Chapter 21
HAZEL
Despite the aches and pains plaguing my body, I refused to miss out on the opportunity to escape the cave I’d been living in for weeks.
My accommodations within the Talassian Capital were functional, and objectively nicer than the Akala Asylum, but at the mention of sunlight, I felt a renewed sense of vitality with the promise of fresh air and sunlight.
Stars swam in my vision as my feet hit the floor, and Draya immediately reached out to steady me. My hands landed on the cords of muscles in his forearms, and I leaned into him, embarrassed by how weak I was.
As it turns out, having a mythical sea creature who is also a doctor uncover dormant magic from the depths of your soul is not very relaxing for the body.
“Breathe, Hazel,” Draya said softly, his voice calming my thoughts. After a few moments, my vision cleared and I let go of his frame, slightly betrayed by the loss of his touch.
Why am I so starved for his attention?! I scolded myself. I hated how attached I was to this man, especially after all he’d put me through. But some small, na?ve part of me still wanted to believe he cared. He would have left me to die if he didn’t, right?
Draya ushered me out into the hallway, walking as slowly as I needed until we reached the end, which was truly a sight to behold.
This wing of the Talassian Castle was completely dry, nestled in a wide cave within the upper part of the volcano’s walls. A wall of water at the mouth of the cave separated us from the rest of the city, and I tried to take in every detail of the terrifyingly beautiful scene below.
Talassi swam freely through the multitude of structures and vegetation, mingling with fish and other predators as they moved.
An opening at the top of the volcano allowed sunlight to pierce through the water, yet the large bodies of the Talassi cast ominous shadows over the city.
The drop from where we stood to the bottom of the ocean made my breath quicken, but before I could think too deeply about the distance, Draya’s arms were around my waist and we were plunging into the wall of dark blue.
The city blurred beneath us, and my hands found Draya’s forearms once again, though this time they were wrapped around my waist. He’d placed another air pocket around my head, though it didn’t do much to quell my rapid breathing.
I closed my eyes and leaned back against his chest, feeling a small rumble from within that felt like a soft blanket draped over my senses.
Before I knew it, we emerged from the water onto a small, sunny beach covered in large shells and sea glass that looked as if it hadn’t been touched in centuries.
My eyes needed a few moments to adjust to the sudden light, but the warm sun against my skin felt as if it were awakening a vitality that I hadn’t known in months.
Cordelia had warned that too much time underwater would have adverse effects on the human part of my body, and she was right.
Even my sore muscles felt more alive after just a few moments on land, and I wanted to soak up the warmth and light for as long as I could.
Draya must have shifted into his human form at some point, and he placed a gentle hand on my elbow to usher me towards a cliff at the edge of the beach.
“I don’t want to leave the sunlight,” I said, my voice falling.
“Just trust me,” he said. “You’re going to like where we’re going.”
A few moments later, we entered the mouth of a small cave, its jagged walls illuminated by reflections of sunlight against colorful crystals.
Bright green vines hung from the ceiling, and the floor was covered in thick moss that felt like a gift to the soles of my feet.
The light never faltered, even as we entered a larger section of the cave, greeted by light flowing through openings in the top of the cavern, much like the underwater volcano concealing the Talassian Capital.
Scattered throughout this wider cavern were small pools of crystal blue water, and steam filled the chamber as we stepped.
“These are hot springs,” Draya said.
“I’ve never seen anything like this before,” I breathed, still in awe of what lay before us.
We stopped at a pool surrounded by raised rocks, and Draya helped me climb over the edge to dip my feet in. The water itself was only up to my waist, but the moment my limbs hit the surface, my body seemed to melt.
“Talassians say the water in these pools is sacred,” Draya said. “Though it’s truly nothing more than warm seawater, albeit a bit cleaner than what’s available in the open ocean. It should help ease the aches from what you’ve been through these last few weeks.”
I settled onto a ledge carved into the side of the pool, allowing the water to reach my neck. I was still wearing my linen clothes, but I didn’t care. They were already soaked from our journey here, and I figured Draya didn’t have much concern seeing me naked.
He sat on the edge of the pool, dipping his legs into the water and watching me with those emerald green eyes. In human form, he was quite an attractive man. His features weren’t particularly kind, which gave him a mysterious and forbidding demeanor.
“You don’t like your human form, do you?” I asked, my gaze locked on his body.
“I hate it,” he admitted.
“Shift, then,” I coaxed, nodding at his legs.
“This pool is small,” he said. “I don’t want to overwhelm you.”
“You won’t,” I said. “I’m curious. I’ve only seen you in Talassi form when I’m in distress.”
With a sigh, he sank into the water and his long, dark tail filled the pool, with a fin sticking out at the very end.
An iridescent sheen covered the skin on his chest, and I saw more scars and marks that I hadn’t noticed before.
My hand reached out of its own accord, and I ran a finger along the gill lines above his collarbones.
He shivered under my touch and yanked his neck away.
“You can’t just touch Talassi like that,” he scowled. “I’ll allow it because I know you’re harmless, but for future reference, it is considered bad etiquette.”
