Page 12 of Taken By the Crab King of Atlantis

But there are signs we’re under the sea. I catch movement in a passing desk lamp in the lobby and notice the light globes don’t have filaments — they’re full of wiggling, luminous bugs.

Nerissa gets into the elevator with me and presses the button for the 20th floor.

Marina has already disappeared.

“Wish me luck,” I say breathlessly as the numbers climb.

4

YEN

The elevator doors open on the 20th floor to Karkinos’ waiting room. Nerissa holds the door open as I step out. The doors close behind her.

A heavy wooden door snags my attention. Beside the door sits a desk, behind which an elderly secretary sits like a guard dog. She has stern black glasses, thinly pressed lips and a 1960s up-do that looks hardened into place. Familiar red markings line the back of her wrists and hands and two flesh-colored antennae are nestled in her hair.

“I’m…”

“Of course, take a seat,” she says, with a smile. She has the same accent as Nerissa.

The clack of her keyboard is loud in the room as the minutes tick past.

I try not to think about the many tonnes of water weighing on the transparent domes sealing in the underwater city, far above us.

I smooth my miniskirt over my legs, tugging it down. Think of the money, I tell myself. But the wait strains my nerves. I smooth my hands over my tight ponytail. It’s the only thing that feels like me right now.

She pauses from her clacking to smile sympathetically at me, and I try to return it.

“It won’t be long now.”

“What’s he like?” I try to sound casual.

She raises an eyebrow in surprise. “Lord Karkinos?” She smiles more widely. “Wonderful. You’re very lucky to be chosen by a god.”

But now I’ve started asking questions, I can’t stop. “Do you know why I was chosen?” I assume it wasn’t only Marina’s choice that determined my fate. I don’t think of myself as insecure, but it seems a valid point to wonder what makes me god bait material.

“Don’t you believe in fate? You have been chosen. But don’t worry, our lord is very handsome. And many women from Atlantis applied for your position.”

A handsome grandfather, of course.

The elevator dings. The secretary and I both turn to watch the opening doors.

The space beyond is empty. The secretary looks as confused as I do and rolls back her chair to stand behind her desk when a tiny face pops out from behind the door, then hides again.

I’m grateful to see Marina again and laugh as she runs towards me.

“Marina, you are not supposed to be here,” the secretary says, obviously charmed.

“Yen is my friend,” Marina says defiantly. “We played shells.” She runs towards me and hands me an ice-cream on a stick. It smells fishy. “This is for Grandpa,” she says in a stage whisper. “So he’ll like you.”

“Out,” the secretary says, and leads Marina to the elevator by the hand while the ice-cream visibly melts in my hand.

I’m wondering how to stop it dripping when the door to Karkinos’ office opens and an older woman with a deep tan and blue hair emerges.

She’s wearing a modern gray pantsuit, and her eyes sparkle with intelligence. She must be at least fifty, and scans me from top to bottom, her antennae craning towards me while she smiles tightly. It doesn’t reach her eyes, which makes me think I’ve met the first person who thinks this crazy virginity contract is not okay.

I flush under her inspection. If I could crawl through the floor, I would do so.

“I’m done here. He’s ready for you,” she says, and walks past.