Time had never held much meaning to Aymee in The Watch; she woke with the sunrise most days, worked in the clinic, painted, sketched, visited her friends, and readied for bed around sunset. On her few free days, she often helped with other duties — mostly tending crops, before Macy had left.

But the passage of time had altered after she met Arkon. Days spent in longing and anticipation dragged on through eternity, while moments with him fluttered by much too quickly, falling away into the past with startling finality.

Worst of all was time passed alone and scared in a cold, dark, unfamiliar place.

The rain continued long after Arkon had left, but the thunder and lightning diminished as the storm swept inland. Despite their lessened intensity, each bone-rattling boom quickened her heart and shortened her breath, leaving her on edge.

She glanced toward the entry tunnel frequently, seeking signs of Arkon’s light in the dark water. Eventually, the hunger gnawing at her stomach grew unbearable, and she finally drew the canister closer. She relinquished her white-knuckled grip on the carved stone and placed it in the container for safe keeping. After eating the apple Arkon had handed her, she devoured one of the muffins her mother had baked for Macy — after everything, she still felt a pang of guilt at doing so — and drank from the water he’d collected.

Aymee wasn’t keen on wandering this dank, dangerous place; with little to do but wait, she read her letter from Macy, angling the paper toward the grayish light spilling in with the rain.

Aside from her concern about the rangers, Macy’s words were happy. She’d written about Sarina’s rapid development — she could already swim on her own! — and life in the Facility. Though she hadn’t fully recovered from giving birth, Macy was up and moving without trouble.

Smiling to herself, Aymee read through the letter again and again; she wasn’t so desperate as to open the letters sent along by Macy’s parents. After a time, she returned the letter to the canister, replaced the lid, and lay on the cold, hard floor with an arm curled beneath her head. She watched the run-off pouring through the ceiling gap and listened to the seawater thrashing against the concrete below.

Her eyelids soon grew heavy, and she lapsed into a fitful sleep.

A loud splash woke her. The sound echoed through the dark chamber. Her eyes went immediately to the hole; the sky had dimmed, and night was fast approaching.

Another splash.

Gasping, Aymee jerked upright. Something thumped against the metal ladder leading down into the water.

A figure squatted at the edge of the platform, leaning over it.

Arkon.

“Just pass them up,” he whispered. “That’s why I handed you mine to begin with.”

“I can manage,” replied a deeper voice from below him.

“But you do not need to.”

“Who is that, Arkon?” Aymee asked, easing closer.

Arkon lifted his torso and glanced at her, offering a smile. “My goal was to not wake you, Aymee. Dracchus is helping.” He turned toward the water. “Helping,” he repeated.

A grunt of assent came from below. Arkon swayed back as he caught the large chest Dracchus tossed up. He hurriedly set it aside to catch the second chest just before it struck him.

“That was juvenile, Dracchus.”

Arkon moved toward Aymee.

Her lips twitched with amusement before Dracchus hauled himself up the ladder, drawing her attention. Only his head had been above the surface of the water the one time she’d seen him — the night Macy left The Watch. Between the sea’s motion, the poor lighting, and his dark coloring, she hadn’t been able to make out much detail.

When he reached the platform and stood on his tentacles, Aymee’s eyes widened. Jax and Arkon were both big — at least two meters tall without stretching — but Dracchus was huge. His shoulders were at least half again as wide as Arkon’s, and his body was thick with muscle. Even in the relative gloom, his eyes were stunning amber that stood in stark contrast to his black skin and gray stripes.

“Thank you for helping,” Aymee said.

Dracchus studied her in silence for a time before finally nodding. “You have helped my people. It is only right that I help you.”

Aymee frowned and folded her hands in her lap. “I feel like I’ve made a mess of things.”

As Arkon moved the containers closer to Aymee, Dracchus shook his head. “Not you. Him. But he was persuasive enough to convince me to help, anyway.”

Aymee glanced between Arkon and Dracchus. “What did he say?”

“He said you were—”

“I was simply honest and forthright about the situation.” Arkon pushed the first chest before Aymee and opened the lid. “Macy helped us gather what would be useful for you.”

