Page 49 of Unmoored

“No,” Commander Adri replied. “There are fresh footprints and new rope here.” He stood at the end, just beneath the curtain of foliage, peeking through. “It appears the entrance is hidden from view if you’re out on the water. This cavern is on the opposite side of the island as the asylum. You wouldn’t have been aware of what’s happening here, as it was behind the cliff.”

“I don’t like this,” I said.

Hazel stiffened beside me as a low, ominous pitch reverberated through the air, the sound of Adri’s voice haunting the caverns as he called out.

“It’s Commander Adri,” I assured her, whispering. “He’s calling for Captain Jogia, letting him know we’re here.”

“Will I ever fully understand Talassi magic?” She asked, in awe.

“No,” I said, not seeing any reason to lie to her.

Our conversation was interrupted by the sound of shuffling bodies at the far end of the cave, and within moments, seven humans dressed in grey jumpsuits piled out of a hidden doorway.

Gunshots rang out, and my heart skipped in my chest as I shoved Hazel behind me. Cursing myself for bringing her on this excursion, I released my claws and teeth before pressing forward with Maki and Commander Adri. There were only three firearms between the seven guards, and they made the mistake of attacking us in a cave full of water.

Commander Adri flicked his hand to summon a powerful wave, and it towered over us before he shot it directly into the cluster of humans, rendering them motionless.

Maki and I stepped up to each one, promptly slitting their throats before disarming them. We took their weapons and strapped them to our own chests, then dumped the bodies into the water beside us.

“Oh my,” Hazel breathed, wide-eyed and mouth agape.

“As I said earlier, your kind would do well to be moreafraid of us,” Commander Adri muttered, and she nodded, her jaw still wide.

We headed through the doorway from which the guards had emerged, Maki and I leading the way with our guns drawn. Talassi had never figured out how to make firearms work underwater – we never really needed to – but we did know how to use them.

The hallway smelled of rotting flesh and decaying sea creatures, and a sense of dread crept over me with each step. Something vile was happening on this island, and although every instinct was telling me to run, I pushed my trepidation aside, pleading with the spirits of the ocean to grant us safe passage.

Maki halted abruptly as we reached the end, and as my eyes adjusted to the sudden onslaught of bright lights, I knew my prayers had been for naught. Even the spirits couldn’t help us now.

34

HAZEL

The scene before me could only be described as something from the deepest dredges of my worst nightmares. Carved into brittle stone walls was a perverse extension of the hospital above, housing atrocities that only the most depraved minds could have conjured.

Harsh electric lighting buzzed from above, illuminating four metal tables in the center of the room along with what looked like a shock machine and a hydrotherapy tank. Half the walls were lined with shelves covered with jars and strange tools, and the other side of the room held large glass tanks filled to the brim with murky water.

“This is abominable,” Commander Adri whispered, shaking his head.

“I don’t know that I want to find out what is inside those tanks,” Maki added, then stepped towards the closest one.

“I have a feeling we may already know,” Draya said, and I followed him to examine tools splayed out on one of the shelves.

They ranged from small scalpels to large swords, and I wondered how many people and creatures had fallen victim to whatever took place in these terrifying caverns. Moving to stand in front of one of the massive tanks, I peered into the murky depths, recoiling as I noticed the waterlogged seaweed was moving. Something else was inside the tank, and I wouldn’t have been surprised if thatsomethingwas a living being.

“I think we should open these tanks,” I said, and Draya appeared behind me.

“Agreed,” said Commander Adri, staring into another tank across the room from me. “I don’t want to believe they contain Talassi, but I think we’d be naïve to assume they don’t.”

“Fuck,” Draya breathed, and I placed my hand in his palm.

“I can’t believe this has been down here,” I said, shaking my head. “I lived in that awful hospital for two years and never knew these grotesque horrors were hidden underneath.”

Draya’s thumb moved slowly over my wrist, grounding me through the wave of nausea that overtook me. His body was rigid, jaw tense as the four of us stood in silence for a moment.

“Stand clear!” Commander Adri called, wielding a gun in each hand. With a force that can only be described as otherworldly, he smashed them into the tank in front of him. He stood still, unbothered by the murky, rancid water rushing through the broken glass, and with it, the creature inside.

Long, spindly tentacles splayed out on the tile floor, dulland grey in color. They were connected to what looked like a large blob, and upon closer examination, I realized I was looking at an octopus. A very sad, unhealthy octopus.