Chapter 9

Startled from my sleep by a faint shuffling, my eyes flew open, and I jolted upright. Panic surged through me as I found myself face-to-face with an intense, ebony-skinned man brooding over me.

"Cap'n said to eat this." A tin saucer and a cup were thrust in my face, and I quickly grabbed them before they could tumble to the floor.

I was unable to look away as he loomed nearby. What was it about these humans? Did the salty sea air somehow inflate them beyond the size of an average human being? This man nearly matched the immense stature and build of that detestable Kai. My gaze wandered, taking in the inking on his dark skin—similar to the markings we put on our skin during a celebration—alongside the gleaming metal loops adorning his ear.

Sensing his growing irritation at my stare, I averted my gaze to the plate in front of me. Disgust twisted my lip. What was this stuff? I touched a flaky tan thing that reminded me of a sea sponge; it was crusty and soft. I prodded a heap of red, oblong things, feeling it squish under my touch. I immediately shoved the plate away and gulped the water he handed me, only to recoil as the liquid hit my tongue, involuntarily spewing it across the room.

"What is your problem?" The man groaned as he darted out of the line of fire from the spray of water.

"What's wrong with this water? It's not crisp and salty." I looked down into the cup and smelled the contents.

It didn't really have a scent at all. Humans were strange creatures. I eyed the cup again; my parched tongue felt better just from the liquid touching it, but I did not want to drink this peculiar water. I inhaled deeply, pinched my nose, and downed the cup's contents. My dry throat was instantly relieved, but my taste buds protested loudly. I sat the empty glass beside the plate and then looked back up at the man.

He motioned at the plate. "You're not going to eat?"

"Not that," I said with a sneer.

"Suit yourself." He lifted the plate and moved toward the door, and I rose and trailed behind. He paused, casting an irritated glance in my direction. "Where do you think you're going?"

"I need some air," I stated plainly, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Not going to happen, siren." He growled in my face and leaned over me in a threatening manner.

Did everyone aboard know my true identity? I glanced down at my spindly legs. Well, I used to be a siren.

"I do believe the captain of the ship gives the orders. I require his audience," I said in a lofty voice, showing him that his intimidation tactics did not work on me.

His dark eyes beaded with anger as his pupils shrunk two sizes. Without another word, he marched out the door and slammed it shut. I shrugged at his childish mannerisms and occupied myself with exploring my new surroundings. I didn"t have a chance to see the room last night. Once my head hit the bed, sleep had claimed me.

The room sprawled in darkness, its vastness a reflection of the shadowy character who called it home. My steps echoed softly as I moved with measured caution, absorbing the grand atmosphere created by the dark wooden floors and the coordinating furniture. My fingers glided over the intricate carvings adorning the wardrobe door, the craftsmanship exceeding even the most lavish shipwrecks I"d ever explored. This room radiated an unapologetic masculinity, the color palette limited to the deepest shades of blues and grays. Apparently, hunting my kind paid well.

The only thing that softened the room were pieces stolen from the sea. I reached for a conch shell on the desk, running my fingers over the smooth, cool surface. A pang of homesickness tugged at my heart, reminding me of my family and the urgency to save them. I prayed that the Dark Water had not reached my home and that everyone there was safe. Anger erupted within just thinking about the precious time I was wasting relying on this blackhearted pirate, but it was a necessary evil.

I blinked a few times to clear my misty eyes as I let them wander over other objects in the room. Some things I knew the names of, others I did not. On a cluttered desk, I picked up a small metal object with multiple prongs on the end. I turned it in the palm of my hand, trying to understand its purpose. When I caught my reflection in a mirror, I walked up to it. I ran the prongs of the metallic thing through my wild hair that still smelled slightly of vomit.

The grating sound of the door scraping against the wooden floor had my heart flopping in my chest like a fish on dry land. I tried to snatch the object from my hair but only managed to get it hopelessly tangled in my locks. So much for trying to be inconspicuous. I continued to try to yank the thing from my hair as Kai entered and stalked toward me. I stopped moving altogether, the silver object dangled in my hair as he loomed over me.

He reached up with the ruse of being gentle and ever so lightly grabbed onto the item. "This is a cartographer's compass. You use it to chart maps, not comb your hair," he said in a superior tone, yanking the compass from my hair.

I hissed as he ripped a few strands from my skull. Without thinking of the consequences, I struck him across the face. An eerily calm smile spread across his face, but I could tell he was trying to hide the fact that I had taken him off guard. He was obviously not used to someone fighting back.

"Sea demon," he cursed as he stepped closer.

