Alternate opening for Under Crete

This is the opening chapter I planned to use for Under Crete and ultimately changed it. This chapter is NOT a spoiler, so even if you haven't read Under Crete, you can read this.

North Atlantic

1912

            As the ship’s bow rose steeply into the air, the girl in the water grinned.

            It had been a long time since she’d seen the surface, an even longer time since she’d seen a human up close. From this distance, maybe a hundred feet, she could hear their screams. They would all drown before the night was over, or perhaps freeze to death while holding each other, waiting for rescue. There were other vessels in the area, but none seemed interested in this so-called Ship of Dreams.

            “What did you do?” a voice asked next to her. She didn’t even hear him swim up.

            “I may have nudged the iceberg into their path,” said Amphitrite, treading water.

            “Why? Why must you do these things, my love?”

            She hated that name. She hated all terms of endearment. Whenever Aphrodite and Ares were near, their gestures of love were almost unbearable.

            Amphitrite turned back to the ship. “They have so much land. Why must they invade our home? And look at the size of this ship. They’re getting bigger every day.”

            Poseidon tried to reason. “They are welcome here. We keep the seas calm for them and in return, they worship us.”            “No one worships us in this . . . this shattered Olympus.”

            “They will one day. As soon as Zeus feels we’ve learned our lesson.” 

“To hell with Zeus. We’re gods, you and I!”

            She splashed water toward her lover. Behind her, something exploded inside the ship. The bow was starting to twist.

            “The fact remains. You shouldn’t use your power this way.”

            “Why not?” Amphitrite said, voice sharp like the jagged edge of coral. “What’s one little boat?”

            Poseidon rolled his eyes and dipped into the frigid water, then came back up with an irritated glare. “You know you’ve done far more than wreck one little boat.”

            She shrugged, as if she didn’t remember. Only she did—she’d once caused enough of an earthquake to set off a volcano, that then destroyed an entire island, mostly full of Poseidon’s worshippers.

            “Why does Athena get to hand out curses with no recourse? She made the spider. She made the snake.”

            “Athena is responsible for correcting those messes. She will do it one day, if she hopes to return to Zeus’ good graces.” He changed tactics. “Come home. Your children miss you. Triton is confused by this . . . aggression.”

            She smirked and watched the ship. They’d already put down several lifeboats, many of them half-full. Didn’t these humans in all their wisdom, have plans for this?

            Poseidon put his warm hands on her shoulders and pulled her close. For a moment, she allowed it. She allowed his soft touch, his warm breath, and his scent—familiar and calming. She allowed it all, until he spoke.

            “If you do not behave, we will never see our Olympus restored.”

            She wrestled out of his grasp. “I’m not an Olympian.”            “No, but your children are half Olympian. You owe it to your family to stop this reckless behavior before it’s too late. Before we step in and make you.”

            Amphitrite faced him to take measure of his resolve. Poseidon arched a wooly eyebrow.

            “We?”

            “That’s right. I’ll not have this secondary world of ours ruined because of you. Not for our children. We will stop you if we must.”

            Amphitrite snatched him by the neck and pulled him close. He relaxed, probably assuming she was coming in for a kiss. Instead, she said, “Then try to do it.”

            Just then, a flurry of screams erupted across the ship. The bow, finally under too much strain, snapped. Lights flickered out across the whole ship, plunging the world into a dark nightmare—at least for the humans. Amphitrite could see just fine.

            She pushed her husband away, then slipped beneath the water. Humans were floating. Those who weren’t dead would be soon enough. Half of their precious ship was beneath the sea, with the other half soon joining it.

            Poseidon had disappeared, probably halfway across the world by now. She meant what she said. The only thing she hated more than the humans were the other gods—the same gods who treated her poorly, who considered her as only a nereid and not one of their own.

            One day, she’d make them understand her importance.

            Her might. Her hatred.

            Amphitrite swam beneath the lifeboats, looking up, contemplating capsizing one or two of them. She locked eyes with a woman who was still alive. The regal lady’s mouth opened to scream, releasing a torrent of bubbles. Then, her eyes frosted over.

            She was so pretty.

            Around her neck, an opal locket. Amphitrite opened it, revealing portraits of two babies, both who were likely floating in the deluge of bodies around them.

            Amphitrite held her by the cheeks, feeling the warmth seep away. The boats, the bodies, all floated above. She didn’t realize how deep she’d gone until the pressure of the water imploded the human with a silent splat.

            The sea goddess swam through it, then headed off for warmer waters. The anger, the need for malice, was slicked for tonight. Tomorrow, she’d play again.

            And she welcomed any who would challenge it.