Page 23 of The Kraken's Queen

Making me feel better.

Agreeing I should go with Allarick.

Allowing us to take over her house.

“Erm, you’re welcome,” she says as I pull back. “Now, let's get you into the water.”

Atina moves her hand to the center of my back, giving me a gentle push forward. My legs are slow to move, but soon I’m walking to the edge of the pier. Allarick waits below, hands outstretched. Two tentacles also snake out, providing me with extra support if I need it.

I lower myself on the pier, letting my legs dangle over. Allarick swims closer, a kind smile on his features. “You ready, my queen?” He reaches for me, and I flinch.

Allarick catches this and immediately pulls back, a stricken look on his face.

“Sorry,” I murmur, hating that I made him feel bad. Again. “No hands. But maybe your tentacles?” I ask, looking at the powerful appendages surrounding him. How funny that I’m scared of the gentlest part of him while feeling comforted by the deadliest part of him.

“Good idea.” Two red tentacles reach out toward me. I let them wrap gently around my waist, feeling like a silky caress. Absentmindedly, I reach out to stroke the tentacle, mesmerized by the silky feeling. I swear I hear Allarick groan, and then Atina coughs.

“Yeah, want to keep the heavy petting to yourself?” she asks, and I jerk my hand away.

My face flames. “Did I do something wrong?”

“Yes.”

“No.”

Atina and Allarick speak at the same time. Allarick shoots his sister a glare. Atina rolls her eyes, placing a hand on her hip. “Listen, as your sister, I want to gouge my eyes out before I watch…that.”

“Watch what? Please tell me what I did wrong.” Since clearly Allarick isn’t going to.

“Touching his tentacle like this is the equivalent of stroking his co?—”

“It’s not!” Allarick growls, pulling me into the water. I shiver at the sudden rush of cold. Or maybe at the fact I was getting handsy with my almost-husband and didn’t even realize it.

The terror on my face softens Allarick. “It can mean that,” he admits but quickly goes on, “Typically, touching another’s tail or tentacles is an intimate act reserved for partners. It’s not inherently sexual unless we were…engaging in sexual acts.”

Oh.

Oh.

“Right, now that's out of the way, you should go. I’ll keep searching for more information about the mysterious singing. We’ll check in soon.” Atina tilts her head down in a goodbye gesture. “Enjoy Tetria, Your Majesties.”

“Wait, how am I supposed to breathe underwater? I know you gave me the potion, but I don’t feel any different,” I say to the siblings.

“Your gills will form as soon as I take you underwater,” Allarick answers like I’m supposed to know what that means.

“My…gills?”

Allarick doesn’t respond this time. His hold around me tightens, and he says goodbye to his sister. Without any further warning, he plunges us into the water.

Chapter 15

Allarick

Erin flails as soon as we get under water, which is expected. As a human, she’s used to not being able to breathe or speak underwater. It doesn’t come naturally for them. Her natural reaction is to try to save herself and swim to the surface. That would be necessary if it wasn’t for the drink she consumed.

While Erin desperately tries to swim to the surface, I keep my hold on her. “Erin, sweet girl, you’re fine. You can breathe and speak,” I say gently.

Erin stops struggling. Her cheeks are fat with the breath she’s holding, but she tentatively breathes out. I check her neck and am pleased to see her gills have formed, allowing her to come and go in the water as she pleases. I was assured by the pixie I got the potion from that it would work. However, it has been so long since we’ve taken in a human, I couldn’t say for certain and needed to be ready to swim her to safety if they didn’t form.

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