Page 68 of The Noble's Merman

That stern tone shot an arrow of terror straight through his soul. His knees wobbled and hot sweat dripped from his trembling chin. He knew his father would pay, so there would be no worry. But he had to say something, anything to satisfy what the pirate would want. Even if he knew it wouldn’t come to fruition. It better not come to this. Please, Father.

“You can… have your way with me.”

“No, you mustn’t!” yelled Mo.

The pirate crew hollered and whistled, some even licked their lips. Kent cringed and grit his teeth at the awful noise, hearing lewd and perverted comments coming from a few of them. I’ll be fine. I’ll be fine. It won’t come to that.

“You hear that, brothers?” Young called back to his crew. “Either the pounds, or a gorgeous young whore we can share amongst ourselves. Well, if that’s the case, let us take a vote. We are… democratic, as you know. So here! All in favor of plundering the ship of her goods and leaving her dry say ‘aye’.”

A few voices rang, but not many.

“Now, all in favor of holding the nobleman’s son for ransom, worth more coin than any of these goods combined, along with gaining a strong, valuable new crewman, say ‘aye’.”

The entirety of the pirate crew hollered and few even stamped their feet. Whistles flew through the air and Kent felt his whole body shake at the noise. Oh, what am I getting myself into?

Young clapped, calming the men down. “Then it’s settled!”

“I’m coming along too!”

Kent’s and everyone else’s gaze turned to the water again. It was Mo.

“You’re still here?” Young growled, then narrowed his gaze at Kent. “He wants you, doesn’t he? He used your Christian name. You’re a mer-fucker, aren’t you, lad?”

Kent’s face burned; now was not the time to feel embarrassment over that. He had to stay calm. “W-well, as you said, we are close…”

Young looked down over the railing again at Mo. The pirate crew gazed as well, and one came up to their captain, clasping a hand onto Young’s shoulder. “Cap’n, how do we know he ain’t a siren? He could be followin’ the ship for his own ulterior motives and we’d be none the wiser.”

“He’s not a siren!” Kent said hastily. “I’ve heard him sing. He doesn’t have that sort of magic.”

Allen gave him a curious stare, and Kent had to wonder why. He doesn’t still question that fact, does he? But his thoughts were cut short when Young said, “I don’t believe he’s a siren either. Sirens view humanity as their enemy, from what I know. And I know that look.” He flicked his gaze between Kent and Mo. “That look of possession. Claiming you as his. There’s no hiding the truth of his feelings in that stare. A siren wouldn’t befriend a human or get close to them like that.”

Kent made eye contact with Mo then, seeing the worry and care in his ocean-blue eyes. And—he felt something in his heart tug and pull. Clutching onto his chest and caressing it with tenderness, vulnerability, intimacy. It was strange, not like anything he’d felt before, something he could only describe as otherworldly. Was this magic? The connection they formed because of their love?

“I wish to join you, to ensure that you are honest in what you say,” Mo said to the pirate. “You must bring him back to England safely.”

Young huffed, then shrugged, standing back up straight. “I suppose there isn’t anything I can do to stop you from swimming along. Do as you please. But you are not allowed on board our ship.” Kent could see Mo’s brows crease lower in frustration. “Come on, then. The men have voted. You two are coming with us.”

Young grabbed onto Kent’s wrist with a force he didn’t expect and dragged him toward the planks that connected the ships. Other pirates held onto Allen and supported him, ushering in the beginning of yet another new journey. Kent looked back at The Sterling Mer. Hopefully he would see these men again once in England, those who were nothing but kind to him and, as silly as it might be to say, were becoming like a second family. Brooks, Davies, Walker, and the rest of them wished him their safe regards, thanking him, and Kent did the same. They didn’t have much longer to go before they reached Massachusetts, and once there they could find a new surgeon. They would be fine. Himself, however…

He would be all right. He looked down into the water, wishing with all his might that his feet wouldn’t slip and plunge him into the depths as Young pulled him along. “Mo,” he called out to his merman. “Thank you. Thank you for being there for me.”

“I’ll do anything for you,” said Mo, never taking his eyes away from him. “I promised I will keep you safe, and I will hold true to that promise.”

“That’s enough sentimentality for now.” Young tugged Kent’s wrist again.

Kent got one good last look at Mo’s face before he stepped onto the pirate ship, determined to memorize his emotion because he didn’t know how soon they would see each other again. They would, he knew. If the strange pulsing in his heart was anything to go by, he knew Mo was true, and their love was real. It would bring them together.

He would be safe. The plan would work. Allen was here with him, too.

Please, let my father understand.

TWENTY-THREE

Once Kent was on the other ship, Mo could see him no longer. He still kept his head above the surface to hear what he could, but it wasn’t much, unable to discern anything with all the commotion still happening between both the vessels.

Soon after, the pirates pulled away the planks and the two ships were separated. The sun brought morning light and glistened in bright streaks across the sleek surface of the ocean, painting it and the sky stark colors of orange and maroon. As beautiful as it was, Mo could hardly enjoy the sight when dread still simmered in his stomach. The pirates tugged and twisted the sails, slowly turning their ship around toward facing the sun itself. At least they appeared competent in that sense, pointing the ship in the right direction that Mo remembered where they came from.

It was useless to stay above the surface waiting. Kent wasn’t going to appear again. Possibly for a while. His stomach growled at him, angry for not eating since before having rum yesterday. Fine, I suppose I should head back under.

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