, so I don’t get lost? I’m also not a strong swimmer.” Her cheeks turn an adorable shade of red, and if I were a betting kraken, I’d guess she liked her nickname. Perhaps even likes being praised.
Interesting. Noted.
“Would you be more comfortable with my hand, or is my tentacle around you okay?” I ask, though I suspect I know the answer. My hands remind her too much of the man she’s trying to forget.
As if to prove my point, Erin caresses my tentacle again, and I do everything in my power not to groan. It feels damn good to have her touching me. Part of me thought she’d be repulsed by what she saw. “Tentacle please. They’re soft,” she hums.
I keep one secured around her waist, and another I dangle in front of her in case she wants to hold on to it. She does, reaching out with her small hand to wrap it around me. “Ready.”
Immediately, I take off. We aren’t far from Tetria, but it is still a complicated route for those who aren’t familiar with it. It’s one of the ways I can assure the safety of my people, by making the entrance a labyrinth.
The waters are calm. The occasional fish swims past, paying us little mind. Erin’s shocked scream has me turning my head. It takes me a moment to figure out what startled her until I see him. The nearly translucent sea wyrm, roughly the size of a large shark, scary-looking creatures with horns protruding from their skulls and webbed wings on their back, but actually quite friendly if they deem you worthy enough.
“Don’t be alarmed. The sea wyrm will not harm you if you do not harm it.”
“Wasn’t planning on it,” she mutters, unable to take her eyes off the creature.
“I gather the sea wrym is an animal you don’t have back in Grym Hollow?” I ask.
Erin laughs and shakes her head. “We don’t have any sea animals in Grym Hollow. No ocean. There’s a lake though. But, no, at least to my knowledge, we do not have a creature like that. We don’t have krakens or mermaids either. We have water snakes and frogs. ”
“What about sirens? They’re like mermaids, but their voices hold power.”
“Definitely none of those,” she says.
I don’t say it, but her home sounds miserable. Living above the sea sounds like my own personal hell. I can survive on land if I have to, but my first preference will always be Tetria. This is where Atina and I are different. I’ll never understand her desire to be on land, and she won’t ever understand my love for living in the sea.
I swim further down until I see the underwater cave. It’s easy to miss if you aren’t looking for it, which is precisely why it’s the best entrance to Tetria. Erin kicks her feet, swimming closer to me. Despite her disdain for human hands, I feel her hand slip into mine.
“It’s so dark,” she whispers by way of explanation.
I forgot that human eyesight is weak. Even taking the potion, Erin won’t be able to see as well as sea people. “I can see just fine,” I assure and slowly take her through the cave. It’s spacious, large enough for two people to swim side by side.
Erin curls into my side, and I preen. She’s leaning on me for comfort. I’m thankful she can’t see the boyish smile on my lips, which widens once the first sounds of voice and music from Tetria filter in. My chest fills with longing. I haven’t been gone terribly long, but I’m still homesick.
When we reach the exit of the cave, instead of looking at my home, my attention is trained on Erin. I watch the emotions run across her face upon seeing Tetria for the first time. Awe, wonder, curiosity, and excitement. What would my home look like through her eyes? I find I envy her for experiencing the beauty of Tetria for the first time.
We are at the edge of my kingdom, just outside the main city. My crystal palace rises above all other structures, shining in the ocean light. The castle's exterior shimmers in the depths like a ghostly apparition, constructed from materials that glow internally. The walls are made of coral and pearlescent shells, each formation shaped with deliberate artistry, giving the appearance of delicate filigree and intricate mosaics.
The castle towers rise like jagged spires. Glass-like crystal formations sprout from the walls, the phosphorescent glow of deep-sea creatures. The entire structure feels alive, as if it is grown from the sea itself, pulsating with the rhythm of the ocean. Vines of glowing seaweed snake around the columns and archways.
Erin tears her eyes away from the impressive castle to the other buildings that make up the city. Most are made from a mixture of crystal, coral, and stone. The structures stand about three stories tall. The bottom floor is typically a restaurant or shop, while the other two stories house families.
It’s mid-afternoon, so the waters are full of merpeople swimming in and out of brightly colored buildings. A young siren child scrambles for her mother, who picks her up before the current can pull her child farther away.
Some sunlight reaches down here, but not much. Although we are able to see in little light, it doesn’t mean we don’t appreciate it. Thankfully, bioluminescent jellyfish linger above our city, providing light to our skies. The guppies of our kingdom appreciate it the most since their sight doesn’t fully develop until they hit maturity. It also makes for a majestic waterline.
A few merpeople glance in our direction, and shock colors their features. They freeze before remembering protocol and attempt to bow in greeting, though very few pay much attention to me with Erin here. She’s gorgeous, sure, but that’s not why my people are staring. Many of them have never seen a human before. Only a few elders remember a time when humans swam freely beside us, marrying into our kingdom. Their offspring are still here with their own families, but they are creatures of the sea. Not pure human.
Next to me, I hear Erin move around. With her mouth slightly agape, she stares at Tetria and all she has to offer. “I imagine this is overwhelming, but?—”
“It’s beautiful,” Erin cuts me off, awestruck. My heart skips a beat at her words. “Overwhelming, yes, but so beautiful.” She wiggles out of my hold, but I’m hesitant to let her go. None of my people would be foolish enough to hurt her, but I don’t want to take chances when it comes to our queen. She also doesn’t know her way around my kingdom yet, and I can’t have her getting lost.
I let her out of my grasp, though I swim right behind her. She tilts her head and points to the jellyfish. “You have jellyfish to light up your city?”
