Page 25 of When Eden Falls

As the first boat began to sail off in front with Rooke, Oz, and Zamya aboard, I glanced back at our sad excuse of a life raft. It was partially submerged, sinking further as we sailed away.

I glanced at Cora beside me. She sat cross legged with her head hung to the floor. Whether she was crying or sweating, I was unsure, but I noted a water droplet fall from her cheek and into her lap. Kobe sat next to her. With intrigue, he silently observed the new humans flanking us.

There were two of them watching us attentively. My eyes roamed over one of them. It was uncanny how human he looked, although it was clear we were not of the same species. A pale skin, with the faintest blue tinge covered his face, exposed chest, shoulders, and feet. A small blue spiral was displayed on his right pectoral, far smaller than that of the boatman barking orders on the other vessel. I could only assume this signified rank amongst them.

I continued to visually examine the guard. He had a mop of white-blonde hair which fell to his shoulders. His head was long with sculptured cheekbones and a sharp chin. The nose was flatter than a standard human’s, with thin, elongated nostrils, and his mouth was wide, displaying teeth similar to my own. The only difference was his canines were longer and far sharper.

The most human attribute about him was his eyes. They were a beautiful turquoise in colour. When he met my gaze, I gulped, flicking my eyes to the deck. But I was overly fascinated. Glancingback, I flinched at the realisation he was studying me. These people were probably just as curious about us as we were them.

I levelled my gaze, tracing his rounded shoulders with my eyes, running them down his lean, muscular arms. My eyes lingered there, squinting at the several slits of skin above and below his elbow. They were inch long openings on the insides of his arms. A flap of skin wavered over the top, in the same way a fish gill did. Glancing down at his bare feet, I noticed a piece of translucent skin webbed between each toe. I inwardly gasped at the revelation. Was it possible these humans could swim and breathe under water? I wondered if he had more gill-like openings under his trouser legs.

I caught Kobe’s eye, his eyebrows raised showing the same intrigue I felt. Mumbling under his breath, he said to me, “Fish-men?”

To our surprise, a low, intimidating chuckle rumbled from both guards. We peered up at them. The one I had been observing was shaking his head. “Neb,” he said, in a raspy, unusual accent. Pointing to himself, he said, “Akquarian.”

P A R TT W O

Akquarian

C h a p t e rN i n e

The mountainous rock towered above us, blotting out the warm sunshine as we sailed towards it. A chill prickled my skin as darkness suddenly engulfed us. Squeezing my eyes together, I blinked repeatedly, trying to adjust my vision. After what felt like several delirious minutes; light streamed across the ceiling and walls ahead of us, exposing the jagged interior of a dark tunnel.

The restricted height eventually opened out to reveal an enormous cavern full of pale limestone stalactites and jagged chalky walls. The roar of water filled my ears before I noticed a glorious waterfall falling from a dark facet at the very top of the far cavern wall. I glanced at Cora—her eyes were wide with wonder.

The boat came to a halt and the Akquarians began to shout to each other, exchanging what I could only perceive as orders. A brutish hand landed at the nape of my neck, tugging at the collar of my jumpsuit. I haphazardly stood up, only to be abruptly escorted along a slatted, wooden gangway, before ducking into a narrow tunnel at the opposite end. The potent smell of seaweed and dampness filled my nose, causing my eyes to water. Strange blue lights hung at intersections along the dark, moisture-soaked walls. My eyes remained focused on the Akquarian in front of me, aware that the one still holding the back of my jumpsuit was carrying a long-handled spear. The point glistened in my peripheral vision. But I refused to panic. I had to stay strong for Cora and Kobe. There was no sign of Rooke and the others.

A cascade of steps appeared in my pathway, gleaming with moisture in the dim light. The Akquarian at my back noted my hesitancy and pushed me on. The steps were slimy and unstable under my booted feet. I clenched my teeth, attempting to keep my balance even though I was being brashly coerced forward by the brute at my back.

