Chapter 34
HAZEL
The scene before me could only be described as something from the deepest dredges of my worst nightmares. Carved into brittle stone walls was a perverse extension of the hospital above, housing atrocities that only the most depraved minds could have conjured.
Harsh electric lighting buzzed from above, illuminating four metal tables in the center of the room along with what looked like a shock machine and a hydrotherapy tank.
Half the walls were lined with shelves covered with jars and strange tools, and the other side of the room held large glass tanks filled to the brim with murky water.
“This is abominable,” Commander Adri whispered, shaking his head.
“I don’t know that I want to find out what is inside those tanks,” Maki added, then stepped towards the closest one.
“I have a feeling we may already know,” Draya said, and I followed him to examine tools splayed out on one of the shelves.
They ranged from small scalpels to large swords, and I wondered how many people and creatures had fallen victim to whatever took place in these terrifying caverns.
Moving to stand in front of one of the massive tanks, I peered into the murky depths, recoiling as I noticed the waterlogged seaweed was moving.
Something else was inside the tank, and I wouldn’t have been surprised if that something was a living being.
“I think we should open these tanks,” I said, and Draya appeared behind me.
“Agreed,” said Commander Adri, staring into another tank across the room from me. “I don’t want to believe they contain Talassi, but I think we’d be na?ve to assume they don’t.”
“Fuck,” Draya breathed, and I placed my hand in his palm.
“I can’t believe this has been down here,” I said, shaking my head. “I lived in that awful hospital for two years and never knew these grotesque horrors were hidden underneath.”
Draya’s thumb moved slowly over my wrist, grounding me through the wave of nausea that overtook me. His body was rigid, jaw tense as the four of us stood in silence for a moment.
“Stand clear!” Commander Adri called, wielding a gun in each hand. With a force that can only be described as otherworldly, he smashed them into the tank in front of him. He stood still, unbothered by the murky, rancid water rushing through the broken glass, and with it, the creature inside.
Long, spindly tentacles splayed out on the tile floor, dull and grey in color. They were connected to what looked like a large blob, and upon closer examination, I realized I was looking at an octopus. A very sad, unhealthy octopus.
Fury laced through my chest. Not only were these people abusing humans in the hospital aboveground, but they were clearly experimenting on sea creatures as well. And the worst part of it all was that my own father was responsible for this horrendous, disgusting display of corruption.
“Clear!” Maki called, and I moved out of the way before he smashed the next tank. This time, only a few fish carcasses and more seaweed scattered across the floor.
A tail fell out of the next tank, and I stared in horror as I realized it belonged to a Talassi, the torso nowhere to be found. My heart clenched at the sight, and I knew my companions were appalled by the brutal mutilation of their kin. What was the purpose for senseless cruelty such as this?
Thankfully, no more carcasses or body parts fell out of the rest, but we kept destroying them until we reached the final monstrosity.
Cloudy, scratched glass spanned the entirety of the wall, and no light penetrated through the murky water inside.
Dread crept through my bones at the thought of a Talassi being kept in there, quickly outweighed by the possibility that something far more dangerous than a Talassi may be hiding inside.
“Could there be a predator in there?” I asked quietly.
“Undoubtedly,” Draya said. “But Hazel, you must remember that we are predators.”
Maki, Draya, and Adri began smashing the tank, though it took far more force to break this glass than the others.
A loud crack echoed through the cavern, and rancid, black water came spilling out.
I had to force down a gag as I was assaulted by the stench of rot and decay.
I’d never smelled anything so disgusting in my life.
Indeed, a creature was being held in that tank, and my breath hitched as its pallid form slipped out and onto the floor.
A Talassi lay before us – pale, emaciated, and covered in jagged scars and gashes. It looked as if someone had taken a spoon and scooped out chunks of his tail, torso, and arms, and in that moment I wanted nothing more than to destroy this horrible, evil place and everyone within it.
My fears were met with sorrow as Draya, Maki, and Commander Adri crowded around the body, their faces betraying what they desperately tried to hold inside.
“It’s him,” Commander Adri announced, his voice quietly cracking. Maki and Draya placed their hands on his shoulders, and the entire cavern fell into a haunting silence.
Of course, we knew there was a possibility that we’d find the prince here, but seeing him in this state was incomprehensible. Seeing any creature this mangled and abused was fuel for the most dreadful nightmares.
Commander Adri knelt to check his body, and we all breathed a collective sigh of relief when he confirmed that Prince Inaki was alive. Severely ill, but alive.
“We need to get him to the water,” Commander Adri ordered, and he and Maki picked up the body and started back towards the door we came from. Draya picked up the octopus, and I followed the macabre procession in silence, wishing I could do more.
I reached inside for that now familiar tether of magic, willing it to send storms in my father’s direction.
It was unlikely to work, and even more unlikely that I’d ever be able to master the skill due to the fragile state of my powers, but I was determined to try anyway.
If I could inconvenience my father in even the smallest way, it was worth it.
As we stepped onto the hidden dock once again, I realized I may have called on something, at least in some capacity.
The sound of howling winds roared outside the concealed entrance to the port, and Maki spared a curious glance in my direction.
I schooled my face into indifference, refusing to distract anyone from the tasks at hand.
We needed to get out of the port and into the water, and return Inaki’s dying body to the Talassian Capital as fast as possible.
Draya lowered the octopus into the water surrounding the dock, and within seconds his color improved and movement returned to his tentacles.
Maki and Adri did the same with Inaki, but he wasn’t so lucky.
He remained unconscious and limp, but Maki kept him upright in the water while Adri headed to check if it was safe for us to leave through the curtain of kelp and seaweed.
There was no way we’d be able to lug Inaki’s body through the tiny cave on the jetty.
Our question was answered before Adri reached the end of the dock, as the curtain began blowing violently and we were greeted by a raging storm outside.
“Fuck!” Commander Adri shouted, turning to run back to us. “We have company, and I don’t think they’re friendly!”
“I thought the Naytes were guarding us!” Maki shouted, and Adri shook his head.
“They are, but it appears they were ambushed.”
“Wonderful,” Draya said, pulling me close as the bow of a familiar ship entered the mouth of the cave.
I’d recognize that ship anywhere, the distinctive deep blue metallic finish and cursive writing marking it as the Mournful Bride.
What a stupid name for a ship. My breath quickened as my heart pounded in my chest, and I tried to gain control of my fear as I realized I was about to face my father again.
He had the advantage in this situation. It would be easy for him to jump off the ship and kill us all, but that could not happen. I didn’t care what I had to do, how much of my dwindling power I’d have to abuse. We could not let him win.
For too long I’d lived under his thumb, believing his biggest flaw was merely his disdain for me.
Now I wore that disdain like a badge of honor.
I wanted no love from this man, a monster who saw no issue with kidnapping, torturing and murdering creatures of the sea.
He was a terrorist, an abuser, an evil I could have never imagined, and I vowed that if I lived through this encounter, he would meet his demise.