38. Chapter Thirty-Eight

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Meria

I t was hard to breathe as I paced back and forth in the captain's quarters. Even though I was happy with the interaction I had just had with Domnick, I was still worried.

What else will we discover on this journey? Do I have enough strength to continue to save this ship?

I hoped that whatever we faced, I could continue to help. It had been a while since I thought of my father, but for some reason, that was where my mind went.

How is he? How are my sisters and my family? Are the lights still dimming? Will I be able to find my mother in time to help my people?

I drew in a breath, but was startled as a knock sounded on my door.

“Meria?” The voice sounded familiar in a way that felt off, for it did not match my situation on board the ship.

Do I really miss home so much that I am imagining him?

As I opened the door, I could not believe it; Finn was standing there before me, not only with legs and on the ship, but he was dressed like a pirate. His melody swirled around me.

“Finn!?” I gasped, before covering my mouth, reaching out to grab him, then pulling him into the room and slamming the door behind us.

“What in all the seas are you doing here, Finn?”

“Happy to see me, Meria? Ancients, I have missed you, and I needed to check in on you,” he said, walking around the room in awe; everything there seemed to fascinate him, and I was sure it did; he had always loved looking at the things humans dropped into the sea.

“Of course, I am happy to see you; I am just surprised.”

“Sorry to surprise you, but your ship has been hard to track in these waters, and I also had to veer away from a huge swarm of sirens.”

“They just attacked us.”

“Awful abominations,” he said, shaking his head.

I was so happy to see my cousin that I ran to him and wrapped my arms around him. He smelled like the sea and seaweed, and it made me laugh.

“Are you alright, Meria?”

“It is so good to see you; I did not realize, till now, how much I have missed you.”

“Really great to be appreciated. You did not think I would leave you alone with a pirate, did you?”

“Finn, tell me, how are they?”

“Things are bad, Meria; more and more mer are becoming sick.”

“It’s the lights, Finn, I just know it. If the mer rose, I think that would help,” I sniffled into his shirt. Finn patted my back.

“You have a plan, and once you speak with your mother, I know we will have the answers needed to help us.” He pulled me tighter into our hug, and I was never more grateful for my cousin.

The door burst open, and standing there was Dominick, his chest rising and falling rapidly as his eyes settled upon Finn and me. I pulled away from Finn and was about to introduce him, but Dominick spoke first.

“Get away from her!” he shouted, crossing the room to stand in between us.

“Dominick–” I began, but Finn spoke up.

“The Cruel Hand, is it?” Finn asked with a chuckle. “Fearsome, but not as fearsome as what I have seen under the sea.”

“You are a mer?” Dominick asked.

I noticed then that Dominick had a knife out. I touched his shoulder, but did not know what else to do. He clearly thought Finn was a threat, and Finn, of course, was acting as if it were a joke. He was going to get gutted.

“Yes, I am Meria's–” but before Finn could finish, Dominick’s eyes grew wide with some understanding, and he moved quickly to pin Finn against the wall. His knife was at his throat, and Finn was no longer smiling.

“Get off my ship. You had your chance with Meria, and she did not want you. Leave, and never come back. How dare you!”

“Fine, I will leave, but you are horribly incorrect.”

“I doubt that after what you did to her,” Dominick growled.

“Just go, Finn; I will find you later,” I finally spoke.

Dominick reluctantly let him go and watched as he walked from the cabin. As soon as the door shut, Dominick turned to me.

“Are you alright, Meria?”

“Yes, I am fine. What is going on?”

His face was so close to mine that I caught my breath, unable to say anything else.

“I am so sorry you had to endure him coming here. I am so sorry for the pain you may be feeling. I can take it away if you’d like,” he said, rubbing his hand over my jaw.

“I am alright, thank you, but he would never hurt me.” I paused, and he waited for me to finish, tilting my chin up to look him in the eye.

“You do not need to thank me, Meria. I would do it again and so much more for you.” He bent down and kissed my cheek, making my entire body heat up, desiring nothing else but to be in his arms. “I came in here to tell you that we are ready to go onto the island.”

“Oh, that is great. But Dominick, Finn is not a threat to me. I have missed him so very much.” My words were jumbled. I knew I wasn’t saying enough.

“Finn, is it?”

“I am happy to see him again; he is my dearest friend, and I love him.”

“Great,” Dominick said, pulling away.

“Is something the matter?”

“No, you two can meet me at the back of the ship.” Then he left.

What is going on? What did I miss?