Her heart warmed when she saw the items within — clothes, bedding, a hairbrush, soaps, and more. A letter rested atop it all, Aymee’s name scrawled on the paper in familiar handwriting. She picked it up and opened it.

Aymee,

I wish more than anything you could be here with me. Know that we will do whatever we can to make it happen, but for now, it’s not safe. I trust Arkon, and I know you do, too. We’ll figure something out soon. Until then, I hope all of this helps.

Macy

“Oh, I could hug her right now,” Aymee said. It hurt to smile, but that didn’t stop her.

“There’s food and more fresh water in the other container. I know this is not an ideal place to stay, but I want it to be as comfortable for you as possible while we’re here.”

“Thank you, Arkon.”

He slithered closer to her and extended his arm, lightly pressing his hand over hers. “How do you feel?”

She brushed her thumb against his, tracing the claw to its tip. “I’m okay.”

Arkon lifted her hand and leaned down, pressing his lips to her knuckles. “I am sorry I was away for so long.”

“I know you would’ve returned sooner if you could have. And all of this,” she gestured toward the large containers, “is amazing.”

Dracchus approached, stopping a couple of meters away, and sank down to her eye level. “I will not ask you to betray your people, but we need to know whatever you can tell us about these hunters to protect ourselves.”

Aymee slowly withdrew her hand from Arkon’s grasp as she faced Dracchus; she immediately missed its warmth and comfort. “What do you want to know?”

Arkon slid into place beside her and slipped a tentacle around her waist, draping its tip over her thigh.

“Anything you are willing to tell me. Arkon told us what happened on the beach. These humans do not seem to be your friends, but you know more about them than we.”

“It’s...complicated. I think one of them, Cyrus, is only interested in the thrill of the hunt, but the others… Their leader, Randall, wants to protect people, but he’s confused.” She cringed as the memory of him getting shot replayed in her mind. “He knows what I told him about the kraken is true, but all the same, he’s been trained to view your existence as a threat, and he’s dedicated to eliminating such threats.”

“Will they be able to hunt for us underwater?” Dracchus asked.

“I don’t know. I haven’t seen them with anything that would allow that, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have it. They walk around with guns, but they haven’t exactly opened up their equipment and tactics for us to study. The one diving suit I know of in The Watch hasn’t worked in decades.”

Dracchus nodded, brows lowering, and looked at the floor. “How many hunters have come?”

Aymee glanced down, recalling their faces, and only then realized her fingers were absently petting Arkon’s tentacle. He curled the limb’s tip around her hand. She stilled and peered up at him.

His pupils dilated, his alien eyes bright with intensity.

She cleared her throat and looked at Dracchus. “Seven, I think.”

“We must remain alert.” Dracchus swept his gaze over their surroundings. “Do you require aid with anything else?”

“No. I think you’ve brought plenty, thank you.” She tucked her hair behind her ears and frowned. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry. I didn’t want this to happen. Never meant for it to. I tried to turn them away from this, but…” She spread her hands, palms up.

Dracchus shook his head. “I do not hold you responsible. What Arkon says about us being part human must be true. Both our peoples are prone to stupidity.”

She smiled. “They are.”

“I will tell the others of the situation with the hunters.” Turning, Dracchus made his way to the edge of the platform, where he hesitated. “The last time I was here, I pushed the matter with Macy and Jax into violence. I do not wish for any more of it between our people. But if they attack us, we will fight.”

Just as she’d told Randall. She didn’t want more bloodshed, but the kraken were well within their rights to defend themselves.

How many rangers were on Halora? Would it be a single, brutal battle, or the beginning of a prolonged war?

Aymee looked at Arkon; her heart ached at the thought of him caught in the middle of all this, and the pain only increased when she thought of Macy, Jax, and Sarina. What would Macy do if something happened to her mate, to her child? The guilt would eat her alive.

What would the humans do if they discovered Sarina?

“I understand,” she said. “I just hope it doesn’t come to that.”

Dracchus nodded. He lingered for a few more seconds before dropping into the water with a huge splash.

“The outcome of all this is not predetermined. We will find a way, Aymee,” Arkon said.

“Is the Facility really hard to find?”

