Hidden Below

Chapter 26: Flames

"You're so warm," Malek muttered under his breath.

"You're cold," I added with a small puff of laughter.

Nuzzling between my neck and shoulder, I felt his arms pull me closer to his chest. "You'll just have to keep me warm then."

I wish we could have stayed on the sliver of land we found. Our discovery. Our little secret. I wish I could have stayed within the comfort of his embrace rather than bear witness to what became of Portum in our absence.

Our eyes wide in blind terror, I glanced over to Malek. The licking of flames reflected in his glossy eyes as he watched the scene before us. My breathing became labored as panic set into my bones. From what we could see of Portum's center, at least five of The Hidden hung up on display for everyone to see.

Flames danced around the already mangled bodies, harpoon wounds leaving ghastly openings in their chests. Gore hung off the bare bodies, a picture that sent twists to my stomach. Bile rose to the back of my throat as I watched the blood trail down their pale mutilated corpses. The cheers rang in my ears as the heaviness of the situation settled in my chest.

Red stained the carcasses of The Hidden.

Red licked at their bodies, blackening their limbs.

Red pulsed from every fiber of my being.

All I saw was red.

Looking over at Malek, who was still shell-shocked, I grabbed his shoulders.

"Malek, you need to find any who remain and go back to the island we found. Now."

Nothing. No response. No recognition. His eyes were glazed over. Tightening my grip, I tossed him slightly. Sliding my hands up to his face, I rubbed my thumbs over his cheeks.

"Come back to me, Malek. I need you to listen to me. Please, Malek."

Pulling his face towards me, I press my lips against his. My last attempt at getting him to snap out of his panic.

I breathed into him as his hand brushed against my wrist, relieved he was responsive. Pulling away from him, I locked his eyes in my gaze.

"Go find anyone that is left of The Hidden. Take them to the island, Malek. You will be safe there. They think I went a different way that day. They don't know it is out there."

"What about you? Come with us." His voice was unsteady. Still fragile from what we have just borne witness to.

"I can't. I can't leave everyone here. They won't stop searching. They will never stop."

"We can keep running, they don't know the ocean like I do. They don't have the kind of resources to follow us that far. Come with us, Marina," he pleaded, placing his forehead against mine. "Come with me."

I choked back a sob.

"I will come to find you," I promised.

His body trembled in my embrace. Pulling away from me, he held my gaze. There was so much pain in his eyes. Without another word, he dove beneath the water's surface.

My heart shattered. I told him to go. It was safest for him. Safest for all of them. I couldn't go with him. Not yet. I knew I couldn't, and yet my heart cries for him.

Filling my lungs, and clearing my head, I turned to face Portum.

Home.

Keeping my distance, I swam around Portum's border till I spotted Finn's hut. Doing my best to remain unnoticed, I carefully pulled myself onto the shore. The sound of my movements was muffled by the wild uproar at Portum's center. Feral cheering indicates the celebration of those pinned to stakes.