In Deeper Waters by F.T. Lukens (most motivational books txt) 📕

“You,” she said. Her voice sounded scraped raw, low and accusatory. “You didn’t die. How are you alive? How?”

Tal squinted into the gloom, then his eyebrows shot up. “Poppy? You’re alive?”

Her hair fell in a wild tangle across her dirt-smeared face. Her breath blew stale, and her lips cracked when she grimaced. Tal grabbed her wrists and twisted his body until her grip slackened, and he skittered away.

“You’re not dead.” She pointed a shaking finger. “I didn’t murder you.”

He’d had the exact same thought about her. “How are you here?”

“Your brother,” she spit. “He pulled me from the waves after the ship sank. He saved me. Said I was too young to die. Reminded him of you, I wager.”

“You’re lucky he spared you.”

She scoffed. “I didn’t want to be spared. I’m the last of the crew now. The last of the family Zeph made,” she snapped. “You saw to that.” She spread her arms, gesturing to the empty cell. “I’m just like you now.” She walked around the cell, bare feet padding on the stone. She had a mattress in the corner and a thick blanket and a bucket. Far more amenities than he’d had on Zeph’s ship, but he still found it cruel. “Let me out. I belong on the sea, not locked in a cage.”

“Why should I do that?”

“I was kind to you,” she said. “I stitched your wounds. I took care of you.”

“You tried to manipulate me for Zeph. You would’ve allowed them to kill me.”

“I helped you as best I could. What could I have done against them all? I told you about the Morreline Sea. I told you about the mermaids. I wished you a quick death. Have mercy.”

Tal crossed his arms. “I’ll talk with my brother.”

She smirked. “You have no power here, either, then.”

“I can’t just let you out,” Tal said on a sigh. “You were an accessory to a kidnapping. But you did show me some small kindness. I will talk to my brother on your behalf. It’s the best I can do.”

On a yell, she lunged, arm spearing through the space between the bars, fingertips grazing the fabric of Tal’s shirt. “You lied to me. You have magic. I saw you burn the ship. I saw you drown. How did you survive?”

Tal shook his head. “Are you getting enough to eat? To drink? I’ll make sure you’re comfortable until we can figure something out.”

“Was it the mermaids?” she asked, voice small, brow furrowed. “Did they save you? Drag you to the depths, then spit you out on land?”

Tal paused. He didn’t know how wise it was to glean information from someone who would obviously say anything to be set free, but if she could provide insight about the merfolk, maybe it would help him figure out what was causing Athlen pain. Maybe he could find a solution that would allow Athlen to stay. “What if I said they did? What could you tell me about them that you haven’t already?”

Her gaze went sharp. “Every child born on the islands knows of the merfolk and the witch of the sea. I know all the stories. I could tell you. Let me out and I’ll tell you.”

“You mentioned the sea witch before. What do you know about her?”

“She was a water mage driven into the waves by fire. Call her name with a desire in your heart. She’ll bargain with you.”

Tal’s heart thumped hard as Poppy confirmed his suspicions. The mage and the witch were the same! And her description of how to bargain matched what Athlen had told him. If bargaining with the witch would allow Athlen to stay, then Tal would gladly do so.

“How do you know that?”

She put her hands on her hips. “That’s for me to know. Unless you release me.”

“Tally? Where did you go?” Garrett’s voice echoed down the dark corridor.

Tal turned back to Poppy. “Please.”

Shaking her head, she smiled and batted her eyelashes. “Come closer. I’ll whisper it in your ear.”

His hackles rose, but Tal shuffled forward, tilting his head toward her. She leaned in close, her lips a scant inch from her ear.

“Tally!”

Tal jumped backward as Poppy snapped her teeth as if to bite him. She howled with laughter as Tal staggered, surprised.

Garrett appeared from around the corner, torch held high. “What are you doing?” he said as he snagged the back of Tal’s shirt and jerked him away. “Never mind. Come along. We’re leaving.”

“What? I thought we were to question Vanessa’s maid.”

“We’ll get nothing else out of her.”

Tal tripped over his feet, Garrett’s grip the only thing that kept him from falling. “Are you certain? She said she’d contacted other mercenaries than the ones I saw at the tavern. Who knows how many more are out there with the same purpose?”

Garrett strode back to the main door. “Then we’ll prepare.”

“Why are you so angry? What did she say to you?”

Garrett’s brow furrowed. His mouth pinched. “You didn’t tell us she bit you.”

Tal absently rubbed his shoulder. “What?”

“You didn’t tell us that she dragged you across the beach, that you almost drowned, that you fought them until you bled. What else did you leave out, Tally?”

Tal glanced toward the door and the spill of light from the crack near the lock. He licked his lips, then shrugged. “You don’t need to know all the details.”

“I do!” Garrett’s nostrils flared, his cheeks reddening under the firelight. “What else are you hiding?”

“I’m not hiding. And what does it matter? I’m home now. I’m safe.”

“It matters to me!” Garrett’s voice bounced off the stone walls, full of anguish and grief. “I was supposed to look after you. Our family entrusted your safety to me, and I… I failed.”

“Garrett…” Tal touched his shoulder, and the coiled knot of muscle jumped beneath his palm. “It’s okay. I’m okay.”

The torch clattered to the ground when Garrett swept Tal into a bone-crushing hug. Tal’s ribs creaked as Garrett’s large arms yanked him close. Tal sank into