With a nod, Jessica answered. Maeve didn't expect the vow as she knew that Jessica was not a practicing witch, but her action put her worry to rest.
“So, it be done, upon the moon and sun.”
Jessica bowed her head along with Edith her dragon.“Thank you.”
Maeve smiled.“Let me show you the heart of Kracken’s Hole.”
4
Jessica could feelher heart thumping against her chest, the blood in her veins pounding in her ears. This was it; she was finally going to meet a Kracken in the flesh. She had heard rumours of the infamous Merlin’s Gate that was protected by the Moonchild Coven, but she wasn't here for that. Nope, it was the Krackens.
But that didn't stop her from appreciating the beauty that was the gate, the waters swirled and lapped at the stone beach, colours only rivalled by that of the aurora borealis emanated from the depths and lit the grotto. Jessica could feel the power, it flowed around her like a loving caress and brought tears to her eyes.
“Oh my, this is stunning,” she whispered.
Edith, who had a comment about everything, was silent, and the little dragon's eyes were wide as she took it all in.
“Yes, it is, and so calming. I come down here to think and to recharge when I’m feeling down,” Maeve admitted as she walked towards the water’s edge. Her foot reached out and when Jessica thought she would fall into the waters she hit a ledge, her slight steps taking her across the edge of the pool and towardsa large statue. Jessica followed, relieved to see that there had been stepping plinths placed into the depths. Her feet hit the water, and she had expected it to be cold from the sea, yet it was warm and welcoming. What little powers she had rejoiced at the connection with the gate and the exhaustion she had been feeling instantly vanished.
As she moved towards Maeve, Jessica could see the statue clearer. It was huge, taking up a full wall of the grotto, and was so life-like she expected it to reach out of the wall to her.
“This is Maximus, he was the eldest of the guardians and gave his life to save mine. He is dearly missed by us all. Shaping her hands, Maeve whispered something and light gently glowed from her palms. It shone brightly before dimming, leaving behind it a crystal lily. Gently, Maeve set it down upon the small altar and bowed her head.
Jessica bowed hers as well, feeling the waves of sadness Maeve was emitting.
“He was the largest Kracken and the kindest,” Maeve admitted before she turned to look at Jessica with a sad smile. “I’m sorry, I always come and see Max when I visit the grotto.”
“It's okay, I get it. It's hard to lose someone/something you love,” Jessica admitted. “I lost a charge a few years back, she was a beautiful soul that I miss daily.” Jessica refused to lose herself to the sad memories. “I think about her every day.”
Maeve directed them both back across the pool and led the way, through a section of tunnels that looked new, where the rock wasn't as smooth or as worn.
“I'm sorry, Jessica, we haven’t started our day off on the most positive note, have we? Let us lift the mood and show you what I know you are excited to see.”
“Am I that obvious?” Jessica chuckled.
“Maybe a little.”
“You got me, Krackens have been a dream of mine for many years and you've made that dream come true,” Jessica explained as they walked out into a secluded cove. The sunlight hit the beach just right, revealing a secondary cave, and nestled within amongst large overgrown crystals, were giant eggs. Not just one or two or even five. No, there were at least a hundred.
“Holy shit,” she breathed out.
“Welcome to the nursery,” Maeve admitted, just as a large tentacle lifted from the sea, followed by another and another, until the giant mass of a Kracken slid its way onto the beach.
Jessica forgot how to breathe, forgot how to think, and forgot how to stay conscious.
Dave slowly beached his big bulk and slid into the warm sands of the cove, now aptly named Kracken Cove. This was now becoming his favourite place; he didn't have to hide from anyone, and no one disturbed him. And he could check on the eggs as well. Although the rate with how quickly many of them were becoming unviable concerned him. They had started off with well over one-hundred-and-fifty eggs and, now, every day, two to three would show signs that they had stopped growing. If it went on like it did, they wouldn't have any left by the time they were ready to hatch. Not that he knew anything about caring for them. The extent of his skill was being able to identify whether they were alive or not. But that didn't mean he didn't care about them.
He would happily protect every single egg with his life if it came down to it.
He had just wriggled into the sand to get comfy when he heard feet crunching against sand. It was probably one of thegirls, they came down here every day to check on him and the eggs. It was as if they knew he was irritable.
Only a voice he had never heard before called out.
The “holy shit” had his tentacles flailing. In seconds he had shifted into a human and stood, naked in the sun, to see a girl hit the sand in a dead faint. Maeve, by her side, called out to Dave.
“Dave, can you come help me, please?”
Dave moved swiftly over the sand, thankful he was now used to his human legs. As he approached, he saw hair that shone like crystalised lava in the sun, her skin was pale like a pearl. His heart smacked against his chest, and he felt something deep within him shift.