"You haven't seen a sea demon…yet," I warned and matched his macho display by mimicking his movement and stepping closer.

We were so close our breaths mingled and our noses almost touched. As I breathed deeply, I detected the fresh salty sea air and spices. The pleasant, seductive scent on him angered me, which was mirrored as fury overtook his features. I prepared to fight to the death, but to my surprise, he was the first to step back.

"What else do you want, sea demon? I gave you the nicest cabin aboard my ship, and yet you still antagonize my first mate," he said in frustration, jamming his hand through his wavy brown hair. An act that I wished he hadn't done because now I was hung up on his unruly windblown curls.

I crossed my arms defiantly across my chest. "My name is Rhea," I corrected him again, "and I am not antagonizing anyone. I simply asked to go up on deck. I need some air."

"You're not running around loose on my ship," he spat.

"What harm could I possibly cause? We are working together, are we not? I have no desire to bother you or any of your crew members. I give you my word." Although I teetered on the brink of pleading, such a display was beneath my dignity. I was nearly desperate for a breath of fresh air. The cabin was becoming increasingly stuffy with the rising sun.

"The word of a siren means nothing to me," Kai said.

"The feeling is mutual, but it's going to be a very long trip if we cannot at least agree to play nice," I countered.

He looked down at me and seemed to be considering my words. "Very well, but I do not make idle threats. If you even attempt to use your siren song again, I will turn you into fish chum."

I swallowed past the lump that formed in my throat just from the picture his threat incited. "Fine," I answered and lifted my hands in defeat. I would promise just about anything at this point for a breath of fresh air.

"You'll need some pants." He glanced down at my bare legs.

"What are pants?" My brow wrinkled in confusion.

He threw his head back and laughed. "Here." He rummaged through the fancy wardrobe and threw some black material at me. "You already have on my shirt, might as well wear my pants."

Something rolled in my stomach when he reminded me that I was wearing something that belonged to him. The desire to snatch it off was so great that my fingers itched, but I knew very well that I had nothing on underneath, and I was not going to find myself any more vulnerable in this man's presence than I already was.

He walked toward me smoothly, like a predator, and placed a finger under my chin. When he lifted it, a part of me wanted to pull away, and the other part was enthralled by the sheer manliness that emanated from him.

"Put these on and then join me above." His eyes bore into mine, and I finally found my fleeting senses and tugged away from his grip.

He smiled in a smug way that had me longing to wipe it from his face, and then he turned and walked out the door.

I glanced around the room and then fumbled with the black pair of pants-thingies, finally managing to slip them on. Only to have them slide right back off and pool around my ankles. I walked around the room until I found some rope. With it, I secured the pants in place. The pants were still too long, even with them hitched up to my waist, so I rolled them over a few times and then walked out of the cabin.

The sun was high in the sky by the time I ventured out onto the deck. My skin sang as the salty wind kissed it. I inhaled deeply and walked toward the railing. The vessel surged rapidly through the water, leaving me astonished at the speed humans could travel above the water"s surface.

I gazed down at the churning ocean below, and a pang of sorrow caused tears to well in my eyes. Longing swept over me. The desire to immerse myself in the comforting embrace of the water was nearly overwhelming. Yet, Kai"s words echoed in my mind—I was no longer a siren, and the consequences of going overboard could be fatal. Reluctantly, I scanned the area until I spotted the captain positioned high on a platform, hands firm on the wheel. His watchful, guarded gaze followed me as I slowly circled the boat"s perimeter. The other men parted like a school of fish when I came near. Did they know I was a siren as well? I finally walked up the stairs and stopped behind Kai.

"Who is that man?" I asked, pointing toward the one who had brought me food earlier. The one Kai said I had been badgering.

"That is Cael, my first mate. As you can probably tell just by looking at him, he is not one to mess with," he said dismissively. Signaling the end of the conversation again.

I should have let it be, but something about him drove me to provoke him. "You're not really a morning person, are you?" I walked over to the railing and leaned against it, finally gaining his attention as he turned toward me.

"I have never, nor will I ever have the desire to carry on a conversation with a siren," he said in a grumpy tone. "This is a business arrangement and nothing more."

A snippy comment was on the tip of my tongue, but I didn't have a chance to voice it.

"Capitán! Land ho!" an unfamiliar voice yelled from high above.

I walked to the edge of the stairs. As I looked up, I had to shield my eyes from the blinding sun. Perched amongst the sails was a man in something resembling a wooden nest.

"What is that?" I asked in awe.

"That's a crow's nest… Well, aboard this ship, it is known as Rat's nest," he answered without looking my way.

