He gazed down into the fierce, enraged bubbling of the opaque pool, and his blood boiled with it.
A sharp poke in his ribcage jolted his view, and his anger fled with it.
“I warned you,” Jenna said tersely. “But you wanted to visit the observation pools up close. You wanted to visit all of them, despite the warnings. Despite knowing what I’ve been through. And now I’ve watched you flip from euphoric to ready to stab someone. Bloody magical pools.”
Tomas raised his hands, keeping his eyes carefully on her face. Her cheeks were flushed with anger – normal anger, not the all-consuming rage he’d just escaped – but he’d caught the pale fear before he’d broken free.
She seized his elbow and began steering him through the greenery toward the conservatory’s exit. “I hate this place.”
“I know.” Sweat broke on his brow, and it wasn’t from humidity. “I thought I was advanced enough.”
“I know.” She slammed her free shoulder into the door and pulled him free. “You’re lucky I love you.”
He pulled her close, uncaring that they were now blocking the path into the gift shop. “I thought if I proved myself good enough, I could protect you from it ever happening again.”
She was stiff in his arms, and rested her head on his shoulder before relaxing. “You silly, silly man. You already do.”
***
That’s all I’ve got for tonight, although that’s certainly unfinished. Thanks to TA Leederman for the raging pool prompt! Check out what AC Young did with the Great Kraken migration here, and find more (and play along) over at MOTE!
