The Kraken’s Queen (Grym Hollow #3)

43. Allarick

Chapter 43

Allarick

I t starts out as a whisper.

A simple hum that rings in my ears. This isn’t the same desperate, high-pitched melody of the Leviathan. No, this is a soft croon invading my senses. It’s a warm hug that heats me from the inside out. The melody is strong and beautiful, one that reminds me of warm summer waters and lazy days in the kingdom.

Then a voice.

Ethereal. Fierce.

Erin.

That playing…that voice…I could place them anywhere. For a brief moment, I wonder if I died and this is my paradise. But the thought is fleeting because black claws grab my body. They dig into my tentacles and my chest, attempting to drag me away from the gate. They're so damn strong, and my hold loosens.

A flash of a blade next to me arches down and cuts right through the claws, sending them back. My head snaps to the side just in time to see Delmare bring his blade down again.

He’s not the only one. Nori, who had once been under their influence, cuts through more of the Leviathan claws. The other guards quickly break out of the Leviathan’s influence as well, brought back by Erin’s music. A newfound determination blooms between us.

My eyes lock with Delmare’s, and he nods. His unwavering faith in me doesn’t shake, not even when things look grim. His presence reminds me that my wife is here, and the stakes are higher than ever.

My hold on the gate tightens. I pour every ounce of strength into closing the gap and locking the Leviathan away indefinitely. Delmare takes up position next to me, cutting down the shadowy claws.

I should be able to close it. If it were any other gate, that would be the case. But this isn’t just any gate. It’s a magical prison containing powerful creatures. Only those of royal blood can contain the creatures inside, which means me and me alone, with my wife playing in the background. It’s the only thing keeping the Leviathans out of our heads and controlling us.

The gate gives a little, only a slight budge. I’m pulling with all the strength I possess, straining my body. The gate moves…but not enough. It remains open with no signs of giving in anytime soon. All around me, my men are locked in combat, straining their muscles as they fight enemies that never seem to go away and only multiply.

Doubt creeps in. My failure is inevitable. I feel it all around me. The way my men struggle. How fatigue has set in. We were so close. So close and…

A soft hand reaches for my arm. I look down, seeing smooth brown skin. I flick my gaze up to where Delmare swims a few feet away. He’s pale, eyes wide as if he’s seen a ghost. Nori comes into view next to him, equally astonished. But his mouth quirks up in a smirk.

I turn my head and nearly lose my grip on the gate.

“Atina?”

My mind can barely comprehend what I’m seeing. My sister swims in front of me, red mermaid tail awkwardly swishing from side to side. Her face is drained of color, and she looks seconds from swimming away and back to land. None of that matters though, because she’s here.

“Atina?” I say again, apparently only capable of my sister’s name. The noise cancelers in her ears prevent her from hearing me.

My sister has not been in the sea for years, not since she was a teenager. Her heart is with the land and mapping out the world. Not below the sea. To her, it’s a cage. An unknown abyss she hates.

Atina seems to remember where she’s at, and her eyes narrow like I personally offended her. She doesn’t speak—and even if she does, I wouldn’t be able to hear her—as she swims next to me. Atina swats me with her tail, and I move over, giving her space to grab the bars. The moment her fingers wrap around them, the Leviathan’s song turns into a screech, prompting my men to stop what they’re doing and cover their ears.

I refuse the temptation, even though it’s taking my entire being to do so. I try to focus on Erin and the beautiful, calming cadence of her voice. It gives me the strength to pull at the gate, only this time I’m not doing it alone.

Atina throws her weight back against me, not used to her tail. Still, she’s able to use her strength to pull, and together, the gate begins to move. It’s painfully slow, but it’s moving. The screeching only grows louder, laced with a newfound fear.

“Harder!” I yell, even though she can’t hear me. The instruction is just as much for me as it is for her: a reminder that Tetria’s safety is dependent upon closing the gate to the prison once and for all.

Little by little, the gate starts to close. The Leviathan grow louder in their frustration, almost deafening in the vast ocean. Atina jerks her body back as hard as she can. Her head collides with my chest, but she doesn’t seem to notice. She’s too focused on the task at hand.

The black claws retreat, followed by a chorus of screams. I only get a small glimpse inside the prison, but movement catches my eye. Dozens, if not hundreds, of black sea serpents thrash around in their enclosure. Yellow eyes meet mine, and for the first time, I’ve looked into the eyes of true evil. Malice and contempt stare back at me before the creature lunges.

I throw all my might into closing the door, and before the serpent can reach us, the last inch of the gate is closed. The gate molds into the rock, a white shimmer bonding it permanently together. The last scream rings out, and the white light of a magical lock explodes, temporarily blinding me .

Soon, more light follows. Small white orbs free themself from the cave and float to the surface. For a moment, I wonder if those are the souls stolen by the Leviathan. They escape, finally on their way to the sea goddess and their final resting place.

Then…

Nothing.

No sound. No claws. Nothing.

Just sweet silence.

For a moment, no one moves, too stunned to do more than stare in disbelief. I’m first to remove the ear cancelers, and the others quickly follow.

“It is done,” Delmare voices our disbelief out loud.

Then everything happens at once. My men break out in triumphant whoops of joy, while Nori, Delmare, and I both ascend on Atina, attacking her with a forced hug. She hates it, but I can’t bring myself to care.

“You fuckers! Get off me,” she grunts and attempts to push us off her.

“Just fucking bear it.” Nori grins and squeezes her tighter.

“You came.” I’m still in a state of disbelief because my sister is here. In the ocean. Swimming right in front of me.

Finally, Atina pushes us all away and glares daggers at us. If looks could kill, we’d be sushi. “I couldn’t trust you idiots to get the job done,” she says, feigning nonchalance. I can tell how much this is affecting her though. I might not ever know her reasoning behind what she did, but I don’t need to know in order to be eternally grateful .

“Thank you, Sister. We owe you everything.”

“Start by acknowledging your wife. She’s the reason I’m here.” Atina lifts her head, motioning to something behind me. I turn just in time to see Erin swimming my way.

I don’t think. I just act and swim to my girl. My tentacles wrap around her lithe frame and pull her flush against my chest. “Allarick—” Before she can say more, my lips are on hers. I have a lot of making up to do, and I will.

But right now, I need to feel my wife against me.