Chapter 34
The sea welcomed him home. Cold water surged around Spencer’s massive Kraken form as he cut through the depths beside Brutas and Dave, ancient instincts roaring awake harder with every passing second.
Freedom. He had almost forgotten what freedom felt like. Above them, morning light fractured through the surface in pale ribbons while the current carried the sharp scent of storm magic, fear, and Edith.
Spencer surged forward instantly, and Brutas rumbled low beside him.
Easy, young one.
Young one. Spencer would have laughed if he currently possessed lungs. Because beside Brutas and Dave, he probably was young.
The two guardians moved through the sea with terrifying ease, vast bodies gliding effortlessly through the depths while ancient magic crackled faintly across their forms.
Dave was the larger of the two. Absolutely Enormous. His massive tentacles moved lazily through the water with the confidence of something that had never once feared another creature in the sea. Beside him, even Spencer felt small.
You’re loud, Dave observed casually through the strange instinctive communication of Kraken minds. Spencer blinked.
What?
Emotionally, Dave clarified. The current shifted sharply.
Brutas slowed suddenly. The guardian’s massive form stilled beneath the water and Spencer felt it immediately after.
The boat was above them and, on it, was Edith.
Relief hit so hard Spencer nearly surged upward immediately.
She was alive and so close he could have reached out a tentacle and plucked her from it.
He could sense how frightened but furious she was, in that particular Edith sort of way. Dave circled lazily beneath the vessel once before whistling low.
Well that’s awkward.
Spencer looked upward. The boat appeared small from beneath, very fragile and easy to destroy. Almost too easy, but based on the panic radiating from the ghost pirate steering it, he had noticed something was happening. Above them, muffled vibrations echoed through the water.
Their voices, even muted, came through as well as their movement, but it was Edith’s laugh that came through to him to loudest. Spencer’s entire body reacted instinctively. Simple words pinged in his head
Mate.
Protect.
Mine.
The possessive surge hit hard enough that Dave visibly recoiled beside him.
Oh wow, Dave said immediately. You are down, catastrophically bad.
Spencer ignored him, mostly because he was correct. Brutas moved upward slightly toward the hull.
Careful, the guardian warned. The female is restrained.
Spencer’s rage sharpened instantly, Restrained… cold fury rolled through the water around him. Dave noticed.
There it is, he muttered. That’s proper Kraken energy.
Above them, the boat rocked as Brutas brushed the hull deliberately.
Panic exploded immediately. The pirate’s terror practically vibrated through the sea itself. Spencer circled lower briefly, gathering himself.
Because part of him wanted to simply drag the entire vessel beneath the surface. Gerald included, especially Gerald. But he couldn’t risk Edith when she was retrained. The sea darkened around the boat as all three Krakens moved beneath it in slow, deliberate circles.
Spencer heard Edith’s voice again. “Oh, I think my ride’s here.”
Dave barked out delighted laughter through the water. I really like her.
Spencer surged upward before anyone could stop him, the surface exploded around him. Water crashed violently across the deck as Spencer’s massive Kraken form breached partially beside the boat, enormous tentacles wrapping instantly around the hull hard enough to splinter wood.
The pirate screamed. Gerald stumbled backward, and Mark swore viciously.
Edith looked directly at Spencer’s enormous sea-monster form and grinned. She actually grinned.
Gods, this woman was his mate. Spencer’s massive eye fixed immediately on the silver cuffs binding her to the railing.
Rage hit instantly, and the sea around the boat churned violently in response. Gerald recovered first. Of course he did. The male straightened sharply, magic crackling faintly around his hands as he stared at Spencer with visible disbelief.
“Another one,” he breathed.
Spencer tightened one massive tentacle around the hull until the wood groaned ominously. The pirate dropped to his knees immediately. “I ain’t paid enough for this!”
“You’re not paid at all if we sink,” Mark snapped.
Spencer barely registered him, instead his attention stayed fixed on Edith. On the cuffs. On the hint of fear she’d carried, and the moment their eyes met, something settled deep inside him… home.
Edith’s grin softened slightly as she stared at him.
“Knew you’d come,” she muttered.
The words nearly undid him. How she knew it was him, he had no clue. Behind Spencer, the surface erupted again as Dave breached, laughing wildly. The sheer size of him dwarfed the boat instantly.
Water cascaded from his enormous body as massive tentacles curled through the sea around them, ancient glowing eyes fixed directly on the vessel. Then Brutas emerged beside him, slightly smaller but no less terrifying, dark scaled skin glistening beneath the grey morning light.
Between the two guardians, the boat suddenly looked like driftwood. Gerald stepped backward instinctively. Good instinct.
The sea itself seemed to still. Then Brutas spoke, his voice rolling across the water deep enough to shake the boat beneath them.
“You stole from Krakens Hole.”
Mark looked genuinely horrified now.
The pirate crossed himself.
Gerald’s expression hardened.
But Edith looked like Christmas had arrived early.