I’ve reached this platform in previous seasons, only to have my rivals stop me. And to be fair, I too have kept my rivals from passing the same line, preferring an eternal stalemate over having another return to Mythos before me.
But last season, I allowed Draven to make it across unhindered, with the hope that this season, I would follow.
Yet, even though it seems I’ll have my wish, Mia remains limp in my arms.
And I no longer care about passing the finish line or escaping this place—none of that matters if I can’t cross it with her.
I gently lay Mia down on the platform, panic gripping me as I brush the wet strands of hair from her face, my fingers tracing the contours of her cheeks as I whisper her name, pleading for her to come back to me. The thought of losing her, of never again seeing the light in her eyes or feeling the warmth of her touch, is a pain worse than anything.
Still, she won’t move.
I press my lips to hers, desperate to feel her breath against my skin, but instead I taste the bitter tang of seawater. A sickening realization washes over me—Mia has breathed in the water, and it now fills her lungs.
I tilt her head back, sealing my mouth over hers once more. With a deep breath, I force air into her lungs, willing them to expel the liquid. I pull back, watching her chest fall, then repeat the process, each breath a fervent prayer for her survival.
But it seems simply breathing into her mouth isn’t enough. The water trapped in her lungs must be expelled. Shifting my position, I place my hands on her chest, one over the other, and begin pressing down in a steady rhythm. I silently pray to the gods of the deep, pleading for them to spare her life as I work to force the liquid from her body.
She must live.
She must.
This can’t be it.
Chapter 16
Mia
Images flicker through my mind as I drift in the darkness. An enormous wall of water, covering the sky. A magnificent being riding the crest and commanding the wave. Blue skin glinting in the sun. Eyes as dark as the expanse of space…
I struggle to make sense of these visions, to piece them together into a coherent whole. Slowly, the memories sharpen. The tidal wave, surging over the island, engulfing everything in its path. The Aquarian riding it, more god than man, harnessing the power of the sea itself.
In that moment, I remember the awe that came over me, the relief that I would be saved from Vornas. I remember this otherworldly being, both beautiful and terrifying in his power… And I remember thinking…
He’s my king.
Coughing and sputtering, I expel the water from my lungs, my vision gradually focusing on the face of the alien before me.
Krakenos.
Not just my king, but my mate.
“Mia,” he breathes. “I thought I had lost you.”
Tears spring to my eyes as I reach for him, my hands trembling as they find purchase on his strong, scaled shoulders. “Krakenos,” I whisper, my voice hoarse from the seawater. “You saved me.”
He holds me close as I bury my face in the crook of his neck, inhaling his scent. In this moment, I realize the depth of my feelings for this alien warrior who has risked everything to protect me.
“I love you,” I murmur against his skin, the words tumbling from my lips. “I never thought I could feel this way, but I do. I love you, Krakenos.”
His arms tighten around me, and I feel the rumble of his voice as he responds, “And I love you, Mia. You have become my world, my reason for living. I can’t imagine a future without you by my side.”
We remain locked in our embrace, the rest of the world falling away for a moment. But then I remember that it’s not over yet. Not until we cross that finish line.
I look around, taking in our surroundings. The tundra stretches out behind us, but in the distance, I see a shimmering archway.
“Where are we?” I ask, my voice still raspy from the seawater.
“At the end,” Krakenos says, his gaze fixed on the archway.
As if on cue, the Host arrives in his transport pod, a fleet of drones buzzing around him, their cameras trained on us. The Host steps out, his metal claws clacking against the icy ground as he approaches.
“Congratulations!” he exclaims, his voice echoing across the frozen landscape. He strides toward us, his metal claws leaving deep gouges in the ice. The drones buzz around him like an entourage, their cameras zooming in to capture every angle of this moment.
“I must admit,” he continues, his feathered eyebrows raised in exaggerated surprise, “I was convinced that Vornas would be the one standing here today.” He chuckles, shaking his head. “But that display of power at the end, Krakenos… Truly remarkable, and like nothing we’ve ever seen before!”
He puts on a grandiose show of clapping, his metal hands clanging together. The sound grates on my nerves, and I clench my jaw. This is all just a performance to him, a spectacle for the masses. He doesn’t care about the lives he’s toyed with, or the pain he’s inflicted.
Krakenos remains stoic beside me, but I can feel the tension radiating off him. The Host’s surprise at his victory feels like a slight, an underestimation of his strength and determination.
“And let’s not forget our lovely human contestant,” the Host says, turning his attention to me. “Mia, you’ve been through quite the journey. How does it feel to be standing here at the finish line?”
I swallow hard, then glance at Krakenos, drawing strength from his presence. I won’t let the Host rattle me.
In fact, I’m done with him. Done with this competition, this show. I’m ready to start my life with Krakenos. And I’m not about to give him the reaction he wants.
I meet the Host’s gaze, my chin lifted in defiance. “It feels like the beginning,” I say firmly. “The beginning of a new chapter, one you and your audience will never get to see.”
Krakenos stands tall beside me, his arm wrapped protectively around my waist. “We’re done with your games,” he growls. “We’ve reached the end. Now let us cross the finish line so we can leave this place.”
The Host steps into our path, holding up a clawed hand. “Not just yet,” he says, his eyes glinting with mischief. “There’s one more twist, a crucial decision that all the Mythos kings must make before returning home.”
My heart sinks.
Of course it wouldn’t be that easy.
“What decision?” Krakenos asks, his lips curled up in a snarl.
The Host grins. “Well, your world is suffering an awful plague, and our team of researchers have a cure. But in order to receive the cure, you must make a choice. You must choose between receiving a cure genetically crafted solely for the Aquarians, or you may pick a collective cure that will work for all races on Mythos.”
Krakenos frowns. “Why wouldn’t I pick the latter?”
“Well, the catch is, if one of you choose the single cure, the other two races don’t get a cure. And if all of you choose the single cure, nobody gets a cure. And if, somehow, all three of you choose the collective cure instead, then you all shall receive it. So it could be to your advantage to pick the single cure, if you believe the other two kings are foolish enough to be charitable. Then your people will have the advantage, and could rule the entirety of Mythos.”
Krakenos shifts his weight before asking, “What did Draven choose?”
The Host shakes his head. “Ah, but that would be telling. Draven’s choice will remain unknown until Vornas makes his own. It is only once all three kings have chosen that the outcome will be revealed. It is quite the dilemma, isn’t it? Can you trust your fellow kings to be honorable, or will they make the selfish choice just to ensure their own peoples’ future?”
