Children of Poseidon: Rann Read Free Page A

mermaid.
    Unfortunately for them, the kraken objected strongly to uninvited visitors. Rann suspected the monster’s natural inclination had told him to remove the trespassers in a terminal fashion. However, he knew very well Rann would be displeased, and none of Rann’s subjects liked to contemplate his displeasure. He seldom made a display of his power and rarely lost his temper. There was no need; the sea dwellers all knew the strength their ruler wielded. He prepared to listen.
    “It’s not the hunting, Lord.” The kraken’s baleful gaze rested on the mermen. “It’s the lack of respect. This is my territory.”
    “It’s wasted on you.” The older merman took a step forward, gripping his trident. “Why should you keep all this, when—”
    “It’s mine.” The kraken’s voice rumbled through the water. Krakens were possessive, protecting the limits of their territories, but they lived on plankton and didn’t need the fish the merpeople hunted.
    Rann concentrated on the argument. He usually enjoyed the game, but today, the petty differences scraped at his temper.
    “They deserve to die for this,” the kraken grumbled. “Ill-mannered trespassers.”
    “The ocean is wasted on you.” The elder of the merman repeated himself, waving his trident.
    Rann quelled his reluctant amusement and held up one hand. They all realised the kraken would barely feel a sting from the spear, but he supposed the merman needed to show himself to be unafraid.
    “He’s right.” Rann switched his attention to the merman. “You knew it was his territory. You should have requested permission.”
    The merman glared at the huge sea monster. “I am sorry, Sealord.”
    “Not to me.” Rann nodded at the kraken.
    The merman made a huffing sound and repeated his apology to the kraken.
    The kraken blinked once.
    Rann paused and thought hard about the situation. He waited for a decent interval before he shared his decision. The merpeople would pay the kraken tribute for hunting in his waters, and in return, the kraken would view the mermen as part of the territory. The tribute would be a mere gesture, but a token of respect. A little grumbling emanated from the two parties.
    “Enough.” Rann allowed a sliver of his power to colour his voice, silencing the mermen.
    The kraken unravelled, extending tentacles into the water round his body. The mermen retreated into the mouth of the cavern, and the kraken shot away, returning to his depths. A pressure wave rippled backwards.
    Rann waited until they all disappeared before transforming back into the porpoise form and heading out into the depths of the Indian Ocean to find his mother’s lair. The waters were empty of anything foreign, and whatever had killed the sea people no longer lingered in the vicinity.
    Cyclops lived in deep water, in a cave system riddling a cleft of the seabed and disappearing into depths Rann had never explored. Greater monsters than his mother lurked down there, but they didn’t cause him any trouble, so he let them get on with their existence in peace. He slowed his pace as he approached the opening to his mother’s lair. Even though he loved her and he was sure she loved him, he still took care on his visits to her. After all, she was a deep-ocean Cyclops, not a being to mess with. Usually she recognised him, but sometimes her attention slipped, and that could be dangerous. He’d once taken Lykos to visit her, and she’d attacked his half-brother savagely enough to kill a lesser being. Fortunately, Lykos was not a lesser being. He broke free without damaging the Cyclops or taking too much harm. Cyclops was very apologetic the next time Rann saw her, but it had taught him caution.
    She hovered in the water at the entrance to her grotto, a mass of tentacles obscuring her body. Her heads rose from the writhing mass, awake and alert. Rann discarded his fins and tail, presenting himself in his human form. The heads turned towards him, and most of them smiled. A