The steps spiralled upwards for several agonising, dizzy minutes. But when we emerged at the top, so did an array of sunlight. A large hole in the rock stood to my left, looking out onto the horizon of ocean, and the smell of fresh salty air hit me. The tense muscles in my back relaxed slightly, allowing my body to twist with ease as I glanced behind. Cora and Kobe were still with me, both being escorted by their own personal guard.

We continued, passing under the threshold of an archway carved into the dark rock, entering into a wide, open corridor. The walls continued to display the natural roughness from the indigenous rock, but the floors were smooth and flat. The black-brown marble effect looked as though the ragged rock had been scrubbed down with precision. It was gleaming, reflecting the surroundings.

I glanced upwards. Looming metres above, sunlight hit the ceiling in several places. A line of turquoise-coloured stones were suspended halfway down, twinkling in the daylight, reflecting intricate patterns on the floor and walls. The aura of this place felt like a palace, relishing in raw, earthly elegance. It was extraordinary.

I was abruptly pulled to a halt. Too fascinated by my surroundings, I hadn’t noticed the Akquarian in front of me had stopped before a towering, arched door. Again, it was made of dark rock, with a sizeable spiral engraved into the exterior—the same design I had seen several times now. The door jarred open, screeching as the uneven bottom sliced across the floor beyond.

My personal guard grabbed my upper arm and hauled me inside. The room was lined with more armed guards, all with a golden spiral tattooed across the right side of their bare chest, dressed in bronze-coloured trousers clasped at the ankle. An emptythrone, constructed of shards of rock and azure glass sat at the far end of the vast room. Two heavily armoured Akquarians stood at the base of its dais, staring at us while they conversed discretely.

Much to my relief, Rooke and the others were present. Rooke and Zamya were on their knees, each with a guard looming over them. Zamya was closer to the door, Rooke further along, closer to the dais, and Oz was sprawled out between them, unconscious but still guarded.

I was led up the walkway towards Rooke. The grip on my arm tightened, bringing me to a stop two metres to the left of him. A foot jolted into the back of my knee, forcing me down. I grunted at the shock of my knees hitting the unforgiving floor. Catching Rooke’s eye, I realised his eyebrows were knitted together, worry etched across his face. If I wasn’t mistaken, he was momentarily regretting his decision to come here.

A spear prodded into Rooke’s shoulder, and he obediently hung his head. I glanced up at the guard behind Rooke, recognising him as the boatman who spoke to us on first contact; the one with the large blue spiral plastered on his chest. He sneered at me, and I instantly turned, dropping my head.

We waited several silent minutes, my heart pounding in my ears. The sound of low, guttural murmurs echoed around us in a language I could only describe as a mixture of throat scraping and grunts. But the voices fell silent as a loud, screeching door opened, piercing the tension. Slapping footsteps followed, and every Akquarian in the room bowed towards the dais.

Without moving my head, I peered forward under my eyebrows, noticing a pair of pale, subtly webbed feet standing at the edge of the raised platform. A cluster of small, sparkling gems dangled on a golden chain around one ankle. The other was painted with colourful swirls.

Movement around me suggested those bowing had returned to their upward position. I glanced over to Rooke, catching his fleeting gaze, before a hand grabbed his collar, pulling him upright, still on his knees. A hand landed on my shoulder, commanding I did the same.

In front of us, on the dais, stood a male Akquarian draped in an elaborate gold and bronze tunic and matching trousers. Two golden clasps sat on his shoulders, pinning a coral cape into place, allowing it to flow behind him. I lifted my gaze to his face. Sharp eyes studied me as another Akquarian—one with a curving sword at his hip, wearing a cape in a dark shade of blue—whispered in his ear. He nodded his head, shifting his gaze to Rooke, then to me. Both had long, clean blonde hair, pulled clear from their faces with a handful of tight braids.

The blue caped Akquarian stepped back, placing his hand on the hilt of his sword as he stood to attention. His abdomen, shins, and forearms were dressed in gold plated armour. The way he remained close to the other one indicated he was a personal guard, or a highly ranked soldier.

“I hear you speak the ancient tongue.”

My eyes darted to the Akquarian at the front of the dais, the one who I now realised was wearing a crown of interwoven gold and green.Did he just speak Alluran?