Chapter 33

Igripped my pounding head. It felt like a tavern full of barmaids were dancing to the sea shanty across my skull. I breathed deeply, hoping the fresh salty air would alleviate some of the pain, but at this point, I was sure nothing would stop the aching in my chest. I had yet to decipher if it was from Dark Water edging closer to my heart or the fact that Rhea had disappeared with that sea dog beneath the rippling waves.

I forced myself to stand, waiting a few seconds to get my balance before walking up to the helm. Sink me. My legs were like that of a land dweller who had never been on the sea.

"Where is she?" I asked Cael as I stopped beside him.

Cael turned to me, his eyes full of concern. "Still lurking below. She hasn't left in days."

I glanced over the railing to find the sea witch circling below like a shark. She smiled up at me, showing off rows of razor-sharp teeth. The thought of blasting her out of the water with one of my cannons was all-consuming, but that hadn't worked so great the last time I tried it.

"Cap'n." Cael gripped the sleeve of my shirt, pulling my attention to the stern of the ship.

Relief flooded through me when Rhea broke through the surface. Her crimson hair flowed around her like a halo in the water as she swam in our direction. The trident she held in her hands caused a different sensation to rise in me. The sea witch was already powerful, and Rhea was getting ready to hand her an object that would make her invincible.

"I was starting to think you double-crossed me," the sea witch said as Rhea stopped before her. "Where's my little minion?" The sea witch glanced behind Rhea.

"I'm not in charge of your pets," Rhea hissed.

The sea witch held out her hand. "It doesn't matter. Hand me the trident."

Rhea pulled the trident closer to her chest. "Not until you remove the Dark Water from Kai."

The sea witch rolled her eyes, irritation evident in her expression. "Fine."

"And I want my legs back so I can be with him," Rhea added.

The smile that rendered the sea witch's face had me longing to pull my sword from its scabbard at my hip and slice her lips from her face.

Rhea swam over to the rope ladder as the sea witch shot a burst of magic through the water toward her. Rhea's face scrunched in pain, but she did not cry out this time, much to the disappointment of the sea witch, judging by the scowl on her face.

Rhea slowly made it up the ladder, and I was there waiting at the top to pull her over the railing and wrap her in my shirt. I swallowed her in my embrace, burying my face in the crook of her shoulder. "You have thoroughly wrecked me. I haven't had a moment's peace since you left," I whispered in her ear.

Rhea pulled away, her honey-colored eyes shining with emotion. Her smile touched my very soul, further breaking through its darkness.

"Isn't this sweet? The reunion of the monster and the monster hunter." The sea witch's bone-grating voice cut through the air as she hoisted herself over the railing.

I extended my shirt to Rhea, inviting her to slip her arms through. My gaze snared on the deep purple blemishes that marred her otherwise creamy skin.

"Who did this to you?" I growled, lightly gripping her arm.

Rhea pulled her arm from me, slipped it through the shirt, and began working on the buttons. "It's nothing."

I stepped closer to her. "It looks like a handprint." The words came out more of a snarl than actual words.

"I had a little problem with Orm," she barely whispered.

"Did you carve his heart out like I told you to?" I secretly hoped that was why he was not here.

"No." She exhaled as her eyes finally climbed to meet mine.

"Good." I pulled her closer. "That means I will have the pleasure of doing so."

Rhea shivered as fear shot through her eyes. I didn't need to turn around to know that the sea witch was lying in wait behind me. An unreadable emotion flashed across Rhea's face as she gripped the trident tighter. I angled my body toward the sea witch.

"Make no mistake. I am my father's daughter. If you do not remove every drop of Dark Water from his veins, I will turn you into sea foam," Rhea threatened, making her point as the trident in her hands started to glow. Her threat enticed a smirk of pride from me. She was certainly not the same unsure princess I had picked up off the beach all those months ago.

The sea witch's face scrunched with anger as she slid toward me. She rubbed her hands together, and a hazy dark smoke rose from her palms. "Don't say I didn't warn you. I very seriously doubt you will survive this."

Before her threat took root, she plunged her sharp nails into my chest, digging into my skin. A roar of pain ripped from my lungs as her nails dug deep, nearly grazing my heart. The sea witch cackled with malice as the mist poured into my body.

Rhea stepped forward, as did Cael and my entire crew. I managed to lift a shaky hand, staying their attack. The extraction was excruciating, but I could feel it working. The lesions the sea witch caused in my chest started to leak a combination of my blood and Dark Water. I glanced at Rhea, who had tears pouring down her face. To alleviate her fears, I nodded once.

I felt it the moment the last drop of Dark Water left my body. The sea witch ripped her claws from my skin, and I fell back onto the deck. My back and head slammed against the railing.

"Kai?" Rhea questioned. Her eyes flitted between me and the sea witch like she didn't know whether to hold her ground or hand the trident over.