“It is located some distance away from shore, in a relatively remote area on the seafloor. However, the diving suits have integrated computers that seem to be able to access its systems and may even be able to pinpoint its location from afar.”

She scowled. “Then let’s hope they don’t have any of those suits.”

He smoothed the crease between her brows with the pad of his thumb. “For now, let us not worry about things we have no immediate control over. Are you hungry or thirsty? We brought warmer clothes, and Macy included some handheld lights if you are tired of the gloom.”

That simple, considerate touch was enough to make her smile. “Will you eat with me?”

“Of course. Macy gave us some spinefish she cooked earlier. She said we were to eat it today, to ensure it would not spoil.” Remaining low, he moved to the second chest and opened it. The jugs of water were immediately apparent, and they were accompanied by a variety of food — most of it forage from the jungle. Arkon removed a wrapped bundle and held it out to Aymee.

She took it and peeled back the cloth to reveal large fillets of white, flaky meat. Their mouthwatering aroma wafted to her and made her stomach growl.

“Come sit beside me, Arkon.”

After rummaging through the chest for a moment, he produced a plastic cup. He removed the cap from one of the water containers, lifted the jug with one hand, and filled the cup. The ease with which he did so was a testament to his strength — the container looked to hold at least fifteen liters. Her eyes flowed over the play of muscles in his arm, shoulder, and chest, and then fell to the darker skin beginning at his waist.

She’d felt the hard press of his now-hidden shaft once when she lay atop him after their game on the beach. She wanted to see it.

While Macy was recovering in the clinic, she’d revealed that she’d been intimate with Jax, and Aymee’s curiosity had made it impossible to hold back her questions. She’d wanted to know everything. Macy had described the anatomy of male kraken in detail despite her obvious embarrassment.

Once the jug was down and the cap replaced, Arkon returned to his spot beside her, trading the cup of water for a fish fillet.

“Thank you,” she said, dragging her gaze away from him. The sudden discomfort between her legs had her shifting on the hard floor.

“Are you all right, Aymee? You appear flushed.”

“I’m fine,” she replied quickly, taking a drink from the cup and setting it aside. “Macy said you normally eat the fish alive.” Anything to steer the conversation away from her body, from its reaction to him, anything to distract her. She couldn’t stand another rejection, but God, she wanted to touch him. Wanted him to touch her.

“Raw, yes. Most fish don’t tend to survive after you take a few bites out of them.”

He scooped bite-sized pieces of meat into his mouth with his claws, offering her a fleeting glimpse of his pointed teeth.

“Do you have a preference?” she asked.

He stared down at the meat on his palm. “Perhaps it is simply because it is different from everything I’ve known before, but I prefer most of it cooked. The changes it causes in the flavor and texture of different meats is fascinating.”

Aymee smiled. “I love how you find pleasure in the smallest things.”

“There’s always something new to be excited about, even if it seems insignificant at a glance. I suppose, though our particular interests are different, Jax and I are more similar in our curiosity than I once thought.” He lifted his gaze to Aymee. “Is it not also similar to the way you seem to find the beauty in everything you see?”

She stared into his strange eyes, which were vibrant even in the dim light. When she’d first met him, she’d only seen his eyes amidst the sand and water, and they alone had captivated, had drawn her into their uniqueness and depth.

Beautiful.

That’s what Arkon was to her.

* * *

Aymee picked up a flashlight; it was a long, thin, plastic device that didn’t look like it could light up her little bedroom, much less this place. The moment she clicked on the switch, it cast a broad, powerful cone of bright white light from its end, annihilating the shadows in its path.

She nodded appreciatively, turning the light off and on several times. “Have you ever explored this place, Arkon?”

“No.” Arkon looked around the massive chamber, most of which was cloaked in darkness. “I’ve only been here a few times before I brought you here. Jax has tried, but he said the doors would not open.”

Shining her light into one of the chests, Aymee searched through its contents. She was thankful for everything Macy and Arkon had thought to pack. “And they can’t be broken into?”

“I do not know. I assume Jax must have tried, but I do not believe he found any success.”

Aymee removed a stack of folded clothing from the chest and set it aside, reaching back into the container. Near the bottom, her fingers brushed over an unfamiliar fabric, thicker and heavier than the rest. The flashlight’s beam revealed a hexagonal pattern on the dark material. She lifted the garment out of the chest.

