Eyes of the Midari

Part 10

Lucca

Jess had stopped by her place before she left for the black market. She filled him in that he would be working with dragons on this rescue mission. It didn't sit well with him, but she assured him they all had something to gain. They won't falter. Lucca had a plan and with the help of this Ruka fellow and his knowledge of the land, it should work. Lucca couldn't help but focus on the way Jess's nails had dug into the banister of her balcony a little too tightly. How her eyes wandered to anywhere but his face. He wanted to follow her to that market more than anything. Despite heading straight into Wastri territory, he couldn't help but think she was in the most danger tonight. It tugged at a part of Lucca he thought he had reserved for just one other person.

He waited patiently at the docks where they parked their boat earlier. True to Jess's word, an hour on the dot, three figures emerged from the nearby shadows. Unlike how people gave Aria wary looks, people saw these three and instantly avoided eye contact and scurried away. True dragons had entered the harbor; God save anyone who felt their fire.

Lucca gave the dark brooding one a nod and he headed toward him. He could tell instantly that he and the small girl were seekers. Lucca recognized Ruka from their first meeting in the tunnels. He tried to strangle Aria last he checked; Lucca tried to wrap his head around why Jess thought this was a good idea. The giant bulk of a man that followed he was not expecting.

Lucca held out a hand, "Ruka, I presume? A pleasure to meet you again."

Ruka clasped his hand, "You must be Lucca. Jess told us about you. She said you have a plan?"

"A rough one," he raised a brow, "one that requires your knowledge of the Wastri territory."

He nodded, "That I can provide." He motioned to the girl on his left. "My fellow seeker, Iris." He pointed a thumb at the man behind him. "This bastard is Roman."

Roman gave Ruka a stern look, "I could snap you like a twig, Seeker. I'm only here to get Nish back." Roman cracked his knuckles. ''They're going to regret kidnapping a member of the Bane."

"She isn't a member of the Bane anymore," Ruka spat, "and Talia knows this."

"You know how the Bane feels about her-"

"If the Bane does anything he will only prove to Talia that Aria is his weakness. For the sake of our gang, we can't let him realize and act of his own accord." Ruka glared at his comrade. "This needs to be done tonight."

"Agreed," Lucca jumped in. "I've been hearing humming all night. Something tells me Talia will be expecting us."

Iris peered over the water's edge, "How many do you think are in there?"

"It's their ocean we are fools to think otherwise;" he shrugged, "I'm guessing a lot."

Iris took a tentative step back.

Lucca gestured to Ruka, "I know vaguely that Talia has some trick up her sleeve for how they stay hidden. I just don't know what precisely."

"It's quite sick really," he pointed to a far-off island, "she uses the unique technique few sirens possess to create physical barriers with their voice."

Roman scrunched his brows, "The barriers make them invisible?"

"No you idiot," Ruka rolled his eyes at him, "it keeps them from drowning to death." Lucca's eyes widened as Ruka nodded, "They aren't dwelling on the islands, they are inside them."

"You're shitting me." Lucca half chuckled. "That can't be possible."

"It's quite a sight to behold, I assure you, it's real. Do you think we are crazy for going underground? Talia took it to a whole other level." Ruka pointed to a map Lucca had laid out on the boat. "This is the island they live in. There is an entrance here," he pointed to what appeared to be a cliffside, "this is where her human members and anyone who can't breathe underwater come and go. This is our best bet."