The boat moved through the green water, and the Leviathan followed.
Nathan sat near the prow, watching the massive shape beneath the surface. It kept its distance, but its presence was impossible to ignore. The water shifted around it. The current bent toward its body. And every few minutes, Nathan felt it—a pulse of something old and deep, like a heartbeat moving through the sea.
Coral was quiet. She had been quiet since they left the Sunken Temple. Nathan did not push her. She had seen things in the temple that she would not talk about. He understood that.
"The Floating Ruins are three hours east," she said finally. Her voice was soft, almost lost in the wind. "The Sky Priests once lived there. They were the keepers of the winds. Now the corrupted ones glide between the stones. They will not welcome you."
"Will they talk?" Nathan asked.
"No. The corruption has taken their minds. They only hunt."
