We wander the halls, and they entertain me with stories of kraken monarchs from times past. Apparently there’s been some truly questionable ones. In turn, I select my most amusing life stories, strip them of anything that might be worrisome, and share those.
We stay away from the underwater passages and climb to the top of the tower, poking and prodding in every room we come across. The ones that aren’t empty contain furniture even dustier than the room I made my own that first week. It couldn’t be clearer that this place has been abandoned.
Fitting that Thane stuffed me here and, for all intents and purposes, appears to have forgotten me as well.
I try to make friends with the staff—Annis and Della—but they’re horrified by my overtures. I can’t figure out if it’s because I’m human or a guest or justme, but they refuse to let me help with any of their tasks, and they all but run me out of the kitchen when I ask to take my meals with them.
Even with Ramanu’s visits, I am... so alone.
I should be satisfied with the fact that I’m safe enough, clothed, and fed. If I’m lonely, I still have a better life than a lot of people have. But a locked tower isn’t much better than a locked room, and I have too much time on my hands.
I go so far as to stare out my window and consider just how far I’d have to swim to escape. There are a few islands in the distance, one of which I think might be where the keep is, and an even bigger landmass that’s so far away, it’s barely a smudge on the horizon.
Too far. All of them, too damned far.
Even if I could swim, I would have to brave all that open space to leave. I’ve watched enoughShark Weekto know just what an ocean predator can do to its prey, and I’m sure whatever these seas have to offer are so much more dangerous.
Trapped. I’m fuckingtrapped. A rat in a cage. A wolf in a trap. It doesn’t matter how often I pace the perimeter or how many times I climb to the roof. There is nowhere to go.
Worst of all, I can’t stop thinking about Thane.
Which is why I’m here, braving the truly over-the-top staircase to the cavern where he brought me the first day. It’s dark down here and even damper than the rest of the tower. Below me, I hear water licking against stone.
Fear surges and I laugh, as if I can keep it at bay with sheer bravado. “Thane!” It’s late in the day. This is obviously his home, for all that he’s been avoiding the parts of it where he might run into me. He must be close.
Either that, or I’m making an even bigger fool of myself than normal.
If I had even the tiniest bit of self-preservation, I’d likely find his absence a relief. He’s distant, and even though he’s obviously attracted to me, he doesn’t like me. He sure as hell doesn’t approve of me. Also, he’s half tentacles, but that’s honestly the least questionable thing about him. I don’t know what it says about my current state of mind thatthisis my list of priorities.
Since I’ve never been the cautious type, here I am, singing his name at ever-increasing pitches as I descend the stone stairs into darkness. I reach the bottom of the stairs and refuse to admit how my thighs quiver a little from the effort. I can dance all night and drink my weight in tequila, but I skip the stair machine on my infrequent trips to the gym. Even the trips to the roof aren’t enough to actually build up my endurance. The thought of having toclimball those stairs again to get out of here makes my recklessness surge.
I’m going to feel really silly if Thane doesn’t show and I have to sleep down here, but...
Ramanu will be gone for a while. They aren’t sure how long. That’s what they came today to warn me about. They’re being called away on bargainer business, and they wanted to remind me that no harm can come to me but also they won’t be here to keep me company. Someone else will fill in, but they’ll be doing weekly check-ins, rather than coming every other day.
Alone again.
Alone always.
I look around the space. It’s exactly the same as last time I was here. Aside from this small stone platform at the bottom of the stairs, the rest of the cavern is filled with water. This is where we came in, so it’s obviously connected to the greater body of water.
He has to be here. Hehasto be.
“Thane!” My voice breaks halfway through his name. “Get up here, you fucking coward!”
Ripples form in the water and grow ever larger as they race toward where I stand. I really, really hope that’s Thane and not some demon-realm predator who’s about to eat me in a not-fun way. The instinct to flee almost overwhelms me, but what’s being gobbled up compared to being left to wander the halls of this place alone like some ghost who hasn’t had the decency to actually die yet?
Thane rises out of the water like some eldritch god, all tentacles and stern fury. I don’t know what it says about me that seeing those tentacles makes my pussy pulse, but I think I can be forgiven since he’s made me cum with them. Honestly, that racist white dude author got it wrong. H.P. Lovecraft didn’t know what he’s missing.
Tentacles aresexy.
So is Thane. He may be only partially humanoid, but he’s well-made all the same. That look of cold disapproval on his face is all too familiar. He glares. “What are you doing down here? Did something happen?”
I refuse to see that last question as concern.Refuse. He doesn’t like me, or he wouldn’t be avoiding me. That’s fine. I don’t like him either. Probably.
“I’mbored.” I prop my hands on my hips to hide my sudden tremors. “You went through a giant headache to get me, and you’ve risked your entire territory for the pleasure of my company. Stop ignoring me, and entertain me. Unless you want me to fuck Ramanu, which I am honestly kind of on board with becausethey’rea delight to be around.”
He stops at the end of the platform I am standing on and presses his giant hands to the stone as if he can’t decide whether he wants to attempt patience... or launch himself at me like a predator wrapping around their prey. “Ramanu won’t have you.”