Page 50 of Unmoored

Fury laced through my chest. Not only were these people abusing humans in the hospital aboveground, but they were clearly experimenting on sea creatures as well. And the worst part of it all was that my own father was responsible for this horrendous, disgusting display of corruption.

“Clear!” Maki called, and I moved out of the way before he smashed the next tank. This time, only a few fish carcasses and more seaweed scattered across the floor.

A tail fell out of the next tank, and I stared in horror as I realized it belonged to a Talassi, the torso nowhere to be found. My heart clenched at the sight, and I knew my companions were appalled by the brutal mutilation of their kin. What was the purpose for senseless cruelty such as this?

Thankfully, no more carcasses or body parts fell out of the rest, but we kept destroying them until we reached the final monstrosity. Cloudy, scratched glass spanned the entirety of the wall, and no light penetrated through the murky water inside. Dread crept through my bones at the thought of a Talassi being kept in there, quickly outweighed by the possibility that something far more dangerous than a Talassi may be hiding inside.

“Could there be a predator in there?” I asked quietly.

“Undoubtedly,” Draya said. “But Hazel, you must remember thatweare predators.”

Maki, Draya, and Adri began smashing the tank, though it took far more force to break this glass than the others. Aloud crack echoed through the cavern, and rancid, black water came spilling out. I had to force down a gag as I was assaulted by the stench of rot and decay. I’d never smelled anything so disgusting in my life.

Indeed, a creature was being held in that tank, and my breath hitched as its pallid form slipped out and onto the floor.

A Talassi lay before us – pale, emaciated, and covered in jagged scars and gashes. It looked as if someone had taken a spoon and scooped out chunks of his tail, torso, and arms, and in that moment I wanted nothing more than to destroy this horrible, evil place and everyone within it.

My fears were met with sorrow as Draya, Maki, and Commander Adri crowded around the body, their faces betraying what they desperately tried to hold inside.

“It’s him,” Commander Adri announced, his voice quietly cracking. Maki and Draya placed their hands on his shoulders, and the entire cavern fell into a haunting silence.

Of course, we knew there was a possibility that we’d find the prince here, but seeing him in this state was incomprehensible. Seeing any creature this mangled and abused was fuel for the most dreadful nightmares.

Commander Adri knelt to check his body, and we all breathed a collective sigh of relief when he confirmed that Prince Inaki was alive. Severely ill, but alive.

“We need to get him to the water,” Commander Adri ordered, and he and Maki picked up the body and started back towards the door we came from. Draya picked up the octopus, and I followed the macabre procession in silence, wishing I could do more.

I reached inside for that now familiar tether of magic,willing it to send storms in my father’s direction. It was unlikely to work, and even more unlikely that I’d ever be able to master the skill due to the fragile state of my powers, but I was determined to try anyway. If I could inconvenience my father in even the smallest way, it was worth it.

As we stepped onto the hidden dock once again, I realized I may have called onsomething, at least in some capacity. The sound of howling winds roared outside the concealed entrance to the port, and Maki spared a curious glance in my direction. I schooled my face into indifference, refusing to distract anyone from the tasks at hand.

We needed to get out of the port and into the water, and return Inaki’s dying body to the Talassian Capital as fast as possible. Draya lowered the octopus into the water surrounding the dock, and within seconds his color improved and movement returned to his tentacles. Maki and Adri did the same with Inaki, but he wasn’t so lucky. He remained unconscious and limp, but Maki kept him upright in the water while Adri headed to check if it was safe for us to leave through the curtain of kelp and seaweed. There was no way we’d be able to lug Inaki’s body through the tiny cave on the jetty.

Our question was answered before Adri reached the end of the dock, as the curtain began blowing violently and we were greeted by a raging storm outside.

“Fuck!” Commander Adri shouted, turning to run back to us. “We have company, and I don’t think they’re friendly!”

“I thought the Naytes were guarding us!” Maki shouted, and Adri shook his head.

“They are, but it appears they were ambushed.”

“Wonderful,” Draya said, pulling me close as the bow of a familiar ship entered the mouth of the cave.

I’d recognize that ship anywhere, the distinctive deep blue metallic finish and cursive writing marking it as theMournful Bride. What a stupid name for a ship. My breath quickened as my heart pounded in my chest, and I tried to gain control of my fear as I realized I was about to face my fatheragain.

He had the advantage in this situation. It would be easy for him to jump off the ship and kill us all, but thatcould nothappen. I didn’t care what I had to do, how much of my dwindling power I’d have to abuse. We could not let him win.

For too long I’d lived under his thumb, believing his biggest flaw was merely his disdain for me. Now I wore that disdain like a badge of honor. I wanted no love from this man, a monster who saw no issue with kidnapping, torturing and murdering creatures of the sea. He was a terrorist, an abuser, an evil I could have never imagined, and I vowed that if I lived through this encounter, he would meet his demise.

35

DRAYA

Fury laced with dread flooded my body at the sight of Emerson’s steamship entering the dark, gloomy cavern. The Naytes were supposed to stand guard until we’d safely escaped the tunnels, but something had clearly gone wrong. Or they’d abandoned us.

No matter what happened, I wasn’t about to let Emerson hurt Hazel or Prince Inaki again, and we needed to get the prince back to the capital as fast as possible. He was in critical condition, and I wasn’t sure how long he would survive without immediate medical treatment. I had full faith in the Talassi healers – if they could pull Hazel’s magic from the depths of her soul, they could do anything – but having to deal with her father once again was really fucking irritating.

I turned to Hazel, grabbing her by the waist and pulling her close. “Stay behind me, and don’t try to confront him,” I instructed. Wide eyed, she nodded, emotions I couldn’t decipher flashing across her face.