“It’s not a formal job, but they live here too.” I smile, but Erin is already on to the next thing. She asks about the multicolored coral that makes up most of the buildings, the fish and other sea creatures that roam freely amongst the merpeople. A turtle passes by, and I beckon it forward. The creature swims in our direction then around Erin.
She giggles. “Can I touch it?”
“Him. And yes.” I smile.
Erin reaches out and gently strokes the hard shell. The turtle nudges his head against her hand, and she smiles as she scratches the top of his head.
“Do you want to swim through the city?” It’s the fastest route to the palace, but if it would be too overstimulating for her, we can easily swim around.
“Oh, I would very much like to go through the city,” she says, her voice slightly higher-pitched with excitement. However, a moment later, she deflates. “But…will you wrap one of your tentacles back around me? It…makes me feel safe.”
Makes me feel safe.
No sweeter words have ever been said, and never to me.
I had once thought Erin would be afraid of my kraken side, but who knew she would fear the man more than the monster? Probably because a monster has never hurt her, but a man has.
“Whatever you wish, sweet girl.” I wrap my tentacle around her waist. She relaxes in my grip, melting my damn heart. How is it possible for one human to play with my emotions so easily?
“Thank you, Allarick. You’re a good kraken,” she says, patting me. If it were anyone else petting me like a household pet, I might take offense. But this is Erin, and I welcome all touch she is willing to give me.
Erin says goodbye to the turtle, and I start to lead us into the city. Colorful pebbled rocks mark the floor, creating swimming pathways. The first place we pass is the Royal Blacksmith shop. Small oceanic volcanoes heat the shop, providing exactly what Eckles—our resident blacksmith—needs to forge spears and household decorations.
Erin peers through the window, watching Eckles forge a blade. Even from here, I feel the heat wafting out of his store. I don’t know how Eckles stands being so close to molten heat day in and day out. He claims it’s comforting because the rest of the waters are “too damn cold; they’ll shrivel my tail.”
“What are those?” Erin’s question has me turning to see what she’s looking at. She points to floating domes, held in place by seaweed rope. About ten of these floating orbs surround the city, but there once were many more.
“Those are homes many humans used to occupy. They’re water-free,” I explain.
“What? Really? How is that possible? There are places here with air pockets? Are all people like you, able to shift between legs and tails…or tentacles, in your case?” Erin asks excitedly.
I can’t help but chuckle at her rapid stream of questions and do my best to answer them all. “The homes have an entry chamber. Once closed, the water drains back into the ocean, allowing the person to walk freely inside their home. The palace has places with air, though that’s set up a little differently. I’ll explain that more when you see it. We set these up as sort of a comfort and familiarity for humans who wanted some time out of the water.
“And no. Not everyone can switch forms. There is an extensive training merpeople have to go through to get the magic to gain their land legs. Some people don’t want to put in the effort because they have no reason to go up on land. But those who do can live in those bubble homes if they choose. All my guards are required to have their land legs so they can move freely between land and sea.”
“That makes sense about your guards,” Erin says, mostly to herself. She hasn’t stopped taking everything in. To be fair, there’s a lot to see. She’s like a guppy on her birthday, excitedly taking in everything. I want to show her everything Tetria has to offer. A queen should know her kingdom and people. There’s a lot Erin needs to learn, but those things can come in time. Right now, I just need her to be comfortable in the water.
“King Allarick,” a voice bellows from behind.
Erin whirls around, and recognition colors her features. “I’ve seen you before.”
The captain of my guard halts, clearly caught off guard by Erin’s words. Unexplainable anger ignites in my chest, almost violent in nature. I’ve never been this angry with Delmare before, but how does my wife know him?
Erin chuckles nervously, absentmindedly stroking my tentacle. It’s incredibly distracting and sexy. “I saw Allarick talking to you on the pier,” she addresses Delmare then turns to me. “I might have been…spying isn’t the word but watching. At first, I thought yo u were speaking to yourself, but then I saw him.” She points at Delmare.
My anger overrode my rational thinking. I remember Erin saying she saw me talking to a man while she had locked herself away in Atina’s room for days to heal and come to terms with her new life. I never sensed her watching us, but it explains why she didn’t completely freak out the first time she saw me as a kraken.
“Then I suppose it’s time to formally introduce you to the captain of my guard, Delmare.”
The older kraken bows low, giving his queen the proper respect she deserves. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, my queen.”
“Oh, you can just call me Erin,” she says hurriedly. It’s clear she’s not comfortable with the title, but it belongs to her.
“He’ll call you his queen, sweet girl. It’s custom,” I explain gently.
Erin purses her lips but relents. Part of me wanted to see her fight back, but now isn’t the time.
“I don’t mean to interrupt, but I heard you were back. Word travels fast around here, and there are urgent matters to discuss. You are needed at the palace.” Delmare seems apologetic as he gives me the news.
I can only guess what urgent matters he’s referring to, but I don’t want them discussed publicly at this time. No use in causing alarm yet.
“Can I come too? Or is this something I shouldn’t know?” Erin asks cautiously.
“You are privy to any and all information.” My answer comes out brisker than I intended, so I gentle my voice. “I would be honored if my queen joined me for the meeting.”
Erin smiles bashfully. She asked for what she wanted, and that makes me proud of her. It’s a small step, but progress nonetheless. Maybe here she can finally heal and take back what was taken from her.
“Make sure my queen has a spot next to me during the meeting,” I say to Delmare. My guard nods, and I trust he’ll carry out my order.
When Delmare bows and leaves, I face Erin. “If it becomes too much, place your hand on my shoulder. The meeting can pause while I escort you to our room.”
“I appreciate that, Allarick. I think I’ll be okay. Let’s go. I’m eager to see our palace.” She smiles.
Our palace . I love the sound of that. Tightening my tentacle around her waist, I swim toward home.