Page 62 of The Kraken's Queen

Guards take up arms against our cousins of the sea, slaying them in our own home. It’s a massacre. Them versus us.

With each wound inflicted, my soul dies a little. The water bleeds red. A few guards try to spare their lives, but these creatures are relentless and not in control of their own bodies. They won’t stop, despite the injuries given to them. Nothing but death—of the sharks or the Leviathan—will keep them away. My guards have no choice. It’s kill or be killed.

Another shark comes from the red mist, right for me. I barely dodge its attack and swim out of the way. The shark hits another guard. A new recruit who started six months ago. The young kraken barely registers the hard impact of the shark.

The guard turns his head, and his eyes are the same color of murky white as the shark’s. I check his ears but see he’s not wearing any noise cancelers. He starts to swim toward the exit of the castle. None of the other sharks pay him any mind. They let him pass.

The young kraken isn’t the only one. More people swim unprovoked through the castle. Not screaming or fighting. Eerily quiet as they all swim in the same direction. Each one of them with the glazed-over look on their face.

“HEY!” I scream, trying to get their attention. Anyone’s attention. But none look back. It’s as if I’m no longer here.

I feel powerless to help my people.

I can’t let the feeling of defeat overtake me. I channel all of my fears into my attacks. It’s not a good strategy. Fighting without a clear and sound mind is sloppy work at best and death at worst.

With each shark I cut down, three more take its spot. It’s like we have the entire ocean at our front door. The water is almost too red to see through. Only dark shadows hint at where sharks could be. It’s getting harder to make out who is friend and who is foe.

My body is already fatigued. I’m not sure how much longer I can keep the sharks at bay and from hurting any more of my people. A shark to my left swims straight toward me.

I lift the sword up.

The creature moves faster.

I’m ready.

But before the shark can make contact, and before I bring my sword down upon him…it stops.

The fog in the shark's eyes disappears as if never there. It looks disoriented, not sure where it is and why it’s here. I no longer feel the blockage in its mind. Thefrightened shark glances at me before turning tail and swimming out of the castle.

I scan the room—what I can see of it, anyway—and more sharks follow in its wake. Guards and merpeople who had similar hazy expressions suddenly stop what they’re doing. A mixture of horror and panic crosses their faces as they look around to see what happened.

What changed?

I hesitate but slowly pull out one of the noise cancelers. Music hits my senses, filling me with warmth and tranquility. It’s not the song of the Leviathan; this is different. Happy. Welcoming. Beautiful. Safe.

Erin.

I know it’s her. It has to be her.

My body moves on its own volition, carrying me to the music. To Erin. Getting there isn’t easy. Broken glass and statues clutter the path. Dead sharks that need a proper funeral also litter the way toward Erin. They deserve better than that. I will atone for what I did later.

Right now, I need to get to Erin.

I maneuver my way through the throngs of merpeople, all gathered around my wife, blocking my view. I push myself to the front of the crowd and sag in relief when I see her. Safe and untouched. My sweet girl.

Erin sits on her bench, lost in the music she creates with her harp. Delmare and Iris stand behind her, keeping back anyone who gets too close. We spoke of Erin’s ability to captivate an audience with her music and how it holds magic in the tune. I fully believed that, but I never thought about the music blocking out the Leviathan and bringing people out of their hold. Where Ionce thought her music brought only comfort, I know now she can counteract the singing.

Pride, love, and devotion for Erin swirl in my chest, making me choke on the affection I have for my wife.

But it’s gone all too soon.

Because I know Erin can’t do this forever. My people need a safe place, and Tetria isn’t safe. Maybe one day it will be, but I can’t risk the civilians. I can’t risk Erin.

My sister’s words from the tavern come back to me. Only a member of the royal family can close the gate to keep the Leviathan locked away. Erin has made me stronger. She has protected our people. My wife has done her job, and now it’s time for me to do mine. I’ve waited long enough. There’s no safest way to do this; it simply needs to be done.

I know what I must do now.

I have to break Erin’s heart to save my wife and our people.

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