Page 65 of King of Tides

“Woman is going to be the death of me,” Dracon murmurs under his breath.

“Or I just might toughen you up,” I laugh.

“Running into burning buildings doesn’t make you tough. Knowing when to sacrifice for the good of your team is as tough as it gets. To be tough is to know when to stand and when to stand down.”

“I will keep that in mind.”

Ardan

I hadto move quickly to get to The Final Tides. I barely had enough time to mind-link Dracon to give him instructions and leave the bracelet for him. I made sure he could be with Billy all in one thought.

The problem is. The shark-shifters who have been guarding The Final Tides in the titan’s place can’t mind-link from down at that sea level. One had to rush to the surface to contact me. I knew by that time, the water spirit who escaped had too much time to get a lead on us.

There are traces of magic all over the outside of the cell the water spirit had been housed in. Yet, it has no distinct marker of who it belongs to.

“What water spirit was in this cell?” I ask before I walk inside to see what I can learn.

“It was Intikam,” the shark-shifter whispers.

I roll my eyes. Beings have refused to say the name aloud for fear that the spirit would be released into the world again. It is already out. There’s no need to whisper now.

“Leave,” I ordered as I step into the center of the cell.

Once I’m sure they have left me alone, I go to release my powers so I can figure out how this spirit managed to break free. It’s clear that it had help.

“Ben kralim,” I say as I hold out my hands at my sides.

The water surrounding me begins to ripple, then it starts to spin counterclockwise, encircling me. The old spirit appears before me. It seems to be waiting for something. I tilt my head to study the spirit more closely.

That’s when rustling happens outside the cell. I turn my attention to the barrier meant to seal this spirit in. However, instead of seeing who helped this creature escape, I’m blinded by light.

I inhale deeply and shake my head to clear it. “What the fuck was that?”

Intikam

I can feelmy host awakening. She is powerful. Her powers are growing and rising to the surface. Her vengeance is growing, making room for me.

I have known that I needed to be free of this prison to take my place. Yet now that I have been freed, I know not how to get to her once I escape.

The force that broke my cell open gave no further help. I couldn’t even sense who or what it was. My instincts told me to stay here, remain hidden.

Now, this being, with the presence of a god and the essence of the one the alpha once loved, is here. I settle into my hiding place to fully take him in. My aura begins to pulse.

He has been with her. He is aware of my host. Very aware of her.

“Ben kralim,” he calls out and the water around him begins to swirl like a cyclone.

This is it. This is my chance to latch onto this being and follow him to my host. As his eyes glow blue and the cyclone continues to swirl, I take my chance.

As he inhales, I ride the intake of air and flow into his body to wait. He will take me to the one whose magic calls to me. He will get me to the one I belong with.

Unhinged Desire

“Everyone, keep your eyes and senses open,”I say through the mind link as I step back into the human realm.

With no leads I can go off, I had to return and get to my mate. Billy is the only one who can calm this raging desire inside of me. I will find Intikam.

It is only a matter of time. Water spirits are driven off of emotions. Intikam has a specific emotion that will force the water spirit to surface enough for me to locate it.