Chapter 22

22

H onour 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 words were 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 going to 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.

“Yes.” Kyree’s lack of remorse in the simple word made Honour look up, despite her desire to keep her eyes turned away.

The lack of remorse, the total absence of any regret snapped the last tenuous thread of Honour’s resolve. Her control. She sucked in a sharp breath, her chest hurting from the move. She shook her head slowly as every muscle in her body tensed to the point of pain.

“And you chose not to tell us? Me? ” Honour’s voice was so quiet, barely above the raging sound in her ears. She’d never felt this betrayed before. It felt as though she’d been stabbed, the sharp point twisting hard and ripping her in two. She couldn’t do this. “Because of course, why would you tell us any of that? Why would you trust me the same way I’ve trusted you? Why are you really here, Kyree? Why did your people send you?”

Honour knew that accusation had to hurt. She’d worked her tail off to broker an agreement with the deep sounding mers to help with this war, and all they’d sent was one slimy mermaid who kept secrets and never really helped.

Kyree opened her mouth and then silently closed it. Her gaze was downcast. A sick sense of bitterness made Honour smirk at this show of shame. It made the kernel of self-hate inside of her grow and twist darkly. She knew the road she was heading down. She’d never been here before, but it was wide open for her to see. She and Kyree weren’t going to come back from this break.

But then the hesitation from Kyree grew.

It was too much.

“Tell them we’re done. The kingdom of Reine won’t work with those who hold back the truth of their visit, or what they can bring to this war. Go home.” With a sharp glare at Hudson, Honour felt that bitter twist as more pain turned darker, growing into a sadistic nastiness. “Or go with her. She’s got her own agenda. She’s strong enough to protect you, not that you need it.”

“Don’t be a fucking idiot.” Hudson spoke as though she were scolding a small mer for sneaking out with the last piece of eel from the stores.

“Screw you.” Honour seethed out between clenched teeth. This was the hill she was going to die on, and Honour was making sure that she was ready for the afterlife.

“Oh.” Hudson smirked and a sexy chuckle escaped her lips. She moved with sensual speed into Honour’s space, dragging her stomach and fluke up to brush along Honour’s body until they were face to face once more. “But you’ve done that already. And those sounds of pleasure weren’t fake.”

Honour’s stomach flipped once more.

The nastiness evoked words in her mind. Words like shame at debasing herself. But that part of her, the part that had truly believed in the connection between the three of them pushed the nastiness away. She couldn’t bring herself to say anything else she would regret. And she hated knowing she already regretted words that had slipped out in anger.

Besides, the words would have been lies. All of them were lies. She didn’t want to contribute to any more of them.

She was so sick of secrets and lies.

“I’m leaving.” The words stuck in her throat as she forced them out. “Do whatever the hell you want, both of you. You always do, anyway.”

Without a backward glance, she headed toward home. The water was colder here, or perhaps that was just her imagination of it. But goosebumps ran along her arms, raising her skin into little pimples that she promptly ignored. She didn’t need this. She didn’t need them.

“Honour.” There was regret in the call. A sweet sadness that floated from Kyree’s voice.

But it wasn’t enough.

She turned around briefly, putting her hands out to her sides and shaking her head as she moved backward slowly. “I don’t associate with liars. And I refuse to be with anyone who isn’t going to give every part of themselves to this war.”

“To the war or to you?” Kyree said, that same firmness back in her voice now that she’d had before. It was the confidence that she kept deeply hidden from the outside world, as if she was trying to put on this image of innocence and unworthiness that she never really believed.

Honour couldn’t handle it. Not anymore. “I am this war. It’s what I was born and bred to do.”

With one last flick of her tail, she faced Reine and home. She had to find Soulara. There was no doubt in her mind now that no one was going to help her. Soulara’s life rested solely in her hands. And she was going to do everything in her power to save her princess.

Love wasn’t worth it.

It never had been.

She wasn’t worth it—not for love anyway. She was only good for her brawn, for her muscle, for her ability to serve and protect her queen. And she wouldn’t fail at that.