I reached up, wiping a hand across my chest. All that was left behind was the crimson stain of my blood. "It's done."

Relief flashed across Rhea's face before she tossed the sea witch the trident.

The sea witch hugged the trident to her chest in a fit of hysterical glee. "It's mine! It's finally mine!"

Rhea fell to her knees beside me, her face hovering nervously above mine. My skin pulled together, healing the holes created by the sea witch. Energy surged through me, pounding with relentless power, making the glow of my skin return.

Rhea smiled, tucking her hair behind her ear before leaning down and brushing her soft lips against mine. "I thought I lost you."

"Never."

Rhea's eyes roved over my face. "How are you feeling?"

"Good as new," I answered, sitting up straighter.

The sly smile that brushed against Rhea's lips had me wanting to do unspeakable things to her. "Good, then go get my father's trident back."

Heat flooded my body as I realized this was her plan all along. Blackheart Kai may not be able to stop the sea witch, but Kai, son of Poseidon, could. "As you wish, my little sea demon."

I stood, immediately ensnaring the attention of the sea witch. Her glare brushed across my chest before an angry sneer tugged at her lips. "How is this possible?"

I swaggered closer, stopping mere inches from her, bending and whispering in her ear. "Did I fail to mention I was the son of Poseidon?"

The sea witch reared back so violently she would have snapped her spine in two if she had one. "Poseidon had no heirs." Fear engulfed her entire body as she gaped at me in disbelief.

"None that he acknowledged," I assured her.

The sea witch eased back, and I allowed her to retreat. There was nowhere in the Seven Seas she could hide from me if she chose to flee. "I will not allow the bastard son of Poseidon to stop me," she wailed, moving closer to the railing.

"Then do your worst," I baited her. "You got the upper hand last time, but I assure you it will not happen again."

A screech rose from her throat, signaling the onset of battle. The trident glowed in her grasp as she unleashed its power upon me. It streaked through the air like a bolt of lightning, but I invoked the ocean, swiftly conjuring a watery barrier to block the blow. The trident's force rebounded off the water, hurtling back in her direction. She tried to evade the blast, but it singed off one of her tentacles, leaving behind a black nub. The air turned putrid with the scent of burnt flesh.

An angry whoosh of air left her as she stared down at the severed tentacle. I smiled in amusement when the thing didn't immediately grow back. "Apparently, sea magic has a different effect on you than the blade of a man. How about I remove the other seven?" I threatened, my tone laced with a hint of danger.

Panic rendered her features, causing her to shrink back. "I have just the thing for someone like you." She cackled, engulfing herself in inky black magic.

I rushed forward, but she'd disappeared. The only thing that met me was the spark of magic as it sizzled through the air, tingling against my skin. I gripped the railing, scanning the ocean for any signs of her. She reappeared a few feet away from the ship with an onyx blade as black as a moonless night in her hands. I stared at the weapon. I didn't know what it was, but I could hear the whisper of evil and taste the promise of death in the air.

She held the dagger up, the ebony blade reflecting the sun's rays. "Do you know what this is, son of Poseidon?"

Rhea stepped up beside me, concern lining her features.

"This is the Obsidian Blade. Gifted to me by Hades himself to kill his brother Poseidon," the sea witch purred.

My blood ran colder than the water in the Mariana Trench. The sea witch was responsible for the death of Poseidon?

The sea witch smiled."And now I am going to use it to kill you. A fitting sentiment, don't you think?"

"There's only one problem with your plan," I countered, leaning against the railing of the ship like her threat bored me. "I am not my father's son. He created sea creatures for his glory. I, on the other hand, kill monsters for the pleasure. Rest assured, I fully intend to adorn the bow of my ship with your wretched carcass!"

The sea witch's pale gray skin blanched, making her look even more grotesque.

"Fighting positions!" I bellowed, and the crew jumped into action. The cries of war hummed in the air, a sweet melody to my ears. My eyes never left the sea witch as she blinked at me in animosity. "I am also not alone."

"Fire!" Cael bellowed.

The water around the sea witch exploded, the force sending salty water in my face. I stepped off the railing as the ocean rose to meet me. I rushed toward the sea witch, who was still dazed from the carcass shot. She recovered quickly from the strike. More of the dark mist billowed from her palms as she used it to meld the Obsidian Blade and Manta's trident together. The trident's middle prong dissolved, and in its place emerged the dagger. An electric shock ran through me, causing me to freeze in place, as the once-golden trident transformed into the purest of onyx.

Power exploded from the tip of the blade, sending a bolt of black energy in my direction. I brought up another wall of ocean water, but this time, the magic effortlessly passed through, slicing through my forearm. I hit the waves hard, sinking into the sea as the magic seared my flesh.