"Rat! Watch the bow! Coral reefs surround Turronto Port, and the tide is a moody wench!" Kai thundered, and his voice vibrated deep into my bones.

I nearly jumped out of my skin. The captain had come up alongside me and yelled over my shoulder at the man high up in the air. My skin instantly tingled at his nearness. I immediately retreated a few steps to put some space between us. When his eyes finally met mine, I saw a smugness in them. He was obviously pleased that he had been able to rattle me.

"Perhaps you need a pair of siren eyes. None compare." I straightened my backbone, trying desperately to hide the fact that his nearness unnerved me.

"If you think you can do better, siren, be my guest," he whispered. As his breath brushed against the shell of my ear, a shudder ran down my spine.

"All hands on deck! Lower the mainsail! Ready the capstan and prepare to heave to!"

I didn't get a chance to argue as he jumped down from the pavilion and started yelling orders. I watched for a while, amazed at how fast and fluidly the men moved to his harsh commands. When I glanced up at the "Rat's nest" he referred to, a smile spread across my face.

Nobody was paying any attention to me as I walked over to the rope ladder ascending to the structure high in the air. Tentatively, I gripped the rope and started to climb. I started questioning if this was a good idea about halfway up when the wind started whipping and the rope ladder started swaying. I clung to it tightly until the wind died down and then continued.

"Se?orita, what are you doing? You shouldn't be up here!" A hand reached down, gripped my own, and pulled until I was safely inside the structure high in the air.

"I wanted to see what a rat's nest was, and the view…" My mouth fell open as I looked out across the sea.

The scene was breathtaking. I had seen the ocean from below but never from above. As far as the eye could see, the sea stretched on for miles. The waves rolled in a rhythmic motion as the sun glistened on the water, making it look like a treasure trove. To our right, I could just make out the land as it came into view—the tans and browns of the beach and the greenery of the trees. Several kinds of birds chirped, and seagulls were cawing as they drew closer to the land.

"Si, it is breathtaking, se?orita. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Rat."

I pried my gaze from the ocean and looked at the man who had helped me.

He was much smaller and leaner than the other men, with a thick dark mustache above his lip. He shoved his black hair out of his face as the wind tossed it.

"Rhea." I smiled at him as his eyes twinkled with kindness.

He grabbed my hand, brought it to his lips, and kissed my knuckles. "The pleasure is all mine, se?orita."

"Rat!"

He tugged away and leaned over the siding as the captain called his name.

"Si, Capitán?" Rat called down.

"How many leagues…" Kai's words died on his lips as I leaned over the railing, and he went stark still.

"What are you doing up there?" he thundered.

I shrugged and glanced back out across the sea. I had no intention of yelling back and forth with him like younglings. Instead, I rested my elbows on the railing, enjoying the view. The captain simmered with anger and started up the rope ladder. He was moving faster and with more precision than I thought possible for someone of his size. I turned toward him as he landed with a loud thump inside the lookout tower.

"Leave now, Rat." Kai's tone was deathly calm and rang with warning.

"Adios, se?orita!"

I gasped as Rat jumped over the railing.

My skin tingled with discomfort as I watched him free fall until he grabbed onto a rope, swinging around to land on the deck. I turned back to the captain as he took a menacing step toward me. I retreated until my back collided with the railing.

"Do you have a death wish, sea demon? You barely just learned to walk—you don't have the stamina to climb a mast."

I batted my eyelashes to further enrage him. "Your concern is touching. It almost seems like you care."

"I do care. I care about that treasure on that sunken ship." He snarled as he ventured closer.

I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms defiantly across my chest. It was a pity there wasn't any treasure on that ship. I smiled to myself at the deceit. I couldn't wait until I rubbed that information in his face, pointing out that a siren had outsmarted the dreaded Blackheart Kai. He stepped around me, rested his forearms on the railing, and looked out across the sea.

"So, can you see the reef and the sea's bottom with your wonderful siren eyes?" he mocked, changing the subject.

"No, but the sea tells me everything I need to know. The reef is about ten yards off the starboard." I smiled victoriously when the smug look faded from his face and was replaced with fleeting shock.

"And just what exactly did the sea say?"

"If you stopped long enough to listen, it would speak to you too." I followed his gaze as it danced across the glistening water.

"Why would I do that? That's what you're for." The sarcasm returned as quickly as it had fled. "If you and the sea are correct, we are right on course."

Before I could respond, he blasted another round of ear-piercing orders and then turned to leave. I watched him skeptically as he leaped over the railing, gripped the rope ladder, and started to climb down. The boldness I had felt with him by my side bounded right over the edge with him. Rat had helped me over the railing, and I didn't know if I could make it back over by myself without slipping. As Kai plainly pointed out, I wasn't too good with the use of my legs yet.

