Page 31 of Pearls of Salt and Sacrifice

“What sort of danger?” Reva asked, pulling against Jareth’s hold until he released her. “It’s probably just a whale coming up for air. Unless…”

The problem in the cove.

“Pirates wouldn’t get in a dither because of a whale,” Isla said with a frown.

“Many creatures lurk in these waters.” Jareth’s voice held a pinched edge. “Dangerous creatures.”

Reva couldn’t argue with him because he was the prince of the sea elves.

He would know.

And he had said there was something in the cove…was that something following them?

“Unfurl all sails.” Rency’s voice rolled across the deck. “All hands on deck. Andromeda?” Rency looked toward the steering and lifted a hand. “Put on more speed. Make for Seriposa like your timbers are burning!”

“Why is he talking to the ship?” Isla whispered, taking a step closer to Reva. “Is he mad?”

“Yes. You’re only now realizing that?”

Isla shot Reva a quelling look that soon twisted into a smile. But her humor faded as something arched out of the waves. Something dark, something huge…

“What is that?” Reva ignored the warnings of her companions and dashed to the ship’s rail, leaning over to stare behind the Andromeda. Jareth and Ilsa pressed against her on either side. The wind tried to whip Rency’s hat from her head, but Jareth clamped a hand down on the crown and pinned it in place for her.

“That’s no whale,” Isla said. She gripped the rail with both hands, leaning to see around Reva. “It’s massive.”

“Whatever it is, I don’t think it’s something we want to catch up to us.” Jareth, still holding on to Reva’s hat, reached into his pocket and withdrew one of his kraken babies. Holding it to his lips he whispered something Reva couldn’t hear over the thunder of waves against the hull and the bellow of pirate voices.

Then he leaned over the railing and released the kraken. Reva gasped. How could he be so cruel? The baby kraken was so small, and they were up so high… But the kraken latched its suckers against the hull of the ship and slithered down the side of the Andromeda like a snake down a vine. With an unimpressive splash, he disappeared into the frothing waves.

With his arm around her to hang on to her hat, Reva almost felt as if he were hugging her. He stood so close. Memories of the previous night flooded her thoughts—memories of drowning and kissing and holding him beneath the waves.

Instead of being embarrassed by her wayward thoughts, she embraced them. As Jareth’s sea-green eyes stared back at her, she couldn’t escape the niggling thought…

What if Jareth turned out to be another Rency? Another stab in the back when she least expected it?

Rency was concerned Felix was the one who couldn’t be trusted. But no one here could vouch for Jareth. No one but her. And what was her confidence based on?

His magical lips?

Her gaze dropped to that strangely gifted part of his face.

“What is it?” As his mouth formed the words, she tore her gaze back to his eyes, heat flooding her face.

“Where’d you send him?” she asked. “The baby. Where did you send him?”

Jareth quirked a smile. “I sent him to get help.”

Reva turned back to watch the dark shape hulking beneath the waves as it gained on them with alarming speed. A sense of foreboding, of dread, filled her body. Judging by the tense atmosphere, the curses, the broken prayers and pleas to gods and divinities, she was not the only one who sensed the impending danger.

“I hope that blob of yours can swim really fast,” Isla said, an edge in her voice. “I have a feeling we’re going to need this help of which you speak.”

Just then, a shudder tore through the Andromeda, and the crew began to scream.

Writhing black tentacles rose out of the sea alongside the Andromeda. Reva gasped as Jareth and Isla tore her away from the railing. The wind caught Reva’s hat and whipped it off her head. Isla slammed her hard into the main mast, while Jareth put himself between her and the black, snakish object rising over their heads. His back pressed hard into the arm Reva braced against his shoulders.

Horror and fear rippled through her as Reva tilted her head to watch the tentacle that rose higher, dousing them in water.

“Now!” Rency roared.

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