18
The quiet kept him company. It always had, even as Brutas had kept watch outside, as was his job. No creature, be they mortal or immortal, would dare attempt to get through. Not with the mighty krackens guarding it or the great witch Guardians. 
Being second oldest, it was his job to protect—though he had made a fast exit from the cavern as soon as Arietta, the new witch, and the warlock had started kissing. He had seen them do it before, but even he had scented the arousal within the cavern. 
Brutas was happy. The little witch had been nothing but kind to him and his brother, never once looking at them as the ugly monsters most associated with the term kracken. She deserved happiness, did that little one. She was a good soul. They had sensed that on the day she had been tossed to the water, discarded by someone who should have protected her. But it had been the male siren’s loss and Kracken’s Hollow’s gain. That male had not deserved to have Arietta as a daughter. Brutas was pleased the male was gone. He would have hated to have eaten him. Sirens didn’t taste nice.
The fact the warlock had found a way to break the curse was a happy occurrence. Brutas just wasn't too sure how the ginger furry creature would feel about his witch being bonded to a warlock. But Brutus was happy—as happy as a kracken could be. 
Yes, the happiness didn't fill him, not like it should. Not like happiness filled Maeve and will and now fill Arietta and Ethan. 
Krackens weren't supposed to long for something, yet Brutas did, and as he swam to the surface of the cavern’s pool, he looked over, happy to see the two sleeping forms under a blanket. Bonded and claimed, he could smell the magic on the air, yet there was something else. Something familiar, yet wrong. 
A faint laughter filled the air before it quickly vanished. Worry filled Brutas as the atmosphere within the cavern changed. Darkness crept in, the usual bright rainbow of colours muted, and the laughter came again. This time louder. 
Brutas had no choice but to call the alarm. No matter how much he wanted the two lovers to rest. It was time to protect the Gate, to protect the Hollow, and his friends. 
With that thought, Brutas let rip a roar, the sound filling the cavern. The magic of the Gate magnified the sound, releasing it out into the world.  
Alerting all at Kracken’s Hole that they were under attack.