Page 17 of Of Song and Darkness

“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.

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