It was a PDS — Personal Diving System. Though it appeared small, she knew it would fit almost anyone, regardless of size or body shape. Until Jax had brought the injured Macy to town, the only other such suit Aymee had seen was the one on display in The Watch’s small history museum.

The suit Macy wore had no apparent seams or seals, and none of the tools in the clinic had been able to cut the material. Only through sheer luck had Aymee’s fingers brushed over the small plastic piece on the suit’s wrist, activating the holographic display that introduced her to Sam, the suit’s computer.

He’d been frustratingly cheerful as he opened the suit’s seal, allowing Aymee to peel it off Macy’s feverish body.

Folding the suit over one arm, Aymee glanced into the bottom of the chest, where a clear mask lay.

“Arkon, didn’t you say the computers in these suits can connect to the computer in the Facility?”

“They can. It allows Macy to bypass the entry codes.”

“Do you think it could work on the doors here?” She looked up at him as he approached.

Arkon tilted his head and smiled. Excitement gleamed in his eyes. “I think it is well worth an attempt.”

“Then let’s do it.” She rose to her feet with the suit in one hand and the flashlight in the other.

Bending down, Arkon plucked up another flashlight and turned it on. He ran its beam over the faded painting on the nearby wall and hesitated. “I was hoping to show you this when there was sunlight to see it by.”

Aymee stepped closer and studied the painting. Time had faded its colors, and the paint had peeled, chipped, and flaked away in many places, but she could still make out the people it depicted.

“Even though I know more about how it must have been created than ever before, I find it no less amazing. I puzzled over it for days after Jax first showed it to me. And when I finally met a human and asked how it had been made, she told me she knew someone who could do this.” He turned his head and looked at her. “But this, despite its scale, is nothing compared to what you can do. Even when it was fresh and undamaged, I doubt it would have compared.”

A spark of pleasure lit inside her, and Aymee’s cheeks heated. She tucked the suit beneath her arm and rubbed a finger over the paint. “What were you trying to puzzle out?”

He lifted a hand and gently touched the painting, as well. “I don’t know. How the colors were brought together. How it could look so disjointed up close, but so coherent from farther back. How it could appear alive, despite so many years of damage.”

She glanced at him. “Think of it as...a moment in time. A single moment of motion, of feeling and expression, frozen and forever captured.” Leaning closer to the wall, she traced a fingertip over the colors; they were only blobs and smears so close, but she knew each brushstroke had been deliberate. “Everything in that moment has a shape to it, and those shapes are so familiar that sometimes you only need to imply their presence. Our minds take all those little shapes and fill in the blanks to make something whole.”

Stepping back, she looked at Arkon fully. “It’s just like how the stones you set up on the beach for me implied motion, even though they were still.”

His hand lingered on the wall, but he dipped his head. “So, then...it is a matter of understanding the component pieces and how they relate to each other to create something greater?”

“Yes, and how to use them to communicate what you want to express.”

Arkon dropped his hand and met her gaze. “What do you seek to express when you paint?”

“Life. Beauty. Emotion.”

He smiled. “Then you are truly successful at your craft.”

Aymee chuckled. “We’ll paint together someday.”

“I brought the paints and brushes you gave me. They are in one of the chests.”

“You did?” Anticipation swept through her; she couldn’t wait to create art not just for him, but with him, and it would provide an enjoyable distraction from her worries. “Then we’ll be painting together soon. We’re likely to be stuck here for a while, right?”

“Though I cannot deny I am eager to spend the time with you, I am sorry, Aymee.” He reached forward and took her hand in his. “These are not the circumstances under which I had wanted to share this painting with you.”

She turned her hand to fit it over his palm, curling her fingers around his. “Don’t apologize, Arkon. I’m happy you’re here with me, whatever the circumstances.”

He gave her hand a soft squeeze. For a moment, she thought he’d pull away, but he hesitated, maintaining his gentle grip. “We had best get to it before the hour grows much later. I imagine the chance at a relatively warm and dry spot to sleep is too good to forgo.”

Aymee grinned. “This suit better work.”