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“She’s magnificent.”

“She’s definitely not the innocent mer who needs our protection.” There was something bitter and filled with a red anger in Honour’s voice.

“Perhaps not. But we can certainly join in and get this creature taken down without casualties among her friends.” Hudson wasn’t sure if she was asking permission or egging Honour on. And while she adored watching Kyree command the creatures and fill the space as she had so often seemed tentative to allow herself to do, Hudson was itching for some action.

“I thought you’d never ask,” Honour replied.

Hudson laughed, and this time she knew without any doubt that her warrior cry filled her as she swam toward a waving tentacle, her battle cry on her lips.

22

Honour pushed aside the doubts and worries, the hurt and pain as she focused solely on doing her part to bring down the kraken.

Her blood, like molten lava through her veins, pushed everything else aside.

For the moment, it didn’t matter. She used her body like the weapon she had honed it into, easily escaping the lessening ferocious swings of tentacles.

A wave of thunderous noise pushed her back as the kraken slammed into the side of the rock wall it had Kyree pinned up against. Righting herself, she slammed her fluke down as hard as she could and propelled her body closer to where the kraken now lay in the crevice of the rock formation.

The creatures swarmed above the monster, giving Honour little view of its state. They writhed, diving toward the kraken over and over again. She couldn’t see the damage being inflicted but the movements of the humans’ machine slowed and stilled. And still the creatures attacked.

“Kyree!” Honour couldn’t soften her tone, even if she had wanted to. And she wasn’t sure she really did want to. Her wordswere as hard and sharp as broken stones. “We need to see if there are any humans inside. We need information.”

The hissed intake of a breath told her that her last words hit home. She had spat them with the loaded anger and hurt she had pushed down during the battle.

She refused to look over to see Kyree’s reaction. Eyes bored into her skin, but she couldn’t meet the eyes of someone who had occupied her mind far too much lately, Kyree’s or Hudson’s. Instead, Honour counted slowly. She forced her breath to meet the pace of her words.

She had only just reached ten when the creatures dispersed, parting into a pathway meant just for her.

The control Kyree had over them was astounding. But Honour’s stomach slithered like a sea serpent in response. Something wasn’t right there. It wasn’t just the power that Kyree had, it was the fact that she’d kept it a secret and hadn’t ever shared it—with anyone, as far as Honour knew. But hell she could have told Hudson. Honour stalled as an electric eel untangled itself from a stilled tentacle before it disappeared through a crack in the rock face.

Sea snails and other small creatures continued to cling to the useless and twisted machine that had terrified her world.

Was this what peace was like? Just a simple taste of it? If they could so easily take these creatures down, what in the depths of the sea were they waiting for? They needed to win this battle and never look back. They needed to eradicate the humans just like the humans wanted to eradicate them.

Without checking where Kyree or Hudson were, Honour swam forward to investigate. Despite her own thudding heart, she had to know. She had to keep these things from taking what was left of her world. Please say there was a human in there—someone who would have information about Soulara, about the war they were facing, about the fact that someone was goingto win and someone was going to lose. Because there was no negotiating with terrorists.

Tentacles lay stripped bare of their suckers and spikes were dented and twisted.

Those sea creatures had done a number on this machine. Hopefully they’d be safe afterward, not tainted or poisoned by the metal or anything else that the humans had forced into the waters.

Despite the inert carcass, Honour moved carefully, never in a direct line. She was first and foremost a warrior. A damn good one. And she wouldn’t let cockiness make her careless. Finally, she moved her way to the clear screen where the humans sat to control the creature.

The screen was cracked and broken. Sharp edges interrupted the wave of water she had created by drawing closer. She didn’t move into the gap, still not entirely trusting the death of this blasphemous kraken. From her view she could see no evidence of humans within.

Blinking, she stared with all her focus at the empty space.

Had the creatures, her fellow sea dwellers, ripped them so entirely to pieces that they left absolutely nothing behind? Or, more horrifying a thought, had the humans found another way to control these beasts remotely? Were they now able to ensure none of them were at risk of their lives while they destroyed her home and her people?

What would that mean for the war?

It wasn’t like her people could go above the water to fight. They had to remain in the water. Soulara was the only one who could breathe the air above the surface.

Shivers ran down Honour’s spine and settled uncomfortably into the pit of her stomach. She was going to have to sort out those questions and answers shortly, because it could change the entire course of the war.

“What’s wrong?” Kyree asked, her voice small and quiet once more. Nothing like the deep sound she had used during the battle when she had responded to Honour’s call.

“You have another soul stone, and they control the creatures of our world.” Honour’s own voice came out flat and emotionless. Despite the warring feelings within her, she refused to give Kyree the satisfaction of knowing the impact her secrets and lies had upon her. She clenched her jaw hard, refusing to even look at Kyree. If she had the power to control the sea creatures, then perhaps she had the power to read what was in Honour’s mind and heart.