Page 60 of Tik-Tok

A deafening squelch rose from the ocean’s depths, interfering with Echo’s song. The familiar noise that North had heard earlier when she’d been out here with Tik-Tok grew louder and louder until it was a crescendo of its own. The sea shook, the ship quaked. Something from below was rousing, but North couldn’t see anything within the water. Her heart beat so hard that it was about to burst from her chest. Echo’s song had ended and North exchanged a glance with Dax, who seemed to emerge from his own spell.

With a resounding watery explosion, a creature shot up from the sea’s surface. Water rained down on North while she watched in horror as it threw back, not one, but two heads, revealing razor-sharp teeth as it let out a powerful roar. The blast made her ears ring, and she cupped one while clenching the axe in her other hand.

Ghastly twin heads, with coal-colored orbs peering out from its sockets, hung from the creature’s long, thin neck. Sharp, scaly thorns covered every inch of its massive alabaster body. Pointed teeth the size of North lined its open mouth. Two arms on each side of its body ended with curling claws, and a tail lined with spikes extended from beneath the water.

A dagger flew from someone on Salt’s ship, the tip of its blade bouncing off of the creature’s thick flesh. The beast released a shrill screech and smacked its long tail against the ship with a loudthwack. North jerked up her weapon, trying to figure out what to do. Her axe wouldn’t make a dent in that thing, but perhaps she could do something with the water.

“They’re only riling it up,” Dax said, his arms falling to his sides. He glanced at her and shook his head. “Don’t use your magic yet.”

The creature wrapped its tail around the enemy ship, tightening. With a boisterous creak and groan, the beast dragged the entire vessel beneath the thick, churning water. The sails seemed to give a farewell wave before the ship was fully pulled under. Bubbles rose to the surface, and the water slowed, perfectly still, as if an entire ship hadn’t been hauled away by a massive beast.

What if the creature decided to take downThe Temptressnext? North scanned the ship for Echo. But she wasn’t there. Had she not leapt back?

“Echo!” North shouted down to the water, searching frantically. There was no sign of red hair anywhere. Only the dark water and the violet whirlpool.

“There!” Dax shouted. North followed his gaze and found where he was looking as a head pushed up from the sea.

Another creature jutted out from the water, smooth and slender like an eel, with hungry green eyes. It dove back beneath the murky liquid, and in seconds, Echo was pulled under. The water was so dark, but North could have sworn it became darker …blood.

“Gods!” North didn’t think—she gripped her axe and leapt over the side of the ship. Her heart lodged in her throat as her body smacked into the freezing water, a sharp pain shooting up her spine.

She opened her eyes and a slight stinging sensation pierced them. Everything surrounding her was black. She kicked her legs and swam upward through the thick liquid that weighed her down. When she broke the surface, another form shot up. The eel-like creature hissed and flicked his black forked tongue, tiny spikes covering the tissue. With a single swipe, she tore the axe across its body. Dark scarlet bubbled from the wound.

Another head broke through the water, and North was about to swing her weapon again, when she recognized the short red hair.

“Echo.” North sighed, lowering the axe.

“Go!” She shoved North toward where Dax dangled a roped for them to grab.

North clasped the rope—it burned her hands as she climbed up. Her teeth chattered and the putrid odor of the sea clung to her.

“You shouldn’t have risked your life like that!” Dax spat, grabbing her by the back of her dress and dragging her on deck. “Captain is going to be pissed.”

“He’ll have to deal with it,” North said, her chest heaving.

Echo came up next and dropped to the floor on all fours. Dax knelt beside her and placed his palm to her shoulder.

Bright red blood dripped on deck, mixing with the water pooling beneath the siren. North gasped as she realized it came from Echo’s abdomen. “You’re bleeding!”

“It’s fine.” She sat back, her knees planted against the wood, and pressed a hand to her stomach wounds. “They’ll be fine too.”

North furrowed her brow. Echo must have been delirious.

Dax took in a sharp breath. “Respen doesn’t know, does he? And you risked your life like that?”

“Know what?” North asked.

Crimson seeped in between Echo’s fingers. “I’m with child.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

Tik-Tok

After leaving Tik-Tok’s father to his ill fate, Respen’s magic dropped them ontoThe Temptressto a flurry of brownies, armed with brooms and mops, rushing toward the edge of the ship as it rocked violently back and forth. Dax and Cyrx knelt over someone at the center of the deck. They spoke in harsh whispers, expressions hard. Crimson blood coated the rail, more of it running in rivulets across the wooden planks.

Tik-Tok’s heart stopped.

North.

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