I frowned, bothered by his dismissal of me as “harmless.” He was right, of course, but I wished I had more strength or danger within me.
“Are you using the pool in your room?” He asked, changing the subject.
“Occasionally,” I said. “Cordelia’s assistants usually help me bathe after our sessions, but I don’t particularly enjoy it. It’s very cold.”
“They don’t warm it for you?” he asked, raising a brow.
“Is that an option?” If it was, I was going to be very annoyed that no one had mentioned it.
“Of course. We have magic and plumbing,” he shook his head. “I’ll have to say something to Cordelia, though I’m surprised if she hasn’t thought about it. She’s spent quite a lot of time as a human, and she is well aware of your desire for heat.”
“I’m not sure desire is the right word,” I said. “If we get too cold, we die.”
“Your species is far too weak for how much of the world you hold power over.”
I had no argument.
We sat in silence for a few more moments, and I allowed the warm salt water to engulf my muscles. There must have been some type of magic within these pools, because I truly felt like I was becoming a new woman.
A soft, wisp-like texture brushed against my ankle, startling me before I realized it was part of his tail.
It moved further up my calf, and I wasn’t sure if he even noticed, but I took comfort in the gesture.
In a way, I felt safe with him, and it was nice to know he seemed to feel at ease with me as well.
My peaceful thoughts were abruptly interrupted by saltwater flooding my eyes and mouth, and before I could process what was happening, I was dragged completely underwater. I coughed and yelped, flailing my arms and trying to kick my legs.
It turns out I’d been severely misled – Draya wasn’t brushing against my ankle in a gesture of comfort or kindness, he’d been wrapping his tail around my leg to yank me under the water!
The betrayal stung. Every time I felt like I’d made progress, or made a friend with the Talassi, he continued to hurt me further and prove that my trust was misplaced. Warm saltwater assaulted my senses, and I knew that within minutes water would be flooding my lungs.
So I grew determined not to let it.
I’d been submerged for far longer than a few seconds when I was kept at Akala. Draya would have to wait to see my demise, and I’d be damned if I let him. I’d stay docile for a moment, then I’d fight back.
I opened my eyes, searching for his cruel face through the crystal clear water. He peered down at me with furrowed brows, and I thought I caught a glimpse of his sharp teeth in a snarl.
This sea predator didn’t scare me. Not anymore. I was no longer the meek, terrified prey he thought I was. I could fight this.
Seconds dragged into minutes, stretching to what felt like hours under the surface, but I refused to give in. My lungs burned, and I felt my hands and feet involuntarily shift into their webbed forms. I hadn’t even tried, but I wondered if it was my body’s way of defending me.
With my newfound claws, I reached through the water until I found the trunk of Draya’s scaly tail, and dug in as far as I possibly could.
I thought I heard him growl, but his grip only became stronger.
He shoved against my chest with his hand, pushing me deeper into the pool and causing me to let out a cough - my last bit of air.
Black dots appeared at the edge of my vision, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to last much longer.
Maybe this wretched creature would win. He’d finally proved his point. I was a weak, helpless human, and he was bound to me until he could figure out what to do with me. No wonder he wanted me dead. I never should have left my chambers with him in the first place.
Once again, I was left in a state of distress, alone and desperate for the affection of those who would never waste a single moment worried about me.
I closed my eyes, preparing for saltwater to flood my lungs as I was forbidden from taking a final breath on this Earth. The cold embrace of death was so close, and I almost longed to feel its touch.
But it never came.
I wasn’t breathing, yet I was no longer trapped under the water by Draya’s tail or hands. My senses returned, and I realized I was floating, suspended beneath the surface in the middle of the pool. Yet somehow, I no longer yearned for air.
How is this possible? I wondered, bewildered by the clarity in my eyesight and the feeling in my limbs.
A cool sensation brushed against my neck, and my hand flew up to meet it. I shivered as my finger ran over the dip between my neck and shoulder, and I realized I was touching a gill.
That fucking bastard! I thought, my confusion promptly turning to anger.
I leapt out of the water, turning around to face the creature still perched on the ledge of the pool. He smirked at me, his cruel face covered in amusement, but he held up a clawed hand before I could lunge at him.
“Easy,” he said, and I just glared at him.
My lungs once again filled with air, but it did nothing to quell the utter rage seeping under my skin.
“You bastard!” I shouted. “What the hell was that?! You almost killed me!”
“Almost,” he echoed. “But I didn’t kill you, and now you know that your gills work just fine.”
“I could have died, Draya!” I retorted, my voice still raised. Unfortunately, my body decided that now was the perfect time to release my tears, so I stood in the middle of the pool, a sopping wet mess, and tried with no luck to force down the choked sob that escaped my throat.
“Hazel,” Draya’s face shifted ever so slightly, and I saw a bit of concern fall over his gaze. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you. But sometimes hardship is necessary to find what we’re truly capable of.”
“You’re unbelievable,” I breathed, turning my back to him and sinking down into the water before speaking again. “I’d like to go back to the Capital, now.”
“As you wish,” he replied.
I didn’t say another word to him, not while he swam us back to the city, nor when he dropped me off in my chambers and fetched me a meal and some dry clothes.