Abyssal (ManxMan)

Spirit of the Sea

Spirit of the Sea

Marius watched the Astrian Prince rummage through his library, skimming through every book he could lay his hands on. For hours, he sat cross-legged on the ground and poured over the ancient tomes, his back slightly hunched, his brows drawn together softly in concentration. Once or twice, he glanced up from a book at the hanging jellyfish as if he feared one of them would fall on him.

The boy meant to find information on his power.

An admirable feat, but utterly futile just the same.

He allowed himself to watch the half-breed boy for a very long time, noting every feature about him big or small. He'd steered clear of the half-breed before, but now it seemed like there was a need to familiarize himself with him.

He recalled the sea witch's words: The original host must be well and truly in love with the new host, otherwise a link for the power to transfer won't be established.

How ridiculous. It was both a secure and exploitable failsafe.

At least the boy was acceptable-looking. His features were sharp and aristocratic, a telltale sign of his royal descent. His fingers were long and thin; they looked like they would break upon the slightest bit of pressure. His hair was effortlessly soft and thick, like a lion's mane.

Well, if Marius was being completely honest with himself, he would have to admit that he was certainly handsome. Rather, he had a beautiful quality to him that Marius had never encountered before. Every time the half-breed looked at him with those big green eyes of his, he was possessed of an unfamiliar urge. How strange. He'd seen his fair share of beautiful young men and women, yet the Astrian Prince... captivated his attention so completely that, whenever he was in the same room as him, Marius would attune himself to his unique reactions.

Was it the human in him that had Marius' interest piqued so?

Absurd. If anything, it had to be the royal blood in the clueless boy calling out to his own royal blood.

Blood.

The boy had bled profusely on his chamber's floor from a simple wound. How fragile humans were. Their bodies were easily damaged.

Seeing him weak and afraid like that, someone who for all intents and purposes was his equal did not bode well with him. As Crown Prince of Astria, he was owed a certain degree of respect, even if he was the prince of an enemy nation and was being held captive.

He recalled the fear in the boy's eyes when Marius had appeared in front of him. He'd been so afraid of Marius that he'd dropped the Obelisk of Power.

He frowned.

He'd certainly given the boy just cause to fear him, yet...

Marius waived the foreign feeling away. He had no time to contend with feelings and the like. His goal was infinitesimally more important than anything else, and he was running out of time to achieve it.

He would suffer the boy just until he had the Spirit of the Sea.

****

"The Spirit of the Sea," Kai muttered and slowly closed the book he was holding.

Was that the name of his power?

He closed his eyes and looked within.

Is that what you're called?

Nothing.

He tried again.

Is your name the Spirit of the Sea?