"You're not going to help me? It would mean your death if you let the Princess of Aquarius die aboard your ship. Do you really feel like taking that gamble?" I threw the princess bait out, hoping it would persuade him to help me back down. I was way too stubborn to simply ask this brooding man for help.

The longer I looked over the edge, the higher up it seemed. Funny, I didn't have this feeling when climbing up. My vision began to crisscross, so I focused on him instead of the thought of falling to my death.

"It would be my great pleasure to watch you splatter against the deck. Besides, you got yourself up here, Your Highness. You can get yourself back down." His deep laughter rumbled and grated across my nerves.

I inhaled deeply and then slowly straddled the railing. The wind was still whipping, threatening to snatch me to my death. I gripped the railing so hard my knuckles blanched white. I slowly found my footing on the rope ladder. It swayed back and forth under my body's weight. It seemed like an eternity before I summoned enough courage to release the railing. When I did, my foot slipped and went through one of the holes in the rope ladder. A scream ripped from my throat but was cut off instantly as a strong arm snaked around my waist and steadied me.

"I don't want you coming back up here again. Do I make myself clear?"

My heart lodged in my throat from my near-death experience as my body was hopelessly crushed between the rope ladder and the brawny captain's body. "Do I make myself clear?" he growled again.

Still reeling from the situation, I found myself unable to muster a response, especially the typical defiant retorts I would have offered. Instead, I simply nodded in agreement. He reached down, wrapped his meaty hand around my bare ankle, pulled my foot back through the hole, and placed it on the ladder.

"Hold tight and go down slowly. Don't fight the sway of the rope. Just go with it. I'll be directly below you if you slip again," he reassured me before starting down again.

Embarrassment burned through my body as I followed Kai down the rope ladder. I hated to admit that he had been right, and I proved that fact by nearly tumbling to my death. My tense muscles finally relaxed when my feet hit the solid deck. I glanced around, but the captain had already disappeared in the mass of men running around the ship. The urge to duck below and wallow in my shame was tempting, but I refused to return to the stuffy cabin. Leaning against the railing, I found solace in the open space, feeling free and at ease with the wind gently brushing against my skin and the salty sea spray tenderly kissing my face.

The sun began to set, taking with it the warmth. I marveled at the brilliant colors that were etched across the sky and reflected in the waters below. The sight was breathtaking. I don't know how long I marveled at the view, but I stayed there until the sky darkened and stars started to sprinkle across it. The ship was now anchored a ways from the shore. I turned, realizing that the busy commotion had died down and it was just the captain and me left on deck.

His eyes met mine, and he seemed at complete peace in the silence, leaning against the railing. Hunger and fatigue tugged at me, but I was still not ready to go below. With cautious steps, I made my way up the stairs and stood behind him. I found myself admiring the texture of his silky, curly hair swaying gently in the night breeze. A sudden longing seized me, a desire to reach out and run my fingers through his hair to see if it was as soft as it looked. The fact that the thought even dared to cross my mind appalled me and had me shaking my head to rid myself of the horrid idea.

"A shilling for your thoughts, siren." His deep voice shattered the quiet, and I startled when he finally decided to speak to me.

"What would I do with a shilling? I will take some fish, though. I'm starved."

My response awarded me his attention, not that I really wanted it. He glanced back at me with a slight upturn of his lips that I might even classify as a smile.

"Cael informed me that you have not eaten. I suppose I could rustle you up some fish to please your delicate princess palate," he said with a smugness that I found rather irksome.

I was not being difficult, but I did not intend to eat the strange human food offered this morning. Sloshing in the water pulled my attention from the pirate. I bent over the railing to see a massive school of dolphins splashing around the ship.

"Dolphins!" I said in surprise.

Kai glanced at them and then back at me as I watched their antics.

"Guess they're attracted to you," he said as he focused straight ahead again.

I watched them closely. They were acting strange. They were definitely trying to get someone's attention, but I seriously doubted it was me. No fish or mammals that swam the seas were attracted to sirens. We were predators. They usually swam in the opposite direction, but maybe they couldn't tell what I was in this human body.

He interrupted my musing. "Better get some sleep. We go to shore just as soon as the sun touches the horizon in the morning."

"You're going to let me go on land?" Try as I might, I could not hide the excitement from my voice.

His glance dismissively brushed over me, and the only response I received was a curt shrug. I walked along the railing, watching the dolphins, as I returned to the small cabin in the ship's hull. Strange indeed.