Chapter 34

Another round of exploding cannons drowned out my scream. I gripped the railing, watching in desperation as Kai sank beneath the waves. Horror took hold of me as I watched the sea witch send another dark jolt of magic through the water with my father's tainted trident.

As I prepared to hoist myself over the railing, Cael yelled, "Rhea, don't," and bounded toward me.

I stopped when Kai resurfaced, using the might of the waves to hoist himself back up. He was favoring his left arm. Angry, welted skin showed where the trident had hit him.

I knew Kai could triumph over my father's trident, but Morgana had combined it with a blade that had killed Poseidon. I had put Kai in mortal danger with my plan.

Kai glowed brighter, and the sea around him rippled in all directions, sending his power through the water. I waited, but nothing happened, and the sea witch took the opportunity to strike again. This time, Kai was prepared for the blow and evaded it. He reached up, calling down all the might of a tempest. The sea roiled in a furious, unforgiving frenzy, as lightning and wind conjured a swirling cyclone. With immense power, he flung it at Morgana, sending her tumbling into the raging depths of the ocean.

Whatever flicker of hope I clung to faded into the abyss as the sea witch resurfaced, like an unending nightmare, now in her massive kraken form. Kai glared at the beast, fury etching every sharp angle of his face.

"Reload those cannons!" Cael thundered, his voice commanding as he seized the wheel, steering the ship directly into a head-on collision course with the sea witch.

I wove around the bustling crew, making my way to the bow of the ship. I gripped the railing, legs apart, to steady myself as the boat rose and fell in the midst of the typhoon. I delved into the depths of my being, summoning my most lethal siren song. Kai needed a diversion, and I was going to give him one. The only problem was if I called upon this lethal song, the entire ship would be at my mercy, but I would deal with those consequences later.

My song cut through the roar of the storm that Kai created, hooking itself through Morgana's ears. My song distracted her momentarily and the trident's black power ceased as she turned her ire to me. Commotion behind me confirmed my fears. The crew, ensnared by my enchantment, were driven to madness, each one determined to eliminate the others just to get to me. During the chaos, one crew member was thrust overboard, his body catapulting over the railing and into the swirling waters below.

Kai's eyes met mine across the distance and then traveled to his crew member who sank beneath the waves. Kai reached out, hurling a wave in his direction and sweeping the man back on deck. Kai turned to Morgana, sending blue bolts of lightning through the water. I marveled at the beautiful but deadly rays as they glided through the sea toward their target. The screech that left the kraken when the blaze of energy tore through her flesh was so loud that my song died on my lips.

I spun around as the crew swayed on their feet, coming out of my trance. I couldn't risk doing that again without jeopardizing Kai's entire crew, so I prayed that the final blow from Kai was enough to end Morgana. Blood so blue it almost appeared black stained the water, but she was still upright.

"Bravo, son of Poseidon. You have proven to be a worthier opponent than your father, but your luck is running out," Morgana boomed in an unholy, monstrous voice that shook me to my very core.

My stomach clenched as I watched her weave more magic into my father's once majestic golden trident. The weapon began to glow red as evil radiated from it. Kai held his ground, and I marveled at the strength he portrayed.

"Oh, bloody hell."

I turned at Cael's stricken voice.

Blood rushed through my veins, drumming so loudly in my ears that it drowned out the sound of the squall and battle. A helpless feeling seized me, and my stomach bottomed out as I watched sea creatures of every size, shape, and hue rise from the depths of the ocean. I could barely believe my eyes. Leviathans, dagons, ebirah, and a slew of other creatures I had scarcely seen in my entire life waded close to the ship, all with a particular interest in Kai. There had to be over a dozen lurking on the horizon.

Morgana froze as she took in all the sea creatures and their tentacles, razor-sharp teeth, and claws, and the tightness in my chest eased.

"Blast these things from the very sea!" Cael thundered.

I lashed out, gripping his arm in desperation. "Wait!"

My focus shifted to Kai, who rose higher and had an air of calm serenity about him. He was glorious and easily the most beautiful thing I had ever seen with the water billowing around him, perfectly matching the shade of his vibrant eyes. The spritz of salty water etched a path down his brawny chest, adding a sheen to his already impressive abs. His skin glowed, and the untamed strength of his power surged through him.

