Page 33 of Unmoored

“You will feel better,” I said. “You’re still half-human, and being in fresh air and sunlight will do your body well.”

“All right,” she sighed, pushing herself up to a seated position. She was so weak and pitiful that before I could stop myself, I’d scooped her up into my arms. Thankfully she was clothed, but the warmth and feeling of her body against mine still sent a shiver down my spine.

21

HAZEL

Despite the aches and pains plaguing my body, I refused to miss out on the opportunity to escape thecaveI’d been living in for weeks. My accommodations within the Talassian Capital were functional, and objectively nicer than the Akala Asylum, but at the mention of sunlight, I felt a renewed sense of vitality with the promise of fresh air and sunlight.

Stars swam in my vision as my feet hit the floor, and Draya immediately reached out to steady me. My hands landed on the cords of muscles in his forearms, and I leaned into him, embarrassed by how weak I was.

As it turns out, having a mythical sea creature who is also a doctor uncover dormant magic from the depths of your soul is not very relaxing for the body.

“Breathe, Hazel,” Draya said softly, his voice calming my thoughts. After a few moments, my vision cleared and I let go of his frame, slightly betrayed by the loss of his touch.

Why am I so starved for his attention?!I scoldedmyself. I hated how attached I was to this man, especially after all he’d put me through. But some small, naïve part of me still wanted to believe he cared. He would have left me to die if he didn’t, right?

Draya ushered me out into the hallway, walking as slowly as I needed until we reached the end, which was truly a sight to behold.

This wing of the Talassian Castle was completely dry, nestled in a wide cave within the upper part of the volcano’s walls. A wall of water at the mouth of the cave separated us from the rest of the city, and I tried to take in every detail of the terrifyingly beautiful scene below.

Talassi swam freely through the multitude of structures and vegetation, mingling with fish and other predators as they moved. An opening at the top of the volcano allowed sunlight to pierce through the water, yet the large bodies of the Talassi cast ominous shadows over the city. The drop from where we stood to the bottom of the ocean made my breath quicken, but before I could think too deeply about the distance, Draya’s arms were around my waist and we were plunging into the wall of dark blue.

The city blurred beneath us, and my hands found Draya’s forearms once again, though this time they were wrapped around my waist. He’d placed another air pocket around my head, though it didn’t do much to quell my rapid breathing. I closed my eyes and leaned back against his chest, feeling a small rumble from within that felt like a soft blanket draped over my senses. Before I knew it, we emerged from the water onto a small, sunny beach covered in large shells and sea glass that looked as if it hadn’t been touched in centuries.

My eyes needed a few moments to adjust to the sudden light, but the warm sun against my skin felt as if it were awakening a vitality that I hadn’t known in months. Cordelia had warned that too much time underwater would have adverse effects on the human part of my body, and she was right. Even my sore muscles felt more alive after just a few moments on land, and I wanted to soak up the warmth and light for as long as I could.

Draya must have shifted into his human form at some point, and he placed a gentle hand on my elbow to usher me towards a cliff at the edge of the beach.

“I don’t want to leave the sunlight,” I said, my voice falling.

“Just trust me,” he said. “You’re going to like where we’re going.”

A few moments later, we entered the mouth of a small cave, its jagged walls illuminated by reflections of sunlight against colorful crystals. Bright green vines hung from the ceiling, and the floor was covered in thick moss that felt like a gift to the soles of my feet. The light never faltered, even as we entered a larger section of the cave, greeted by light flowing through openings in the top of the cavern, much like the underwater volcano concealing the Talassian Capital.

Scattered throughout this wider cavern were small pools of crystal blue water, and steam filled the chamber as we stepped.

“These are hot springs,” Draya said.

“I’ve never seen anything like this before,” I breathed, still in awe of what lay before us.

We stopped at a pool surrounded by raised rocks, andDraya helped me climb over the edge to dip my feet in. The water itself was only up to my waist, but the moment my limbs hit the surface, my body seemed to melt.

“Talassians say the water in these pools is sacred,” Draya said. “Though it’s truly nothing more than warm seawater, albeit a bit cleaner than what’s available in the open ocean. It should help ease the aches from what you’ve been through these last few weeks.”

I settled onto a ledge carved into the side of the pool, allowing the water to reach my neck. I was still wearing my linen clothes, but I didn’t care. They were already soaked from our journey here, and I figured Draya didn’t have much concern seeing me naked.

He sat on the edge of the pool, dipping his legs into the water and watching me with those emerald green eyes. In human form, he was quite an attractive man. His features weren’t particularly kind, which gave him a mysterious and forbidding demeanor.

“You don’t like your human form, do you?” I asked, my gaze locked on his body.

“I hate it,” he admitted.

“Shift, then,” I coaxed, nodding at his legs.

“This pool is small,” he said. “I don’t want to overwhelm you.”

“You won’t,” I said. “I’m curious. I’ve only seen you in Talassi form when I’m in distress.”