Page 16 of Of Song and Darkness

The words “like hell” were on the tip of my tongue, but a tremor in her voice had me hesitating to speak them out loud. “Are you asking or threatening?” I couldn’t keep the anger from my voice from the sheer inconvenience she was causing.

“I am asking.” She held her head higher and looked me directly in the eyes, slightly impressing me with her strength and dignity. “I am asking. Nicely, I might add,” she said with something that barely resembled a smile. Her golden eyes twinkled in the slight sway of the lantern that lit the cabin.

I cursed under my breath as I walked around her and snatched the covers and my pillow from the bed. She watched my every move with precision.

“Don’t just stand there. Get in the bed,” I said between clenched teeth.

The thought of a siren beneath my sheets made my skin crawl, but like it or not, she was my responsibility and my cabin was the only other place except the brig that had a lock on the door. I groaned as the realization sank in. I had to ensure she was safe and sound until we reached our destination. Then I could kill her.

Her haughty stare never left mine as she slowly approached the bed and sat down on my soft, plush mattress. Without another word, I slammed the door shut and clicked the lock into place. I shoved my hands through my hair in frustration. I would never hear the end of this when Cael found out that I had relinquished my bed to a siren.

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.

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