A smile pulled at my lips. Kai was at peace with who he was and the beasts he once hunted and slayed. Realization dawned on me as I recalled the ripple of power he had sent through the water and how he had done the same thing with the creatures of the trench.

"Kai controls these sea creatures," I said without ever taking my eyes off his glorious form.

The muscles relaxed in Cael's arm, and I dropped my hand, easing closer to the railing. Kai's hands flew forward, and all the beasts immediately rushed toward Morgana. The fear that skipped across her face was paralyzing, and I was almost sorry for her. Almost. She sent everything she had at the creatures, but there were too many, each as massive as her kraken form. Her dark, evil blood polluted the water as they tore into her flesh, maiming her. Her tentacles were severed and ripped from her body. A leviathan latched onto her arm, and I watched as the trident slipped from her hands and fell beneath the bloodied waves.

I dove off the ship's bow, plummeting deep to reach the trident. Kai's magic caressed my body as my legs pulled together as one, and my tail appeared. I smiled to myself. Even amidst the gory battle, he was still protecting me. My eyes adjusted, warding off the sting of the salt water as my siren vision returned. The trident had already reached the bottom, its prongs lodged deep in the sand. I reached for the blackened metal, stalling when the sting of evil vibrated through the current. I didn't know what would happen if I touched something like this, but I couldn't risk Morgana getting her hands on it again.

I gripped the cool metal, closing my eyes as I prepared for the worst, but nothing happened. I used my powerful tail as a counterweight to dislodge the trident from the ground. Once it was free, I rushed back up to the surface.

A blood-curdling scream ripped from Morgana as my head broke through the surface. She was all but dead at this point. Kai's eyes raked over me, and I tossed him the trident. He stalked toward Morgana.

"Please, call off your beasts," she whimpered as blue-tinged blood spewed from her mouth.

Kai lifted his hand, and all the sea creatures retreated. Morgana would have sunk below the waves, but Kai held her upright with his swirling waves.

Morgana's eyes met Kai's, hazy with pain as death crept into her body. "You truly are the king of the Seven Seas."

"No, I am Blackheart Kai," Kai growled, sinking the trident deep into Morgana's abdomen.

The sea witch tried to cry out, but her voice was strangled as her throat filled with her blood. Morgana exploded into a surge of black sea foam. I ducked below the rippling waves as her inky darkness sprayed across the sea, tainting the waves. The current roared around me and lifted me from the sea. Kai pulled me into his arms with the force of his mighty waves. His power encircled us in seawater as he embraced me and brought his lips down to meet mine. His kiss was needy and rough, with a heavy dose of power and salt. It was perfect and sent an electrical jolt coursing all the way down to my tail fin.

Kai pulled away, and we stared at the black trident that began to glow in his hands. In a puff of smoke, the Obsidian Blade separated from my father's trident, undoing and marking the end of the sea witch that plagued these waters.

"What are you going to do with that?" I hesitantly asked, looking toward the evil, dark dagger.

Kai held it up, turning it in his hand. "I can't destroy something like this. I can only hide it and hope no one ever finds it."

His power surged, creating a strong current in the waves before forming a whirlpool that engulfed the sword. It disappeared beneath the waves.

I looked up at him. "Where did you send it?"

"To the deepest, darkest place in the Seven Seas."

I smiled, knowing nothing could go that deep and be able to ward off the trench creatures, no one except Kai.

My father's trident gleamed, reflecting the sun's rays across my face. I looked at it as my trepidation rose.

Kai's arm tightened around my waist. "We better get going. We need to return this to your father before he comes looking for it."

"We?" I asked, gazing lovingly at him.

"Yes, we. I have no intention of making you face your family alone again. I saw the pain and hurt in your eyes when you returned. No matter what happens, I'll be by your side."

"I love you, Blackheart Kai," I whispered as I laid my head against his chest. Fear snaked its way through my body as I looked out over the horizon in the direction of Aquarius. I knew Kai sensed my rising dread by the way his muscles tensed, mirroring his concern for me.

Kai gently lifted my chin, his touch tender as he pressed his lips against mine. "And I, you, my little sea demon." A hint of playfulness shone in Kai's deep blue eyes that swirled with all the colors of the sea.

I didn't know what would happen once I returned home and faced my father after what I did, but I knew I could face him because I had the love and the strength of the Seven Seas going with me.