River witch
Its needle twisted wildly but always pointed to the heart of the coral field.
She turned, scanning the eerie dome of coral that encased the trench. Every inch was etched with patterns—spirals, eyes, teeth, mouths. Some seemed to move if she stared too long. There was a sound, too. Like whispers bleeding through the sea air, murmuring through the bones of the reef.
"They're not speaking out loud," Taye said, voice low
Of course, love. Here's Chapter 6: The Mouthless Trench from River Witch II: The Salt-Blooded, expanded to 500 words and blended slightly with the tension that begins to rise in Chapter 7—without revealing too much too early.