The Atlantean Chronicles: Call of the Sea

Chapter Thirty

Blinding white light splayed across Diana's vision. She squinted, pain lancing through her head. Am I dead? She wondered, slowly regaining awareness of her body. She was laying down, that much she was sure of.

Her hand shifted at her side and she paused, splaying it flat against whatever surface she lay on. A smooth, silky material greeted her touch. She strained her ears, trying to make sense of where she was by sound. At first, she heard nothing, then she heard something strangely familiar and extremely unexpected.

Diana slowly blinked her eyes open and found herself staring straight into Thunder's big, slobbery face. His big, glossy eyes were staring down her, his big pink tongue lolling out of his mouth, drool slowly falling from his jowls, threatening to splatter on her face at any second.

Diana frowned as she studied him; it was Thunder, and yet... not. Diana weakly lifted her arm, petting the large black fur-ball on his broad head. His fur still felt smooth and silky beneath her touch, but there was something different about him.

Diana winced as she tried to push herself up onto her elbows to get a view of what lay beyond the massive creature standing over her. A hand gently, but firmly pressed against her shoulder, keeping her from moving.

"You should take it easy," a familiar voice sounded to the left of her.

Diana's eyes widened and her heart leapt as she found herself looking into Jacin's face. Thunder barked and ran his big wet tongue down the side of her face. Jacin glowered at the dog, shoving his broad shoulder. "Off," he said sternly.

Thunder whimpered but obeyed, leaping off the bed; that's when Diana got a good look at the big black dog. Her eyes widened all over again. His head still looked like a dog, but his shaggy black body was more filled out, his tail was longer and flatter, moving from side to side more like an eel than a wagging dog tail. His thick legs ended in broad webbed feet with long ebony claws and the fur on his body slowly gave way to leathery black scales along his legs and belly.

Diana gaped at Thunder, then looked up at Jacin. He straightened and looked over at Thunder. "I told you it would be easier to show you," he said, scratching the back of his head and smiling sheepishly.

Diana studied Thunder as he sat patiently at the end of the bed, waiting to be given permission to lay down on it again. Diana frowned. "How is he half Gatherean?" she asked.

"You don't want to know," Reith said, coming up to stand beside his brother. Diana blinked, utterly dumbfounded.

She frowned. "How did he-"

"Gatherean's are known for being highly adaptable. Being half canine, his body was able to adapt to living on land by taking the form of his surface-dwelling half," Reith put in, seeming to follow the flow of her thoughts.

Diana shook her head in disbelief. The things she'd discovered about the world recently... she'd never imagined that being one of them.

Diana looked up at Reith, her gaze growing serious; she glanced between the two princes and noticed for the first time how bloodshot their eyes were, that they were still wearing their armor —which was now blood-stained in some areas— how gaunt their faces were as if they hadn't slept in days.

She looked questioningly between the two of them. The brothers exchanged a glance before Reith took a step away from the bed with a heavy sigh. "I'll catch up with you later," he said before turning and dragging Thunder out of the room by his collar.

Diana watched them leave, then let her eyes wander around the room, taking in her surroundings. She didn't recognize the space, though it was obvious she was in someone's bedroom.