Chapter 136
The deck is chaos, a cacophony of shouted orders and crashing waves as the massive tentacles of a giant squid rise and slam down onto the ship, shaking it violently. The creature’s eyes gleam like dark planets just beneath the surface, unblinking and full of malice. It grips the ship with an unnatural strength, and splintered wood flies into the air as it rips apart a section of the railing.
“All hands on deck!” Khale’s booming voice carries over the roar of the sea. The Euclideans are already shedding layers of clothing, revealing their otherworldly physiques, their skin seeming to shimmer under the stormy sky.
Wake steps forward, his posture unyielding, his jaw set. “Let me join the fight.”
Khale stops barking orders long enough to turn and study him. The large Euclidean’s green eyes narrow, scanning Wake with an almost predatory intensity. Finally, he holds out his forearm in a warrior’s gesture. “If you are willing to fight and die as my brother,” he says solemnly, “I will not turn you away.”
Without hesitation, Wake clasps Khale’s arm, his grip firm. “Do not mistake my duty as complacency,” he growls. “Show me who you truly are in battle.”
Khale gives a sharp nod, a flicker of respect passing between them, and then turns to the others. “With me! We take this to the depths!”
Together, Wake and the Euclidean sirens dive over the railing, their sleek forms cutting through the water as if they were born for it. My heart lurches at the sight of Wake disappearing beneath the waves. I know he’s in his element, a warrior through and through, but the thought of him facing that monstrous creature makes my chest tighten painfully.
Tai and Nathaniel race to deploy the submersible, their movements practiced but frantic. The small vessel splashes into the water, its lights cutting through the murky depths as it descends to observe and provide underwater support.
“Phoebe, stay back!” Cora’s voice snaps me out of my thoughts. She’s shoving a rifle into Tyler’s hands. “Guard her. Do not let her out of your sight.”
“I can help!” I shout, frustration bubbling over as adrenaline courses through me.
Cora whirls on me, her expression fierce. “This is no place for an untrained human.”
Something inside me snaps. “You don’t know anything about me!” I fire back. “I’m not some helpless tourist you can sideline whenever it’s convenient.”
Before Cora can respond, a massive tentacle shoots out of the water. The slimy appendage slams onto the deck, sweeping crew members aside like they’re made of paper. I barely have time to react before it wraps around me.
“Phoebe!” Tyler shouts, firing the rifle, but the bullets bounce harmlessly off the tentacle’s thick hide.
I scream as I’m yanked into the air and then tossed unceremoniously into the sea. The cold water engulfs me, stealing the breath from my lungs. For a moment, everything is disorienting—the pressure, the currents, the flashes of light from the battle below.
Instinct kicks in. My body begins to change, the transformation flowing through me like electricity. My legs fuse together, scales shimmering into existence, and my senses sharpen. I’m no longer human. I’m something more.
As I regain my bearings, the water around me grows brighter, illuminated by the bioluminescent flashes of the sirens engaged in combat with the squid. Then I see it—another figure entering the water. My heart skips a beat as I recognize the graceful, unmistakable movements of a siren. But this isn’t one of the Euclideans.
It’s Cora.
My grandmother’s form is stunning, her sleek, scaled body moving through the water with practiced ease. Her ash-blonde hair fans out behind her like a halo, and her deep blue eyes gleam with an intensity I’ve never seen before. She’s beautiful, terrifying, and… a siren.
My mind struggles to process what I’m seeing. The woman who raised me, the same woman who always stood at the edge of the water but never stepped in, is not only one of us—she’s been hiding it this entire time.
Cora doesn’t hesitate, surging toward the fray with a speed and precision that leaves me momentarily stunned. I watch as she joins the fight, her movements fluid and deadly, cutting through the squid’s massive tentacles with a blade-like weapon I can’t identify.
The creature lets out an eerie, bone-rattling screech that reverberates through the water, shaking me to my core. Wake appears suddenly, his movements just as fierce and calculated, his body a blur as he and Cora coordinate their attacks. They move like they’ve done this a thousand times, even though I know they haven’t. It’s instinct, something deep and primal.
The sight spurs me into action. I swim toward the battle, adrenaline surging through me. I don’t know how I’m going to help, but I refuse to sit on the sidelines any longer.
I catch a glimpse of Khale leading the other Euclideans in a flanking maneuver, their glowing forms darting around the squid’s massive body like streaks of light. The submersible hovers nearby, its lights illuminating the battlefield and firing bursts of energy at the squid’s writhing tentacles.
As I get closer, one of the squid’s enormous eyes swivels toward me, its pupil contracting in recognition.
It hungers.
And I've made myself an easy target.
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